COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Betty Kaiser: Chatterbox Surviving sheltering in place Betty Kaiser T hat crazy lady pho- to in today’s columns (above) is me — needing a haircut! And today’s col- umn is a rambling descrip- tion of the new Shelter-in- Place lifestyle that we’re all living. I agree with Tom Hanks who said, “There’s no such thing as a Saturday any- more. Every day is just to- day.” In this pandemic era, ev- ery day seems like the one before. Time is running them all together. News flashes are constant and contradictory. The govern- ment rules to protect us from the coronavirus often change from day to day. The truth is that some- times, I am overwhelmed knowing what to do and when to do it. Do I agree with the need for restrictions? You bet I do! Anything that keeps people from catch- ing COVID-19 and saves thousands of lives is a good thing. I support the rules wholeheartedly. But do I like the rules on a minute-by-minute, day- by-day, week-by-week ba- sis? Nope. Not at all. Espe- cially when it means stay- ing home 24/7. At first, staying home and sheltering didn’t both- er me. I could find plenty to do around the house: organize photos, clean clos- ets, sweep the ga- rage and a weekly search for groceries kept me busy (and uptight) at the stores. I learned how to wear a mask and gloves while shopping and to stay six feet away from other shop- pers and neighbors. I made hand sanitizer and use lots of hand soap while washing my hands and singing “Happy Birth- day.” Until now, I never knew how often I touched my face. Now I know not do that! But… once the food cup- boards were full, new rec- ipes tried and phone calls made, I tired of cleaning house and I missed driving into town, entertaining my friends, going to church and visiting my favorite Eu- gene haunts. Boredom started setting in. And let me tell you, it’s not easy to get bored around my house. There’s always something to do. Six manicured acres of rose bushes, vegetable gar- dens, trees and meadow grass will keep you busier than a bee. Just trying to keep the weeds from tak- ing over the property is ex- hausting. It’s also not fun and I need fun! Between the cold, blus- tery, rainy days and our advanced ages we limit the time we spend working Preserving Your Pet’s Memory We off er a full line of aftercare services to honor the life of your beloved pet. Cremation Services • Burials • Memorials • Urns • Keepsakes • Grief Support 123 S. 7th St. Cottage Grove 541.942.0185 smithlundmills.com 6-day weather forecast FRIDAY SATURDAY 85° | 52° 82° | 52° Sunny Sunny SUNDAY MONDAY 79° | 52° 70° | 50° Cloudy Showers TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 60° | 46° 61° | 47° Showers Showers outside. A couple of hours and it’s back into the house to catch up with emails, phone calls, texts from the kids, laundry, bills, naps, reading or TV. That’s it! Day after day after day. Fortunately, Chuck and I are used to working togeth- er and that’s a good thing! He likes to help. Howev- er, my idea of household chores is way different from his. An example: He’s still surprised that doing the dishes includes cleaning off the stove and counter tops every day! So, sometimes a little togetherness feels like too much and I’m sure he feels the same! Shelter in Place at our house includes us and two Dachshunds. And right now we’re all feeling stressed and a little claus- trophobic. The dogs sense our agitation and can’t set- tle down. They walk around whin- ing for attention or sit at the back door barking to go out and chase a squirrel. They quickly come back inside and start all over again. It’s a merry-go-round. But last week, I had a revelation. Everyone was in the kitchen. The dogs were sitting on their cushions in front of the French doors, guarding the property. I was gathering ingredients and putting together a spa- ghetti sauce for dinner. And Chuck was making doggie meatballs. As I looked around, I re- alized that while the house was eerily quiet, everyone was at peace. We were safe, happy and healthy. “Aha!” I thought, “This new normal is working.” But it was almost too quiet. So I went over and turned on the TV so we could all watch the depressing morning news while doing our part to shelter in place. So, yes! We can do this! But… I still need a haircut! One final thought: As we mourn all of those who have lost their lives in this pandemic, we do not know what the future holds for us. Our future is limited by the guidelines we’ve been given. Cooperation is a good thing. Our job is to trust those making deci- sions. They are literally a matter of life or death. Please join me in pray- ing regularly for those who have COVID-19 and those who care for them: heal- ing, endurance and peace for the patients; wisdom, compassion, energy, rest and protection for first re- sponders and medical per- sonnel. Also, for the virus to stop spreading and the research- ers to create vaccines to prevent it. And one more thing: Let’s be grateful for our blessings. It could be worse. Can I get an Amen? Contact Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner at 942-1317 or email bchatty@bettykaiser.com LORANE NEWS Contributed by Lil Thompson for The Sentinel Our CAL Teachers con- tinue to to a good job in this new environment of distance learning. Continue to contact them if you have any questions on assign- ments or anything else. • Also, the students are doing a great job. Remem- ber to have a schedule and place for students to work to stay focused on their work. The high school princi- pal and staff are sincerely hoping to have something for the 2020 Seniors. Stay tuned for future in- formation. • Lorane Grange will be suspending all Grange meetings, on the recom- mendation of the State Grange, for the months of May and June. If there is a change, the Grange Secre- tary will notify all mem- bers. They will be keep- ing in touch with Lorane Grangers. • Once again, Lorane Christian Church held a wonderful Sunday drive-in service and were blessed with sunshine. Until this is over, Sunday morning drive-in services at 10 a.m. will continue. • Due to the cancellation of the April Talent Show, the Grange will still hand out Outstanding Commu- nity Service Awards. Due to the Coronavirus, Lorane Grange will award the fol- lowing for Outstanding Service to our community during this difficult time: Lorane Family Store and its workers who regularly drive to Eugene to get food so we don’t have to; Lorane Deli for its pick-up service and posting its dinner menu on the Lorane website; and Lo- rane Christian Church for thinking outside the box providing Sunday services for the community. We have a marvelous community and everyone helps each other. THANK you! Everyone stay safe and continue social distancing for your health and others. Again, this will end and we will return to normal or a new normal. SOUTH LANE COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE The Only Emergency Medical Transport Service in South Lane County Save your money by bundling home & auto. | MAY 7, 2020 | 5A Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales By Mary Ellen “Angel Scribe” Puppy Hi-’jacks’ Car On a remote highway, Jack ‘hitchhiked’ to his forever home. O ne torrentially storming Louisiana day, Anne pulled into a remote gas station to wait for the downpour to quit. Before she could turn off her engine a teeny-tiny toy Maltese/Shitzu mix puppy raced towards her car. She watched the desperate fur baby, as it hopped on three legs, across the high- way, making a bee-line towards her. One leg was obviously broken and as soon as he reached her driver’s door, he stopped, and rolled onto his back. Anne, having two dogs, knew that being in a parking lot is a dangerous situation for any dog. She opened her car’s door, and the drenched pup jumped in, sat down on her lap, and looked up at her, as if to say, “What took you so long? Let’s go home!” She took her scarf off and futiley tried to dry off the cute, thin hitchhiker’s white and black ears. She discovered that he was covered head to toes in ticks and fleas. He’d obviously been starving and alone for a long time. She ran into the station and inquired about the dog. Everyone was as purr-plexed as she was at the appearance of the homeless puppy. None of the customers were its owner and the employees didn’t know where the dog came from. She returned to her car and named her little passenger Jack, as he had just hiJACKed her vehicle; and the two drove home. She phoned animal shelters and put an ad in the newspaper, but no one claimed him. In the mean- time, the friendly, easy-going little guy had leg surgery, was paper trained, and happily joined her family of dogs as if he always belonged. While Jack was recuperating from his surgery, he did not want to be away from Anne, so she dragged a mattress into her living room so they could all sleep together. Dr. Agnes Thomas, a pet communicator, asked Jack where he came from. “I was dumped in the woods, and I am very grateful for my rescue,” Thomas interpreted from Jack. “I was hungry, there a long time and very scared. Then an angel appeared and said she would find me ‘a mother’. I hid in the tall grass where she told me to and when Anne’s car stopped for refueling the Angel said, ‘Here she is’ and so I ran to my new mother.” It is a mystery why anyone would dump Jack. He could have starved, been injured/killed by vehicles, and a larger animal could have caused him great harm since he is so small. Jack, a sweet dog, de- served better. Apparently, even an angel knew it. Jack graced Anne’s home for seven years before his passing. Anne called him, “The best behaved dog I ever had.” He was affectionate with her and her guests. “He followed me around the kitchen, constantly cuddled next to me on the sofa, and was a great traveling companion. On our many trips, he en- joyed looking out the windows watching the scen- ery.” Some animals leave a forever paw print on your heart, Jack was one of these. Having an angel send him flying into Anne’s life made their connection even more magical. Author and animal rights activist, Anthony Douglas Williams, said, “When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.” TIPS: “When I was training my dog, Belle, I also trained her to hand signals,” said Brenda in Kentucky. “When we met Spanish speaking children, I would tell Belle, in the only few Spanish words I knew, to sit, shake and high five. Belle did not understand me at all, but I also included hand signals which she had learned. The children were laughing, so impressed that my dog understood Spanish.” (541) 942-0555 Call 541-942-4493 for info. FOR EMERGENCY DIAL 911 Serving South Lane County. www.southlanefi re.org Share your fur-avorite pet memory or adventure at angelscribe@msn.com. Visit Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales on Facebook at/www.facebook.com/PetTipsandTales Humane Society for Neuter/Spay Assistance Program. 541-942-2789