Just some thoughts....

We are all facing the challenges of Covid-19, across the globe.

I was out briefly this morning...and wanted to share some things that did make me smile, and think a little more about the world I live in....

• Tirana is under strict curfew, we can only be out of our homes from 6am-10am, 4pm-6pm. (Police and/or military enforced)
• The shoe shine guy was out...and people with masks on, were getting their shoes polished.
• Albania is a very social culture...
• having "coffee" is a way of life, long before Starbucks. (addiction really)
• People are not allowed to walk together
• even on normal days...young girls walk arm in arm as best friends
• I did spot a young couple...holding hands. (no police or military were around)
• It is the culture...to stop and speak with your friends, that is still happening, but a distance that is not natural for them is maintained...as they speak...they seem to get closer. (If you don't speak with friends or people you may know...you are rude)
• In order to stay connected...people are speaking to each other from their apartment balconies. 
• I have heard music and singing at times, can't quite figure out where is it coming from...but it is a nice change to the day.
• Watch out for the "BICYCLES"...!!!
• Driving, cars or mopeds, is not allowed...at all...
• So...everyone has dusted off their bicycles
• The bike repair places were doing much business, against the rules of closure, to repair old bikes, new tires, adjusting chains etc.
• Why does someone riding a bicycle need a mask...???
• I think the bicycle riders are less safe than the cars...from a pedestrian perspective
• Only one person in the store, bank, bakery, pharmacy...at a time. 
• So...there is a crowd standing outside waiting...trying to keep "distance" but not lose their place in line.
• Hoarding does not exist...!  
• I think it wouldn't exist in the US if they had to carry it all home in their hands...walking...!?
• Our air smells so good...! and fresh. After a rain the other day...wow...what a difference with no car emissions...! 

~~~

So...from this side of the pond...

Find something that makes you smile...

and let it bless your spirit, 

like the warmth of the spring sunshine...

be blessed. 

Toilet paper shortage, Really...???

On this side of the pond...it is baffling to me, and so many Albanians...that the toilet paper supply is exhausted...in the US, as well as in the UK.

This little store near my house...has plenty...! 

Still "Rockin"...in Albania

Last night...9:15pm....another earthquake...5.1 magnitude.
1...about 16km from Durres (where most of the worst took place on November 26)
There was a short 4.1 shake a few minutes later.

I was not quite asleep...but felt God's protection as slept well the rest of the night. 

NO...this doesn't make me laugh...I have recently met people whose lives were devastated in November...and still have no place to live.

It is quite an interesting thing...to suddenly find myself living in an earthquake zone. That is a first for me.

Pray for our nation...for our people...!

Postal service....

The next time you think about the quality and speed of the US Postal service, consider the Postal services in Albania.
I returned a defective cell phone to Amazon, at the main post office here in Tirana. I did obtain a "tracking number" for verification to Amazon that I did in fact return the cell phone. I did the postal transaction the morning of Jan 20.
Today is Jan 23, and according to "tracking" my package has now been put into a transport bag in Tirana.  It has taken them 3 days to put it into a transport bag...no wonder it take 4-6 weeks for letters and packages to get to the US...if they get there at all.

No...we don't have reasonable access to FedEx or DHL...well we can use the services, but it is not worth paying more money to ship with them than the item is worth.

"Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Dark Of Night Shall Stay These Couriers From The Swift Completion Of Their Appointed Rounds."

Airlines customer service....

In preparation for my return flights to Albania last week, I decided to check to be sure there weren't any "unexpected changes" in the flight schedule.

YIKES....!

I was booked on an Alaska Airlines flight that no longer existed from Abq to San Francisco. Well, it had an additional stop in Lax, which would put me in San Francisco airport 10 minutes after time my Turkish airlines flight was leaving. After 5 hours, 5 calls to Turkish airlines, and 4 calls to Alaska airlines, a customer service rep for Turkish airlines told me the following:
"have a friend of yours in LA go to the Turkish airlines office there and they can get the problem resolved quickly." My response..."WHAT...???   I don't have any friends in LA!" 

After telling this rep, "if I was your mother....what would you tell her to do?"
Then...he provided an email address to the SFO for Turkish airlines. A very nice young man, with real customer service skills, got me booked on a different route, still 'exit row' seating which I had paid for initially, and very short layovers, in like 15 minutes...!!! (why did it take me 5 hours to get that email...? unknown)

I am back in Albania...so very thankful that 2 days before I was to travel...I checked my flights, again!  ✈

Laughing at Myself...in Albuquerque

I am staying in a lovely home in Albuquerque. One morning it was especially dark as I was sitting outside awaiting the sunrise.  I decided to light two small candles...but not matter how hard I tried...they would not stay lit.  

The owner graciously explained to me that these two candles were actually "battery powered" candles.  

Wow...have I been away a long time...!

Yes...I did replace the two "battery" candles...! 

😊

5.6 Earthquake in Tirana

This doesn't really make me smile, but afterwards, all the streets were filled with "neighbors" checking on everyone. It became a social event.  I have never been in something like this before...well I have felt some "shaking" in the past. This "shaking" knocked books off of my bookcase, toppled all my photos, and knocke over a new bottle of olive oil (yes, the lid was still on).  Always an adventure...!!!