The Charbonneau Villager Newspaper 2020_May issue_Villager newspaper | Page 24

24 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER May 2020 monthly happy hour. Life was normal then, although, for the first time, I did see someone By CANDY FERGUSON wipe down a menu with a disin- fecting wipe before picking it up. How strange, I thought and little did I know that this would be- come the new norm and there would be no more happy hours for a while. his letter is to “Sisters” Earlier that same week, my — present and future — friend Lissa and I were happily from me, Candy Fergu- planning our upcoming Danube son, co-chair of the Pro- River Cruise. Then suddenly, our gram Committee for Solo Sisters. travel agent suggested we consid- As I sit at my desk typing this ar- er rebooking our cruise for 2021. ticle, I think of how it was just a We did this out of an abundance month ago in early March, that of caution following reports of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, 15 of us gathered at The Wild where we were going following Hare in Canby to enjoy our Solo Sisters An open letter to Charbonneau’s Solo Sisters T Sunshine Service By JOAN VEDDER Items can be personally delivered to your home VEDDER the cruise. In our naivety, we still thought we would be OK to keep our plans to travel in Rome and on the Amalfi Coast since the out- break was in Northern Italy. Within a week, we saw things much more clearly and canceled the rest of our trip. Many of our members have had similar experi- ences. One was at the airport when she heard that her African safari was canceled. It was hard to believe that after all the planning, we couldn’t go anywhere. So now we find ourselves sit- ting at home, alone. As singles, we are used to having a certain amount of time home alone. I rath- er like it, myself. But, as impor- tant as it is to remain home, shel- tering in place has really changed our lives. No more coffee hours at The Turn or Tuesday $5 movie dates. No meals out with friends, which means having to prepare every meal we consume ourselves. Some of us are not used to this. I hope many of you are ordering take-out from our local restaurants that have been so horribly impacted due to closing their doors to in- house dining. Also, now is a great time to reach out to shut-ins or con- nect with friends we have not talk- ed to in years. The important word here is “talk” not text or Facebook, but grab your cellphone and punch in a number. What a difference a day makes, or is it a month? How life as we know it, has changed. I’m sure that nobody ever dreamed a pandemic of this proportion would happen in our lifetime, but here we are with the novel coronavirus staring at us. In many ways it’s a “good” time to happen now instead of the beginning of a dreary winter being locked down! We’re so lucky in Charbonneau that we can take leisurely walks without bumping into every At some point this too shall end. Friends and family will pour into our antiseptically clean, over- ly organized homes and we will be thrilled to welcome them. The pools will open and we will marvel over the energy our grandchil- dren have as they play in the re- freshing water. Happy hours will resume, we will schedule another games night and Lissa will be sending out invites to join her on a Lunch Safari in Portland. So hang in there, Solo Sisters and if you are a single woman living in Char- bonneau and would like to be- come a member, please reach out to Deanna Morgan at deannamor- [email protected]. We would love to welcome you into the fold! Tom, Dick and Harry. And those of us who have a garden (ours is one-third of an acre) can create beautiful surroundings for personal enjoyment. I can spend five or six hours a day in my yard but truthfully I crawl into the house at the end of the day. I used to be able to get up from my knees with no help at all, but now I need a bucket to hang onto... darn. As for the Sunshine Service, we are still See SUNSHINE SERVICE / Page 26 REAL ESTATE WITH SAFETY IN MIND I have been selling homes for some time and have seen uncertainty before. There are still people who have houses to sell and those looking for a new home. During this pandemic, virtual real estate selling and transactions are helping that be a reality. I am here to provide real estate information, be your advocate, and provide desired results. As your neighbor I am here for you to make sure we can accomplish your goals while staying safe. Praying and Wishing you and your loved ones well. Lynda is a Charbonneau resident licensed in the State of Oregon. She is available to help you with all your Real Estate needs.. Lynda Huber Your Charbonneau Neighbor in Real Estate Real Estate Consultant/Broker Equity Oregon Real Estate 503-422-5617 [email protected] www.LHuberHomes.com Jay Puppo, Agent 9375 SW Wilsonville Road Wilsonville, OR 97070 Bus: 503-582-8181 [email protected] Proudly Serving Charbonneau for 30 Years and Counting LET’S TALK TODAY. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company Bloomington, IL State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas Richardson, TX Protect What Matters Most Wills, Trusts, Probate, Medicaid Qualification Michael J. Rose 971-865-3171 www.roseelderlaw.org