When things seem bleak and hopeless all around, I try to remind myself of the essentials I do have, such as…

I haven’t died of coronavirus or other disasters yet;

My son (and grandkids when visiting him) are alive and well nearby, though inaccessible right now;

My brother and bro-in-law are same, though much farther away;

I have a roof over my head, a car, this laptop, and the basic amenities of life;

I can still function and take care of myself;

My teeth haven’t fallen out (again) yet;

I can grow things in the garden and observe wildlife eating it firsthand;

I have a fine feline therapy friend (supervising as I type);

The world hasn’t ended yet, though it surely is trying to;

When all else fails, booze.

It’s a lot, all things considered.  I may have taken some of these for granted in the past, but when you’re old on a shared low income, surrounded by death and idiocy, every little thing counts.

And now back to the usual cheery stuff.  There’s a bee on almost every flower.