Moving, traveling – and not traveling – were in our UUCP spotlight in March, as two well-planned abode changes moved along, one vacation trip was re-routed to its advantage, and one adventurer – Jack, “the long lost traveler” – found himself trilling the refrain of an old Kingston Trio favorite, “Will I ever return?”

Our drastically revamped environment, the result of the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, meant that many UUers’ plans were altered just in time, and some, as Jack Comstock explains, may have just missed the time line.
~~~
A March move essentially completed is that of Billye Cutchen, whose new address is Apartment 112, in The Veranda retirement community at 6982 Pine Forest Rd., Pensacola, Fl. 32526. Her daughter Beth assisted her in the move.
~~~
A move in process is that of Georgieanna Bryant, who is transferring from her Milton home to Azalea Trace in Pensacola, where she has procured a duplex with garage, Cottage 3014. “Part of the process is sorting books – which ones to keep and move and which ones to include in an estate sale,” says Georgieanna. At her Milton home, she has had seven bookcases filled with books, a library that won’t fully fit as she shifts in the move from 2,600 square feet to 1,300 square feet. The planned estate sale will also include furniture.

~~~
The Scott Satterwhite and Lauren Anzaldo family, including daughter Madailein and son Desmond, had planned to attend a Broadway play during their mid-March vacation, but redrew the map track to focus on outdoors sightseeing and historic places. Skipped NYC? “Thankfully,” says Lauren, “because it has since been identified as a hot spot.” Instead, they went to Asheville, NC, for sightseeing, visited High Falls and toured the Carl Sandburg home. On the way home, they stopped in Montgomery and stayed overnight at the home of Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, now an Airbnb and museum.

~~~
Yes, Jack Comstock did return from his planned Argentina adventure, but not without wondering “Will I ever return?” – due to closed airports, cancelled flights, and only American Airlines flight schedules “up in the air” (but not their planes from Argentina). That musical refrain was a timely recollection from “MTA”, a mid-century favorite song about the plight of a mass transit traveler named Charlie.

Our Charlie (Jack) did return late Saturday night, March 21. Here’s how: “I finally got through to the American Embassy and they said ‘Now or Never’. They gave me the names of a couple of Latin American Airlines that were still flying to get their people out. On the departure board all flights were cancelled except the one I was using. I got on Copa, a Panamanian airline, to Panama, then United Airlines to Houston. And finally Pensacola.”

Next adventure? Sure: It’s planned for June – to South Africa for a game park stay and mountain hike with friends. Stay tuned.

There is good news, too, from those who lately had experienced accidents or health problems.

From Rob Pallme: “For the last 28 years I have volunteered as a docent at the Pensacola Museum of Art. On 19 February I taught six groups of elementary school children about one of the exhibits there. My legs are getting old and I had been on them four hours when I left the Museum and fell down the front steps. Very dramatic but the steps were not harmed very much.” (!)
Rob was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital by ambulance. “A doctor sewed up my scalp – 18 stitches, nicely done.” He was home by 10 p.m. The next day, his daughter Astrid Pallme came from New Port Richey, Fl., and stayed two weeks — “She was a great help.” More tests, doctor visits, home care with nurses and therapists followed. Then, on March 22, Rob e-mailed: “Over that now. Bought groceries today and will figure how to cook them tonight. I have lived alone the last 10 years and can manage pretty well.”

UUCP-goers have missed seeing member Patti Gunderson for several weeks, but Patti anticipates that when we are able to return, she will too. Patti explains: “I had been very ill for some time with kidney failure and extremely high potassium. High potassium causes waves of extreme exhaustion, joint aches and extreme depression.” As the waves of weakness caused her to fall down unexpectedly, she hasn’t been driving much. Then in mid-March, the potassium level unexpectedly dropped. She’s aware, however, that because of her health issues she’s at high risk for complications should she contract the coronavirus. “So I’ve been pretty much staying home and avoiding the world. I hope very much to be able to return to church when it reopens, and I can certainly be messaged, emailed, or called.” And she thanks UUCP for the lovely card she received.

Charlotte Crane