Senior Adventures, Plus: A History of the Covid-19 Coronavirus at the Ashby Ponds Retirement Community

By John F. Mitchell

At David’s (3rd son) invitation, Ruth and I decided to make a trip to Florida and view the planetary launch to Jupiter of the Lucy Spacecraft at 5:34 AM on Saturday October 16th. In addition, we planned to visit Tommy (2nd son) and Laurel, his wife. Also, as long as we were down there, we scheduled to drive to Orlando and spend a few days at Disney World, since Ruth had never been to the Magic Kingdom in Florida. All the preparations were made well in advance. I booked a round trip ticket on the AMTRAK auto train to leave the Lorton, VA station at 4:00 PM on Thursday October 14th and return one week later. I had a confirmed reservation. The train was scheduled to arrive at Sanford, FL by 8:00 AM, the next day. While waiting for the launch, I had made a two-night reservation at the Patrick Air (now called Space) Force Base Visitor Officers Quarters (VOQ). We planned on staying four nights with Charlie (4th son) in the Disney World area at his “time-share” located a few miles away from the entertainment center. These were the plans. They were not to be accomplished exactly due to many challenges and frustrations.

After a leisurely lunch at one of Ashby Ponds restaurants, we went back to our apartment, finished packing, and sat around until three hours prior to the train’s departure. On the way down to Lorton at about 3 o’clock, I received a cell phone call from the train dispatcher inquiring about our location. I thought that odd. But I told him we should be there in plenty of time. The next thing I heard was that we should have been at the station no later than 2:30 PM. I looked at my ticket and discovered mixed in with ten other footnotes that were each one millimeter high, the notation that all passengers and vehicles must be checked in by 2:30 PM. When we got to the station at 3:30 PM we were refused boarding even though we had a confirmed reservation made many weeks previously (Strike 1). An offer was made to book us on the next day’s trip, but that would mean we would miss the launch.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669876694

John F. Mitchell

N/A

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Copyright © 2023 by John F. Mitchell. 852773

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Rev. date: 05/10/2023

CONTENTS

1. DAY-CRUISE IN FALL OF 2019 PART 1 (DULLES TO CORK)

2. DAY-CRUISE IN FALL OF 2019 PART 2 (CORK TO AT SEA)

3. DAY CRUISE IN FALL OF 2019 PART 3 (AT SEA TO MIAMI)

4. -DAY CRUISE IN 2019 PART 3 (MIAMI TO NEW ORLEANS)

5. TRIP TO FLORIDA OCTOBER 2021

6. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (2019 TO MID SUMMER 2020)

7. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (JULY 17, 2020 TO DECEMBER 29, 2020)

8. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (DECEMBER 20, 2020 TO MARCH 30, 2021)

9. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (APRIL 6, 2021 TO JUNE 29, 2021)

10. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (JULY 6, 2021 TO SEPTEMBER 28, 2021)

11. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (OCTOBER 5, 2021 TO DECEMBER 28, 2021)

12. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (JANUARY 4, 2022 TO APRIL 5, 2022)

13. CORONA VIRUS AT ASHBY PONDS (APRIL 12, 2022 TO JUNE 24, 2022

SENIOR ADVENTURES, plus

A history of the Covid-19 Coronavirus at the Ashby Ponds Retirement Community

John F. Mitchell

I would like to

dedicate this Memoir to my seven children who encouraged me to document my life experience - John J. Thomas O. David F. Charles P. Mary C. Culbreth William B., and Susan M. Caldwell

TRIP TO FLORIDA

At David’s (3rd son) invitation, Ruth and I decided to make a trip to Florida and view the planetary launch to Jupiter of the Lucy Spacecraft at 5:34 AM on Saturday October 16th. In addition, we planned to visit Tommy (2nd son) and Laurel, his wife. Also, as long as we were down there, we scheduled to drive to Orlando and spend a few days at Disney World, since Ruth had never been to the Magic Kingdom in Florida. All the preparations were made well in advance. I booked a round trip ticket on the AMTRAK auto train to leave the Lorton, VA station at 4:00 PM on Thursday October 14th and return one week later. I had a confirmed reservation. The train was scheduled to arrive at Sanford, FL by 8:00 AM, the next day. While waiting for the launch, I had made a two-night reservation at the Patrick Air (now called Space) Force Base Visitor Officers Quarters (VOQ). We planned on staying four nights with Charlie (4th son) in the Disney World area at his time-share located a few miles away from the entertainment center. These were the plans. They were not to be accomplished exactly due to many challenges and frustrations.

After a leisurely lunch at one of Ashby Ponds restaurants, we went back to our apartment, finished packing, and sat around until three hours prior to the train’s departure. On the way down to Lorton at about 3 o’clock, I received a cell phone call from the train dispatcher inquiring about our location. I thought that odd. But I told him we should be there in plenty of time. The next thing I heard was that we should have been at the station no later than 2:30 PM. I looked at my ticket and discovered mixed in with ten other footnotes that were each one millimeter high, the notation that all passengers and vehicles must be checked in by 2:30 PM. When we got to the station at 3:30 PM we were refused boarding even though we had a confirmed reservation made many weeks previously (Strike 1).

1

23 DAY-CRUISE IN FALL OF 2019

PART 1 (DULLES TO CORK)

In the fall of 2019 Ruth and I commenced a 23-day cruise leaving from the Dulles Airport and flying to the Netherlands. After a short wait in the Amsterdam Airport we flew to Denmark and stayed at a hotel. In the morning we were taken on a tour of the capital city (gratis). We had an excellent guide on a three-hour bus trip seeing the major highlights of Copenhagen. Among other sights we viewed the Christiansborg Palace and Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid that most visitors see when first sailing into the Copenhagen harbor. Denmark has a very small population of slightly over 6 million people. Taxes are extremely high. Hence most people ride bicycles for chores and when proceeding to and from work. There is a 25% VAT (Value Added Tax) on everything that is purchased – all goods and services. However there are a lot of benefits living in Denmark. For example, there is no charge for schooling all the way through undergraduate college. Also, there are no fees for medical expenses. Maternity leave is very generous – mothers get one year off with pay and fathers get three months. All vacations are at least six weeks every year.

After lunch our stateroom, number 10860, was available on the 10th deck of the 16-deck cruise ship. We had an outside view on the port side with a small porch and two chairs. The Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Gateway is a very large vessel whose overall length was more than 1000 feet and it had a gross tonnage of 145,655. It has two large swimming pools, six hot tubs and many other amenities. Cabins are available for 3,963 guests serviced by a crew of 1,646 for a total of 5,609 people on board. There were 26 different dining options available along with 22 bars and lounges. Included with our group package were totally unlimited free drinks twenty-four hours a day. As with anything free neither Ruth nor I rarely availed ourselves of complimentary beverages for unknown reasons.

In our opinion the Gateway had way too many passengers which caused long lines of people waiting to enter the more choice eating establishments. Of the 26 restaurants there were only 6 or 7 that were complimentary with the majority being so-called specialty restaurants. In these one had to pay for an expensive meal with a 20% gratuity charge included and another entry for an additional tip for exceptional service. It seems like the NCL was attempting to make as much money as possible on the passengers. Internet service cost $250. The charge for a phone call was ridiculous. So Ruth would wait to disembark at various ports in order to take advantage of free WIFI service onshore whenever she could.

Ruth is not feeling well and has been in bed quite a bit of the day as we travel At Sea to our first disembarkment in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. My left heel is giving me problems. I thought it was all better before we started on this excursion but walking or standing in long lines hasn’t alleviated the discomfort.

Tuesday morning, October 22nd, we arrived in Rotterdam, the world’s largest port. It is considered the Gateway to Europe. Much of the city had to be built after World War II. Its architecture is now a mixture of bold modern and classic 18th and 19th century buildings. Ruth and I paid $75 apiece to take a 4½ hour tour of the city. We visited the Maritime Museum, Coolsingel (one of the best known streets in central Rotterdam. It is located in the Cool district of South Holland, Wikipedia, the SS Rotterdam and Delfshaven. The latter place is a historic harbor and one of the oldest locales in all of Rotterdam. The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft, Wikipedia.

On Wednesday we arrived in the historic town of Southampton, UK. It is located on England’s southern coast. Southampton claims the title of Cruise Capital of Northern Europe. There are many museums in the Old Town where one can learn about the city’s deep maritime roots and prosperous medieval past. For $119 each we took an 8-hour tour to Bath. The cost of the event included a two-hour bus ride, each way, to that UNESCO world heritage site. On the way we traveled through remarkable English countrysides to the Roman Baths excavations. The area is quite large and included many 105 degree bathing pools. Afterward Ruth and I partook of High Tea in a palace like dining room complete with crystal chandeliers, ceiling-to-floor draped windows, along with a live tuxedo dressed trio playing classical music throughout the meal. It reminded us of one of the scenes portrayed in Donton Abbey.

We thought it curious that no one from our group opted to go on any of the excursions, so far. Our rationale, after paying big bucks for this lengthy cruise was to avail ourselves of every such opportunity to the maximum extent possible.

On Thursday the Gateway docked in LeHavre, France. There were many available optional tours to Paris and vicinity. Both of us had been to Paris at least one time previously and so we chose to be driven, for a full-day visit ($398 for two), to the Normandy beaches. The year 2019 happened to be the 75th anniversary of the historic landings in World War II. The tour included visits to the Museum of the Landing Day and the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. Thousands and thousands of white crosses inserted on land donated by the French government. Each cross had the name of the combatant with his rank and home town imprinted on one side and the day of his death on the other.

Our first stop was at Arrowmanches-les-Bains. I never heard of it before but it was extremely important to the British invasion forces. Because the harbor was destroyed by the Germans to prevent invasion, the British had built a massive modular harbor of concrete and other materials in England and then floated it over to the continent piece meal and rebuilt the structure on the beach at Arrowmanches. This was a remarkable engineering feat, without a doubt! Once installed it allowed the British to off load tanks, trucks, along with great quantities of equipment from landing crafts. Incidentally, some Allied tanks were driven from the transportation barges wearing inflatable canvas skirts that allowed them to float on water. Unfortunately the high waves on D-Day smashed into the skirts and punched holes in the canvas. Many tanks sank with loss of life of those inside driving the vehicles.

Once the invasion commenced, the go-ahead order was given not to delay forward progress no matter what. Survivors from accidents or those wounded in battle were not to be picked up. The timing of the invasion was extremely important because naval bombardment was scheduled to start at a critical time and stop at another specified time to prevent fratricide. Also, Air Force bombing had to be coordinated along with drops of hundreds of paratroopers.

Next, here are a few quotes from segments of the book the Longest Day that I finished reading on the cruise. It illustrates some of the mayhem and confusion associated with the Allies attacking the various beaches. The crew of a landing barge trying to launch four of the twenty-three amphibian tanks bound for one of the US landing sites had dropped the ramp right onto a submerged sea mine. From the ensuing explosion the front of the craft shot up and a tank soared more than a hundred feet in the air, tumbling slowly end over end before plunging back into the water and disappearing. Scores of troops saw dead bodies and heard the yells and scream of the drowning. They could only listen to the anguished cries for help from wounded and shocked soldiers and sailors as they pleaded to be pulled out of the water. But orders were to disembark the troops on time regardless of casualties. One gray faced man said: ‘Those lucky bastards they ain’t seasick no more’ That was a major problem on the way over in the LSTs after they had disembarked from the transport ships. "One boat tried to rescue some survivors in the water. A fast launch cut them off and over the loudspeaker came the grim