Honey… we’re using up, wearing out, making do or doing without!

How are you faring during this weird, scary time? I am doing mostly well, with occasional moments of panic and anxiety. My sister and I were just talking about how strange it is to be both bored and panicked at the same time. These are emotions that don’t normally go together. I also realize that there are many among us (and thank you, thank you, thank you) who are most definitely NOT bored, but are most definitely panicked most of the time. To those of you who are in those positions of keeping us alive, functioning, eating, and a myriad of other essentials, I thank you and revere you. I pray for you that you may find peace and relief from the stress that you must feel.

I think the thing that most of us get frightened about is that we don’t have a timeline. We don’t know when all this will be over, and, will we be ok at the “end” of it? How long is it really going to be before we can hug our kids, our friends, before I can hop on a plane and visit my parents? These are the things that haunt me during the day, and especially at night.

In the meantime, I have become quite the “home economic” expert. I’m meal planning like never before, watching our TP consumption, and trying very hard to be pleasant and keep myself busy. How many of us are “baking our feelings”? I know I am – and that can be stressful, as the flour shortage has not let up yet! And, as I’ve stated in a previous blog post, I never thought my hoarding of craft supplies would come in this handy. Now, in this new age, I’m not a hoarder… I’m prepared!!! What a concept! I am actually enjoying some moments of what for me, in my circumstance, is a simpler life – I’m crafting on a regular basis, and that is something that for some reason I felt a little guilty about in the past. I always felt that I should be doing something more useful or productive in an outward facing sort of way (the result of being in a service-oriented profession for many years before retirement, I would guess). To craft something for the sheer joy of creating is something that I am indulging in again, and it’s wonderful. Whether it be in the craft room, the music studio, or the garden, I’m seeing some lovely results, and that is sustaining me (and filling my hours with a feeling of accomplishment). I thought I would share with you the “goings-on” at our household, both inside and out…

Here are some of the wonders that the garden is bringing lately:

And, the next thing on our agenda…. Can you guess what this is?

Meanwhile, inside….

And, last, but not least…

I am hoping that as we head into yet another week of uncertainty and fear, you all can take a moment and reflect on what makes you happy, and get to do whatever that is. Or explore something you’ve always wanted to do. Anything to help us all feel less isolated and soothe ourselves. These are scary times, but we really are in this together.

Please gift us with any insights you have. Until next time, my friends…