Has it only been 15 days since we met at Keith and Carol's along with Janice and Leon for a modified Tasty Bunch gathering? Modified because instead of going out to eat (and we were going to go to the recently opened Salt Grass Steak House in Liberty), we ate dinner that Carol had prepared and then enjoyed a delicious cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes to celebrate 60 years of marriage by Janice and Leon and 48 years for Wayne and me. They greeted us at the door saying "no hugs" but we didn't stay 6' apart at the dinner table. They had gotten the word sooner than us.
We got the word the next day, Saturday March 14, that we would be "attending" church online until the end of the month. That's the day we started our "staying-in-place" or as most people are saying "self-isolating". It was during the next week that our mayor, Quinton Lucas, ordered it for the city and neighboring cities and counties in Kansas followed suit. The state or Governor Mike Parsons has never ordered it for the state. When schools started the shut-down, he said he was going to leave it up to individual school districts and that is the way it still is. It is the same even with restaurants and "essential businesses" as they are called state-wide. Restaurants in the area are "closed" for dining-in purposes. They are open for drive-thru and curbside service. So glad for that at least. Not just so I don't have to cook all the time, but it brings in some income for the restaurants during this time.
Grocery stores are open and except for three times when Wayne was not well and I had to go, he has made all those trips. So I guess you could say that I am self-isolating more than he is, but if you think about the fact that he comes back home, if he was exposed, then he exposes me when he comes back. My pantry is not as crowded as it once was PC (Pre-COVID19) so I am glad about that.
As I said at the start it is hard to believe it has (only) been 15 days. There is a post on Facebook about how hard this is on "huggers". I think it is meant to be humorous, but has a lot of truth in it. To me Huggers are extroverts and I am an extrovert. Wayne is an introvert. I also describe myself as a people person. That means this self-isolation is really hard. I miss being with my friends and especially family. The good news even though we are only about 20 minutes from our MO family, it is not uncommon to go weeks without being with the them. But that doesn't lessen the fact that I really miss being with them. I usually say "see" them when I talk about getting together with them, but "seeing" has taken on a whole new meaning with COVID-19. Our sons and their families have IPhones but we have androids so that means we can't Face Time. BUT we can video chat with Messenger and that is just as good. We have been doing that some with the CO family and during Spring Break, I did with Madison and Tyler (MO grandkids). Have also talked to Madison on the phone so maybe that will be something that comes out of the isolation. I need to call them later today, btw.
Even though my allergies are still bothering me (even staying in the house), I am feeling better so this week I have finally started being more active and doing some way-overdue- house cleaning. Did you see the post popular on FB about thinking you had put off housecleaning because you said you didn't have the time ... well that wasn't true? I find some truth in the idea. While saying I didn't have the time and being retired don't exactly go together, I was leading a fairly busy life.
My calendar was full except for most Mondays and most Wednesdays. Otherwise I had something going on the rest of the week. I usually volunteered at Hillcrest Thrift Shop on the second Monday morning and the fourth Monday, I met with friends for lunch. We used to play farkle but got tired of that and decided to just meet for lunch.
Tuesdays I went to the thrift shop unless I was meeting with Blankets of Hope, the quilting group at the church - second Tuesday afternoon. If there is a theater production in town we go to opening night on Tuesday evening - those have been suspended though.
Wednesday is free so I usually do doctor appointments, etc. Well, the day is free - I do have handbell practice Wednesday evening at the church for an hour and then the third Wednesday night of the month, I stay for another hour and a half for the evening gathering of Blankets of Hope.
Thursday afternoons I gather with my canasta friends (twice a month) and Mexican Train friends the first Thursday. I used to meet with my quilting friends on the fourth Thursday, but dropped out of that group to spend more time working on blankets for Blankets of Hope. Sometimes Janice and I will go to an estate sale if there is a good one (they originally didn't start until Fridays but then many moved the starting day to Thursday to get two days at original price before reducing prices on Saturday only). Fridays are my Day with Janice. If there aren't any estate sales we want to go to, we find something else to do and at least go out to lunch.
Saturday Wayne and I can do something together, if we like and Sunday is church and eating lunch at Roxanne's Cafe. That was my life - PC.
Sorry that took so much room but do you kinda understand how this self-isolating is so hard for me?
I started a group conversation with Messages (Sharon isn't on FB) with my canasta group and so that has helped to some degree to stay connected each day. I tried to start one with my two cousins, Carol and Marie, but that hasn't worked out. It was going okay the first day until I said,"We need to do this every day." Carol (Sissy) said she didn't know about that because half the time she didn't even know where her phone was and actually as long as she could go and work outside, she was fine. That's what her life is most of the time anyway (and she is happy that way). Marie said it wasn't bothering her either because she was basically a hermit. She just moved into a "tiny house" and I wish I could see it. So I went three days without contacting them. On the 25th Sissy sent me a text wishing us a happy anniversary. I called her yesterday but she was working out in the yard so I just left a message. She sent me a text later and apologized and told me a limb had fallen out of a tree while she was working outside and bruised and knocked the skin off her arm. Sorry her good day was messed up. Haven't heard anything from Marie so guess she is happy being a hermit.
As I started to say before I started "bird walking", I have been getting some work done cleaning, sorting, and reorganizing. I often find myself working a little here and then a little there so it takes a while before you might notice I got anything done, but that' okay. I heard last night we might be like this (self-isolating) until the end of May or into June. Not exactly how I thought I would be spending my spring. But at least it is warming up into the 60s most days. It is raining too though, not heavy rain, but raining. The sun is finally starting to come out so that means my disposition will improve immensely.
I also finished two strip quilts for Blankets of Hope by sewing the binding on this week. That's good. Now I can get back to a wild teenage girl one I have had on my design wall for probably a week and a half or maybe just a week. It is hard to keep up with the days. My medicine container that has the days - mornings and nights help me know what day it is. Want to make sure my osteoporosis continues to improve.
Another change I haven't mentioned is IF - intermittent fasting. While we were in CA and visiting with one of our former pastors, Anna, she told told us that she and her husband Jonathan were doing that to lose weight and it had worked. I decided when we got back home, I would start it. I also read up on it and discovered it was not just a way to lose weight, but was good for so many other health reasons. That was enough for me to continue it. They eat from noon to 8 pm and fast the other 16 hours, but I am going from around 11 am to 7 pm. I quit eating after 7 a long time ago and the information I read said the sooner you can stop eating in the evening the better. While I have lost some weight, I think it would be working better if I could get more exercise. The fitness center had to close so we can't go there anymore. I just have to start at least walking in the neighborhood. I did twice but it is hard with the allergies.
The sun is still shining and I have been at this about an hour and a half so I guess I should end for today. Yesterday morning all I could do was "write this in my mind". I am sure I have forgotten half of what I wanted to say. (I forgot our anniversary, but will write about that the next time.) I always write better in my mind than when I actually sit down.
United States
Confirmed cases 102,361
Deaths 1,613
Global:
Confirmed cases 602,148
Deaths 27,989
Here are some pictures of some of my work...
(There were magazines from 2014 in this magazine rack...
and the work in progress...
I've done more, I just didn't take pictures...
Until next time...
We got the word the next day, Saturday March 14, that we would be "attending" church online until the end of the month. That's the day we started our "staying-in-place" or as most people are saying "self-isolating". It was during the next week that our mayor, Quinton Lucas, ordered it for the city and neighboring cities and counties in Kansas followed suit. The state or Governor Mike Parsons has never ordered it for the state. When schools started the shut-down, he said he was going to leave it up to individual school districts and that is the way it still is. It is the same even with restaurants and "essential businesses" as they are called state-wide. Restaurants in the area are "closed" for dining-in purposes. They are open for drive-thru and curbside service. So glad for that at least. Not just so I don't have to cook all the time, but it brings in some income for the restaurants during this time.
Grocery stores are open and except for three times when Wayne was not well and I had to go, he has made all those trips. So I guess you could say that I am self-isolating more than he is, but if you think about the fact that he comes back home, if he was exposed, then he exposes me when he comes back. My pantry is not as crowded as it once was PC (Pre-COVID19) so I am glad about that.
As I said at the start it is hard to believe it has (only) been 15 days. There is a post on Facebook about how hard this is on "huggers". I think it is meant to be humorous, but has a lot of truth in it. To me Huggers are extroverts and I am an extrovert. Wayne is an introvert. I also describe myself as a people person. That means this self-isolation is really hard. I miss being with my friends and especially family. The good news even though we are only about 20 minutes from our MO family, it is not uncommon to go weeks without being with the them. But that doesn't lessen the fact that I really miss being with them. I usually say "see" them when I talk about getting together with them, but "seeing" has taken on a whole new meaning with COVID-19. Our sons and their families have IPhones but we have androids so that means we can't Face Time. BUT we can video chat with Messenger and that is just as good. We have been doing that some with the CO family and during Spring Break, I did with Madison and Tyler (MO grandkids). Have also talked to Madison on the phone so maybe that will be something that comes out of the isolation. I need to call them later today, btw.
Even though my allergies are still bothering me (even staying in the house), I am feeling better so this week I have finally started being more active and doing some way-overdue- house cleaning. Did you see the post popular on FB about thinking you had put off housecleaning because you said you didn't have the time ... well that wasn't true? I find some truth in the idea. While saying I didn't have the time and being retired don't exactly go together, I was leading a fairly busy life.
My calendar was full except for most Mondays and most Wednesdays. Otherwise I had something going on the rest of the week. I usually volunteered at Hillcrest Thrift Shop on the second Monday morning and the fourth Monday, I met with friends for lunch. We used to play farkle but got tired of that and decided to just meet for lunch.
Tuesdays I went to the thrift shop unless I was meeting with Blankets of Hope, the quilting group at the church - second Tuesday afternoon. If there is a theater production in town we go to opening night on Tuesday evening - those have been suspended though.
Wednesday is free so I usually do doctor appointments, etc. Well, the day is free - I do have handbell practice Wednesday evening at the church for an hour and then the third Wednesday night of the month, I stay for another hour and a half for the evening gathering of Blankets of Hope.
Thursday afternoons I gather with my canasta friends (twice a month) and Mexican Train friends the first Thursday. I used to meet with my quilting friends on the fourth Thursday, but dropped out of that group to spend more time working on blankets for Blankets of Hope. Sometimes Janice and I will go to an estate sale if there is a good one (they originally didn't start until Fridays but then many moved the starting day to Thursday to get two days at original price before reducing prices on Saturday only). Fridays are my Day with Janice. If there aren't any estate sales we want to go to, we find something else to do and at least go out to lunch.
Saturday Wayne and I can do something together, if we like and Sunday is church and eating lunch at Roxanne's Cafe. That was my life - PC.
Sorry that took so much room but do you kinda understand how this self-isolating is so hard for me?
I started a group conversation with Messages (Sharon isn't on FB) with my canasta group and so that has helped to some degree to stay connected each day. I tried to start one with my two cousins, Carol and Marie, but that hasn't worked out. It was going okay the first day until I said,"We need to do this every day." Carol (Sissy) said she didn't know about that because half the time she didn't even know where her phone was and actually as long as she could go and work outside, she was fine. That's what her life is most of the time anyway (and she is happy that way). Marie said it wasn't bothering her either because she was basically a hermit. She just moved into a "tiny house" and I wish I could see it. So I went three days without contacting them. On the 25th Sissy sent me a text wishing us a happy anniversary. I called her yesterday but she was working out in the yard so I just left a message. She sent me a text later and apologized and told me a limb had fallen out of a tree while she was working outside and bruised and knocked the skin off her arm. Sorry her good day was messed up. Haven't heard anything from Marie so guess she is happy being a hermit.
As I started to say before I started "bird walking", I have been getting some work done cleaning, sorting, and reorganizing. I often find myself working a little here and then a little there so it takes a while before you might notice I got anything done, but that' okay. I heard last night we might be like this (self-isolating) until the end of May or into June. Not exactly how I thought I would be spending my spring. But at least it is warming up into the 60s most days. It is raining too though, not heavy rain, but raining. The sun is finally starting to come out so that means my disposition will improve immensely.
I also finished two strip quilts for Blankets of Hope by sewing the binding on this week. That's good. Now I can get back to a wild teenage girl one I have had on my design wall for probably a week and a half or maybe just a week. It is hard to keep up with the days. My medicine container that has the days - mornings and nights help me know what day it is. Want to make sure my osteoporosis continues to improve.
Another change I haven't mentioned is IF - intermittent fasting. While we were in CA and visiting with one of our former pastors, Anna, she told told us that she and her husband Jonathan were doing that to lose weight and it had worked. I decided when we got back home, I would start it. I also read up on it and discovered it was not just a way to lose weight, but was good for so many other health reasons. That was enough for me to continue it. They eat from noon to 8 pm and fast the other 16 hours, but I am going from around 11 am to 7 pm. I quit eating after 7 a long time ago and the information I read said the sooner you can stop eating in the evening the better. While I have lost some weight, I think it would be working better if I could get more exercise. The fitness center had to close so we can't go there anymore. I just have to start at least walking in the neighborhood. I did twice but it is hard with the allergies.
The sun is still shining and I have been at this about an hour and a half so I guess I should end for today. Yesterday morning all I could do was "write this in my mind". I am sure I have forgotten half of what I wanted to say. (I forgot our anniversary, but will write about that the next time.) I always write better in my mind than when I actually sit down.
United States
Confirmed cases 102,361
Deaths 1,613
Global:
Confirmed cases 602,148
Deaths 27,989
Here are some pictures of some of my work...
(There were magazines from 2014 in this magazine rack...
and the work in progress...
I've done more, I just didn't take pictures...
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment