Silver Linings

A pandemic is nothing to sneeze at nor welcome. It’s been awful to watch the tragedy. The only thing we can do is help each other through it.

We need cozy now. Gracie has found my son’s quilt does the trick.

Even in this critical time where we are seeing the worst of the worst, people that are losing pretty much everything, lives of loved ones, even those in nursing care that were not afforded the luxury of holding a cherished hand while saying a final good bye. It’s heartbreaking.

It’s purple season

There are silver linings if you look for them.

My daughter-in-law owns a childcare business. There is no unemployment for those who own their own business but the safety of the children has to come first. The classrooms were empty for the first time in more than 39 years. She determinedly found a way to continue to pay her staff’s salaries while closed and get long overdue renovations made.

Bathrooms for the children were gutted by my son and rebuilt in way that could keep them cleaner. Kitchen dismantled and a complete paint job throughout. Floors have been leveled and foundations repaired. New durable, very cleanable floors are being put in so the children, if they do get to come back will have a fresh clean place to learn and play. The roof had been scheduled for repair by the insurance company after many storms took their toll was able to be replaced without children inside being bothered by noise. A new kitchen window is scheduled for replacement. It was the victim of a jointed ladder collapse as my son was getting on the roof.

self leveling concrete

sample of flooring

One of the boys bathrooms. Highly washable.

Of course, there are no guarantees that things will get back to enough normal to not lose the whole shebang, but you have to seize the moment when it presents itself.

As for my daughter, she found she loves working from home and making sure I stay safe in all of this. Her company just figured out that this work from home thing is not so bad and they can save money down the road by having less office space. A work from home job is what she had been looking for (as do most hermits) and now it’s possible without changing jobs.

I am getting time to isolate enough to stop my sugar rush. I can’t tell you what a difference it’s making. I need a lot more rest, am sleeping better and getting more projects done because I’m more focused. Walks and all housework are harder when you pull the plug on carbs for a while so I’ve learned to be kinder to myself and just go with the slower flow. I also don’t have to worry about keeping my house company clean because no one is allowed to visit inside. I make messes when I’m creative.

Two bunnies in a neighbors yard. They are so rare to see around here.

The world needs economic stability. We all need to be able to keep that roof over our heads. There must be a way to do that without costing lives. In a time of horrendous stress, find your silver linings and breathe. They are there if you look for them.

 

Have you been able to find a few silver linings in your lockdown?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself

Walking Backward

We ended  another month! How does that happen and why am I  always surprised? We are all sheltering from something we can’t see so our activities are limited.

Deep purple Lily on my walk

My walks were getting a bit routine. I usually start up the hill, go around the first left corner and text my quilting friend that I’m on her street. Since she is being extra cautious, she comes out on her front porch to wave and say good morning. We have a little conversation the whole neighborhood can hear from six feet apart and she sometimes shares what she’s been quilting. It’s more fun when you can show your work to someone that appreciates it. I get there early in the mornings. (For her)

Emily likes making smaller things now. She has plenty of big and beautiful quilts

There are 3 panels to this set.

Applique flowers in a pot

Bird houses are a favorite of mine

A gift for my daughter’s birthday in April

Then I walk up another steep hill and finally start down again. I decided yesterday to go the other way since I’d left even earlier and stop at Emily’s last. Maybe she’d be awake when I got there. Changing my routine had me noticing things I had not seen going the other way. I think that applies to life in general. If we keep doing things the way we have always done them, nothing changes. Going backward changed my perspective on the neighborhood. Now I am carrying that idea into other areas of life to see what I can shake loose.

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Today I finally finished the leftover quilt and the binding is attached to the front. I’ll hand stitch it to the back while I watch TV or listen to Ted talks or YouTube. I already have a project halfway done that I can’t show yet until all of our group are ready to share. I’ve also turned over the two charity quilt tops I finished first. Emily gave them to me already cut out. I did make some changes in the fabric since some went missing. It happens.

Quilt for Tech Support.

Very much like the one I made my son 2 years ago Christmas

It’s like wrangling cats to quilt it on a home machine,

Charity quilt top done and passed on to Emily

Faces Charity quilt passed on to Emily

These pillowcases have been waiting 2 years for me to make for my daughter. Done.

I’ve learned how to use Zoom to connect with our PF support group and wave at my sister at her house. We have learned to zoom together since we can’t get together. So many are using all kinds of media to connect. It feels a little backwards too. They kept telling us before to stay off the social media and spend more time in personal contact.

Metal sculpture puppy

While I Zoom, I do what I always do when listening a long time without speaking, I work on my embroidery. I did a lot of this at PF group so I don’t fidget. Embroidery keeps me focused on what I’m hearing rather than what’s playing in my head.

slow work in progress

#6 Hoping to start #7 soon.

The weather dried up enough to get a lot of weed pulling done. I filled the green waste can up and my daughter took it off the hill for me. It gets composted by the city and I’ve worked until everything hurts and yard looks almost nice again. As the rain comes to an end here, my list of outside chores goes up.

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I’ll be posting less in the summer due to other demands. You really don’t want to see the list. Bored is not in my vocabulary. In a given day I go from one thing to the other until sleep claims me. I spend my sleep hours thinking up more things that need to be done.

I am…enjoying the moments

Do you like to change up your routine to gain new perspective on old habits?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself