Wow! This is a record "another post" rate!
We're still on stay-at-home restrictions here in Ohio. Governor DeWine is lifting restrictions slowly. I do have mixed feelings about him not requiring the wearing of masks once businesses open. I feel that without mandating the wearing of them, it will just be business as usual. Wearing a mask, I feel, doesn't only help protect me but also other people. I don't want to be part of the problem but part of the solution. We'll all be sitting back, watching with ongoing reevaluation, I'm sure. New and different world now.
Mom is still here with me - since being discharged from the hospital March 24th. Her senior community is still under quarantine and once she returns, she'll have to self-quarantine for 14 days. With this in mind, we're trying to time her return and her self-quarantine with the state and facility lifting of the quarantine. I don't want her to have to stay by herself any longer than absolutely necessary. We both look forward to and dread being able to see Daddy once the quarantine is lifted. This has been the longest separation Mom and Daddy have experienced in their 69 year marriage since Daddy was discharged from the Army in 1950. It will be so good to get them together again but will no longer have the virus to blame for his having to stay in the memory care facility. Hopefully, the fact that he'll be able to see Mom daily, will soften the blow.
What have you been doing during this stay-at-home period? Have you learned anything new? Have you started any projects that you've been wanting to try or gotten back to projects that you previously put on the back burner for when you had more time?
Having all this time on my hands has been new and different. I've gotten on the bread baking bandwagon! It's been almost impossible to find yeast and flour, though. Sometimes I can find one but not the other. I began a sourdough starter, have joined a sourdough bread-making group on Facebook, and am generally reading up on how to do this. It's like having a pet!! Feeding and tending to it daily. My first starter was successful for a bit and then I don't know what happened but it wasn't good! So, I dumped that one and started a second one. This one is doing better plus I like the helpfulness and support of the Facebook group.
I'm still enjoying various watercolor interviews and classes on Facebook and Instagram. There are so many offerings out there. Danny Gregory, of Everyday Matters, does a Facebook Live daily at noon. It has been a lot of fun and a wonderful break in the day. Brenda Murray, of Studio 56 Boutique, has had some wonderful interviews with Urban Sketchers artists. All month, I have participated in the Doodlewash April prompts and have drawn/painted a picture depicting the daily prompt in my journal. My pieces are tiny - about 1" square. I'm looking forward to the May prompts. Doing them is challenging but not overwhelming. I've also continued my Daily Smalls - about 2" square - and tomorrow will mark four months completed! I love looking back at each completed page!! I'm grateful for the time this stay-at-home period has given me to scratch this artistic itch of mine. I suppose this is a definite positive - making me slow down some and allowing me to focus.
My lettuce is growing, the peonies are budding, time is moving on. One deep breath at a time. One day at a time.
I challenge you to grow. It's spring! Cook a new dish, learn a new skill, plant something, make a new online friend (I've "met" so many art friends on Facebook), get out and walk, check out a new park or trail. There are so many things we can still do.
If you have stretched yourself during this challenging time - done something unusual for you - I'd love to hear about it!!
Until next time - thanks for reading and take care!
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