Isn't It Marvelous?

Coronavirus and the havoc that it is wreaking on the world are terrifying, but we also live in a time in which we are uniquely qualified to deal with it.

I can contact my kids by cell phone or Discord to check-in. John has set up his office in the tiny third bedroom here in MD and I can hear his staff meeting in progress. I have a multitude of things to watch on streaming services and books to download electronically almost instantly from the library. I will never again feel the need to justify my yarn stash, to myself or anyone else. Just the existence of it made me happy as I loaded up on projects to bring to MD. These are the things that I find marvelous.

We can connect with each other through our blogs and Instagram. I look forward to and enjoy reading posts from many of you. It reassures me that you and your families are doing okay, and I also appreciate you sharing your experiences, ideas, and links. So thank you for your connection, friendship, and spending some of your time here with me. It's always been important to me, and especially now. 

Besides feeling connected to the world outside my home (even if I'm physically isolated) meditation has been most helpful to me. Here are some of the resources I've been using:

Weekly Podcast at the Hammer (you can listen to the Mindfulness of Washing Hands!)

Mindfulness Resources from UCSD (guided audio and video, mindful poetry, and research)

Guided Meditations from UCLA (free guided meditations via app or download)

Tara Brach (26 pages of basic meditations, heart meditations, open awareness, and special meditations)

I hope some of these might help allay fear and provide focus. 

Stop Panic, Clean Hands, Open Hearts 

The Best and the Worst

So how was your weekend? Good, I hope. I just can't bring myself to write my usual Monday post, recounting my weekend, and even a "Sometimes Monday" post feels a little frivolous. So I'm just writing, off the cuff and stream of consciousness, and I'll see what I end up with. 

It felt like things began to really go off the rails sometime last week, maybe when the WHO declared the coronavirus situation a global pandemic. I had thought of it in that way before the pronouncement, but I didn't know or even suspect what that might mean in how we all lived our daily lives. But then I traveled back to NJ and went to the grocery store and it became much clearer. The shelves were bare, with only some produce, a few steaks, and a moderate amount of snack-type things (which I don't usually buy). No milk, yogurt, bread, rolls, eggs, soup, pasta, or anything I consider staples. I wish I had taken photos but I was too dumbfounded. I had wanted to get a gallon of milk, some spaghetti, bread, and fruit, but all I bought was apples. We have a well-stocked freezer in both locations, but I don't keep milk and bread on hand. 

I'm sure that none of this is news to any of you, and I bet you've encountered something similar yourself. It felt a little surreal, and then I talked to Ryan. He had gone to the grocery store Friday night, put the last two gallons of available milk in his cart, then turned around to see if there were any eggs available. When he turned back to his cart he saw a man taking the milk out of his cart. Ryan said told the guy not to steal it and please put it back. The guy put the milk in his cart (not Ryan's) and then he turned around and punched Ryan in the head — hard enough to knock Ryan down. Other customers did come to Ryan's rescue and he was okay, just dumbfounded like I had been during my grocery-buying visit. Several customers chased the guy down and got Ryan's milk back and several other people got the manager. He was escorted out of the store.

I'm keeping busy here in MD with cleaning, laundry, possibly working on taxes (is it wrong to hope the April 15 deadline gets extended?), and then knitting. John and his boss had decided at the end of last week that everyone that could work from home needed to work from home. They informed people, but then over the weekend there were conflicting emails from the powers that be that be stating "we need you to come to work". John said he doesn't give a rat's a**,; he is not going to be responsible for any of his people being exposed to the virus in a work setting. So he has gone to work to send everyone home, shut things down as much as possible, and I expect him home later today for the foreseeable future. We will decide where we isolate, MD or NJ, and take the necessary actions.

I didn't find any bread, milk, or pasta, but we'll have chicken, rice, and salad for dinner. Baking helps me deal with stress, so I think I'll make an applesauce cake. I did find this lovely cyclamen at the grocery store and couldn't resist. We can't eat it but it provides me with some much-needed beauty. 

I'm still angry when I think about the guy that punched Ryan but I understand that we're all afraid. Here's hoping you are all practicing meticulous hygiene, curbing your fear, and staying healthy. Take care!

Sky Watcher

This has been a week of gray skies and rain, but sometimes you're also lucky enough to see a rainbow. 

No rainbows this week, but that's not going to keep me from looking for them.

Stop Panic, Clean Hands, Open Hearts 

Three on Thursday

I'm joining Carole and friends for Three on Thursday, today with three random yet interesting (to me, anyway) things that I encountered this week. 

On Monday I took a walk to C3ntral Tavern for a bowl of delicious chicken, bacon and ranch mac and cheese. It was accompanied by a C3 — a delicious drink combination of orange vodka, triple sec, peach schnapps, pineapple, and cranberry juice. I sat at the bar so I wouldn't take up a whole table by myself and laughed when I noticed this sign directly in front of me.

My sister also has the best sister and I need to find a sign like that for myself!

On my way home, I passed a house on our street with this pallet leaning against the porch.

I can't imagine the circumstances surrounding its creation, but it felt like a personal message I needed to read. Thanks, neighborhood pallet sign painter!

This last one still has me just a bit baffled. I was heading out for a walk Tuesday afternoon when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was a garter snake, sunning itself on our front window ledge. That it was there on the warm bricks wasn't the baffling part, but how did it get there?

The window ledge is about two feet above ground level with a large bush in front of it. I showed the pictures to John and he agreed that the only way it could have gotten there was to climb up the shrub. After a little investigating, I found Jeff Beane, collections manager of amphibians and reptiles at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences who says “garter snakes are relatively fast-moving and highly terrestrial, but some may climb into shrubs or vines; some species climb more than others." Your fun fact for Thursday!

Be sure to visit Carole for more Three on Thursday thoughts.

Unraveled Wednesday

Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday, today with what I hope is a penultimate Hitchhiker photo and what will come next. Last week when I was excited about Vicki's Nightshift KAL, I was all set to abandon the Hitchhiker and cast on my Nightshift as soon as I got to NJ and tore open my yarn package. I thought about it and decided it was better to finish the Hitchhiker first, especially because this one might be for Ryan. So that's what I'm doing. There is one bright blue stripe, I've just started a brownish-grey stripe, and next will be a bright pink stripe before I finish. I haven't been sleeping well, so I fell asleep at 8:30 in the middle of knitting last night. I'm not 100% sure about the stripes, but I think I'll chat with Ryan and get his expert opinion. I trust him in all matters of yarn and color, so I'll be interested to hear his thoughts. That's one of the nice things about knitting; it can easily be unraveled.

I did get my Nightshift yarn, and was initially a little disappointed when I opened the package. The purple yarn looked more like cobalt blue on the website photo and my monitor, so that's what I had been hoping for. I don't dislike purple; I just like bright blue a bit better, but I will cast on soon and see what it all really looks like when it's knit in the pattern.

I've had the pleasure of finishing two wonderful books and starting another (hopefully) wonderful one this week. My first finish was This Is Happiness, and I will definitely be reading more written by Niall Williams. The second book I read was Late Migrations, and I will read anything by Margaret Renkl. I think I've read most of her NYT pieces and followed her on Instagram, but I still want more. I borrowed Late Migrations from the library, but I will be purchasing my own copy so I can re-read it whenever I want to. This is definitely one of my all-time favorite books, and I'm very grateful to Vera for recommending it. 

I've started The World That We Knew and based on your reviews, I've got a treat in store. I really want to read Apeirogon (thanks, Kat!) but my wait at the library looks like it will be two months or more. I have a feeling Imay just give in and buy it soon. Stay tuned next week and see what happens with the Hitchhiker, whether I've cast on for Nightshift, and if I'm reading Apeirogon!

What are you making and reading this week?

Weekending

Last weekend consisted of a quick 36-hour visit to NJ where I got to survey the state of Justin's organizing efforts, do a few errands, and lose an hour when I could have used it. It's a story best told with photos.

The sawed-off fence post has found a new location

Some totes have been emptied, the rest have been consolidated into a smaller area, and now
 there is a bear reclining on the top of the pile.

Justin did restore a tiny antique oil can ...

... and a vintage knife sharpener.

And I replaced our old router that died, with a little frustration, but no swearing.

I also got to see the emergence of a bud stalk on one of my amaryllis. 

Now I'm back in MD, for more errands, the paying of taxes, hanging laundry on the line, and hopefully some knitting outdoors this afternoon so I can enjoy the predicted 70-degree day. I hope your Monday is off to a good start!

Sky Watcher

I didn't take this, but I couldn't resist sharing this beautiful photo that my SiL sent me from Kauai. Have a Happy Weekend!