Pockets!!

Here's a little something fun to break up the monotony.

In the fall of 2018, I bought a new tunic. It arrived just as the weather turned very, very cold and winter arrived. I put it in the drawer to wait for spring. There it stayed until this morning when I remembered it and brought it out and am wearing it. You will notice (because I am pointing to them) that it has pockets!! I even put a tissue in it so you can see that it has pockets!! Pockets!! How lovely. It really doesn't take a lot to make me happy these days. Pockets are one of those things. Pockets!!

My Birthday Commission

For my birthday this year I commissioned a painting from granddaughter Trinity, age 15. I decided our living room needed a pop of color and I knew just what I wanted. It arrived just the other day amid lots of apologies for taking so long. I am thrilled!! It is exactly what I wanted and now hangs where I can see it often. It makes me very happy.

We hung it next to a painting done 10 years ago by grandson Kyle when he was 18. I think we have a themed wall underway - Grand Paintings!

Being Elderly

Oh, my friends, I do not feel "elderly". Sure my shoulder hurt and I started with a personal trainer and it felt So Good to get back to the gym and begin to get stronger. But I don't feel elderly.

And then came COVID-19 and suddenly I am labeled. I'm definitely elderly. Elderly begins with 60 and at 77 I am way beyond that. Wisdom says, stay inside. Next to that is the advice to the young, take care of your elderly neighbors, shop for them, check in on them, care about them to keep them from feeling isolated. Sigh.

I'm supposed to be the one doing that. But I am not. Perhaps for the first time in my life I am having to step back, stay inside and let others do the caring. I'm not offering to take meals or shop for or drive anyone anywhere.

We have a dear younger friend who is insistent that we don't even go out to the PO or grocery store on Senior Shopping morning. She is willing to pick up groceries or do the shopping for us. Another friend was in touch today with the same offer. Bless them both. I am more tempted to take up their offer than Dean is. Because we have to go to the Post Office (no home delivery in Tahoe), we might as well go to the grocery next door at our designated shopping time. I may send him by himself. Which honestly is not all that strange. He goes to the store for us a lot.

So here is the question: am I just being lazy and spoiled or am I taking care of myself and others by staying in and letting others take care of me? I know the answer of course. It is just different to let it happen and allow myself to be elderly.

I hope you are all finding ways to stay connected and happy. And of course washing your hands!

To Wed or Not to Wed?

Article after article talks about the cancellation of wedding plans, cancellations of the wedding itself, and all the angst that goes with those decisions. Women who have planned and looked forward to this amazing day/weekend/week long celebration and have planned and scheduled and made decisions from site to canapés have every reason to be torn and aching about this virus and its ruination of their plans.

May I add just a word of hope?

My first husband was a pastor and college professor, a combination of jobs that brought him to the forefront of lots of weddings over the years. These years were during a time when the night before the wedding, after a rehearsal dinner, the groom and his friends would head for the bars, become roaring drunk, and sometimes arrive still hung over for an evening wedding. Knowing this, Rex would always offer this advice at the end of the rehearsal.

"It will be best if you all come tomorrow night sober and ready to support your friends on this very special occasion in their lives. If, however, anything happens, there are only three people necessary for this celebration to take place: the bride, the groom, and me to perform the ritual. We will be here. We hope you will be too."

So - to wed or not to wed? Is that really the question? Maybe the answer is yes, wed, because you are committed to each other and to being married and then, when you are once again able to gather in large groups, throw a big party.

Oh, I know, this is a simplistic answer to a complicated question. You have probably spent a lot of money already and if you can't work for a while, where will you find the money to throw another party? The hope I want to offer is that you can get married. It won't be the wedding of the century but it will accomplish what the big party is all about in the first place: the two of you are married.

Whatever your decision, may your life together be blessed ~

Senior Citizen Shopping

Our Safeway is open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 6 to 9 am for senior only shopping. We went about 7:30 and there were a few people there. All of us had grey hair. I asked Rick if we needed to show our ID’s and he laughed and said we were fine. Shoppers were very congenial even though we chatted with each other from a distance. We were all in the same boat and knew it and were fine with it. Not only fine but very grateful for the opportunity. 

One negative was some of the empty spaces on the shelves. I think that came from two things - one, hoarding of course and two, they just hadn’t a chance to restock for this new routine. Today was the first day for this. My guess is by next Thursday, they will be stocked and ready for us. 

They are being serious about it. As we were checking out, our clerk called over my head, “Senior citizens only! Senior citizens only!” The young man said he had come to see Jennifer and they stopped him and called for her over the intercom. That pleased me. The clerks can no longer bag for us if we bring our own bags. That was no issue for us. Dean usually does it anyway when he is with me. I did learn that plastic can hold the virus so I am going to search out all my cloth totes, wash them well, and start using them again. 

So - it looks like we have a weekly outing - every Thursday morning to the grocery. That way we can keep fresh veggies which Dean really really likes. I thought I might walk a little after we got home but it had snowed a dusting last night and with 17* over night, it was too icy. I may get out later. At least I can stand on the deck and breathe fresh air. Exercise and movement will have to be done inside. Al, my personal trainer,  and I may have to start over in two to however many weeks, but at least I will be well and healthy to do so. 

Holding healthy thoughts for us all ~ 

Keeping Up the Routine

Today is Wednesday. It is going to be exactly like Monday and Tuesday -- and like Thursday and Friday. We are here.

And yet, because of a shift in my external routine more than a month ago (having nothing to do with the virus), I started doing laundry on Wednesday. So if you will pardon the shortness of this blog, I am off to do laundry.

Routine seems to help keep my world in order.

Have a good, routine day - and wash your hands.

Dressing for Home

Years ago I had a national job that had me traveling a lot except when I wasn't. My husband died and although I managed to do the travel, when I was having to be at home, it was hard. I didn't want to do anything. My daughter, who is a writer and has worked from home a lot of her professional life, said, "Mom, get dressed. Whatever else you do with your day, get dressed." I guess I have followed that advice all these years because the other day, before voluntary social distancing, I laughed at myself as I showered and dressed when the only thing on the agenda was laundry. "I even get dressed to do the laundry," I thought.

Now I am thinking about so many of you who are for the first time in your adult, professional life, finding yourself working from home. My advice is "get dressed". If your children are home from school, have them get dressed. The very act of changing from pjs to something else says it is time to start your day.

Oh if you are a suit and tie kind of guy, it's ok to wear an open collar sports shirt and slacks. If you are used to jewelry and heels, it's ok to be more relaxed and maybe even wear your bedroom slippers with your dress. Now that sneakers are the thing with office wear, you may already be set with the most comfortable shoes you can find. As in all things these days, be reasonable.

Just don't let yourself become a slob. If you enjoy your weekend days when you lounge around in sweats and a T, then by all means, stay with that schedule. But come Monday morning, get dressed. The shower, the clean clothes, the routine will make you feel better about yourself and the world in general. Have a good day. And remember to wash your hands!