Well Here We Are Again

Hi all - I don't know about you, but I am starting my second week home instead of at my workplace.  I have moved on from worrying about my own situation to just wishing that The Tim's place of business would have to close (which I think is coming, but not fast enough to suit me).  In Philadelphia, only businesses considered "essential to life" are still allowed to operate as usual.  That includes places like grocery stores, which is not a surprise, but apparently at this point, transportation (i.e. rental cars) are still considered part of that category.  He has said that rentals are already down more than 50% and people have been laid off, so they are getting there but not soon enough for me.  I don't want to think he could get sick because he still had to work.  Will it be really problematic for our finances if he isn't working?  You bet.  But that's OK, we'll figure something out.  I can tell it's starting to worry him too, because yesterday he suggested we make a plan for when one/both of us get sick - and he is in no way the planner that I am, so that was major.

Anyway.  At least we have a place to live, and food, water, etc.  Whatever happens, we will be OK, because we will have to be.  I just wish that others would be more proactive about following guidelines and orders.  Having said that, I saw this graphic the other day, and I remind myself to look at it so that I can put things in perspective.  I thought it might help others to see it also.

Use it if you need it.

The weekend was quiet, as expected.  Except that my sister in California kept calling me to tell me she was bored and stir crazy.  And how her grown kids are being driven crazy by their kids, who need to apparently be constantly entertained.  I get it, but I also can only stand to hear about it so much, you know?

It did get me to thinking though that this must be really difficult for extroverts like my sister.  Her life revolves around going out, being with other people, and socializing.  She is not a reader, and not a person interested in any crafts, so for her this is just plain unbearable, and it really is too bad.

In my case, other than hoping The Tim's job will shut down, I'm not having a hard time of it as far as having to stay home goes.  Hamlet and I go for walks, so I do get out of the house at least 2-3 times a day (even when it's pouring, as it is right now ... oh well!).  I have been able to do my exercise routines every day as part of my new schedule, which is both a physical and mental benefit.  I love to read, I love to knit/craft, I love to cook and bake.  No, I don't necessarily always feel like doing those things, but I have a variety.  Besides being an introvert, I think it's also the result of growing up with both older parents and siblings who were much older - I have always been left pretty much to my own devices, and learned from an early age how to entertain myself.  I'm not sure a lot of kids have that these days.

Over the weekend, I managed to finish the first sock of the pair I'm knitting:

And I finally got started on the sweater which caused me swatching problems:

This is actually not really close to the color of the yarn - it's more of a dark green, but I had to work with the lighting I had.  I restarted this about 5 different times, thanks to stupid short rows on the back of the neck.  Now that I'm beyond that, things are moving along well.

On today's schedule is some house cleaning and clearing out a couple of drawers in my dresser that have just accumulated stuff that probably doesn't need to be kept, or that needs to live somewhere else.  I guess one good thing from all of this is that I get these kinds of things accomplished!  :-)

Take care, friends, and I hope your week goes well, with as little stress or upset as possible.

The Quiet of Early

I never used to be a morning person.  Granted, I was not a person who slept late until noon or after, but 9:30-10:00 a.m. on a weekend or a day off was not that unusual.

But 12 years ago yesterday, I had the first major surgery of my life.  And the next morning, at 5:00 a.m., there were suddenly about 8 people around my bed, and a HUGE BRIGHT light above me was turned on - time for rounds, which is what happens when you are at a teaching hospital.

That continued for the 5 days I remained in the hospital, and I got used to it pretty quickly.  But it never occurred to me that it would change my mornings so drastically.  Ever since then, I have become someone who loves/craves morning time to myself.  Now on a weekend, if I sleep past 6:30 a.m., I feel like I've missed out on a good part of the day.  (I know.)

During the work week, I get up at 4:45 a.m. (which even I think is early).  I feed the cats first thing because, you know it's been HOURS since they last ate and they are of course so near to death from starvation.  I used to do my exercises next, but then Dug joined the family.  So now I put on my dog-walking clothes, and Dug and I head outside for our morning walk.

And you know what?  It's the best.  Most of the year, it's still dark.  Granted, sometimes it's raining or snowing, and both of us would rather be inside, but otherwise, it's a whole different universe out there that early.  It's quiet.  You can hear the trains coming and going across the river, taking people to and from exotic or ordinary places.  Buses pass by, with sleepy-looking passengers who are either starting their day, or ending their night shifts.  There are always at least a couple of birds already up and singing.  We often run into the neighborhood opossum, who needless to say, is not interested in hanging with us (though Dug really wants to be his friend!).

We pass people delivering things to the market around the corner.  They always say hello, and give Dug a pat on the head.  We exchange good morning wishes with the lady who delivers the newspaper to houses in the neighborhood.

But we mostly just walk, and Dug has a good sniff at everything ("checking his pee mail," as a neighbor says), while I look at any stars or the moon, occasionally see planes flying overhead, and sing to myself.  Occasionally, we will have a brief "conversation" (which consists of me saying something, and Dug looking at me because he loves it when people talk).  We're usually only out for 20 minutes or so, but it's so lovely, and so quiet, and it feels like you own it.

Weekends are different, in that we go walking later, it's almost always light out, and more is going on in general.  It's nice for different reasons.

But the early morning quiet of the weekday gives you a whole other way of being in the world.  And now I'm glad that I have become a morning person, because it makes me feel like the day is all mine.