I think the cure IS going to be worse than the disease ...

So how are you filling this seemingly endless time of imprisonment? I'm trying to not stay penned in and we're going out and doing as much as we are allowed to do! And so far we haven't died. Wow! 

Here's some things that's happened that sort of worries me/ticks me off: my normal dental checkup is off (cancelled; supposed to be today as a matter of fact) and I'm brushing & flossing very religiously because it wasn't re-scheduled; having my mammogram cancelled & not rescheduled (which was scheduled for July for Pete's sake!!); erased another of W.'s appointments out of my calendar (there were four heart-related appointments -- one an echocardiogram); wondering how long the temporary fix I did to W.'s glasses will hold. I need a haircut BAD and I'm going to cut W.'s hair as soon as we both get the nerve up. My car needs to go thru Crew Car Wash (I cleaned the inside this week because it's dirty from eating in the car ... because you can't actually go INSIDE a restaurant) but the outside is dirty. Just a few things, some important, some not so much but I say "stop the madness!"  LOL! ... I'm sure you're facing these sorts of things, too. We're all facing different sorts of issues. It helps to vent. Thanks.

Last Saturday we drove to Owen Valley Winery and got two bottles and a cheesecake (to-go of course 😒). There were about six atv's and 15-20 people there of all ages, getting together in the parking lot, without face masks, drinking and eating and having a great time. I almost got out of the car and joined them! I so miss being social ... out and about ... remember? like normal? It was a lovely day for a drive. Enjoyed the back roads through Owen County and felt a momentary pang of fear when I met a sheriff's vehicle. What if they stopped me and asked where I was going? (For wine officer ...) Wonder what our future will be? Some of our leaders have had a taste of real power and it's obviously intoxicating. Sort of like that nice Gewurztraminer we enjoyed over the weekend.  But I digress ...

So what's been going on? Here's some pics:

My homemade face mask. I wear it where I must. I hate it. And no comments on the hair ... like I said, I need a haircut.

Finished that needlepunch project I mentioned last time and got it glued to the little purse. It goes in my "gift" drawer.

The deer were partying in the side yard one a.m. this week; they especially enjoyed munching on the viburnum. There were five of them in all so they weren't over the social-distancing limit. We stood in the windows and watched them for some time. Looked like a mom and her kids of all ages. I think it's the doe who usually has twins. They all looked really healthy and all seem to be female. No button bucks.

I made a batch of mom's currant-oatmeal cookies this week. Yum! Good and good for you!

When we had that high wind about 10 days ago this Bradford pear came down, right over the driveway. Another fine mess for W. to clean up! He must get so tired of it!

I've been working on this "cat eyes" rug. It's a lot further along than this now and I'll put on another picture when I get it finished (which I'm hoping is before the end of the month). I'm liking it. That border background is lavender, not gray like it appears here ...

Remember what FDR said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." That's my motto for this week. 

And remember who's in charge (and it's not Dr. Fauci). God is Good!

Let your faith be stronger than your fear ...

This is my motto now: "Let your faith be stronger than your fear."  So many people are living in fear right now.  And they seem to lack faith in God and themselves; what they know is right and wrong.  They depend on others now to tell them what to do and when they may do it.  I can't imagine having no faith in God or myself.  I know what is right and wrong for me.  So that's how I'm getting through this.  I'm refusing to participate in the craziness and doing all I can to carry out my normal routine.

What have I been doing?  I've been working outdoors a lot!  Got all of my flower beds cleaned, Preened and mulched.  YEAH!  Helped Wendell thrown limbs off trails.  Stacked branches from our big wind storm last week into wood piles for the little critters to hide in from the big critters.  Put out most of my yard decor (which gets smaller and smaller each year).  Got the front porch all ready for summer comfort.  Well, here's a few pics, too ...

(Oh, BTW, I've added a new page showing my quilts.  If you want to look at quilts it's in the right side column under "pages".)

Finally remembered to set one last time piece to Daylight Savings Time (sigh!).

Took a long, hard look at my dwindling wool stash and decided I need purples and oranges. Think I'll dye some next week, plus more bright greens, too.

Working on another needlepunch project which will go on that purse (hidden under the pattern).  I'll show you the completed piece next time ...

This was what I found last Friday at Walmart ... still haven't found any TP anywhere since this foolishness all started.  I'm getting desperate ..........

Want to see what $1,500.00 looks like?  Wendell finally qualified for free Eliquis.  Each of these bottles would have cost him $500 -- which we've already been paying for several months ...  Praise the Lord we're good now thru the end of this year.  So all of our inquiries, form-filling and waiting has paid off.  God is good!

Only word I can caption this photo with is "pitiful"  ... this is what we are ordered by our government to do now if we want to attend church.  Either that or find some streaming service to watch or listen to.  This was our drive-in Easter Sunday service this a.m. at Freedom UMC.  I don't know if I was more sad previous Sundays at home or this Sunday at "church".  But at least I got to wave at some of my church family...  

All in all, it's going fine here.  But I'm not like so many of my friends who are hunkered down like they would be during a WWII blackout.  I feel so sorry for them!  So I'm doing fine mentally.  I know who holds tomorrow.  Hang in there and before you know it this will all be over and we can count the cost of our fear.

No end in sight ...

This really is a new normal now, this Chinese Coronavirus lock down.  It will go on for AT LEAST one more month.  Hard to believe for me.  A new normal with fewer freedoms and no where to go to exercise them.  A normal where the cure is going to be by far worse than the disease.  What I miss the most due to this quarantine is the fact that churches are not holding services.  It's just not normal.  Or right.  This is the time we need to be in church, not locked out!  That's just my opinion.  But I'll bet I'm not alone.

So what have I been doing to keep busy?  Mostly I've been working outdoors.  We've had some pretty good days to be out and I'm a long way into my springtime flower bed clean-up.  Got four beds cleaned, Preened and mulched.  Two beds cleaned and Preened.  And one bed untouched -- and it's the worse one with mucho weeds.  I think I have plenty of mulch & Preen to finish with; I'm sure that going to get more would be looked upon as a nonessential trip.

Wendell got a young fellow to help him and he has all the gutters cleaned out and gutter guards put on.  That is a big load off our minds!  This was the first year neither of us felt we could do the gutter cleaning.  Although, we were able to clean 3 of the 8 sides ourselves (since we could access them from the deck).  But now with the guards on we're in like Flynn -- hopefully no more ladders and cleaning as long as we live here!  He also has been rolling the yard, got the mowers ready and worked on tree cleanup.  There's ALWAYS trees down that need to be cleared away ...

Inside I've been doing some stuff, too .....

Tried a new recipe -- Buttermilk Pie -- it turned out pretty good and is very tasty.  

 

Also made a half-gallon of our very favorite flavor of ice cream -- Espresso Heath Bar.  YUM!  Still have both pie and ice cream left, so we can be on lock-down here for a while yet before I'll need to make more "nonessential" food ....

Started cutting blocks from these woven flannels and sandwiching them with batting for a new raggedy quilt ... 

and I still have these fabrics to go.  It takes a lot to make a king size quilt!

I finished this cute little needlepunch piece depicting two chickens and attached it to a canvas bag.  It'll make a good gift for someone! 

Since I have more time to do nothing, I appreciate when the wildlife comes to me.  I watched this big guy for about half an hour this a.m.  He walked all around the house and then started around again!  He 'gobbled' and extended his tail and puffed all up, over & over!  ... I finally gave up and went on to other things and he was still going at it.  I hope some of the girls out in the woods answered him.  God is good!

A few days ago this is what I saw (or didn't see) when I put up the blinds in the dining room.  So beautiful (to me).  This is the time of day, before W. gets up, that I sit and drink coffee and read the Bible.  So peaceful.  It's all good, no matter what.

Yes ... it is all good, no matter what.  More later.  Stay safe and stay sane.