Deja Vu all over again ...

Geez ... I have COVID again.  Almost exactly a year from when I had it in 2021.  I am mind-blown that even though I've done everything asked of me (got the shot, wore a mask, stayed out of people's faces, etc.) I still got it.  This time the symptoms are somewhat different but still not fun.  As with last time, it's the coughing that is laying me low.  However, I go on.  Went to Walmart this a.m. and picked up a grocery order.  Lots of soup and Keto ice cream ... that combo should do the trick, don't you think?  This time, as opposed to last year, I was able to get my NP to respond to my phone messages and she prescribed Paxlovid.  Which I actually can't tell if it's doing any good or not.  My kids will say 'it probably would have been worse if you hadn't taken it'.  How can they tell!?  We are all just participating in a big pharmaceutical company clinical trial.  And my DIL reminded me that this virus is man-made.  Which I don't think people remember anymore.  I had forgotten that fact ...  SO!  As I said: I will persevere!

So ... what's up with me other than that dreary fact?  As you know I love antique malls and shops.  I found 72 cute, very old quilt blocks.  I looked at them and thought, 'those aren't too soiled looking but just in case ...'  So I bought some quilt soap and followed the directions and washed them by hand.  Wanted you to see what I saw:

Here's the soap I used.  Just a couple teaspoons in a dishpan of lukewarm water.  Let them soak for a while.  Then I swished them around for a couple minutes.  (Put all 72 in at once.  They're 5" square.)

And here's how dirty the water was then I finished!  YUCK! YIKES! 
 

Rinsed when done.

The moral of this story is: when you buy old quilt squares in antiques shop and think: 'those don't look so bad; I'll just use them as-is' -- Wrong!  Always take the time and effort to wash before you put them into a new/old quilt top!

What prompted me to buy these squares is that several of the fabrics I can tell are very old.  Probably over 100 years.  They match some fabrics in an old quilt that my Aunt LaVe gave me years ago that was made by her grandmother.  Which would be my great-great grandmother.  (I have since passed this quilt on to my neice Cathy, so it will stay in the Schooley family.)

Other stuff:  Okay ... About a month ago I heard on the radio one Saturday that there was going to be harness races at the Jay County Fairgrounds Saturday so I just drove up there to watch.  It was so laid back and fun and I'm glad I went.  The grandstand is pretty big, so the few people there sort of rattled around.  But everyone was having fun.  Especially the Amish.  But that's another story.  It was all so 1960s.  The starting gate attached to the old car was vintage.  Here's a couple photos.  About 12 races.  One winner was owned by an Amish family and about 6 little stair-step boys had their photo take with the horse (which surprised me right there).  It was a fun couple hours, the weather was lovely, and there was also an auction going on in a building on the grounds that I checked out before I left.  So I keep busy.

Somewhere in there I had a birthday.  Birthdays just aren't the same anymore without my other half; I miss Wendell so very much, but especially on special days.  Nevertheless, I sure was showered with lots of cards and well-wishes online.  And these beautiful flowers (below) from Jeff and Jane.  Just gorgeous!  So ... I'm another year older.  It was just another day for me this year.  On that day I didn't feel any older.  But I'll tell you, after THIS week (covid) I sure do!

In closing, I just want to say how proud I am of the group I meet with at the Farmland Community Center.  The photo below is a couple tables of our "stuff" that we've made over the past few months.  They were preparing to distribute some of it that day (lap covers to the VA), plus pulling things out to put in a couple local fall craft bazaars to sell.  When we sell, it makes money to buy supplies to make more items!  A nice, neat vicious circle, yes?!  I'm proud to have participated.  There are some really good people in this world, you know!?

God bless y'all.  Pray for me that I can defeat this COVID!

Keeping busy ...

I've been trying to keep myself occupied. Nothing is the same now.  It's difficult to adjust to life without my best friend. One of my church friends said to me yesterday, 'Judy, I hate to tell you but it won't get much better.'  She's been a widow for about 15 years. Not too comforting but I think she was trying to snap me back to reality. I really looked at myself in the mirror today and I even look like a widow!  I guess what I'm trying to do is discover what the meaning of my life is now. It seems to have no purpose. Oh, I do some of the things I used to enjoy -- hobbies and such, taking care of my few potted plants on the patio, keeping the 'house' looking neat and tidy.  But I have no one here to tell me how good something looks or tastes, or how good a job I did on something I made, or how much they appreciate whatever it is that I've done. It all seems so meaningless. Consequently, I find that I'm doing less of the things that I used to enjoy.  All I can say that sounds positive is that I have always enjoyed being by myself, so there is that. I'm plugging along, trying to discover what it is that God wants me to do with the last years of my life. I'll let you know if I discover it ...

I continue to decorate the condo so that it feels like home. Found this real calf-hide rug for the little office. It feels so neat on my bare feet; I love to walk on it! I do go barefoot indoors year round, always have. Now, I still want to get some advise on how to efficiently arrange my work (guest) room. Something just doesn't feel right in there.

A few weeks ago my sister and I went antiquing in Decatur. We saw this mirror and both of us fell in love with the idea! It came off of an old dresser. Every time I see a dresser now with its mirror intact I'll think of how it would look repurposed like this. A shelf has been added to the top. So clever!

Met my friend Debbie in Hagerstown last week. It was a great day! We always just talk, talk, talk! In addition to enjoying fried chicken (and chicken livers for me) at Willie & Reds, we visited a couple shops on the main street. (We never got around to Abbotts Candies ... good thing for me. I LOVE their caramels and I'd probably loose a crown if I ate one.)  I took the three photos below at The Shoppes on Main. The fellow working there was so super nice. I ended up buying a decorative plate with three angels on it. It's sort of unusual; [note to self: I'll have to take a photo of it and put on here next time] ... Anyway, his shop was just chock full of wonderful, needful things! Just my type of store with a mix of antiques, unique home decor items, and lots of silk flowers! He also had lots of fountains! We spent a lot of time in there!!!

Love what he did with this old fodder cutting table...

He was putting out autumn decor while we were there.

Love those cubbies in the corner; trying to think of how/where I could use it. It was very reasonable priced! And I think it would go in the back of my car if I laid the back seats down ...

Well, that's about all from me for now. I miss seeing my old friends from Greene County! I'm enjoying the group I meet with every Wednesday, and the gals I exercise with on Monday and Thursday, but it's just not the same. I haven't found that one or two kindred spirits here. And it just may never happen here. I probably won't be lucky enough to find friends and church family like I had there. I was blessed!

God is good!  I wonder sometimes why he has been so good to me! Have a good Labor Day weekend!