The first day of the rest of the year...

MY DESIGN WALL 5/1/20

It's May 1st-- we made it through one of the crazeist months of my lifetime. SO... I went back and read my blog post for March 16th-- that is when the initial realization set in that things were about to change. It's good to know that since then, we have been able to flatten the curve substantially, eveyone who needed a ventilator had one, we didn't completely spiral out of control, and some states are even starting to open back up again.

BIG SUNFLOWER BLOCK

At the same time, normalcy is a long way off. Until we have a vaccine, it still seems risky to leave the house if you don't have to. I think masks will be a "thing" for a year or more. Will I be standing in line, 6ft apart, waiting to go into Michael's? How will I get a haircut? What will dining in a restaurant be like? When can I go to my friends' homes? So as much as I look forward to the day my state stops the stay-at-home order (currently it's May 15th), the realization has set in that life is going to have limits for a while.

PECAN PRALINES

I have really settled in here, and I'm trying to keep a good perspective. I don't have any risk factors. I understand that the death rate is probably much lower than initially thought, but I really don't want to suffer through a bad virus. Simpler joys-- like taking a walk with my husband, baking at home, and of course, sewing, have become enough for me for now. I do firmly believe we will get through this in a matter of some long months. Most importantly, I don't think it will fundamentally change who we are.

DULCINEA TABLE RUNNER

Fast forwarding to the end of the crisis, I'm thinking of what I will wish I had done during this "quiet" time. I can certainly check off the box of getting a lot of sewing done-- if you follow my daily Facebook posts, it's been hugely productive! The pictures here are mostly of things I did in April. I'd also love to work again on my scrapbooks-- they brought me so much joy when my kids were growing up, and are a source of comfort to me now. I'd love write a short story or two-- did you know that in your imagination you can go anywhere you want?! I'd love to jot down some memoirs-- not something all about me, but as a tribute to some amazing people and places I've experienced in life. I'd also love to get my house a bit more in order-- usually I'm not a fan of housework, but to tell you the truth, sorting through the things I have collected over the years has given me a good deal of pleasure since my nest emptied.

MY NEXT "GUILTY PLEASURE"

So that's the plan! All of the running around we used to do has pretty much ended. We have the long wished for the GIFT OF TIME. I sure hope to use mine wisely. It's kind of exciting. Let's see what happens!

xox

Carol