Thursday, April 30, 2020

SIP A to Z : Z

Z is for Zoom

Zoom is how we see all our friends and family now.  Zoom is the phone system my office uses and now everyone everywhere is using it to communicate. 

I am so ready for this to be over ...

We watched one episode of Picard tonight.  It was pretty good.  I enjoyed it.  If I didn't have all these other people around, I would probably watch all the Star Trek I could find.  That and Doctor Who.  But we have others we need to appease so I have to be happy with what I can get.


Wednesday, April 29, 2020

SIP A to Z : Y

Y is for Yeast

Along with toilet paper (which should have been my word(s) for T), yeast is one of those things that has been hard to buy.  The day before I started sheltering in place, my daughter and I went to the grocery store.  At the first store, there was no yeast; at the second one, we found a jar.  We decided to get it.  I've gotten the jars before and usually end up throwing it out.  Not this time.  Fortunately, we have had enough yeast to make all the breads we have wanted to make and we still have more.


(pizza dough)

(cinnamon bread)

(pretzels)

(pepperoni cheesy bread)


SIP A to Z : X

X is for Xenophobia

This is one of those words that I hear all the time, but was not sure of its meaning.  So I looked it up.  From Meriam-Webster (online), the definition is:

fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign

When searching for this, I ran across the following, also from Merriam Webster regarding the difference between xenophobia and racism. Here is the link:
"What to Know:
"Xenophobia is the fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners, whereas racism has a broader meaning set including "a belief that racial differences produce the inherent superiority of a particular race." Although they are similar, they are different enough that it is possible for one to be both xenophobic and racist.
"It’s never a good sign when we start seeing a massive increase in lookups for two closely related and unwelcome terms like racism and xenophobia, as is the case of late with the rise of COVID-19 and subsequent global pandemic. However, our place, as a dictionary, is not to judge the words that are being looked up (or the people looking them up), but instead to provide, to the best of our ability, as much information about them as is possible."

I find that interesting -- what judgment/conclusion would they be coming to regarding the people who are looking up these two words? 

Perhaps I should have chosen X-ray ...



Monday, April 27, 2020

SIP A to Z : W

W is for Watching TV

Okay for this I could have gone with Who which would have had a double meaning for me. 

Did you ever see World War Z?  The 12th doctor (Doctor Who) was in the movie.  He was working for W.H.O.  So, he was Doctor Who before he was Doctor Who.

Anyway, we have (along with a bazillion other people) binged many different TV shows. We watched Little Fires Everywhere, the Tiger King, the Plot Against America, the Interrogation, and probably others I don't remember.  Don't know what we're going to watch next but I'm sure it will be something.  Any suggestions? 



SIP A to Z : V

V is for Virus

I was agonizing over this letter.  Couldn't think of what to do.  I was thinking very very very awful.  I considered Verity (only Doctor Who fans would get this one -- but I haven't been watching the show or listening to my podcasts so that wouldn't be fair).  And then there was virtual, which would definitely work, but once I thought of virus (and you would have thought that it would have been my first idea) I just had to go that way.

This virus is just crazy.  The way our lives have been disrupted. The way that if you contract the virus, you could be deathly ill or not even know it.  And I think the lack of human interaction is making some of us crazy .. some of us crazier than others.


Saturday, April 25, 2020

SIP A to Z : U

U is for Unique

This is a strange time, a unique time.  All of us "sheltering in place". Only going out for necessities. And in my case, not going out at all.  I do walk but nothing more than around the neighborhood.  I don't believe anything like this has ever happened before and I hope that once this is over, that it never happens again.




Friday, April 24, 2020

SIP A to Z : T

T is for Time

It seems like I should have loads of extra time on my hands, but I'm not doing much with it.  I could be doing so much more. I don't know how I was getting by when I was spending so much time driving to and from work.  I should feel like I've regained so much time, but I don't.  It's weird.

Of course, if I were to make this a Doctor Who thing, it would be for Time Lords. 

Happy Friday!

Thursday, April 23, 2020

SIP A to Z : S

S is for Sleep

I am constantly tired -- not because of too much activity but not enough.  Some days I am so exhausted that I have taken a nap on my lunch hour (my father used to do that every day).  Insomnia seems to be the order of the day.  I am wide awake at night and sleepy during the day. 

The world turned upside down ...

My SIL said today that insomnia is a side effect of the staying at home / sheltering in place.  Who knew?



S is also for Shelter In Place.



Wednesday, April 22, 2020

SIP A to Z : R

R is for Reading

In between cooking and cleaning and watching way too much TV, I've been reading.  Nothing on my list but a bunch of books.  Mostly WWII related -- usually fiction.  Several about female spies and a few about the resistance.  One about a train that was "liberated" at the end of the war by some American GIs (non-fiction).  I usually try to get my books for free on my Kindle.  I'm cheap that way.  But if I find an author I like, I will sometimes buy their other books.  My memory isn't great so sometimes I get the same book twice -- though I think the Kindle isn't letting me do that anymore, at least I hope not.


Happy Wednesday ..

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

SIP A to Z : Q

Q is for Quarantine

Well, we're not exactly under quarantine.  We're Sheltering-in-Place, but it feels like quarantine, except we get to see each other.

I want to go on the record that I don't like the idea of people not being able to see the ones they love when they have the virus and are in the hospital. It seems inhumane to me.  I guess I understand on an intellectual level, but past that ...

Anyway.  Here's my pictures for today.

Dr. Seuss A to Z: A Gleeful Guide to All Things Seuss | Brightly 


From Dr. Seuss, the Quick Queen of Quincy and her quacking quacker-oo.

Monday, April 20, 2020

SIP A to Z : P

P is for Pizza, Pretzels, and Peppers

So since sheltering in place, we do a lot more cooking, basically every night. We did order Afghani food this past weekend, but that's the only time we haven't cooked, or had leftovers, since March 17.

The past three days, we had Pizza (homemade) -- no pictures :(.  Pretzels.



and stuffed Peppers ...



and tomorrow, I'll be making Popcorn.


Sunday, April 19, 2020

SIP A to Z : O

O is for Outdoors

Today was a gorgeous day so we (the five of us) went for a walk.  We took the baby over to a playground to swing.  It was great to get outside -- not that we haven't been getting out, but this was a longer walk than usual and the weather was great.




Saturday, April 18, 2020

SIP A to Z : N

N is for Ninety days ...

It's been at least 30 days so far and who knows how long this will last.  Although it's not what we thought we'd be doing (we thought we would be planning on moving back into our house at the end of of the month .. that's not happening now), it's actually beginning to feel "normal."  And I am going to miss these days when we go back to work.  Although I find work much harder at home, I'm getting used to it.  I get more frustrated with things.  I have more computer issues.  But it's okay.  And like I said, I'm going to miss this when things go back to "Normal".  Oh, maybe N is actually for Normal.



Thursday, April 16, 2020

SIP A to Z : M

M is for Masks

So I brought the sewing machine down and went through my fabric and whipped up four masks for the adults in the house.






So, we're prepared to go out in public. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

SIP A to Z : L

L is for Love

This has been a hard one to pick -- not the love part, but what to do for "L".  I first started with LAZY, because I feel like I could be doing so much more.  Then I was going with LONELY -- not that I'm lonely but I imagine there are some people who are struggling with that.  Then I was going to go with LIFE ... anyway, if I have to be sheltering in place, at least I am able to be with people that I love.  Being alone would be hard or even worse, not liking the people you have to be with 24/7.  So that's my L word.  and here are some Beatles songs:

Love me do
She loves you
All you need is love

There are probably more but those were the only ones I could think of just now.


and what's not to love about that little face??

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

SIP A to Z : K

K is for Knitting

I've started some knitting during this Shelter-In-Place.  Here's a picture of the blanket I started .. I've got a long way to go.




My youngest son has requested a couch blanket so I'm looking for a pattern and yarn .. I have to figure out how to get the yarn delivered without picking it out in person.


Monday, April 13, 2020

SIP A to Z : J

J is for Journaling

and that's what I'm doing this month.  When this is in the distant past, this will be a way that I will be able to remember what was going on and how I felt during this time. I know I don't dump a bunch of feelings here -- good, bad, or indifferent (well maybe indifferent), but just keeping these posts will remind me of this time.


This is my t-shirt yarn that I used to make the ties for our face masks .. more about that when I get to the letter M.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

SIP A to Z : I

I is for Icing.

I know.  Icing?  Well, for our anniversary, which is today, my husband wanted carrot cake.  So, rather than buy it, I decided to make it.  Recipe from here.

all the ingredients

it doesn't look very appetizing, does it?


and now we get to the icing.  Two blocks of cream cheese and one stick of butter .. and .. 4.5 cups of confectioner's sugar.  It was/is divine.

the completed cake (I would have done three layers but I don't have my cake pans here).

Very yummy. 

So anyway, after dinner, we also made some cinnamon bread, based on the chocolate bread recipe we made around Christmas.  We substituted cinnamon and sugar for the chocolate.

 
The leftover icing from the carrot cake goes perfectly with this bread ...

So yeah, icing.

Friday, April 10, 2020

SIP A to Z : H

H is for Hoarding ...

Who knew when people starting hoarding toilet paper that we should have gotten some too?  We still haven't been to a store when they have had any toilet paper.  How can that be? What are these people doing with all that toilet paper?  You would think the stores would be able to re-stock by now, but no. 

It's really frustrating.  That's all I have to say about that.


Another random picture of my grandparents.

Oh, and by the way, when I'm doing this all I can think of is Dr. Seuss's ABC - Big H, Little H, what begins with H? Hungry Horse Hay, Hen in a Hat, Hooray Hooray.  

Thursday, April 9, 2020

SIP A to Z : G

G is for Goals

This is a good time to work on my list for this year -- to attack some of the goals I have that don't require going places or seeing people.  There are no excuses -- traffic isn't an issue.  The only issue is me and my motivation.

For example, I have started my knitting project -- it's a blanket for my 2-year old granddaughter.  Of course, it was supposed to be finished before she was born but obviously that didn't happen.  It may end up as a gift for someone else .. please don't tell. 

Another thing I've started is the Couch to 5K.  Depending on how long this goes on, I may even be able to finish it.  I don't enjoy running but I know it's good for me to push myself.

Maybe I'll go into the office and get my scanner so that I can work on scanning the old pictures and WWI letters.  Just saw this picture of my grandfather that reminded me ...


(plus I couldn't have a post without any pictures at all).

I might even do some quilting.  I'm going to pull out the sewing machine this weekend and make face masks.  It should go pretty quickly -- does anyone have a pattern to recommend?

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

SIP A to Z : F



F is for Five K

On Monday, I started my Couch to 5K program, yet again.  Each time I re-start, it gets harder and harder.  The first time I was able to push through and do the running every day .. I would walk at 4 mph and run at 5 or 6.  Now, I struggle to walk at 3 mph and the running ... I'm getting old.

This is the app I'm using ..


Let's hope I can continue doing it.  Three times a week ... Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 


Tuesday, April 7, 2020

SIP A to Z : E

Schitt's Creek (2015)


E is for Entertainment

What to do with ourselves during this shelter in place has been a challenge.  We played cards one night, but for whatever reason, it didn't seem so fun.  Maybe we'll do it again and it'll feel more normal.

We are watching a lot of TV -- we binge watched Schitts Creek and now we're on The Plot Against America .. who knows what will be next.

I'm probably going to start knitting ..

I've been playing lots of games - Township is the main one.

I think I'm kind of living in the state of what's going to happen and not enjoying each day for what it holds.  I need to work on that.  I need to remember that it's not always going to be this way and enjoy the time with my family.  This really is a time to treasure -- not to suffer through.

Monday, April 6, 2020

Shelter-In-Place A to Z (A, B, C, and D)

One of my goals this year was to participate in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  I, however, neglected to sign up (though apparently I could have done it even as late as yesterday).  Although I didn't sign up, I'm going to do my A-Z through the month of April.  Today's post will be a catch up.

We are all stuck inside because of the COVID-19 pandemic -- well, not so much inside but rather we can't go anywhere -- we are "sheltering in place" (SIP) at our homes. In our case, we are sheltering in place at our daughter and son-in-law's home where we've been living for over a year now.  My AtoZ will be all SIP related.

A is for being All together All the time.


B is for Bread

I have made four different breads since March 17 when the SIP order went into effect.

 Cheesy Bread

Banana Bread

Dutch Oven Bread

There will probably be more bread in our future as well...

C is for Cat.

On March 27, a rainy Friday, my indoor cat (aka the Devil cat), went outside -- the door was closed on him and he disappeared.  On April 2, at about 4 a.m., he wandered back in -- a few pounds lighter and maybe a little nicer.



D is for Don't Go Anywhere

I am NOT making light of the virus or the seriousness of this pandemic.  We have a friend who is still in the hospital and recovering.  It was touch and go for a while.  It's just that the self-quarantining and staying away from stores, etc., is just hard -- really, really hard.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Amazonian Problem

 
(image from here)

So, of course, we have Amazon Prime -- for the free shipping, free movies/TV, and the free books.  They must be overwhelmed with orders so much so that  myorders are now taking over a week. I now have to think a week ahead on my purchases.  I mean thinking??  I wonder if Target is doing their pickup orders or if that is also delayed? Probably delayed.

Dutch Oven Bread

New bread today.  Sheltering in place means eating more.  Dutch Oven Bread from tasty.







2024 - Week 8 - Feb 19 - 25

  Feb 21 - Nevada's Teddy Feb 22 - more of Teddy   Feb 24 - a new tent    Feb 25 - Popovers