The down time of Coronavirus National Emergency shut down. 2020

Well here it is, upon us all.   My husband and I had already decided to self quarantine 2 1/2 weeks earlier, as I had cold/flu already for too long this season, and we had concern about the information or lack of clarity of the information at that time.  Now it is global, and President has declared National Emergency so enough about that, now what to do during the next 3 months as we are shut in as my husband likes to say?

1)  Walking in fresh air.  First, we walk and likely every other day or daily at public park in our town where few people are out and walking.  Come spring and summer, that might well change to too many people to do the social distancing we would like.  Of course the people at the park may well want to do social distancing also, so might not be a problem.  And if the public park doesn't work, we have our 2 mile walk to the River and back. Today there is Snow for second day (March 2020) and news indicates the snow will be gone soon.

2) Writing. I thought blogging in my old blogs mght be a way to go.  Also, using the greeting cards from the time of my mother's death to send out to family and people.  Writing my and our memoirs. I have books to actually help a bit with that one, that I have ignored or not written in for years.  And I prefer to write, journal as that is my way of remembering, frequently do not refer back to former writing, although my memory is not working as well as it once did. 

3) Crochet/Knitting.  Well for me that just goes with the time, whether coronavirus or not, as I have been crocheting for years.  Recently our church prayer shawl group suspended itself due to coronavirus, and I was ahead of that one, making prayer shawls anyway to bring when husband and I decided to suspend our self-quarantine. I have a couple of grandchildren though, and it might be timely to online instruct them in this fine business of knitting/crocheting, using yarn they maybe already have.

4)  Downsizing, Clean Up, House Redecorate.  So many of us have some kind of clean up or clear up to do, ie, garage, house, spring cleaning.  For myself, it is time to turn my winter clothing in my dressing room (a bedroom I confiscated to become a dressing room ...  lol)  to spring and summer clothing.  I have much downsizing to do just now, and probably while thrift stores are not receiving much or people aren't using, I can at least separate items out.  And well, I have not redone our home in couple years, so can think about how I might do it.  I am sure that different people's juices are flowing as people think about what they can do during this down time. 

5)  Turn off the news, Facebook, media about the virus.  I know I am frightened and doing stress related constant watching the news or Facebook to learn what is going on, and I also know that I need some relax time out, as do many of us.

6) Staying in contact with loved ones, people. Part of my own reach out has more to do with my own anxiety yet staying in touch and contact helps and takes away some of the anxious feeling.  Recognizing I am among the fortunate to have a husband while many people are doing this shut down alone, I think it is more important than ever to do reach out and stay connected, in contact.  Even though Facebook is among popular media platforms, using it in productive ways right now might help some.   I like our walks, just saying hi to people seems to lift my spirits. 

7)  Kids at home. That is no longer my expertise, as I said we are the elderly population, no kids at home.  Better that parents speak to this one, than me, yet already I am seeing ways to keep children busy while at home.  I wouldn't mind a letter or card or two from youngsters.

8)  Music.  It is, imo, a language of it's own and goes a long way to calming people.  Already I have found two places that symphonies are willing to livestream for Free their concerts.   My husband likes music and is an accomplished pianist.  Our home is filled frequently with music, the many playlists he has developed and the piano he plays himself to a) calm his own nerves and b) to serenade me (was the Memory Care Unit weekly, they have shut down for the interim). 

9) Games, not Internet, not online, board games, cards.   We haven't done this one yet, hope to, expect to, hasn't really happened yet.  We both did this with our kids when they were kids.  Might be something we will pick up and do for this shut down period   Might be something for younger families, parents and children to do if they aren't already. 

10)  Crafting.  I had plenty to do for a long while, in fact, purchased and collected.  Didn't seem to have the heart for it after my mother passed.  Or maybe getting along in years.  I don't really know.  Even as I type this, I don't seem to have inclination to pick the therapeutic manner of crafting.  Wondering aloud who I could gift the items I might create?  There is still next year. eh?  Nonetheless others with the fortitude and inspiration may want to think about it, also an idea for useful child helpers.

11)  Gardening.  Not really an issue for me, I like to play outside with the yard.  Lots of people do, and this would be the time to give that yard an thorough upkeep, planting, cleaning, while growing the newly planted vegetable garden and flower garden.  Happy days, plus fresh air, and also that quieting of mind time. 

12)  Oil Painting, or any kind of painting.   I look forward to it warming up a bit where we live so I can get some time oil painting on the enclosed deck which also doubles as our reading area, breakfast area, painting studio, nap time. 

Other thoughts for how people might use this coronavirus down time are  welcome.

New Place, New Town (City actually), New chapter in our lives

I have not blogged, as in made it an almost full time hobby, for many years now.  In reviewing some of the memorable, nostalgic things I want to remember about our lives before we moved here, I realized there is a value to blogging.  Rather like an online journal in some aspects, that reports on times before.  We have lived here for going on 3 years now, and it might be fun and beneficial to put some blog posts up about our lives here.

For one thing, we are in retirement years, at ages now of 65 (me) and 70 (him).  Life has changed for us so much in so many ways, and might be useful to put some thoughts about it online.  Not only has life changed for us, we see societal changes happening all around us that almost beg 'New Rules' as many of the old rules do not seem to apply.  In other words, values and work ethics I taught to my children who are mid-aged adults now don't seem to work as well in their words.  And grown grandchildren coming out of college and into their careers means even different rules for the world they find for themselves.

We are considered now in our retirement years Boomers, who aren't ready to throw in the towel and call it quits just yet.  I am not sure if that is a good thing or somewhere in between, because I know my body won't do what it used to do, and not sure I want to be want of those olders who are fit and hardy.   I am pleased though that there is a longevity that was not so available to our parents generation.

Well then, here goes, new chapter in our older years lives.  What if ......

What if ... my mother is not who I thought she was ....

Having a tough time.  Keeping it brief.  Looked forward to having my mother move two doors down from us at our new location in different city in WA.  Really looked forward to all the times we could share, all the things we might do together, all there was to see and show her.  Looked forward to all the resources she could make use of in this city whereas she did not have them where she had lived.  She is blind (legally), has diabetes, and as she had control of the narrative, sounded like was being isolated where she lived, little to no help from my two sisters who live there, weary of her neighbor who had been for years helping her with appointments, grocery store runs, lunches and fun times.
Learning a devastating reality now that she is here.....she has undiagnosed Narcissist Personality.  Has had for years, however, difference for me is that I have had years and years away from the damage of characteristics of narcissim.  Being exposed to my mother in ongoing day to day activities again after so many years away is startling to my senses, my sense of proprieties, boundaries, and on and on and on.


She's dead Jim - a quote from Star Trek that I exchange with my husband occasionally when we encounter life changing events, ie, when our family dog, Jake, at 15 years was unable to keep on.

Now I've done it!

This week I gave my books, and research papers on menopause and post menopause to my daughter.  Mostly to assist her to deal with the controversial issue of using hormones or using natural estrogen type foods/diet to sustain the period of loss of hormones.  She had only a couple of questions;  when did you go through menopause, Mom?  And when did you do this research.   Ummm - it was so very important at time I was studying it, and yet there were no dates on the research or books to help jog my memory.  Now isn't that something!

Recognizing that over the years I have done a lot of blogging on several topics when blogging was still in it's newness age, it occurred to me that one or two blogs might have the information. And we have Google now so I googled my name and the word menopause, and thank goodness 2 blogs came up where I had an entry or two which gave me the date, therefore my age, of menopause.  Happens that was also the time I quit smoking.  Wow, talk about a double whammy.  Weight gain both ways.

I have since listed the dates, and decided maybe there is something to blogging elements of life as it happens, now maybe more so as in becoming part of the Boomer generation, it would seem we have some things to say!

In 2006 I quit smoking and the blog entry indicated it was my second year as a non-smoker; and the blog entry also indicated that I was going through menopause.  I would have been 55 years old.  Allowing that menopause is not an event, rather a process, it would be 2005/2006 at age 54 and 55 years.  Allowing the decade or so of perimenopause before that which I knew next to nothing about, would have begun the process at about age 42 until at age 55 it was clear that I was done with the monthly flows.   I would say though in respect for myself, the psychological elements of loss were much more difficult to bear and manage than the physiological aspects.  Great sadness as I was saying goodbye to my younger womanhood, yearning for and wishing I had done more with that young woman body while it was young instead of worries about how it looked or whatever the societal norms of the time suggested I should look like....young ladies, proud to read that you are getting information that encourages you otherwise!!

Moving on ---

Let's see, since posting in 2010, much has happened for us.  I don't think I want to write catch up history as I think that will show itself in future posts.   We are no longer in our big old Victorian style farmhouse; we have moved (downsized) to leasing a condo in a city across the state from where we lived in sweet little community of Bay Center, WA in Pacific County.   We are now living in city of Spokane, WA closer to my daughters and the family branch of my grandchildren.  I will write about those experiences and learning lessons (learning for me) at another time.  It has been a journey of the soul, so to speak.

It is now December 2014.  A year in the condo in Spokane.  In 2013 we were also in Spokane, sharing time between our home in Bay Center, WA and an apartment in Spokane, WA caring for two of my youngest grandchildren.  Going backwards in time to recapture the years of 2012 and 2011 .. essentially my husband retired from his career, and we found ourselves re-examining our choices in life regarding family, living location, community, aging into senior years, faith -- the whole gamut it seems as seen from retrospective viewpoint.  Certainly less clear as we walked together through those years.

I'm not sure where I'll take the direction of this blog, for now though, it can serve as a bit of thoughtful reflections along with the new or revived things we are doing in our more senior years.  

It is Christmas time just now. And I'm happy to be sharing in Christmas spirit - past and present, listening to Christmas music, decorating the house (yes, our condo has a 'house' feel to it so I call it our house now), making Christmas gifts, participating in our Traditions - past and present - as the holidays unfold.   This is the first year in many that we have brought out the Big Christmas tree, and all the decorations acquired over the decades going back to when my adult children were just youngsters.   Picture of the big tree in our condo (house) space.

p.s.  daughter, her husband, granddaughter stopped by to see our big tree, and took this composite photo to include my collections of nutcrackers which remain out all year long in their display cabinets.

           

To vaccinate or not

It's been a long, long time since posting to this blog.   I might want to revisit this old blog since there is a lot of my earlier history here.  For now I want a place to add this map chart regarding vaccinations for children - or the lack thereof and my opinion which has been that when parents decide against vaccinations (and quite probably for what they perceive as good reasons) it puts other children at risk.


Map - Vaccine Preventable Outbreaks

Dressy, Colorful, Designer and Vintage Scarves

I’m excited with my new endeavor, launching Look Again! an online e-store  

We welcome you to Look Again at the treasure finds we have found and are making available to you. Our items will be primarily of the gently used variety. If it appeals to us, then there is a good chance it will appeal to you too!

Please do bookmark us so you can find your way back to the store
lookagain.ecrater.com/

Added some beautiful scarves to the store.  You’ll want to take a look!  (little play on words there, since name of the store is Look Again! )

Uses for designer and vintage scarves besides the usual fashion accessory; curtain valance, frame them, use as dresser scarves, use to make pillow slipcover, use in upcycle crafting/sewing, sew a few together to make table runner, make a tablescape by draping scarf from vintage purse with pair of glasses and place a thin column lamp placed in purse, What uses can you think of for scarves, vintage or otherwise?

Echo Black on White Striped Scarf

Offering this Echo designer scarf in a bold black and white stripe pattern, edged with an orange stripe finished with a larger red stripe. 100 % silk.

No tears or holes. There is a tiny run across part of the width in one place, but it is not obvious. I almost missed it in my examination of the scarf. Appears to be new or if used, has been very little use.

The Echo name in designer scarves has been around since 1923. In fact Echo claims that it was the first brand name ever printed on a scarf.

 

Charter Club Silk Tropical Floral Scarf

Offering a Charter Club designer scarf in vibrant colors in a tropical floral pattern edged in blue/green. The Charter Club logo is visible on the corner of the scarf. The tag indicates Charter Club, 100 % silk, made in Japan, with copyright icon - Macy's. Instructions indicate dry clean only.

The scarf appears to be new or if used, lightly used. There are no tears, holes or runs, the edges are rolled hem and beautifully stitched.
Scarf is rectangle measuring 35" by 18".

 

 

Vera Green Scarf

 

Vintage Vera! Offering this Vera scarf, likely from the 1970s based on large signature and no ladybug icon. All Vera designs are copyrighted. color green

Scarf is large square in size measuring 22 1/2" by 22 1/2 ". Green with green mountain pattern. The fabric feels like a chiffon, or sheer type fabric. There are no tears, holes or pulls. The rolled edges are in very good condition.

If you don't know the Vera name of designer scarves, a brief history. Vera Neumann, artist turned textile designer's scarves are known for their graphic, bold patterns (flowers, dots and geometrics) and Vera's signature in the corner. One way to tell the age of the scarf is by the size of the Vera signature - the smaller the signature, the older the scarf.  Also through the 1960s until the late 1960s, the ladybug icon shows up alongside the Vera signature.

The Vera signature gets larger; the ladybug icon makes a comeback in approximately 1973 with the larger Vera signature. Disappears again through the 1980s, and makes a comeback in present day scarves.