What's helping you through this crazy time?

I created a private FB group & asked some friends if they wanted to join. I'm posting a different challenge/project every few days that will help with our mental health and then we check in with a photo or video after we complete the challenge. I hope people find it helpful.

 

that is out of the box awesome

 

I know my kid is younger, but he enjoyed watching Lunchtime Doodles with Mo Willems on the Kennedy Center feed. Monday, Mo talked about his first book and showed all the papers that went into getting the book to publication. He also encouraged kids to doodle with him.

 

Our governor said he can't force churches to close, but he recommends that they do not meet in person. All the local congregations, regardless of faith, were closed last Sunday except 1. And they voluntarily closed yesterday. They were scrambling because they weren't allowed to meet at the school they normally do.

 

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I installed "Leechblock " on my Firefox browser, and DH installed "StayFocusd". I can use Facebook/Twitter for 10 minutes every 2 hours. He said 10 min an hour. I can override it if necessary, but most of my regular social media is homeschool stuff - and that's all cancelled. This is stopping me from spending too much time there, but still letting me see what friends are up to. Especially my teacher friend sharing resource after resource for kids not in school.

Which is a total bonus!! Can I tell you how much I love all the home education stuff coming out right now? It's a homeschooling paradise. And making me feel a little better about not having all our out of the house activities.

 

At our house it's just my husband, our daughter and myself. Because of being in our 70's and all of us having health issues we are in self quarantine. We live in a quiet, isolated area where there aren't many people. So we are able to go for walks and never see another person anywhere. Our big thing during the week is going to the mailbox out at the highway. It's about half a mile from our front door. So we hop in the pickup and make the trip there and back two or three times a week. The speed limit is 25 miles an hour in our little neighborhood. If we only go 10-15 miles an hour it makes for a nice little get away! LOL It's amazing how those few minutes can refresh your spirit and your mind. And it's really nice if we see a car or two or a semi passing by on the highway. Lets us know life is still going on out there.

We have children and grandchildren scattered in several states. So I watch the updates a lot on the virus. I think I'm driving my husband and daughter crazy. But I need to know what's going on - for me. We read a lot and watch movies. Also have games and puzzles we can do and hobbies to work on when we have the energy to do so. But basically our life here is very quiet. Too quiet sometimes. We lost our little furbaby in February and have been dealing with that heartbreak. She was a huge part of our daily life. And of course I miss all of our kids. I'm grateful we are able to keep in touch with them though.

I think one of the hardest things right now is that we have to ask for help if we need something from the store. We were able to prepare for self quarantine before we actually went into it but we need to stay isolated now. We do have a good little support group though and I'm thankful for that. I try to find things to be grateful for each and every day in spite of all the turmoil going on around us. That helps a lot.

Hang in there everyone! We can get thru this!! And spring is coming!!!

 

For me, it's my friends. Our text messages and funny little stories remind me everyone is going through it. All the laughter that I get really helps me stay positive. I thrive on being positive and that gives me my oomph.

Since I'm still working, it's a little harder there. I think stopping in here, and just reading sometimes helps my mood. Plus, books at lunch. I can tune out work people and things relatively easy...

 

Not a whole lot has changed for me. I'm retired and stay home most of the time anyways, especially in the winter since I hate being out in the cold. I usually only go to the grocery once a week and the chiro is on an every 2 to 3 week schedule now.

These last few weeks I've been scanning old negatives. That is done so now I'm sorting them. Quite a few were photos that I had either had scanned before by a scanning service or had scanned the photos myself. So I'm planning to go through, choose the best one and delete the rest. Did find some that I don't have the physical photos any more so was happy about that! Organizing better while I'm at it. Then I might get back into scrapping.

I do watch the news but hit the mute button quite often. I have started listening to the daily updates for Ohio so that I know what is going on in my state.

I am not big on SM, FB being it and I don't have a huge amount of friends and those that I do have are not posting crazy stuff. Guess my friends and I think alike. I have played my games on my tablet a bit more in the evenings.

 

I was planning to start walking today and guess what? It hasn't stopped raining!

 

It's been hard here (we are surrounded by Italy on 3 sides) so have been hit the worst as far as Swiss cantons are concerned. The Local authorities did an awesome thing though, they shut us down, and shut down the schools early, despite what the government said and promised. The PM came to chew their ears off, and then agreed that they did the right thing, so we are under a lockdown. I feel better knowing more lovely old people I know will survive. I am all for having access to information (being careful on what you read, you need to be careful on what you put in your body and mind), but I am against an ostrich approach, trying to ignore the obvious. We have lived locked in our houses for a fortnight, I am ill, horrible cough, and being in the risk group it's not fun. Yet, unless I have difficulty in breathing or high fever, I am not going to be tested, as the country can't cope. My dd is also in the risk group, so my only hope is that I don't pass to her whatever I have. So I scrap, and work in the garden, and can't go for a walk yet, but as soon as the symptoms are finished, and I take a few days after the one obligatory, just to play safe, I am back in the mountains. It is nice to know our community here can still be together. I stand by you. Hugs to all. The virtual ones are safe.

 

I feel like I am pretty busy since all 3 girls are now schooling from home. The oldest 2 are self directed but my third, not so much! I still went to my part-time job today as there were only 2 of us in the office. I have found great comfort through my church small group - we continue to meet on-line rather than in person to share how we're doing and pray for one another.

I've also been very encouraged by a particular scripture:
"and he will be the stability of your times,
abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge:
the fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure."
Isaiah 33:6

 

Gah Anne. You are so wonderful.

 

I'll be scrapping a Christmas layout or two this week. That should put me in a better mood.

 

I'm one of those crazy people that keep going to the beach every day. The beach has all the fresh air and sunshine that we need to stay well. We are practicing the whole social distancing thing while we are there, so we hope we will be ok. Some beaches about an hour away have been closing, so I'm hoping that mine stays open. Our pool and gym and amenities center and all the activities that go with it are all closed.

Everything else is closed. Thank goodness for the grocery store, although most of the shelves are now empty. My daughter is a teacher in PA, and she thinks she's pretty much done for the whole year. The school has laid off all non-professional employees and told the teachers to clean out their desks. She has a trip with her students to Italy in July that will more than likely be canceled.

My nephew's wedding, scheduled for late April has been postponed.

 

MilkStreet is offering free online cooking classes. I thought I would check them out.
https://milk-street-cooking-school.teachable.com/courses

 

I just logged in tonight and the first thing I saw was a comment you (Justine) made on one of my layouts - it meant even more than it normally does just because it was comforting to hear kind words in this weird time. Getting outside is essential for me too, and moving my body. It does wonders for the mind.

 

I'm doing a bit more reading... e-books are great as you can get more reading online. My dog has no clue we're locked down and getting out and walking with her has been a great boost! Our church is doing some creative things online to keep people encouraged... we did a zoom online gathering tonight. Good stuff!

 

Today I had my first event to in a sense impact my life with what is happening. I went off to my day volunteering in Aged Care and this afternoon the Manager received notification from our head office to say not only no visitors for residents, volunteers were to also stay away. I felt so sad saying goodbye to my special ones. Hopefully this will not be for too long as I am going to miss them and I know some will miss what I do with and for them. The head nurse said I will be missed.

So now I will make Thursday my day for catching up on my digital scrapbooking.

 

It must be hard to hear & volunteers are a rather undervalued resource at the best of times, I'm glad there's a silver lining in terms of extra scrap time
ETA - obviously I get why they are making restrictions but still must be hard to hear & on the residents too

 

@zinzilah
I will be praying for your health and those close to you!

I have been in my craft room researching the challenges I am posting for the Monthly Muse, and if anyone wants to join jump to the Art Journaling thread!!

Quilting!! I completed my sons top... now how to get batting and a back so I can actually quilt it! Pulling other fabric from stash and planning more sewing!

My hubby is actually in the high risk area as his system is comprised because of the medication he is on for RA... wash wash wash stay home stay home stay home.
Today was the first day he had to go out for his work... praying he stays At a distance from other people and doesn’t have to touch anything.

reading
TV shows

my word for the year in my bible study group is Thirst so I’ve been searching that word out and filling my art journal homemade book with what I find in the Bible, also doing christian song lyrics. Its has really been a fun project!