Friday, March 27, 2020

Normalcy?

I don’t think I had even heard that word before just a few weeks ago. If I had, it wasn’t used very often. Now every time I turn on the news I hear someone ponder the question, “when will life return to a sense of normalcy?”  Isn’t that a great question that we would all like the answer to?

But, we all get enough of that on the news, so I would like to share some of the things I’ve been doing this week.  I am forever grateful for my huge stash of yarn. I could stay isolated for years and not run out!

I added a couple of inches to my scrap yarn blanket. I am making this using the scraps of a lot of the socks that I have made. You also hold a strand of one continuous color throughout, which I have chosen to be the off-white. It’s Loops and Thread Woolike that I found at Michael’s.   The pattern is the “bits and bobs blanket” and it is a paid for pattern on ravelry. It makes a nice and squishy fabric and I think will be a great blanket when done. It will be a long-term project for me that I pick up and add a few rows between other projects.

I also made four more pair of mittens to add to the bag for the children.

Yesterday I made some Easter peeps. It is the “Easter marshmallow bunnies” pattern by Doni Speigle.  You can find a link to the pattern on Teresa Kasner‘s blog, over on my side bar.

Teresa posted that she had made one of these peeps about three days after I saw and printed out the pattern too! Great minds think alike!  These will go to Miss Piper whenever I can get to the post office again.

I was going through a box of photos on Wednesday and look what I found. This is my handsome husband on June 6, 1987. He worked full-time during the day and went to school four nights a week for seven years to get his bachelors degree. I married a brilliant and very hard-working man.  He hasn’t aged much at all but I certainly did.

Piper was meeting with her teacher online yesterday. After that she had a group chat with a bunch of her schoolmates. How life has changed for these children!  Who would have thought just a month ago that this would be happening?

Alex made it safely back to Tokyo where he is once again in quarantine. That boy seems to spend most of his life in quarantine in some country or another. He flew from London through Qatar to Tokyo. Tara is finally feeling a bit better. We have no idea if they had the dreaded C-virus or something else, as neither of them were able to get tested.

We woke up to several inches of snow.  I think it was on Tuesday but who knows?  I’m losing track of the days when I don’t go anywhere! It melted by noon but it was still a shock as it was completely unpredicted.

Dennis is still going into the office every day as he is considered an essential employee. He has a letter he has to keep in his truck at all times in case he gets stopped. His secretary is still sick. She has been sick for almost 2 weeks and was finally tested on Wednesday, but we have not heard the results yet. I haven’t left the house since my last post.  The soonest day for grocery pick up at our local Walmart is April 6!  I’m glad that we are still OK and don’t really need much of anything.

Last night we met with our Bible study on Zoom. There were 10 of us and it seemed to work out very well. It’s not the same as actually being with them, but it was wonderful to see their faces and hear their voices and for all of us to be able to interact together.  Life has definitely gone through some changes recently.

I hope you are all well and weathering the storm we’re going through as well as possible. I am a homebody  at heart anyway, so this is not difficult for me. It’s just the stress of the unknown and worry about the other people in my life.  I am spending a lot of time in prayer and listening to Christian music and that definitely helps. I have had to wean myself away from watching much news. I’m limiting myself to just a few minutes in the morning and then an hour or so at night with Dennis.  I think that is much better for my mental health!

Take care and wash your hands!

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalms 118:24

Blessings,
Betsy

16 comments:

  1. Sadly, the only photo I can see is the one of Dennis. Yes ..... you married a VERY good man. (I did too.)

    We had a bit of good news this morning. Steve's dad is out of ICU and he does NOT have COVID-19. He has a urinary tract infection and pneumonia, but he is responding very well to the treatment he is getting. He is in a regular room. Still don't know when he will go back to his skilled nursing facility, but for now we know he is good where he is.

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  2. I love that blanket! I have got so much leftover sock yarn and I can never find anything I like to do with it. I'll have to give that a look. I want something simple. Those peep bunnies are just too cute. I was thinking of making a bunch and sitting them down around the koi park before all the virus stuff happened. People still sit out painted rocks but I thought magic bunnies would be better for the kiddos. Can't do it now. Sigh. Next year.

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  3. Technology has definitely made a difference in how this pandemic is being endured. I’m basically a homebody, too, so I’m coping with the isolation very well. The Peeps are adorable. I’ve used Click & Ship (USPS) I weigh the package, enter the address, weight & package measurements, and pay. After printing the label, I schedule a pickup day & my mail carrier does the rest. I don’t even have to leave my home.

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  4. You've been busy creating lovely things. The Easter Peeps are adorable and I'm sure Piper will love them.
    A surprise snowfall? I hope it melts quickly. We're all looking forward to warmer weather and you get snow!
    I hope you handsome husband stays safe and well as he continues to go to work. My second oldest daughter works at the local hospital in the Release of Information dept. and thankfully they just closed it to walk-ins. The danger of someone bringing in the virus is just too great.
    Stay well. GM

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  5. Praying for you all sweet friend. With all of our prayers, united and rising towards His throne....knowing that He knows every single hair on our heads, He will never leave nor forsake us....I stand with you in prayer, in agreement for the safety of our families. Your projects are all so lovely, as always. Be on the look out for a free knitted shawl pattern on m blog soon...designed by my crazy butt. Apparently, boredom has led me down the path of designing! Wishing you a day filled with many blessings dear sweet friend. ((hugs))

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  6. You are so talented. You make such beautiful things, and the peeps are cute as can be. Yes, you sure did marry a very handsome and smart man. I will be so glad when things settle down again. Take care.

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  7. Love those Peeps Betsy. This is such a strange and difficult time. Holding you and Dennis in my thoughts and prayers.

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  8. I can't wait to see how happy that Piper will be to get her bunnies. I might send one to each of my GDs. I hope that the time speeds by and Alex can be cleared and safe. Poor guy. I just put in an order at Fred Meyer for groceries to be delivered at our house. Have you tried that? I wish Dennis could work from home! Is that an option? When does Alex expect to be married and have they picked a place to settle down? I bet you're excited at the prospect of more grandchildren. :-) Stay safe and keep in touch my friend. Give Dennis a big hello from Dayle and I. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. Betsy, your husband is so handsome! Im glad Piper can see her pals now! Holding your son in my prayers as I know you are holding mine!

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  10. Thank you so much for the card it arrived when I needed a good thought! You are so sweet! Our world may never get back to normal....scary thought for sure.

    Your peeps are so cute and you have lots of projects going! I am watching Netflix more... cooking shows on Netflix...it works for me!
    We are okay for today. :)

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  11. I am grateful for the Zoom Cloud Meetings as well! So far I have been online for three and it really is wonderful to see folks, talk and pray together. I was really encouraged this morning to get a text from a friend whose daughter's father-in-law is healing from the coronavirus in NY City. He has been in hospital on a ventilator. Part of the doctors' treatment plan included an anti-malaria drug. He responded well to the med and is off the ventilator! I am thanking the Lord and praying the healing continues. I admire the stitching projects you shared with us, and continue to pray for blessing for you and yours, dear Betsy. Thanks for posting! ((hugs))

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  12. Dear Betsy your projects are all beautiful, love the pattern for the blanket. A joy to see Miss Piper it must be really hard for the little ones I worry for my grandchildren but they seem to be coping so well at the moment. Take care. Every blessing.

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  13. Normalcy will definitely be different than it was before, don't you think?!
    The mittens, etc, are as sweet as always! You do such beautiful work!

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  14. Strange times for sure Betsy. Like you, I have so many projects that I could stay busy with for years! I love your little Easter peeps, they will brighten Piper's day! Amazing how the kids are able to keep up with their school lessons and their friends through the Internet. I hope your husband's secretary gets better, and that it is not the dreaded virus. There are a lot of people suffering with allergies this year too. The snow was a surprise to us too, but we are thankful it didn't stay long :) Many blessings to you!

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  15. Oh, my, you are so right. I never dreamed things like this would be happening, either. I think God is wanting our attention very badly. I want to keep my heart open to what He is trying to get across through all of this. Very perilous times we are living in, just like His Word told us. May He keep you and your family safe and healthy through it all.

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  16. Hello Betsy~ It is nice to catch up with you. I have been trying to catch up with the blog world but feel left behind. I am working from home these days with the C-virus. I love my job but it keeps me really busy. I am glad to find you well.

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