Thursday, April 9, 2020

It’s Thursday!

How are you all hanging in there? I seem to spend most of my day on social media. Reading blogs, catching up with various groups that I’m in, or just mindlessly doing a coloring app on my iPad. For some reason I can’t get my brain to function with my knitting or crocheting this week. I feel like the concentration is just not there. And that’s OK. I’m just going along with it. Puttering around the house. Doing laundry, vacuuming and dusting. The dishes that are never ending. Honestly? Except for not being able to go to the grocery store regularly, my life has not changed very much with this isolation. I’ve always been a homebody. I do miss going to church but we are actually attending three online churches every Sunday and enjoying them immensely. I know it doesn’t take the place of actual in person fellowship, but I’m very, very grateful for this option at the time in our lives we all find ourselves.

I have been working on a pair of socks made with Knit Picks Felici yarn.  I started out using the magic loop method, determined to teach myself a new way of knitting during this enforced isolation. I have tried before and just didn’t enjoy it. I finished both cuffs and about 1 inch on each sock before I realized I was not enjoying it at all this time either.  I don’t think this is the time to be trying to teach myself something new.  In the time it took to do those two cuffs I probably could have had an entire sock done on my dpn’s. So I switched them over and now I’m zooming along again.  I may try it again someday, but not right now.

I am also working on a log cabin crocheted blanket using the leftover yarn from the blanket I finished for Pammy Sue. I think I will have just about enough for a toddler sized blanket to donate.

Alex was heading back up north on the Shinkansen a few days ago. Masks are the order of the day, although many people in Japan wore them regularly even before this virus.  Japan has just declared a state of emergency this week.

And an almost empty Shinkansen, “bullet train”.  Wow! That is unusual. Whenever I have ridden them they have been almost full.  Look how immaculate the train car is. This is what they all look like all of the time.

Speaking of Alex, I had a great time with him last night. We FaceTimed for about two hours. I went to the grocery store with him and helped him pick out a pork roast and ingredients to make homemade barbecue sauce. Then we went and picked up some healthy fast food, clam soup and a beef bowl.  After that we got gas and stopped at a 7-Eleven for coffee. Then we went back to his apartment and I helped him make the barbecue sauce and get it all put in the crockpot. He sent me a picture of the final result.  It looks pretty good to me!

I also was able to FaceTime with Mandy and Piper for over an hour yesterday. These are the moments that keep me going. For someone who hasn’t left the house in over a week except to walk around the block, I traveled all over the world yesterday! Isn’t technology wonderful?!

Chloe had her mask and was ready for her walk yesterday afternoon. :-). She can’t figure out why I won’t let her go near other people to be petted.  Everyone in the neighborhood loves her and the kids usually come running to get their loves from Chloe.

It does make me wonder what kind of scars we may be inflicting on small children throughout all of this. As I walked around the block yesterday there were two small girls outside about four houses away. The dad was yelling at the two little girls to come back and stay away from me. He kept yelling at them,  “she’s bad, she’s bad!”  What?!  I am NOT bad. There has to be another way of teaching children to keep their distance right now without telling them that people are “bad.”  I don’t want these two little girls to be terrified of me when all of this is over and they see me outside.

In fact, Dennis and I were talking about this just last night. We both agree that we don’t think the world is ever going to go back to the way it once was. A friend of mine said she was at the grocery store on Tuesday and she said the atmosphere is palpable. She said she couldn’t put her finger on it, whether it was a general uneasiness or fear. She said when you would turn down an aisle, if someone else was in that aisle, both people would just get a deer in the headlights look on their face. How sad this all is.

But, we do have hope. Today is Maunday Thursday and the night that Jesus ate the last supper with his disciples. Tomorrow is the day he went to the cross for each one of us. And then on Easter we get to celebrate the FACT that He conquered death and He rose from the dead.  Just because we can’t go to a church building doesn’t negate the fact that He Has Risen and we have hope of eternal life because of this gift.

And for you Princess Bride lovers, Mandy shared this on our family chat thread for Jamie on his birthday on Tuesday. We absolutely love the Princess Bride in our family.  In fact for Dennis’s and my 25 year vow renewal, our two ministers actually performed the marriage ceremony scene from the movie. It was hilarious! They did it perfectly. I hope this gives you a chuckle today.

I’m wishing you all a beautiful Thursday and a blessed Easter weekend. 
Blessings and love, 
Betsy

19 comments:

  1. Even if there was no pandemic the world would change. It evolves daily. Some for good. Some for bad. Yes . . . when this is over things will be different. But, they would have been different anyway ....

    As for that father .............he's an idiot. Unfortunately, the world is full of them.

    I've noticed here people are much more eager for whatever contact they can get. People wave more often. Smile a bit more when the pass at a safe distance. I am hoping THAT change holds when we all get to go our normally again.

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  2. I think if it ends soon we will forget and go back to normal. But the longer it lasts...

    I hope those girls aren't scared of you now! 🙁 How about just saying that you could be sick?

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  3. I hope more people start wearing masks when in public. I think it would remove some of the fearful looks. When I was in Japan, the Shinkansen didn’t go north of Tokyo. Glad to hear that it does now.

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  4. We love the Princess Bride too! That Dad isn't very smart. I'm sorry that happened to you.
    I'm wondering about teaching myself to knit again. I really like crochet better but like you, I don't know if this is the time to learn a new skill.
    I was at Dollar Tree yesterday and was wearing a mask my daughter made. It was the first time and I felt awkward even though it's the latest fashion trend. I sewed up yesterday. It's a good way to practice my sewing. When I put it on I pretended to be a runway model and said " Here's Regina wearing a lovely pink and white mask. Don't you love how it brings out her eyes?". My daughter's just laughed!😃
    Well my friend you enjoy your crafting. Take care!

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  5. What an excellent boost of our hearts when we can stay in contact with those we love--wonderful! These times only reveal the good/bad that was already in people...

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  6. So sorry that your neighbor girls cannot be taught to wave and smile...seems like Dad could learn something:)
    I like DPN's too and have never tried anything else. I am certain it would mess me up!
    Your socks are looking good and I like that log cabin pattern too. Good projects!
    Yes Easter weekend is coming...now our church is finally getting the message that not everyone can come to worship so they are having Sunday services and bible classes every day...who knew it could fill a gap:) :)

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  7. I also love the Princess Bride, maybe we should find it on cable and watch it again. What a handsome photo of Alex! I just bet you worry about him all the time being in iffy circumstances. Your sock and blanket are awesome. I'm actually crocheting little flowers to make a Spring/Summer garland, ala Lucy at Attic24. We are really enjoying the sunny warm weather.. 73 now at 6:45. I was just out on the deck in my rocking chair enjoying the birds and even the squirrels who I had to scold to get off the bird feeder.. lol. We got an outdoor fireplace/pizza oven delivered today.. in a wooden crate.. Dayle has to put it together. I've been wanting a fire pit/fireplace out on our deck for years. Should be fun. Keep in touch and be careful. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ❀.•❤•.✿.•❤ Happy Easter! ❀.•❤•.✿.•❤

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  8. I'm sorry that there are misguided people like that father who called you "bad". How sad. I worry about the effect all this will have on our world after it is over.

    It amazes me that you could "go along" with your son as he went about his errands. Technology scares me. I really must get a cell phone ( yes, it's true. I don't own one).

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  9. Hi Betsy! I'm on, can you believe it? I haven't read any blog since I quit writing mine, (it's been so long I don't even remember the name of it). I'm so happy you are still doing yours! I'm thinking about starting one again.
    I sure miss just sitting and talking to you- phone and video is just not the same! One of these days, Right? of course right! [ exit old Jewish woman ;) ]...past time for bed

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  10. I haven't heard about the magic loop method of knitting. I know what dpn means and circular needles but what is the magic loop method?

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  11. I love that color of Felici. How did I miss that one? Alex in Japan getting dinner is just too cute. My oldest son lived in Japan for a year to teach English but came home for good right before the Tsunami. He loved it there. It really changed who he was a person-for the better. He was very shy before and I never thought he'd get married or move out of the basement for that matter. Now he runs his own IT firm that makes nuclear subs for the Navy and is the Dad to my two Grands. Miracles can happen.

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  12. What a fun Facetime you had with Alex! Magic loop just confuses me - lol. I like using DPNs, so I'll stick with that. I like the colors in the yarn you are using for your socks - very pretty. Did you receive my e-mail about the yellow yarn?

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  13. Dear Betsy. Prayers as your son travels again. God wants us to be together , again. I THINK SO. We are being taught so many things these days. I have learned that I don't mind missing so many coffee dates and dinner dates with people . It felt like we were perpetually trying to set a date with someone who wanted to see us since we moved. These beloved friends, truly, however, wanted us to come back to them at a 90 mile trip there and back. Rarely did they come here. Between the returning for my mom's visits, as she failed in the nursing home, Which I would trade nothing for, then returning to CHICAGO congestion to help zach last year with his life, and then the month and a half with my fathers congestive heart failure, leading to his Dec. 1 death, we spent so many hours and miles going BACK.
    Now Zach is happy in Mexico. My father is in heaven. and we have this sweet spring to put our hearts into the woods we are blessed to own.
    We never had our children with us for Easter, so we felt left out. But this year, everyone experience s this , and we are used to it. There is no need to feel jealous which is not a healthy emotion anyhow.
    We are so blessed that our kids have their jobs. We are very blessed to be able to hide from COVID!!!!

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  14. Oh, my goodness! That is just awful how that man was telling his little girls that you are bad! Can you imagine how ridiculous this is? You, of all people - one of the kindest souls ever. Those poor kids will be terrified of their shadow before this is over. Will it ever be over? I tend to agree with you and Dennis. It is doing something very profound to everyone. The fear and panic in people's faces - just because they see another human being coming toward them! God is trying to get people's attention, and this is all causing even the rich and famous to realize that there are some things they cannot control. I feel such a spiritual undertone to it all and feel like God is trying His utmost to wake people up because Jesus is coming soon. God bless and keep you and your family through it all.

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  15. Technology is fast becoming my new best friend keeping us in touch with family and friends in these very strange times. Sadly it appears to bringing out the best and the worst in people fear is a terrible thing. Loved the projects you are working on I am in awe of your skill with knitting socks. Stay safe my dear friend.

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  16. It is just crazy out there isn't it? PEople look down when you even get near them, I try to at least make eye contact and smile through my mask. We odn't have to treat people like they are giant walking germs. So glad you can still be a part of your kids lives even just on FaceTime. Stay well Betsy, and I am like you unable to crochet or knit, instead I work, do online school with Little B, and obsessively make masks.

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  17. Hello Betsy~ Oh how I have missed catching up with you. I am working at home now and have more time to check in with all my blog friends. It was so good to catch up with you.

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  18. Like you, video chats with our kids and grands are what keeps us going. I cannot imagine that man telling his children that people are bad. Honestly, our grands know that there is a "bad germ" and that we have to stay our distance from people to "defeat" it. They understand that concept perfectly and they are very young... 5, 7 and 8. The one year old doesn't understand but that's to be expected. Stay well!

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  19. Ah Betsy wandering through your life si wonderfully uplifting and I so agree we are so blessed in our LORD and all He doesn’t for us.. esp salvation through the dear Lord Jesus, so glad you could go walking with Alex and shop and even cook back in his flat, how amazing, yes, praying for Japan. It’s hard to know how much to restrict things. Praying for our leaders.
    Love your sock and blanket, and yes think the comfortable is the order of the day with dpns. You go girl!
    Been praying re the nursing home near you, will pray for lass from your church to be blessed in her service for the LORD there.
    Thanks so much for your comments I’m still struggling to get them done.
    Thanks for being a blessing, and may God bless you too, especially in these troubled times, may we look up in faith! Praying you’re all kept well too!
    Hugs, Shaz in Oz.x 😊

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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