Even More Social Distancing

With everyone still social distancing, the days seem to meld into one another and there just isn't anything to separate them.  We get up, we eat, we watch TV, we eat, we watch some more TV, and then go to bed.  When we awake, we do it all over again.  I throw in some knitting and sewing and machine embroidery...mom throws in some reading and some online solitaire.  Mr. Wonderful is still working - he IS essential personnel! But there isn't anything to make each day special.  Probably, that's my own fault.  Whatever!  I am just getting tired of not being able to jump in the car and go to the yarn shop or Hobby Lobby or even the library.  I'm really DONE!  

Okay, rant over....breathe.....I'm almost over it.  

John and I had been talking about the idea of getting a new car.  Since he has a company vehicle and doesn't need his own anymore, we decided we would trade in his car and my car and get a new one for me. If he needed to go somewhere, he can always use the truck.  We mostly use the truck for farm hauling - feed store, lumber hauling, that kind of thing.  But it's perfectly beautiful and doesn't look like a 2005 vehicle. We both agreed that I wanted another Ford Edge...the 2008 Edge was such a great car.  It wasn't showing any signs of needing to be replaced...but we knew that we wanted to do it BEFORE we needed to do it.  Car prices continue to go up...John is still working so his income would be nice on a loan application...we decided that NOW is the time.  We found exactly the car I wanted - 2020 Ford Edge Titanium in Starry White....so many excellent features that I wanted (backup camera, bluetooth phone, foot-activated rear liftgate) and even more that I didn't know I wanted till I got them.  Took us about an hour to decide we wanted the car.  Went home, John made arrangements for the loan, That was Friday the 8th of May.  We got the check on Tuesday the 12th and picked up the car on Friday the 15th. I just can not get over how fast it happened and what a lovely vehicle it is.  

I have not only the backup camera, foot-activated rear liftgage, bluetooth phone, and water sensing front window wipers.  I also have blindspot alarm, remote starting, electric seats for both driver and passenger, seat position memory settings for 3 different drivers, and driver lane alarm and correction.  I'm sure there is probably a door with warm chocolate chip cookies and another with cold milk somewhere in there but I just haven't found it.  Here is a picture I snapped of my new car, which I've named Sparkle!

I'm sure I won't be over the initial love affair anytime soon...you will hear more about her.

Today is our youngest grandson's birthday.  He is 10 years old today.  He is smart, funny, loves Legos and sciencey stuff.  He never hesitates to tell folks how important they are to him (like his grandparents!!!) and has a wicked sense of humor and the quickest wit that I've seen in a very long time.  Deadpan and hyterically funny.  What's more, he is kind and compassionate and an all-around really nice person.  We love you, Big H.....happy birthday from Nana and Papa. 

Missouri is slowly opening up after nearly 8 weeks being closed.  Not everything is open but things are starting to open up.  Hair salons and nail salons, restaurants, bowling alleys, but not bars, concert halls, music venues, or movie theaters.  We took mom out to dinner the first night our one and only restaurant opened to the public.  All of the servers wore masks and gloves.  Only half of the tables were available to the customers.  But I was still uncomfortable having mom out in public.  I've taken her out a couple more times but each time I've just not been totally at ease.  I don't mind taking her with me if I need to go to the store - she sits in the car and reads a book while I'm getting what I need...at least she has a change of scenery and some fresh air.  Until things settle down a bit more, the picture below is still my mantra:

My favorite yarns shop recently posted some new items they'd put in stock...I could NOT resist these awesome stitch markers.

Bottom middle is my favorite! 

Hoping anyone reading this is safe and well and healthy.  It's becoming a dreaded cliche, but we ARE all in this together and we will ALL get thru it together.  There will be no new normal, nor a before normal...we can all decide what normal is for each of us.  

Thanks for stopping by....See you soon!

Still Social Distancing

Honestly, I'm getting really tired of social distancing.  I realize, I'm not the only one.  I thought being a mostly introverted, hermit-like person, I wouldn't have a problem spending lots and lots of days at home, away from the human race.  I find that, for the most part, that's true.  However, I also find that there are times that I crave human contact. Forced hibernation is no longer working for me.  

I have had to change my thinking regarding shopping.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love shopping via the internet so I don't have to deal with crowds and traffic.  I love nothing better than ordering from a shop and having them deliver a few days later to my home.  BUT, I draw the line at groceries.  I just don't want anyone else picking out my fresh veggies.  I want to do that myself. Before the Plague made its way around the world, I would decide what I wanted to make for dinner and if we didn't have all the ingredients, I'd hop in the car and go get them....along with other stuff, of course.  NOW, however, I have a different mindset.  Now, I figure out what we have and when I can make using those items.  If there is something that I'd like to make, and we don't have all the ingredients, the items go on the shopping list for when we DO go to the shops.  We try to go food shopping only once a week or every 10 days-ish if we can.  That seems to be working for me at this time..not that I could change it if I could.  The less often I shop for groceries, the less money I spend.  

We got a new storm door for the back deck recently. It has a doggy door.  Shiloh only took less than a day to figure out how to go out and come in all by himself.  Unfortunatley, so did Skipper!  I think Skipper figured it out first.  

Can you see that black smudge just under Shiloh's belly?  That's Skipper outside on the deck.  Just after this picture was snapped, Skipper jumped inside right under Shiloh's tummy.  Shiloh turned around and came right back in.  At least now I don't have to get up and go out to let him out every time he rings his chimes....I've taken those things down and the door stays open all day.  In, Out, In, Out.....you get the picture, I'm sure.  Skipper is spending almost all day out on the deck, or going down the stairs to explore the great outside...John said he found the barn.  I'm just hoping he doesn't start a fight with the neighbor cat.  Well, we will see how this goes.  

Shiloh is growing so fast.  He turned 5 months old last week.  He's so stinkin' smart.  He learned to sit in about an hour. He learned to shake on the second try.  He learned how to go in and out the doggy door in less than a day.  He's sweet-tempered, too.  And playful.  He never carried just one toy around with him...almost always has two toys in his mouth at the same time.  I got a photo - a bit blurry cause he was, as usual, in motion.

The blue ball has 'holes' so he can grab it with his teeth and still hold the little green one in his mouth.  He's a pip!

I spent a lot of last week using my embroidery machine.  Here is one item I made....it's a small hanging.  

It measures about 6 inches by 9 inches and I've hung it on a wrought iron hanger that sits on a table.  A welcome sign of Spring.  I have patterns for the other 3 seasons and will get them done soon.  I also made a banner for the front entry. Another welcome sign for Spring. 

I spent yesterday working on a couple of quilted items.  Can't show them yet cause they aren't done.  I will definitely show them next time.

Hoping you are all well and safe.  Maybe by the next time I post, we will have relaxed the Stay at Home orders and social distancing a bit.  I am not advocating relaxation till it is safe to do so.  But I sure do miss some of my former activities - like going to Shawn's Sewing Center and working on projects all day with my friends around, listening to women talking and solving the problems of the world.  Or stopping at a store that I see while in town just because I haven't been in there for some time to see what they have new.  I will say, the Plague has saved us a bit of money, now that I'm not stopping at stores willy-nilly.  

Please be safe and well. Thanks for stopping by.