Wow, the world is really a different place today than it was last Monday! So much has changed in just a week. I don't know about you, but I am feeling a bit overloaded with information (and disinformation and misinformation!) and need to find my center again.
So let's do something different this week, and look at the positive aspects of social distancing (lots more time to do things) and some ways to deal with any stress we may be feeling. It's still a list, one I've been working on all day as ideas come to mind.
Let's start with ways to deal with stress...
1. Take a walk or run. If you've been meaning to start, this is a great time! Start small and work your way up. In two weeks, you'll be walking further or running better!
2. Get some sun. You can do this while walking/running, or you can just sit in a chair in the back yard. Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to sunlight. Vitamin D fights disease, reduced depression, and boosts weight loss. Win/win/win!!
3. Try yoga or tai-chi. There are great DVDs out there that allow you to try both without chance of embarrassment - I like "Gentle Yoga: 7 Practices for your Day" by Jane Adams and "Tai Chi Fit Over 50" by David Dorian-Ross, mainly because they are a little less intense than some I've seen and it's easy to succeed soon after you start. Yoga and tai chi are great for toning your muscles, but don't feel like a hard core workout. There are also added benefits of a meditation-like activity, deep breathing and core building (without sit-ups!)
4. Self care! Do something you've been putting off (like dealing with winter hairy legs - the better to get that sun/Vitamin D! And it will be shorts season before you know it.) Take a bubble bath. Color or deep-moisturize your hair. Paint your toenails an interesting color.
5. Take time to play! Enjoy your kids. It's going to be a long two weeks (or more) and parents and kids are going to be getting on each other's nerves, for sure. I can tell you from experience that you got on your parents' nerves when you were a kid, too, so it's not a new situation. So set aside a little time each day when you just enjoy your children without acting like a parent. Put away your phone. Be silly with them. Blow bubbles, or draw huge pictures with chalk on the driveway. Give them permission to make mistakes or maybe not listen as well as you would like (as long as they are still safe!) for a little while. Make memories!
Now how about something to fill up your extra hours at home? There are so many options available - let's start with doing things for others. Because doing things for others will make you feel better too!
1. The Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2020 starts this Sunday. So look at your stash, your orphan blocks, those UFOs you have gathering dust in a closet, and see what you could turn into a quilt to bring comfort to someone in need.
2. If you are healthy and able, consider volunteering. Check with your local Meals on Wheels and see if they need replacement drivers, as many of their drivers are also senior citizens who should be self-quarantining. I've heard that some Humane Society locations are looking for people to foster pets from their facilities right now. Maybe you have other suggestions? Share them in the comments!
3. Use social media for good. Leave encouraging comments on Instagram or Facebook posts (because everyone loves comments!) Refrain from harsh criticism. (Avoid politics and sharing things that could be misinformation regarding COVID-19.) Let's build one another up! And if you're not on Instagram already, I suggest giving it a try - it's a great place to find your "community" and get a little instant gratification!
I heard some good advice this week that I want to share with you.
"Become acquainted with the things that you do have, instead of wishing for the things you don't."
As I've been unpacking this week, I've discovered a lot of things that I have, many of which I had forgotten about in the joy of acquiring other things! So my goal this week is to...
1. Use what I have. I am working on emptying out my orphan block tub and trying to see how many quilts I can make from it. These will be great comfort quilts for H2H! And as a reward, I'm hoping to make that Christmas wall hanging that has been in my stash for about seven years!
2. Learn a new skill! It could be simple - learning how to make half-square triangles several different ways - or more difficult - maybe paper piecing? (That's my particular Waterloo!) Maybe you have always wanted to learn how to make yeast bread. You've been pinning things on Pinterest for years now - go look through those pins, pick out something and do it!
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| Homemade chicken ramen with an Instant Pot soft boiled egg! |
3. Try a new recipe! I don't know about you, but we eat out - a lot! Staying home and cooking isn't my idea of fun, but I have learned that I can take my available ingredients and ask Google for recipes using them - like rice, mango and cilantro for example. I put those ingredients in and got a whole list of possible recipes to try. Fortunately my husband is a brave soul, and my cooking skills have improved in the 40 years we've been married!
4. Organize your photos - and get your kids or grandkids involved! They will love hearing the stories you have to go with the pictures, especially about themselves as they were younger. And if you have pictures of your parents and other family, they will enjoy learning a little bit of their own history.
5. Clean the garage. Doesn't sound like fun, does it? But if you're parking outside on the driveway, you'll be amazed at how nice it is to be able to park inside a clean garage! And this suggestion segues right into my next one...
6. Organize and purge! One of the most influential books I have read in the past year is "the life-changing magic of tidying up" by Marie Kondo. I read this book one afternoon at the beach, pausing frequently to laugh and read portions of it to my husband and daughter. Parts of it are totally wackadoo! But Ms. Kondo has a very good philosophy on "stuff" that has changed the way I look at my belongings and made it easier to get rid of some of the excess. Which leads right to the next suggestion...
7. Read a good book! My husband is currently reading this book...
...which he says fits right in with the idea of getting rid of excess stuff - just keeping what is essential. Looks like I've found my next good book to read!
8. Clean out your sewing machine! I do mine fairly regularly, but when I opened it up today, it looked like this...
Cue the "ewww!" And that doesn't even count all the lint around the bobbin case! Here you can see what I cleaned out of my machine...
...along with my favorite tools for cleaning it out. The soft bristles on the paintbrushes are great for catching elusive lint balls and pulling them out of the machine, and they slip into tiny spots easily.
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I hope this post has given you some ideas and inspiration for the upcoming days of "coronacation"! And please know, I'm not making light of the situation by calling it coronacation - it just seems like an interesting way of identifying what we are actually in.
So what are you doing to stay busy, healthy and happy? Share in the comments below - your solution may help someone else too!
Hugs!
Sarrah
Yesterday we had sun. As we have had a lot of rainy days, that was extra nice. So I took my ukulele and a stool outside and sat in the sun playing and singing. Besides the vitamin D from the sun, the singing/playing soothed my soul also.
ReplyDeleteIf there is sun today I am taking a quilt outside to spray baste.
Great suggestions. I've been going through my kitchen ...cleaning and purging. It feels great! The kitchen alone is a 2 day job, today will be day 2. Also will be making a big batch of soup and getting some walking in.
ReplyDeleteThank you for staying positive!!
ReplyDeleteI am doing much of the same, cleaning out and finding ways to use up some stash.
ReplyDeletethanks for your uplifting post! as soon as this rain goes away I will be out more for sure - living in the country gives me space to be outside and breath fresh air and not worry about germs. It's getting the groceries needed that will take me out and about but I will be careful on that - I'd like to maintain my pantry before it gets many more cases in my state which is low for now.
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to hear you are doing well with this latest challenge and encouraging others to do so as well. I'm in a rural area and so somewhat isolated from the panic but the news can still share it. I'm praying for all those families with young kids trying to work and keep money coming in whilst making sure the kids are safe. A timely reminder to focus on the Lord's faithfulness for our peace and to look for ways to show His love.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah, for a thoughtful post. Those of us who have an at-home hobby like quilting are fortunate that we can stay home and immerse ourselves in it. But staying at home is isolating. I think it's important that we bloggers/Instagrammers support each other by leaving comments, sharing what we're doing, and just generally reaching out to keep up the social connections. Stay safe -
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. Just came up with an idea for some scraps/leftovers to use. Have to remember a quilt I did that I loved a long time ago - it was so simple but fun to make and a great quilt!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Sarah. I work from home so my routine hasn't changed very much except for eating at home more. Like you, we eat out a lot.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I need to focus on the important, not urgent. Through prayer and thoughtfully reading some Psalms, I get the quiet and resolve and energy to make decisions and carry them out. When I get frazzled, I stop and repeat. I am forcing myself to do math and quilt design so I can get better in sewing and projects.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing the quilts your orphan bin yeilds!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this uplifting post!
ReplyDeleteIt's always important to Be Nice, especially online where some ugly stuff can surface. I'll be the first to admit that I think some really snarky thoughts, and even mutter them to DH, but work really hard to only type out upbeat encouragement. In terms of using this time to make some small improvements at home, I'm starting the Fly Lady system this week! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a book aloud to hubby, since we read the first in the series on our trek to Florida (we are home, by the way, and took a different route than your neck of the woods - but next time we cruise through, I'll let you know!). We are expecting snow here, so not much Vit D from the sun yet. Good ideas, Sarah! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSo far my week has mostly been spent on quilt guild needs. We were supposed to hold an all day event Monday to celebrate National Quilt Day/Month - cancelled. Then our normal meeting is approaching in about 2 weeks. Our benefit auction for the local quilt museum was to be held - cancelled. In addition, our annual quilt show is due to be held the first weekend in May - still up in the air.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am supposed to be on vacation next week and enjoying a big shop hop. The hop has been cancelled. The vacation part probably gets decided tonight.
Other than that, I am not doing much different then normal...