Hi Marion,

I did receive the first email and intended to write you back much sooner than this. Life has been crazy and I have buried my face in a book for distraction and forgotten to come out.

I’ve been healthy through this current challenge and aside from one trip to the grocery store several weeks ago have not been out of the house since. One of my neighbors has been so kind and offered to pick up groceries for me whenever they do their shopping. I am well taken care of. I think I will need to go myself one day though. I need a few things that could be challenging and frustrating for a man not used to grocery shopping. That would just be too mean.

Some of us have been checking in on each other most days and that helps with isolation blues. The contact gives us assurance of help too, in case ill health ever does happen.

Some of my life’s craziness is also from dealing with a large work project that defies organization. It makes life both frustrating and interesting at the same time.

Another one of life’s challenges has come through our writing group, mostly because this whole virus situation has thrown a monkey wrench into some of the projects we had in the works. We’ve had to cancel most everything. We had an annual springtime workshop planned and had to let that go. The lengthy project we had underway was an anthology of short stories contributed by members of our group. We’ve spent months working on edits and finally had it ready for the book printer when isolation hit. I think we slipped in just under the wire and were their last project before closing up shop. Everyone in the group was primed to start marketing the minute the books were ready and that’s all fizzled.  Our executive is trying to keep some online activity going so the group doesn’t lose too much momentum. We will probably have to abandon monthly meetings until we start again in September after summer break.

It’s funny how perspective changes when things like this pandemic happen. I lead a very solitary life year round and yet it feels different when it’s not by choice. I have more desire to go out now when told I can’t. Crazy hey! On the other hand I’m happy to isolate and not take a chance on getting the virus.

I’ve been reading lots – it’s a good stress reliever – and trying to be consistent with producing the daily blog. I haven’t been doing as well with that as hoped. Partly because work has been busier for me this year. It seems to go that way. Busy one year but not so much the next. I’m happy to have work when it comes though and tend to just go with the flow.

Another thing consuming a lot of my time is livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube by a bunch of the groups I follow. Singers and bloggers mostly. It seems like everyone has taken to the internet while isolating and there is way more activity than usual. It’s great to keep up with these people but there’s just so much of it! I need to be choosy I think. I do like some better than others so that should make it easier.

One good thing about all the watching/listening of livestreams and podcasts is the amount of work I get done on my crafts. Multi-tasking.

My daughter gave me a diamond painting kit for Christmas. This medium is all the rage right now (I had no idea) and I had never done one.  It’s like a blending of cross stitch and paint by number. It has little colored discs that go on preprinted graph-like sticky canvas. The discs are shaped so they reflect light and sparkle like a diamond. Very pretty when it’s finished.

I’ve finished my gift kit and ordered three more kits from Amazon. I’m hooked, I love doing them. I’ve almost finished the second one, it will be for my daughter. I let the girls (daughter and daughter-in-law) pick out what they liked as I wanted to have a final home in mind for them all. 😊

I can’t say that life is very productive at my house but I’m having a good time.

Pretty much all of our snow melted and we had grass again but with the winter storm that hit in the last few days we are back to a yard covered in snow. At least we know it won’t stick around long. Warmer days are coming soon and spring will be earlier this year, hopefully.

I’m glad to hear you are both feeling healthy now and keeping busy. I got a good chuckle out of your cartoon and love the picture of your little horse. Would you mind if I used it on a blog post sometime? It might help brighten someone else’s day too.

Stay safe and take care of yourselves.

What are you sewing? The project you mentioned.

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Done and ready for framing.

Almost done, just another inch or so all along the left side. The little white dots all over are sparkles. The pictures are much prettier in person.

This next one is for my daughter-in-law. She’s a bird lover.

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I’m currently reading and loving…

Take a Chance on Me (Misty River Romance)  and it is still free

He’s her brother’s best friend and a career fighter pilot. She’s lived next to the airbase, watched her friends disastrous love lives. and vowed never to date an airman. Six months ago he messed up his one chance with her. Now he’s back from deployment determined to gain a second chance and she’s not having it.

You should read it if you enjoy Romance, it might brighten your day, too.

Happy Reading!