Learning to Just Be: Weekly Journal Mar 29-Apr 4

I would say that I am not typically a go, go, go person but I do keep a fairly full calendar. In a week my average driving mileage is a little over 100 miles. As an example of how life has narrowed, last week I drove 37 miles. (I have always kept track of mileage since my dad taught me to when I learned to drive. I know my car keeps track now but just a habit I cannot break!) 

One of the things I am working on during this time is to "Just Be." It is difficult for me to sit for any length of time, much less just be home. I could do home improvements, but in reality it is a rental that I am moving out of this summer so am not interested in doing much here. I have begun doing a short yoga video on YouTube each morning, Yoga with Adriene, and I think that will help me be able to better focus and be better able to be in the moment rather than always thinking about what to do next.

As I turned the page in my planner to April it made me sad. Everything that was planned is to be erased. I typically pencil in things at first and then change them to ink when I know they won't change. Saves a lot of white out that way.

Here is how my life changed this month: 

1. 10 day trip to Germany, Austria, Czech Republic cancelled.

2. Stitch group meetings x 5, cancelled.

3. Eight days of working as a substitute school nurse, cancelled. 

4. Quilt guild meeting cancelled. 

5. My son's Senior Scholars awards cancelled.

6. 5 k race in Memphis, cancelled.

7.  House hunting in Memphis, postponed.

8.  Son's Academic awards for his senior year, cancelled. 

9. Trip to Paducah KY for AQS quilt show, cancelled. 

Most of these will be rescheduled but some are just lost to time. In the big scheme of things it really won't matter, but it is still disappointing. And it is okay to feel that right now. Just can't let the negative feelings take over. 

Wednesday night church service. We are using RightNow Media, a study by Pastor Tony Evan. I wonder if I can bring my quilting to church when we start meeting again? 

Max being cute in front of the design wall

Quilts I quilted: Pam R's Sizzle

Pam R's baby quilt, I quilted dandelions blowing away on it 

This was the week of unusual fabrics in a quilt. This one had three different fabrics including one that is almost like a loose upholstery or drapery fabric, which was used for the binding also. This was a purchased kit on line, so she didn't get to pet the fabric first. The binding was so thick it bent a needle when I got to one of the mitered corners. Otherwise, it turned out nice. 

This maker wanted a Minky or fleece backing but couldn't find the right color. So she went with a fuzzy terry cloth. No my preferred backing but it turned out pretty good. Quilted with loopy hearts. 

And this baby quilt was backed with a flannel sheet. Quilted with Star of David pattern. 

For personal quilting, I just have one section left to assemble for Long Time Gone. I am planning to do alternate borders from the strips in the original pattern. 

Max and I took a decent walk Sunday. These are some neighborhood Dogwoods in bloom. 

I don't know what this it, looks like a hydrangea but its a tree not a bush. Pretty blooms though. 

I put out my new garden flag and got a cute Flamingo solar light. 

Pretty azalea bush down the street.

Hard to see but I laughed when I walked by this house. They are flying their flag, have a Santa in the yard, an Easter Cross, and a Halloween ghost with a mask in place so he doesn't spread his germs, haha. All they need is a groundhog. I have forgotten what day it is any more...

Stopped by Mad Malts to fill up my growler, Raspberry Blonde this time.  Miss hanging out there on Fridays. 

Chandler is learning to cook since he is stuck at home and I am still doing the intermittent fasting and only eating a snack and one meal a day (OMAD). This meal is spaghetti with from scratch meat sauce. I am pretty happy that this week I hit my lowest weight since before 2012. 

Today was to be the first day back to school after spring break. Chandler is a senior and has straight A's in all of his classes. He is able to use his current grades as the final ones and so is done with school. He will still need to take his AP exams, but those scores won't affect his GPA at all. To pass the time he is learning the choreography for IMPs upcoming summer musical. Auditions are to be video taped and submitted on line.

I did my grocery shopping today and snuck over to The Hive to get stuff to make some masks and  start a t-shirt quilt order.  Just trying to set an example by staying home and staying well. Stay home means Stay home, right?  

Let me know, how has your April changed and what are you working on?