A few months ago I bought some wooden spoons at the local dollar store. My thought was to use them to make garden markers for my vegetable garden. To be honest, had this ISO ‘stuff’ not occurred, I probably would have found them a year from now in my craft area (ie: guest room/painting area/place I go to get away from the man I happen to live with). They also probably would have been found underneath a few half painted canvasses, old picture frames needing to be refurbished, pretty jars waiting to be filled with fairy lights and various paint pots, pastels, brushes and cloths.
Half way through March we had the rude awakening that our home base would now be our work and entertainment space. Unlike some people, I have the ability to work from home. My partner does as well. For that, we are thankful…As well, we have a large enough house that should we get on each other’s nerves (or I should say, when we do), we are able to practice our own social distancing!
We both work for the same company which, at times, can be unappealing. We are passionate about our roles within the company and so it can be difficult, even before this pandemic, to draw the line between work time and home time. Now that we have been hunkered away for 6 or 7 weeks, the routine we have developed is far better than the first few weeks of round the clock work. The day starts earlier, but we are able to have breakfast together. We enjoy two walks a day and share work and personal thoughts more than we did before. Still, being around each other 24 hours a day is a lot to bear.
So on my off time, I write. I paint. I plant seeds, care for my seedlings and plan for the day when my gardens will be ready to care for (which should be soon!).
Fortunately, a couple of my grown kids have also shown some interest in gardening, so I decided to make them some garden markers with those wooden spoons I’d picked up. After painting and spraying them with a safe sealant, I put together care packages which included the stakes, seeds and instructions for planting. I delivered one and shipped off the other. It was a good project to keep my mind off of this situation that we’re all in, if even for a short time.
May is upon us. The earth is waking up. I am looking forward to spending more time outside..where things don’t seem so unnatural and the seasons come and go as they should. I miss many things. I am thankful though, for my own ability to practice part of my introverted self…although having someone else around 24/7 is sending me to distraction-and not in a good way!
When I think of everything that is going on..when I read about the tragedies…when I worry about my friends and family…sometimes I think I must be living a nightmare. But then, I know most of us think this as well… and in that realization, it somehow makes it less of a burden or worry and more like a mountain we all must climb- together. And by this good fortune of being together, even as a self professed introvert, it somehow makes everything feel more secure.
My Name is Margaret 