I can only make one more face mask and then I am out of ribbon for the ties. I have some ordered but not sure when it will be here. I received the new pressure foot I ordered but I ordered a long shank one and need a short shank. Didn’t know there were two different ones! The bobbin case I ordered came in. It looks used. I haven’t tried it yet.
I have about 15 masks made and have put together another 50 or so. When the ribbon comes in and I get it cut to size I can quickly have 50 or so made. I still have some fabric to cut out and will probably get that all cut out and the first seam put in them so I can turn the masks out quickly. Still not sure what I am going to do with them but see lots of places are asking for them.
It was a beautiful day in Stillwater today. I went out and painted on Jim’s garage. He had a section put up that had never been painted so I got that done today. He was going to put siding up on the additional he built to the garage last year but did landscaping work around the garage instead. He needed to cut down four trees so he could more easily get to the north end of the garage. Then he had to do some dirt work around the garage. Maybe tomorrow he will get the new siding up and I can get it painted. He may move on to a different project – I never can predict what he might be in the mood to work on.
A friend I had sent a letter to called me today and we talked for an hour and one half! It was good to hear from her and catch up. I find it fascinating to hear how others are dealing with this situation and the many things we learn about ourselves during this “pause” time.
My mentor held another Zoom call this evening so I listened in on it. He had one last week that wasn’t too helpful for me but tonight’s call was better. He reminded me to stay present with what is. That is enough to deal with right now. No one really knows where this is all going and what twist and turns might be ahead. There is enough change to deal with in the present moment. That was helpful to me to be reminded of that.
He is still planning on coming to KC the first weekend of May to teach a workshop. I’m not sure I am going to go though. I have an appointment in Topeka on Monday of that weekend so if I go I would have to go to KC Friday afternoon and stay until Monday morning. Not sure where I would stay and where I would eat. Feels too complicated to go and I try not to do complicated these days. We will see what the situation is in two weeks. As fast as things change it may feel simpler by then = then again it may not.
I fixed my favorite pot roast for dinner. I love this recipe! We have enough left overs for one more meal some time next week.
I haven’t written a letter yet today. I am attempting to write at least one a day. The mailman isn’t picking them up out of the box for some reason so have to have Jim take them to the post office drop box to mail them. I have two to mail and will get another one written yet today. I may go for a drive and drop them myself this evening. Jim is outside mowing and I don’t want to disturb him.
This week has gone by quickly. I’m surprised how fast time is going by given we don’t get out and do anything. I am having trouble remembering what day of the week it is though. Not much difference from one day to the next. Good thing my iPad tells me what day of the week and month it is.
If this virus thing hadn’t happened we would be packing up and moving full time to Strong City this weekend. I would have finished doing taxes this week and we had planned to move after church on Sunday. I read an article today that was a state by state guide as to when things might get opened up again and this article said Oklahoma probably won’t be released until the end of June or into July. We aren’t under a state wide shelter in place order for everyone yet. The number of cases keeps jumping daily. We aren’t even close to containment. Good thing we have lots of things to keep us busy here. I may have to buy more yarn but I can do that!
I start my Crisis Text Hotline training Monday. Not sure what that will look like but they said to allow three hours a day for homework. I’m looking forward to getting that training started. I will be in training for two weeks and if I pass I will then start taking shifts of answering texts. I will work two hour shifts several days a week.
Feeling grounded and centered today. Finding some purpose and ways to be useful which helps me stay grounded. My mantra continues to be right here – right now – all is well and so it is!
Grateful I got outside to do some painting today, grateful I made a bunch more masks today, and grateful for my mentor and the reminder to stay present with what is and not to try to figure out what the future may look like.