Self isolation lessons from my cat

Once upon a time, we came home to our pets. We marveled at how they were overjoyed to see us, dying to get outside for a quick walk, were grateful for a breath of fresh air or the chance to greet the neighbors with SUCH enthusiasm.

Then we became our pets. Trapped inside, day in and day out, little faces pressed against the window starring with wonderment at squirrels in the trees, the Amazon delivery vehicle and jumping at the chance to drive to the supermarket while wearing something akin to a muzzle.

Our pets are now teaching us how to find zen in a life of limited outings and few friends.

For me personally, lessons are being learned left and right, from Wrigley the Cat. Here is a chap who delights in chasing bugs, sniffing flowers, watching birds and daring to cross the street to meet a new person. He is a constant source of entertaining antics, a snuggly body when loneliness sets in and a grand (understated) teacher of life's little lessons.

Don't put your hands on others people's food. You'll get in trouble.

Stop to smell the flowers. They won't be here next week.

It's ok to pretend your life is more glam than it is. Imagination is important.

Nothing beats clean sheets!

Don't have PJs of your own? Borrow some. Get comfortable for the long haul.

It's ok to be be vulnerable.

Projects are the key to self isolation. Take frequent naps to stay focused and productive.

Human contact is vital for happiness. Reach out to someone who is also alone.

You don't have to explain all of your behavior in isolation. 

There will never be a better time to catch up on naps missed since 2018!

Cranky days happen. Embrace all of your emotions.

Relearn to play. It's good for mind health.

Even indoors, opportunity knocks. Be ready.

Vit D from sunshine is better than Vit D from milk.

No point in eating pizza if you are just gonna feel guilty about it.

Find new paths to friendship.

Snow days bring their own kind of beauty and challenge. Suck it up.

In self isolation, there are more opportunities for breakfast in bed!

Bread Experimentation @ The Isolation Bakery

5+ weeks into self isolation and I'm  getting a little bored with following the recipe! We all knew it was coming.

Yesterday I went rogue with bread making.  What started out as two plain white boule loaves, ended up a rosemary and olive oil focaccia and a loaf that hid swirls of olive bruschetta!

Sadly for my hips, there was little self control and even less bread left over by nightfall.

Dang it was amazing though. Cheers to a quiet afternoon sipping wine, dipping  warm bread in olive oil, watching "The Hangover"....

Does a Winter Storm make it Easier to Shelter in Place?

Nope.

Sorry. That's just my opinion. But after 2 storms this week and a record breaking 36" of heavy, wet snow I conclude that cabin fever became a bigger, not smaller concern. I was chomping at the bit to get outside and every little thing was starting to get to me... broken tree limbs, lack of bird song, the cat crying it was dinner time at 3 pm because it was darker outside already.

The pictures are interesting though!

Fortunately, this is Colorado. Storm clouds come, they dump, they leave. Just 24 hours after a huge snowfall, our famous mile high sunshine has melted most of a foot of snow, the sky is bright blue and birds are singing again.

Projects. Projects. More Projects...or go insane!

As you know, I've been cooking, baking, gardening, sewing and organizing old photos for the last 4.5 weeks of self isolation.

Without my projects, I fear my active mind would veer toward the dark side! Like the cat, I have plenty of energy and for the good of all those around us, it needs to be directed, positively and not left to its own devices, even temporarily.

You may think Im exaggerating, but this is the type of email that Google sends me each day... EACH DAY!

The question is, have I reached "rock bottom" when I fancy myself as a fertility specialist and begin experimenting with fruit trees in bloom, to fill time slots that used to belong to real estate clients?

It was 5 days before a big snow storm was to hit. My peach tree (too big to cover) was sporting excessive and impressive blossoms and so was my neighbors younger tree.

I decided the best way to help the bees this year, and to get the job done quicker, was to start moving pollen between flowers and trees, manually.

And by manually, I mean, I taped a Q-tip to a broom handle and set about dabbing inside each flower I could reach, going back and forth between trees.

2 days before snow, I repeated my efforts.

The neighbors appeared to have a mix of appreciative, humored and impressed faces.  (Well... I'd like to think, impressed.)

Last year, despite copious blossoms, our tree only produced 12 peaches. All of which were "taken" by the squirrels before they ripened. The goal this year is to produce more fruit. Enough for the squirrels and I to both be happy.

Besides that, I'm embarking on a long term orchard project at my new rental on Dyer Rd and all this experimenting is going to pay long term dividends in the fruit department, as I learn and grow with the trees.

Update: We got about double the snow expected. After the foot of wet snow cleared (36 hours. Thank goodness for Colorado sunshine!) I checked on the state of the blossoms: Oh boy.

And then after snow storm #2 and ANOTHER 18" of wet snow... 

Only time will tell.

COVID-19 Mask Making

We are nothing if not persistent and creative, when it comes to masks these days.

Every outing - grocery, medical or even a walk - now requires a face mask. Whereas a month ago, they were not all that recommended; two weeks ago they were recommended but optional; and a week ago they were optional but pressure was mounting to only appear publicly if wearing one.... Today, we are spending a ridiculous amount of effort trying to improve the effectiveness and comfort of our mask selections. (And complementing others on theirs, everywhere we go!)

Mark and I started out with Buff's. Neck gaiter type things in merino wool or cotton that became too warm and a tad claustrophobic as spring days heated up and our outings became more physical. We tried handkerchief or bandana solution too but realized we needed better coverage. Mark's mom made us beautiful masks that serve us well on short trips, but without tucks or pleats became less comfortable on longer hikes and if pulled in tighter, tended to squash the tip of the nose.

The time had come to put some more effort into a custom fit mask with little room around the edges for air escape and with an elasticated head strap for comfort while moving quickly.

Our friend Kathy was indispensible in providing all the things that mere mortal seamstresses have struggled to lay hands on. The day before our 48 hour snow storm hit, I picked up a baggie of pattern, elastic, liner, pipe-cleaners and polypropylene filter material from her front doorstep.

And then... game on! I stilled my antsy self in front of the TV and followed along with a great little YouTube video - all. day. long.  LOL  Yeah, it too a while. My skills are, at best, rusty.

Mmm... Mark's making cookies

Mark makes me smile.

His cookies are all uniformly round and the perfect thickness. Never have such perfectly shaped cookies come out of our oven!

Oatmeal raisin cookies are my favorite and I have enjoyed this recipe for more than 20 years. There is nothing quite as delightful as a little TV, tea and cookies after dinner either.