Life During a Pandemic, part 2: Inhale Love, Exhale Fear

 It seems only fitting that yesterday afternoon after finally getting a shower, I would pull this shirt out of my drawer.  This caused me to reflect upon fear.  Is what I feel fear?  Stress?  Anxiety?  It's so hard to know when the enemy is invisible.  Being housebound isn't something that's been particularly stressful to me in the past.  I used to love being snowed in but I didn't worry that going out would possibly endanger my life or someone else's.  So all I can do is inhale love and exhale fear.

Today's numbers at 10 am:

I've had a lot of news on due to the fact that it is constantly changing.  I find the pressers to be important to watch.  I feel an urgency to get things done while at the same time I feel a force that is preventing me from doing those same things.  This isn't abnormal, being a procrastinator of sorts but the pull I feel is different.  As such I am trying to focus on two major projects.  The best thing about both projects is that each one is being done with a friend.  This means communicating online and on the phone to plan which brings normalcy to life.  Yesterday I restored some Edwardian lace to send to my friend Jan who ordered some wholesale French lace for us to split.  We are both working on new Edwardian combination slips and new gowns for a Titanic Tea that will be some time --who knows when.  Working out an Edwardian gown with no pattern involves a certain amount of engineering and detailed plans so that is a big project.  I'm looking forward to getting this started.

Yesterday afternoon my new eye candy book arrived.  David brought in the Amazon box and put it on the kitchen table.  I had to remind him that we can't do that anymore.  I took the box outside to the porch, unboxed it there and put the box directly in the recycling bin.  Then I brought in the scissors I used to open it, washed them and disinfected the table.  The book was hermetically sealed in plastic.  I can't wait to drool over the page of this one!

Last night I had my first experience with Wegmans online ordering.  I got my cart loaded and then it wouldn't let me reserve a time.  I finally figured out that I needed an Instacart account.  I was afraid that I needed to pay a fee but did it turns out I didn't.  The soonest reservation I could get for curbside pick up was Monday.  I was prepared for it to take awhile but I figured maybe 2 days!  It was Thursday night when I did this.  Fortunately I decided to do this before I needed anything so it'll be fine.  If we run out of milk, David can run down to the convenience store and pick up a gallon.  It occurred to me that part of the delay in pick up is that they need to have the store stocked to fill your order!  I was able to order ground meat, milk, cottage cheese, some produce, cereal, canned items, fresh salad greens, blueberries etc.  This is a wonderful convenience.  I plan on following the advice read in an article on safe grocery shopping:  opening the car for the hand off and disinfecting it after the groceries are removed.  I also need to wipe down the car.

It's going to be 80 degrees today.  Last year it snowed on this day. What a topsy turvy world we live in.  I hope to walk to the post office today just to get out and to mail a pattern and lace to my sewing buddy Jan.

Today's noontime press conference is turning out to be another clusterf&*k.  If the president didn't open his mouth it would help.  He directly contradicts the health professionals who then have to correct his message without coming out and actually refuting it. Also--he needs to quit referring to this as the Chinese virus which he is doing intentionally.  SOS Pompeo did the same thing.  smh

One of the many parcels that arrived today was this one:

One of our creature comforts is that of having our lattes at home.  I've always preferred Trader Joe's fresh soy milk for mine whereas David uses fat free milk.  Trader Joes doesn't have curbside pickup so I thought I'd look for some alternatives.  This shelf staple alternative is something I found on Amazon that got 5 star reviews and apparently has been used in some cafes so I thought I'd give it a try.  It's significantly more expensive than the $2.99 half gallon cartons I get a TJ's.  I paid about $27 for three of these 32 oz. cartons.  If they are good then I'll get the 12 pack which is cheaper and that should hold me until I feel I can go to Trader Joe's.  Nothing that Wegmans offers is good.

Today was basically uneventful.  I managed to get a pattern traced off, some lace restored and a few small things done.  Such is life in the new world.

Tonight's 10 pm update:

Stay home folks.  Please listen to the experts!