Day 22: Lord thank you for the spring-like temperatures as we watch the spring bulbs force their stems to the warming days and for our luck to live in one of the most beautiful spots that you have created, Manitoulin Island.
“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” John Wayne.
A phone chat with Loretta Mucha in the evening and I find her sister Eleanor is in the hospital again. Get well soon!
Day 23: Tuesday, a morning phone chat with Susan. She had a hot cross bun delivery while we were on the phone and the same lady delivered to my door before we got off the phone. Thanks Pauline, they are good!
I am keeping Canada Post in business, I have sent 18 pieces of mail this week, so far. As long as my hand doesn’t wear out that business should last a while! My average is about 12 a week anyway. I’ve been trying to organize some of my poetry, but I have to quit writing to catch up! It just doesn’t happen.
And shouldn’t my column be skimpier?
Did I miss Earth Day?
I started Day 24 after the usual start by singing happy birthday to Ginger. She assisted by singing with me.
It’s 6:30 am and I have one cup of coffee gone. I watched the news, I prefer to be an ostrich, even though they say they don’t really bury their head in the sand. I yelled happy birthday to the girl next door!
Well, I did get the birthday cupcakes made, the boiled icing took forever to make, then my decorating bag broke so I had to ice them the hard way.
Skylar seemed pleased with the tray full of kitty faces. I haven’t given Ginger hers yet! I’m sure she’ll be impressed. I am probably eating better, I did another vegetable mixed pot tonight for supper (meatless).
What a wonderful surprise this evening when Mary O’Neil called and a nice long and long-distance visit.
Day 25: Why does social distancing feel so anti-social? A phone talk with Kim and Kathy in Meaford. He’s talking garden and the hugest snowflakes are falling outside my window and turning the ground white, looks stormy. This week’s total sent, 32. I told Diana I’m keeping Canada Post in business single handed! Margaret Case stops at my door bearing gifts “Easter Bunny” style.
Sympathy to Chris Gauthier and family. Thinking of you.
Day 26: “If you look at the world you’ll be distressed. If you look within you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.” Carrie Ten Boom.
We are all fighting a war and we have no idea where the enemy stands. So really, there is nowhere to turn. And no one can hide. But, we are trying by keeping the distance but Lord it feels strange. And it is so difficult to help or be kind when we are confined, right? Imagination.
When I was up in the night it was snowing like crazy. The wind is still wild this morning. Joan phones around 7 am. She sounds good. It will be strange without a Good Friday service. But indoors my Amaryllis is opening up and a beautiful Christmas cactus and my shamrock have all added to life indoors this week. And I see a little tomato plant up this morning, new birth! As well, start the hot cross buns, the call will come when hands are doughy, four morning calls. When Tara came for some “hot” hot cross buns she told me my neighbour Klaus had passed away a couple days before. Sympathy to the family. This isolation business, we don’t know what’s going on right next door.
I get my spice shelves re-organized as well, I know I shouldn’t be climbing, even on a little step stool, but I got ‘er done! I saw Tim Conway on a show this morning, I had to call Susan. She compared me to him/his shuffle years ago, but now I’m definitely in the right category! A long phone chat with Derek and Jodi, he says it is finally warming up out there in British Columbia.
Day 27: It will be one of the strangest Easter weekends for so many people who are used to family gatherings here on the Island, the first time the city and country come together and it kind of opens up the “social season” after our winter. Which in retrospect, really wasn’t so bad compared to April?
Ginger is birdwatching this morning. There seems to be a good showing in the back yard. The small blue scilla are starting to greet spring too. A walk around the yard later in the day after a short rest on the sunny bench. The neighbour headed for the camp, they are cutting trails. I made more hot cross buns not so hot! I think I killed the yeast and today I forgot the milk, yesterday they were short on cinnamon. I should just use a recipe at least for a reminder. A nice phone chat with Lori.
Day 28: I wake early, ordinarily I would be headed for Fossil Hill and the sunrise service. It doesn’t look very sunrisey. It will be a TV series.
I will do Easter bunny by painting/drying eggs. So, I finished with three dozen! The colours are pretty, not so much the artistry. It’s always been once I get started. (Borrowed Skylar’s crayons.)
“Because he loves” I can face tomorrows, Pauline played it for me with Ramona’s singing Sunday via phone. She says I really should have a computer. Then Sherry played Lori’s song, the “Quarantine COVID-19”, I guess it was on Sudbury news Friday evening. Had I known I could have listened.
I had been missing/craving French fries and Lorrie Lee came to my door today with a hamburger, fries and a delicious dessert from Earl and Liz too, thanks loads! I was communing with nature. My God Church! The cardinal was singing the anthems and raising his voice in prayer and praise!
The deer have been feasting on crocus. There must be six different “shoe sizes” and one is really tiny. A late fawn? At least they leave some fertilizer for me.
Well, what a wonderful surprise the Easter bunny sent. A phone call from my number one grandson. Hey guys, he’s not my fave, but he was the first! Tory from Ottawa. I have five grandsons and one granddaughter. The regular kinds, as I have four great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter, you do see the trend here! Or possible problems? Anyway, it sounds like they are abiding by the rules. Tory is working from home, he and Amelia keep busy, three young boys. Saw a cute girl with hair colour to match her shirt, Easter colour too!
My neighbours to the south are nice distancing! I saw four trucks go by in two hours today, busy or what? I just finished a slice of warm homemade bread. Sherry brought it in along with my clean laundry!
Another nice surprise, a call from Lyle and Sharon Dewar. They were talking about an Easter bunny around towns cheering folks up and their good neighbours too.
It seems this is bringing out the best in folks. All these things help to cheer when one is isolated. Kim and Kathy called, Kim baked all morning then he and Kathy delivered to their family and near neighbours down Meaford way (Kathy was working.)
A phone call from Judy Blue a while ago. She got a surprise, she said. Love is good medicine. It eases pain, dissolves anxiety and boosts immunity.
When I walked into my park where thousands of snowdrops are in bloom it was all raked and branches picked up. Gratitude.
“It is one of those beautiful compensations of this life. That no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
