week32

I have no words. Just when I think that the situation here in the US can’t get any worse, this administration proves me wrong with yet another devastating act. I don’t want to say that I have lost all hope for humanity… but I think I am dangerously close. I want to be able to live in peace…. to make art…. to have faith that nature is doing ok, that the earth’s inhabitants are able to survive and thrive… that we, as a race, can contribute positively alongside a safe and healthy ecosystem. … but. We are so far removed from that ideal… that I despair we will ever get there at all. I just…. I have no words. And certainly, no energy, and no creativity. I feel as though I am merely treading water in an ocean of despair.

What brings me joy? Family…. beads/ art….nature (which is hard because I haven’t been anywhere in so long)…and my sweet pup.

… here is a collage of the photos I took this week as part of my ‘snapshot for the day’ project.

week31

Another week down… and it seems like I’ve got nothing to show for it.

Oh, I’ve done the minimum… laundry, cleaning, cooking, taking care of the pup, watering the plants, etc… but nothing “new and exciting.” I know this ‘funk’ will pass…. but I hope it happens soon. I’ve made some forays into working at being creative…. I’ve ordered some paint markers, and some interesting books to read…. and a few beads from India. I feel awful, as I have a couple projects that have needed finished for oh-so-long… and I just can’t seem to get them done. Current events here are just overwhelming, and I worry so for the future of humanity and life here on Earth. I am so afraid we have passed the point of rebounding back from all this f*ckery… but alas. I know that I can’t effect change on that grand a scale. I can only do what I can do…. and it seems so small. Yet, I am doing what I can.

Below is a ‘collage’ of sorts…. photos I’ve posted on Facebook for my snapshots of the day. And below that, a photo of some of the fantastic beads I have waiting for my creativity to return.

week30

Another week has passed…. and I’ve nothing new to talk about really. I haven’t made anything, I haven’t gotten anything done… I have lost track of days and nights. I am very stressed about current events.. . and I’ve no idea what to do about things. .. or how we will all survive. But we must.

And so… we go on. Below is a collage of my snapshots for the day from the past week. I hope to get back to creating again, and I hope it’s soon. I have so much I need and want to be doing.

week29

It’s been a long week in many ways. I’ve been trying hard to stay off of Facebook; as the daily news is a horrifying shit-show featuring the antics of our inept and dangerous administration and it’s supporters. Harsh? probably… and yet, not really. I feel as though I am watching my country die… but from what I have learned of history over the years…. it is probably a good thing. I am just saddened by all those deeply hurt in the process. Both then… and now. In lots of ways, this country is amazing. The parks… the ideals… the opportunities. And in may ways… it is terrible. The way things have been set up to marginalize POC, immigrants, the disabled, women, certainly the Native population… and more. We need a revolution, and we need it yesterday.

I’ve tried to limit myself to a finite period of time daily for online perusing… and while some days I have succeeded, some not so much. Interestingly, those are also the days I have had horrible migraines… so I am assuming stress plays a significant part. At any rate… I will try again this coming week to limit my time there.

Instead… I’ve been trying to pick up the occasional item to make our apartment more comfortable. I was able to get a gorgeous black Kantha quilt for the bedroom, and today… a leather pouf for the living room. And, I was able to get a book for Jim that he has wanted (the new Jim Butcher novel) and some ancient “pre-columbian” beads for myself. And I have a few more “surprises” on order… so we’ll see.

I have, of course, continued my daily “snapshots.”…. and there is a collage below of some of them. The herb plants are doing well for the most part, in spite of it being tremendously hot this week. And.. I have finally found some ‘energy’ to work on some items to gift to the rescue that we adopted Bugsy from. Hopefully, they will be able to sell them and raise some funds for the dogs. So far, I’ve done 50 leather tasseled key chains, and I hope to do some leather tasseled earrings. I hope to get them all done soon… so I can move on to other projects. I feel like there is so much I should have done during these CoVid months.. and it seems I’ve gotten very little done at all. On the other hand, we are all alive, fairly well, I’ve supported some specific groups/ causes… and Bugsy is happy <3 so there is that. See you all next week.

week28

It’s been a full week… and part of that, for sure, has been ongoing dental visits… and healing from them. This time though, I think we are done for 3 months… and then it will be (hopefully) just a good cleaning. I could go on about the soft diet… the PTSD nightmares… the wonky sleep… but instead, I’ll show you photos I took of all the different hydrangeas that are blooming all over the courtyard here… and how stunning the colors are.

It’s hot and humid… but it’s good for the plants on the balcony.

I have been logged onto Facebook, and neck deep in all the horrors playing out daily in the news… and I’ve decided to step back for a few days. I think I have to. My anxiety and my heart can’t take much more, at least not right now. Plus…. I desperately need to get something done… even if it’s just reading a book, or making a pair of earrings.

May you all be safe. .. .see you next week.

((photo collage shows my daily snapshots from this week))

week27

so… it’s the 4th… and it’s hot… and we are still having a tsunami of deaths due to Covid-19. And frankly, with all that is going on here in the US; I hardly feel like celebrating our country. Our ideals are faulty…. our history has been violent…. particularly to minorities, POC, Natives, women… and immigrants. You’d think having fled from an oppressive regime, that our forefathers would have both made a better example of themselves, and put more guides in place to assure that people weren’t taken advantage of. But…. yes. Here we are. I am appalled, dismayed… disheartened… and broken. I am sure others feel the same. And yet… the news is filled with stories of folks that show the worst humanity has to offer…. and they are us.

All I can do is hope, and do what I can to effect change… and hope enough of us survive to make it better.

And so today…. I swept the balcony. I trimmed all the plants and watered them. I cleaned out the hanging Nasturtium beds and replanted new seeds. I moved the Carolina Wren nest, as the family of wrens seemed to have all left… (no signs of them for the past 2 days). They did leave behind an egg, which I assume did not fertilize properly. I harvested herbs from the raised planter box, and am drying them in the oven. I am working on laundry… and did the dishes. I made mashed potatoes (something soft for me to eat as I am still having dental issues/ 2 more caps have shattered and left holes in my mouth)… and I literally cleaned out the fridge and added all kinds of stuff to a chicken shawarma type of crock pot dish… which we will have for dinner.

Last evening, I gave Bugsy a ‘healthy’ dose of CBD to help with his anxiety, and gave him a haircut; or at least as best of one as I could give him, given his fear of the clippers…. especially near his head/ face/ feet. He is such a sweetheart, and he really has come such a long way in the 4plus months he has been with us.

And now I am completely done-in. So I am pulling out the whiskey… making a jug of mint tea (with mint from our balcony pots)…. and may just zone in front of the tv or read a good book.

Below is a collage of photos from my “snapshots for the day”… this past week.

week26

what a long, strange week it’s been….

It started with me having a cap fall off… It would go easily back on, but wouldn’t stay. I also had a chipped tooth, and hadn’t been to the dentist in about 9 years (or so). So I googled dentists in the area, and made the call. I hate going to the dentist. The first time I ever went, I was in 3rd grade. My teacher had essentially shamed my parents into taking me, as I had never had dental care. (she also encouraged them to take me to the eye doctor’s… where it was discovered that I was essentially “legally blind’ and it was no wonder I couldn’t see the board in the classroom). But I digress. I think it was my grandparent’s who actually took me… and I remember it being what seemed to be a very long ride. The rest is sort of a blur… and I will spare the details, but I believe I was molested on that visit. I also was horrifically traumatized, as he had drilled and put caps on no less than 8 of my teeth… as he believed they “were soft” and would develop cavities. I remember having to bow and thank the doctor profusely, as directed by my grandfather. I was made to feel small and insignificant. The next time I went to a dentist, I was 17. I had to go, as it was a requirement to me studying abroad as an exchange student. I was beyond anxious, and didn’t really understand why. The dentist was appalled by the previous care, and had to take off all the previous work and caps; and do it all over again. It was an all-day event…. and I spent 3 days vomiting from the stress. In the past subsequent 40yrs… I’ve only been to see the dentist twice. I had one cavity after my daughter was born … and some minor work on those pesky caps. So I think you can understand why I was more than hesitant to go.

All that aside, it went fairly well. My new dentist (a female doctor), was both compassionate and understanding. She gave me “all the drugs”…. which I am profoundly grateful for. She explained everything, and took her time. But. I had/have several microscopic cavities — and one bigger cavity that needed taken care of, as well as a complete overhaul of yes, those same pesky caps. Apparently, they (for the most part) have shattered, chipped, and are causing problems. I also had some impacted wisdom teeth to search for (apparently they never came up… but grew out into my jaw and were absorbed by my jaw bones) …. and there was one that needed removed that was completely in the wrong space. Did I mention I have HUGE tori? These are bones that develop under your tongue (usually from grinding your teeth) that make it impossible to get x-rays. Apparently mine are the worst she’s ever seen, and photos were taken for reference and possible submission into publication.

And then there is my response to drugs. I usually have a fairly high pain tolerance, but once that pain hits…. my body full-on rebels, and won’t calm down unless it gets way more meds than anticipated. So in short, what may have required 4 shots for pain/numbing.. turned into twice that. And it wears off more quickly… which happened part way through some work. I then had bad headaches and itchy skin for a couple days while everything tried to get out of my system. —-All that said…. I am very grateful…. and happy that most of the work is now done. It took 2 visits, and I have a follow up in July to get the ‘permanent’ caps placed, and some minor additional work (and cleaning) done.

All this week, I have had some fairly intense PTSD flashbacks, and nightmares. I haven’t slept well, and am exhausted. But I did manage to enjoy some sunshine on our little balcony, and was able to commune with the Carolina Wrens that have made a nest in our Nasturtium planter box. And… they have babies! … at least 2; possibly more. It is wonderful to hear their songs, and watch them flit back and forth with freshly dug bugs for their brood.

— we also received a fabulous package in the mail. A friend designed and crocheted a little stuffed toy for Bugsy, created in his likeness! And he loves it. My hope is that you are all staying safe…

week25

Hope you are all staying safe. I’ve still got my days/ nights mixed around…. so it’s been really strange. I’ve been sleeping all day, and watching tv and such at night. Thankfully, Bugsy has been happy to keep me company. The plants on the balcony are doing ok, although 2 of the ferns are not doing as well. To be expected, as they are woodland ferns on a balcony… so we’ll see. The gardenia is doing better. The first couple weeks after transplanting, it suffered a little. The nasturtiums in the large hanging basket are doing well, and a pair of purple finches have built a nest in there among the flowers.

I’ve so much I need to/ should be doing…. but I haven’t had the physical or mental energy for it. It will come… just not feeling it yet. This week I’ve been catching up & re-watching the series GRIMM. It is 6 long seasons with 22 episodes each…. and I’ve just started Season3.

Below is a collage of my “snapshot for the day” photos that I take and post each day on Facebook.

week24

It’s been a strange week. … and I don’ have much to show for it.

Upon reflection, I think I thought that once my mom passed… and we moved… that life would go on as it was before we ever went to PA. Obviously, that is not the case. Being the primary caregiver for my mom for 6yrs had many profound effects for me. Since moving here a year ago, I’ve been physically sick with one thing or another… and I’ve also had some very real issues with anxiety and depression. Having a close circle of family and friends has certainly helped… and so has the love of ZeeZe…. and now Bugsy. Things are ever evolving … things are ever changing… hopefully, for the better.

Speaking of Bugsy — this weekend, he allowed me to trim his hair a little with a shaver. Not completely, as he is very sensitive about his face and his legs/feet being touched. So they will have to wait for another time… and I will try to use scissors. But for now, it’s a little better. His hair has grown a lot! He is so sweet….

The balcony gardens are doing fairly well. Considering it’s small space, and it’s been extremely hot and humid… they are growing nicely. We’ve even had a couple salads comprised of greens from our own raised bed.

I haven’t been creating much… I took a week off to promote #melanatedVoices on Facebook. During this time, I have read lots on racial injustice, history, and more. I donated to a couple causes I relay believe in…. and have been trying to effect change in any way I can. In addition to reading, I’ve been watching more things . I watched the entire first season of “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”… and a documentary called “the Minimalists.” I did quite a bit of clearing out. Clearing out excess stuff… clearing out friends on Facebook that no longer ‘fit.” Clearing out thoughts and ideas that no longer serve me. And it’s ongoing….

Hope you are all staying safe. Below is a collage of my “snapshot for the day” photos that I take and post each day on Facebook.

week23

This too… has been a very difficult week. With all the sadness surrounding CoVid-19 and the nearly 108,000 deaths… this week we have also had the profound tragedy of George Floyd dying at the hands of the police and the subsequent protests, riots and violence across the country. I realize that I have basically just sort of stopped in place these past few weeks….

Speaking of, I’ve decided to put off continuing the Give Away for now, even though I was only able to send items to a few of the friends I would like to. Things are just “too much” right now. I have continued taking my snapshots for the day, every day. And below is a collage of the snapshots I took this week.

And, this week, Bugsy had a check up with the vet. He’s been with us about 4 months now. He is making such wonderful progress. He has (finally) gained some much needed weight (not much… but every bit helps). He is more alert, he is more receptive to affection, and he is such a cutie. Health-wise, even though he is a senior and blind in one eye, he is doing really well.

week 22

I am writing this post several days late….. I got very overwhelmed. We have passed over 100,000 deaths with CoVid-19. and so much is going on in the world right now. I have made one photo collage of “snapshots for the day” that I posted this week. Being home all the time, I love taking photographs of things that give me joy….even in these trying times… and even though this week was really hard.

The other photo collage, are photos of jewelry pieces I made this week for my daily Give Away. This is the last week of May… and I’ve been trying to decide if I was going to extend the Give Away into June… or if I would just do it some other time, as there were lots of friends that I was not able to send items to. This week I was focusing on using natural materials like feathers and bones. It was alot of fun, and I hope to incorporate these items more in my work for the Etsy shop.

week21

This week, I’ve been working on the balcony space a bit. The plants I was able to get at the garden center last weekend are all doing really well, and some of the seeds I planted a couple months ago have surprised me and are popping up. The nasturtiums in the large handing basket are doing really well… as is the mint my daughter mailed (yes mailed) me from Potter County. I was able to find a couple pots online… pots sure are expensive!!! Even plastic ones… >>sigh<< .. but now the gardenia is in a nice, large pot so she can spread out a bit. Ironically, our apartment complex is having a contest of sorts, showcasing some of the pretty balconies here. So these are a couple photos I submitted. Personally, I am just really happy to have a tranquil space to sit and enjoy the sun.

I am still working consistently on the Give Away project. I am not sure if I will extend it into June or not. I find that it has been easy to find folks to send the pieces too… and there are lots more folks to potentially send too… so we’ll see. See the photo (below) of the earrings I made and mailed out this week!

..and of course, I am still posting daily snapshots. These are some of the photos I posted this week on Facebook.

… and we are all doing ok. … until next week ~~ see you then!

week20

…still hanging in there…. still doing my project where I make an item every day and send it to a friend. It seems to be going ok… and even though my energy level hasn’t improved at all, I at least feel like I’ve done something. Plus, folks seems to like what I am doing… and there’s a few folks that have written to me saying how much they appreciated the thought.. and the gift. And really, if we can’t make each other smile on occasion.. what’s the point?

In other news… I went out yesterday for the first time since the beginning of March. (other than taking the dog to the bathroom outside… yes, that’s right. I haven’t left the apartment complex in months). Jim was awesome, and drove me to a local garden center where I was able to buy a bunch of plants for our tiny balcony. In part, I wanted to replace some of the seeds that, for whatever reason, never germinated. And… I was able to get a few that just really, really spoke to me. One was a Maidenhair fern!! Now, realistically, this is not a plant for a pot on a balcony. And it probably won’t survive, but I had to try. The other, is a gardenia. This is a HUGE potted beauty. It reminded me of when I was a teen and living by/ with my grandparents. The neighbor had a bunch of gardenia bushes around one side of her house, and the scent was amazing. Ironically, this same neighbor’s oldest daughter, who would have been in my sister’s class…. is going through a serious health crisis. And… one of my very best friends from that time passed away the other day. It’s amazing how you can suddenly get an urge to think about/ contact folks from your past… and then… you find out something tragic has happened to them. It’s devastating,.. and yet… it speaks to contacting folks and saying the things you need to say when you can. And that’s sort of what I have been doing with these give-aways. Saying thanks, and I appreciate you … now.

So.. below is a collage of some of my “snapshots for the day”…. photos I take and post every day on my Facebook page. And the bottom photo… is a collage of some of the earrings I made this week. This week, I was focusing on using some leather elements… this coming week, I am thinking I will use some vintage and antique glass beads. See you all next week…

week19

Still not feeling well… physically… and I feel like I am sleeping alot; although I don’t feel like I am getting much actual rest. The nightmares have been very livid…. at least while sleeping…. but I find I can’t remember them when I wake.

On a positive note… the gardens seem to be growing … if not slowly. It’s been more on the chilly end of things… but then, at least we don’t have snow like my hometown in northCentral PA. Bugsy seems to be doing well, and seems to enjoy staying up late with me in the living room, snuggling and snacking.

And… I’ve been faithful to making an item every day… even if it’s just a simple pair of earrings. (see the bottom photo for a collage of things I made this past week. The Ruby necklace is one I made for a friend of mine to gift to his wife in honor of their 40th wedding anniversary. I chose Rubies, because that is the traditional stone for the 40th anniversary. Ruby is also one of the main stones that represent the heart chakra… so I felt that was important as well. I added 40 little rubies to the necklace. I attached them to the sterling chain with sterling handmade infinite links to represent their eternal love for each other. Anyway… she has it now, and likes it — Which makes me happy. You can seem more descriptions of the individual pieces on my MoonGipsies Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MoonGipsies/)

And in closing…. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! Whether you are a mom, a grandmom, wanting to be a mom, a work-mom, a mom to a fur baby…. or another incarnation that involves the care and nurturing of others. Hope you all have a good day.

week18

May. Glorious May. And of course, we had Beltane… which is always wonderful.

Thankfully, I had a ‘turn” last night… and am feeling a bit better emotionally, if not physically.

The plants on the balcony are doing well…. and Bugsy is awesome. I (finally) feel a tad more creative… and have started (as of last night) finishing up some things. I have pledged (to myself) to create a new item every day for the month of May.. and mail that item to a friend. Right now, I’ve finished a few items, so they will be for the first few days here of May. … and those packages are going out in tomorrow’s mail. I’ve been very depressed, overwhelmed, and anxious about the world in general… and the way I’ve gotten out of that in the past is to give away things to friends and folks I know. So.. here we go. Stay tuned…

week17

well, today I am a day late in posting… sorry. I’ve truly been overwhelmed with life…. increasingly so over the past several years… and in many ways… it’s been coming to a head. I find that most days, I am almost crippled with anxiety, and am unable to do much of anything… especially things more on the creative end. I am exhausted.

Today was a day of (metaphorically and literally) opening up the doors and airing things out. The raised garden bed; although small, is coming along with little shoots of growth.

I also made a HUGE pot of home-made chili…

AND… today we celebrated 2 months since Bugsy’s GOTCHA DAY. He is doing so very well. He is beginning to eat a little more; and he has ever so slowly, getting more active and more animated. Today he was so happy to have a full tummy and to snuggle in his blanket… that he made these purring like noises. So cute.

((photo collage at the bottom is a collection of some of the daily snapshots I’ve been posting on Facebook))

week16

So. Bugsy has been with us for 7 weeks now. He had a vet visit this week… his first one to our family vet. I had put it off because there was no urgency, and we are social distancing…. but he is coming up on the time to renew his meds, and it seemed prudent. He is in great shape! He has lost a few ounces, so the doctor put him on an herbal appetite stimulant, and we are continuing his glaucoma meds and his liquid prozac. He is significantly more alert and active than what I was told he was doing in the foster home… so I think that accounts for his weight loss, even though he is eating better as well. Plus… when we came home from the vet, he rolled around making “grunty-happy” noises and let me rub his tummy for the first time! So I think that is all very good, and progress is definitely being made.

Other than that,… life is sorta at a status quo/ limbo. I find that I am almost immobilized by >>??<< I don’t know what. But I seem overwhelmed by everything, and I can barely get the minimal stuff done. I am petrified of doing the taxes for some reason (and I have my mom’s estate & last filing year to do). Yes, I am still keeping up with housekeeping, dishes, cooking… that sort of thing. I am still taking a ‘snapshot’ every day to post online along with cool links of free stuff/ interesting stuff for folks to look at. But anything creative has really been not in the cards. … at least for now. …. it will come. On the other hand, the garden pots seem to be doing ok… and I actually have some lettuce sprouts coming up!!! The weather has been nice, the trees here are blossoming with leaves… and even though I am not out and about… I can imagine what is potentially blooming elsewhere.

I think now is the time for all of us to think about what is truly important, and what kind of world we want to come back to. I am hoping there will be a resurgence of care for the environment, respect for all our fellow humans, and a coming back to some good ideals… cooking, gardening, spending time with those we care about, reading and the arts. Please keep safe…. and please keep everyone else’s safety in mind when moving about through the world.

week15

Today is Easter! Happy Easter to all… .may you have a blessed day/ week/ year.

Days seem to blur… but I think it’s because my sleep is so off. I’ve been trying to get out of the apartment for a bit every day… usually just to sit with Bugsy in the sunshine. I feel like I should be more productive, but some days … it just isn’t happening.

I did however, watch all the episodes of the HGTV series called “Unsellable Houses”.. It's really a good show. Lots of neat ideas for transforming tired places, plus.... these women each have a vintage VW van. You can't deny the cool factor there 😁 I am so saddened by the death of John Prine. I loved his music. I’ve been unable to make anything jewelry-wise, but I have been creative in cooking this week… making tuna casserole, home-made Mac ‘N Cheese, poached eggs…. I’ve also been continuing posting ‘cool links’ of free stuff, virtual tours, books, art and such on my facebook page (which I’ve been doing for over a month now)…. in short.. doing what I can with what I’ve got this week.

week14

I’ve actually managed to get a few things done (particularly today)… I’ve read a couple books, and finished the “Brokenwood Mysteries” series on Amazon Prime (all 6 seasons).

For those following along with the mystery series that I have been watching; I loved VERA! It was awesome. Death in Paradise was pretty good, funny at times, and in general; cute. Agatha Raisin was kitchy and fun; but predictable. Queens of Mystery was really, really good… but there aren’t that many shows. Nancy Drew was initially good… but then it got all woo-woo new age like— and got weird. It basically was in the same vein as the reboot of Sabrina. Then I watched Shetland, which is by the same author as VERA… and it was truly excellent. I loved all the character development, and the stories were very well done. Then I watched Broadchurch — dark and moody… and features David Tennant. The 2nd season was a bit slow.. but I loved Olivia Colman in it. Then I watched The Bay… which was meh. Strong female lead… but I just couldn’t get into it. After that, I watched a series called Wallander. It was very dark and moody, but awesome. Then… I watched a series called Loch Ness. Set in Scotland, it had some really good characters. After which, I watched a mini-series called “After Darkness”. Very forgettable. Great photography, but predictable and very sad storyline. Then came a series called “River.” So very good. Only one season, but it was very well thought out, and a fascinating to watch. Now, I’ve just finished “Brokenwood Mysteries.” Set in New Zealand, it had great scenery, plus some very real and believable characters. Really good.

I cleaned the apartment (it’s an every Monday kind of thing). Yesterday I made a huge pot of soup (and it’s almost gone). Today I planted the raised bed and pots on the balcony with seeds.. mostly herbs and lettuce. I was gifted a package of pea seeds; and having no other big pots, planted them in a bucket. I hope they will do ok. Also… because I don’t have a watering can, and I really wanted something that would “sprinkle” the water on the delicate seeds… I fashioned a watering jug from an old soda bottle by drilling holes in the lid. Sometimes, you just have to work with what you’ve got. You can see the raised bed in the photo at the top of this post. And…. there will be more plants for that stand in the corner. Right now, they are in my kitchen with a grow light on them. But once it is consistently above 50 degrees outside, they will be put on the patio.

I also tried to trim Bugsy’s nails. Unbeknownst to me (I never looked because he is really timid about such things)… his toe nails are super long and curled. I tried my best to get the back ones done (I am using a dremel sanding bit because he is deathly afraid of the clippers — and frankly, so am I)… and I think I got all of them. But by the time I had moved to his front feet… he had a complete meltown. I am so scared that I have traumatized an already deeply nervous soul… but hopefully he will forget his fear and allow me to trim the front ones soon. I gave him some CBD oil, and he has resting.. and right now he is eating a snack. I feel so very bad for this little dude, and furious at whomever caused him so much pain and fear in the past.

Today marks day #37 of staying home… save one short trip to the grocery store, and one dinner at our favorite diner (way back in the very beginning of March). Overall, I am doing ok. I don’t mind the isolation as long as I can step outside, see the sun, and walk a little with the pup. On the other hand, my hair has been coming out in chunks the size of gerbils… so I would guess that I am more stressed than I think. My hair is very thick…. so it’s not noticeable yet… but it will be if this keeps up. That, and I almost gave in and shaved it all off the other night… but alas. Jim has been getting the groceries as he is worried about me going with my pathetic immune system. He goes once a week… and it’s been fine so far (save for the shop being out of certain things).

I would like to say that I am getting tons of things accomplished… but that isn’t the case. I find more often than not, that I have squandered my day… with no real insight as to what I have actually done. I am sleeping — but only in the late morning/ afternoons…. not sure why…. so there is some sleep deprivation going on too. ah well. I’ve certainly dealt with this before, and probably will again. It’s ok, but frustrating.

Hopefully, I will get rested up and get back to creating things soon ❤️

week13

I’ve been #athome now for 30 days. I had intended to post yesterday, but I’ve had a horrific headache… so I am trying to do it tonight instead. Today the Governor of VA has directed at “stay home” order for all but “essential” jobs. My hubby, has one that is considered essential…. so he will still be going ‘out’ to work. Life is strange, and yet…. I see glimmers of home here and there, that people may be waking up to things that are going on. I hope so.

And… it is also the one-month anniversary of having Bugsy with us! He is such a sweetheart. Very timid, very shy… very scared of everything. But he is slowly, but surely, relaxing into the idea that this is his forever home.

On one hand, I feel like I haven’t gotten a whole lot done this past week. On the other, I know that I am doing all I can right now. To this end, I straightened up our tiny balcony space. I cleaned everything, emptied the pots of old dirt and such… and filled them all with fresh dirt. I got a raised bed/ planter box online… and Jim graciously put it together for me. It is now filled with garden soil, and I hope to get seeds into it in the next couple of days. It is not a huge box, but I figure if I can grow some salad greens and some herbs… I will be happy. I also hope to get some Lavender and some mint growing in a couple large pots. Inside, I’ve a bunch of houseplants/ succulent plants that will be coming out onto the balcony as soon as the weather is consistently above 50 degrees. We’re almost there.

And… I’ve ordered a few special beads… this week from France (see top photo). They are antique milk glass beads, Rudraksha seed beads, and some antique carved wood rosary beads. Super awesome! See you all next week…