“A successful shelter in place means nothing happens.”

This Chicago doctor spoke the words of reassurance I’ve been waiting for. If that link doesn’t give you the story and video, try this one. You might feel better. I do.

In the mean time, I am following good advice. We have time to accomplish goals. 

The “Mermaid” warp. This is before they were washed. They are a lot “woolier” now, and put away in my Chinese incense cedar chest.

We are avoiding people in person but speaking as often as possible to friends and family. We shower and brush our teeth and get dressed each day. We go for a walk without getting within fifty feet of anyone else. Gary is gardening and I am completing projects quickly. I finished a warp in eight days from winding the warp to weaving to washing and hanging the completed three merino and silk shawls. That’s record fast for me. They are beautiful. Sometimes I watched The Mentalist while I worked, but made bargains with myself: weave ten inches before turning on the show, or use up the yarn on this shuttle first. I space myself, but this is an opportunity to get things done.

There are options. So many things I have been meaning to do. While Gary pulls ivy, I could be writing a story or working on memoir. Even stuck at home I could be doing research and reading all day. I have been cooking meals and today I need to bake bread, a habit I meant to begin when I retired from teaching. A friend who has no yeast in her freezer (I always do) is baking sourdough, which anyone can grow at home. I mostly use my sourdough for waffles but it does make a decent loaf. I have time for the long slow rise that makes for the best bread.

Yesterday, I pulled out one of my “projeck” bins—intended to be solid triangles of an “Eggplant” quilt—and began the long process preliminary to making my next quilt. (You can just see the eggplant-patterned cotton buried in the middle with row of Brussel’s sprouts, and green onions on a black ground.) I set up that bin a couple of years ago and have not touched it since. I thought I might never have gotten around to this “projeck.” Instead, after folding away the woven shawls, I pulled it out and began adding some prints. Pink and orange and scarlett were not originally included in this sedate quilt. It will be more brightly colored than I originally thought. The design will be more complex, pieced triangles maybe or a take on the “Ladders” pattern I have used a couple of time. I will be staring at colors for a few days before I begin cutting. I have the time. There is the pair of socks.

Yesterday evening, I started knitting a new pair of socks while we watched the first episode of the new season Gardeners World with Monty Don. I have several more sock skeins I’ve been meaning to get to.

We’re discussing whether we need to pick up the mail. It’s been a week, there is some Japanese kimono silk waiting, and we are tempted. But there is still a half gallon of milk, most of a dozen eggs, and plenty of coffee because Gary likes having a few pounds stashed at all times. To be honest, we could easily feed ourselves from what I have in the pantry and freezer for 2-3 more weeks. But the mail . . . I have been planning a kimono silk quilt for years.

But there are all these cottons, and since it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, we will walk long this morning. We’re only waiting for the light.

And next Monday—just the day after tomorrow—I will share a writing assignment. I will do the assignment myself as I always did with my students, and later in the week (Wednesday? Friday?) I will post a weird revision suggestion. It’s all suggestion and just for fun. If it goes well . . . there will be more.

Just for fun, write a fable, complain about a pet peeve, draw a map of childhood . . .