Daily Notes- April 2nd

                                            

I think I found the right background cloth for this one.  Looks very Corona Virus.  I was sorting things out of a mixed up box of cloth.  And this was at the bottom (I actually found a few missing pieces of cloth in that container) and I was sort of surprised by it.  No memory of owning this cloth. I have two others in different color ways (pink and blue).  Much less vibrant.  You all know I love dots. It's a real or false batik.  Very tight weave.

No hair cut this morning but, since we were in the neighborhood, we went to a different grocery store and I got a large container of oats for my daily oatmeal breakfast and the 1% lactose free milk that is good for me and my lipids.  I also got G some deli turkey- their deli was still functioning.  He is really enjoying his luncheon roll ups right now.  Cheese and meat.

Two days of dark, damp rainy cold weather.  We have the heat on but there is still a chill.  I haven't decided on my next mending project.  I would like to tackle socks-- the heels of my favorites have holes.  But I would need special sock yarn- very soft and thin.  And one of those wooden sock darning things.  I can remember my grandmother having one of those. She must have darned lots of socks in her lifetime.  She made almost all her own clothing.

 I found wonton wrappers so will move forward with the cupcake tin mini lasagnas.  Some for us and some for our daughter.  She was eating soup while talking to me on the phone- turmeric noodles.  I had seen them today at the new grocery.  Daughter says I would like them. No flour but they had masa.  I almost bought it.  But the bag was very large.

I paid bills this morning (I forgot to do it yesterday) and sent a letter to my penpal with a few new stickers. I am now in the habit of sending him a letter on bill paying days.  Every two weeks-- I know he likes getting mail.

That's about all for today.  I'm going to visit my favorite blogs now to see what everyone is doing.   And then go over to Jude's blog and listen to her lovely voice and words.  My daily dose of Zen.

Daily Notes- April First

                                      

A friend texted to ask "do you have upholstery padding" with a photo of a kitchen chair.  I went up into the Magic Attic to see what I had.  I did have some.  And as I walked back- there was a roll of papers tied with cloth.  I brought it down.  Told G it was a "surprise" and I needed one.  Opened and unrolled the papers.

Black and white line drawings- tracings- of appliqué designs.  The majority of them fruit.  This is the Pomegranate.  I did not make a copy of the color chart.  But I did make a color copy for the finished quilt.  I didn't make a chart because I knew - just from the quick look this morning-  that I didn't like the colors the designer chose when I made the drawings.  But I have a reference of darks and lights. And with the numbers- I can see where the same color would be- whatever I choose.  If ever I make even one of these needle turn appliqué designs.  Been waiting over 20 years to be unrolled.

While in the Attic I watered the Salvia pots up in the bathtub.  One of the plants is almost 2 feet tall. They look very happy.

Today I will have one of the jars of Bean and Escarole Soup from the fridge. I had oatmeal this morning and a banana.  I am also thinking of baking sweet potato biscuits today and I am tempted to make that two day bread baked in a cast iron pot one of these days.  Forget its name.  I most likely will do neither.  My friend is making black bean and sweet potato burgers.  But she can't find the recipe.  I looked in my recipe box but only found sweet potato patties with her name on the card.

I did no reading yesterday.  I did no sewing.  But the day passed very fast as it has been doing since the 10 day mark (I am reminded I did the laundry).  Today I have bills to pay.  Checks to write.  Then a nice walk out to the road to put my mail in the box and raise the little red flag.

There is no traffic on my road.  We saw a few young adults on skateboards the other day.  No sounds of children playing (which we usually hear).  No airplanes passing overhead.  No sirens. No sounds of traffic at the end of the street (the road to Town).  The few birds in the yard are just sitting.

Entirely too quiet.  G had missed his haircut appointment early on in this three or more weeks.  I asked if he wanted me to cut his hair?  He said no.  He has a shaving tool with many additional attachments so it is possible for him to run it over his head and have a haircut similar to his son's. I believe he has done this in the past.  My hair was cut shorter than usual last time and is okay but tends to attain too much "volume" if left to it's own devises.  That could be a problem going forward.

Daily Notes March 31

                                        

I changed the sheets on the bed today.  And the one I pulled from the linen closet was the one I had mended.  It was purchased as a "'second" and was great until a worn spot became a shredded spot. I added cloth under but then must have needed more support from above with the long strip and the small circle.  It's very strange looking.  What was I thinking????   I gave it a tug- it holds.

I had many medium loads of wash with all the bedding (the washer doesn't like doing a large load).  King sheets, duvet cover, pillow cases. I just stopped because the old machine let me know with blinking lights that it was tired and wanted to stop.  We did three or four washes.  Together.  And the dryer is finishing up the last wash.  I will have to replace the unit someday but things seem to be much more normal when I sit and watch the machine- it likes company, I guess. We've worked together for 29 years.

I bought tangerines at the grocery yesterday and my hands smell of citrus peel.  Quite nice.

The grocery now has lanes and a monitor to keep everyone 6 feet apart.  It's all very calm and the employees don't look as stressed anymore.  Still have no flour on the shelves.  But I have enough for our needs.  I haven't felt the urge to bake bread yet. I am going to bake potatoes.  I have butter, sour cream and chives in the fridge.  So it will be a delightful supper.

No flour but the snack and cracker shelves were full to overflowing.  Plenty of chips as well.

We woke to snow.  And now sunshine.  The daffodils have started to show some yellow but they haven't opened yet.  The two days of rain cleaned things up I hope.  Washed away any virus germs in the air.  I can imagine that, can't I?

I watched a guy with the Good News video he made.  There were some wonderful images.  The entire police and fire department in a city in Spain flashing vehicle lights and horns to say thank you at the big hospital.  Another city with high rise building flashing the apartment lights off and on in all the apartments.  Happiness.

So, to end this post-- do something to show happiness to someone today.  Just some little thing. Unexpected and kind.

Daily Notes- March 30

                                

After breakfast mending.  The left elbow of my red sweater.  It once belonged to my 82 year old friend Gregor.  After she died suddenly, a friend and I were asked by her family to clear out the sewing room.  While I was there I saw the cleaning women packing up Gregor's clothes and I asked if it would be possible to have her red cardigan- to remind me of my friend (who I had lunch with every week).  They two women eagerly looked for the red sweater and gave it to me--everything was going to Goodwill.  I still think of Gregor each and every time I pull the sweater off the shelf. And I am reminded that I thought Gregor was very old at 82 and now that I am 73- she doesn't seem that old anymore.

Today the Comfort docked in New York.  Too late, I think.  And Jackson, Mississippi asks for our prayers.

We texted with our son this morning.  Five weeks of working from home for him. He said he was going to slow cook some pork this morning for sandwiches this week.  He says he also goes out for a long walk each day and will pick up take out on his way back home.  He's far away in California. He also said a law was passed that landlords cannot collect rent right now.  So restaurants remain in business and no one can be evicted.  I don't think that is what is happening here in Maine.  Most of our downtown is closed up.

Well, we are going to the grocery store-  in the rain.  It's very dark and dreary out there.  Would be nice to have sunshine but we always need rain.  To fill the local wells and ponds etc.

I made the Bean and Escarole soup yesterday and it was delicious.  I have four containers in the fridge for this week.  I'll make chicken soup for G today.  

On MSNBC Craig Melbourne asked the Jacksonville Bishop of a church to say a prayer.  For all of us.  He said he'd never done that before - to ask for a prayer but it seem like the right thing to do today.   The Bishop gave us a lovely prayer.  It was the right thing.

Daily Notes- March 29th

                                                 

Asparagus.  Destined to be "sliced on the bias, sautéed in butter and soy sauce and served on a bed of steamed white rice".  A favorite recipe of James Beard from Food 52.

This morning I wrote an email to my friend- she mentioned she had recently picked up her three pack of inhalers (same dose as mine) and I asked if I could have one and if and when my own prescription was filled- I would give her mine.  She was just here dropping it off.  I do not have to worry about the Pharmacy right now.  I am good for 30 days plus the five doses left on my inhaler.  Patty is and has always been the kindest soul.  She was my partner for Master Gardener classes in 2001.

It's not April yet but it is raining.  I am pretty amazed that G and I got so many things done yesterday prior to the two promised days of rain (ending in sleet for us here in Maine).  The Preen weed/grass preventer that I had carefully sifted onto the paths in the raised bed garden needs to be watered in thoroughly. Neither G or I was very happy about dragging out the hoses from under the house.  So, the forecast for rain sounded good.  And it's cold outside. Very.

We pruned the peach trees and pounded in the (fruit tree) fertilizer sticks.  The Queen of Plums got pruned and she also got fertilizer sticks.  The old shrubs (whose name cannot be spell checked correctly) got heavily pruned with G's lithium battery chain saw. Cuts like a hot knife thru butter.  Not that happy about the lithium part.  But we got the pruning done. G always thinks I take off "too much" but once the leaves bud out it always seems like I took nothing away.  I am an excellent pruner- I have made mistakes but I learn from them.  We can even see the stone path leading to the shrub whose name cannot be spelled correctly.

I watched a Hallmark movie last night.  I think I might be "over it" with them.  The scenery for the movie was "enhanced" by way way too many fake flowers.  Half or more that do not bloom at the same time.  Ever.  Hallmark does not bother to employ people to do "realistic" decoration. The whole movie reminded me of the fake flower section at JoAnn's.  And the guy was chopping carrots and celery etc to make soup and then announced the soup was "ready" not ten seconds later.

I did get to watch Vivian the Southern Chef trace the evolution of hand pies across the South.  It got recorded in the middle of the night-long after the Teddy Roosevelt program.  The pepperoni pies were very interesting.  And the coal miner's lunch pails with the top pan filled with a small baked pie.  The owner of that lunch pail said his mother would stay up late to bake the pies for her husband and two sons to have for their lunch down in the mines.  Now that is love.

Daily Notes- March 28th

                                         

The two PBS shows I was wanting to watch last evening- programs listed in the newspaper and the guide on Xfinity- were not shown- instead we got the life story of Teddy Roosevelt.  I had seen this bio before. I would have preferred to watch a lovely Southern Chef make biscuits.  Earlier in the evening I got to watch the Brits working on their French Chateau.  The stuff with the roof was unbelievably dangerous.  And that ladder!!!!  OMG!!

Liz commented on there being no bread in her grocery delivery.  Here in Maine, it's eggs.  I was surprised to see the cooler filled with egg cartons for the first time in weeks.  A large sign said one carton per checkout.  Milk was in short supply and the kind I drink- none at all.  Our store has some sort of in-house bakery so those aisles are well stocked.  I haven't ventured into the paper products aisles so I have no idea what is going on with toilet paper.  Someone called it "personal paper" on the editorial pages.  But (ha) I think it's one package per checkout.

Oddly enough, the outer edges of the grocery- vegetables/fruit/meat/dairy/eggs/frozen foods are well stocked- just like usual times.  The shelving inside - the mid section of the store- that's where things get strange. Sugar, flour, dried beans, pasta, cereal, coffee, canned vegetables or soups.  That's what is hard to find. Those shelves are nearly bare.

I did get ketchup and peanut butter on my last visit and that was a real happy moment. Kraft mac and cheese is just a fantasy right now- never available.

The six feet apart spacing is required in the lines to the cash register.  So that gets quite complicated as only two cashiers are working instead of 8.

Customers are wearing masks and any sort of gloves they own.  Gardening gloves most often.  Hand sanitizer is in a bottle  at the entrance and one must hold and use to apply to hands.  I take a pass on picking up that bottle.

Compared to the frenzy of the first weekend of the shutdown-- this seems okay.  Rather Zen.
I think we are all considering not "if" but "when" we will get sick.

Daily Notes- Still March 27th

I don't usually come here twice in one day.  But today- I realized it's just--just---been 14 days.  And it feels like a Lifetime.  It feels like a month at least. I was SURE it was a month.  How could the President be "bored of it" in such a short Time.  My children said that.  "Bored of it".

I don't do much each day- I make food, I wipe down surfaces, I watch a small bit of news- just to stay current and every other day- I do a load or two of washing. Drying it and folding it.

Reading is a comfort but... either-- my eyes or my new readers- are making the words swim after a few pages.  I am exhausted.  I put in the new moisturizing gel drops.  They make me sleepy.

I realized I had forgotten to buy the wonton wrappers for the cupcake sized lasagnas. I looked them up on the internet to see if they had a recipe for them.  Yes. But I would need cornstarch to keep them from sticking together.  And it seemed like such a difficult thing- to go look in the pantry.  To see if I owned any.  I just got up, now, to look.  I own cornstarch.  The recipe card in my very nice handwriting (Deb L said so) is here in front of me.

People who know I sew ( I don't, I make quilts) are sending emails or calling- knowing for sure that I will have quarter inch elastic for the masks they are making.  I do not.  I never have had any.  I wish I did have some to give to them.  One woman has made 81 masks.  I feel guilty that I have had no urge to make even one.

New York is now putting two people on each ventilator that they have. Doubling their capacity. I hope they share the technique with Italy. I'm sure they have. It's the right thing to do.

Two Weeks.  A Lifetime.  

Daily Notes- March 27th

                                         

The Recipe Box.  And under it the recipes I have printed off the internet and torn out of magazines and newspapers.  I haven't made most of them.  Yet.  The Bean and Escarole soup is in front.

The Bad News first.  The Pharmacy item they called us about- well, turns out to have been for my husband.  The gal at the Pharmacy told me that no inhalers have come in for ANY of the people waiting for them.  She said they order and wait and but none arrive.  Today is another day.

Good News- what my husband ordered was a new rescue inhaler.  For me.  So I can have something to use when my breathing gets difficult.  I am also reminded that my lung doctor said a shot of full caffeine espresso will do the trick in an emergency situation (those tiny cans from Starbucks).  I may have to forego the decaf. Of course I will give my heart quite a shock with the espresso. In order to get my lungs working I will have to get my heart going like crazy. Very dark chocolate might have a similar effect and and I call it "medicine".

I baked a pizza yesterday.  It was very good.  I was making one every Sunday of Football Season.  Then stopped.  Should just call it Sunday Pizza and have it all the time.  Tom Brady has a new trademark TB X TB.  Husband and I talked about him possibly going with Tampa Bay just to get TB X TB. Now he can't be number 12 anymore.  Some other guy has that number at TB.

This also brings to mind a friend of ours living in Tampa.  Hates the Patriots and Tom Brady.  Oh, dear. I won't buy him a TB X TB tee shirt.

G was out all day doing yard work and we have another good day for it today.  I was out for awhile  tidying the fenced garden with the 8 raised beds yesterday, cutting back dry stalks of some of the flowers and herbs.  I have more seeds to get started in my little milk jugs.  I have a packet of seeds that is titled Bee Garden.  I like the sound of that.

I finally got around to answering the Census Questions.  I hate doing things online.  I don't want my info on the internet.  The next to last question made me laugh out loud.  As to marital status they wanted the sexual orientation of my partner (as I was the one filling out the form) and gave about 12 or more choices.  I have no idea why they would want to know this for the Census.  And I had no idea  there was such a variety of partners out there.  Like having 49 flavors of ice cream and I chose vanilla.

Daily Notes- March 26th

                                           
EDITING HERE- NO INHALER- IT WAS SOMETHING FOR MY HUSBAND NOT ME.

I stood in front of the large bathroom mirror years and years ago to make this self portrait.  Looks like I am wearing that same sweater today.  I was going to paint this but ....as with things.....other new things superseded and I found this when looking for collage papers in late December.  It's been on the chair over by the wall ever since.  I might have even shown it to you before.

My hands.  I got them exactly right.  And my pockets.  I am drawing what you are seeing here.

I called the Pharmacy yesterday at 1pm.  Nothing.  And I called before my breakfast this morning. Nothing.  But just now...not 5 minutes ago.....yes, it's ready for pickup.  Happy Dance.

Yesterday G went outside to do weeding.  He did that as work after he retired.  He worked for a landscaper and weeded.  He enjoyed it.  So, he weeded yesterday and enjoyed it.  The bed he was working on looks really good.  He also added a new bird feeder to the bed across from the back of the house windows.  Closer so we can see the birds.  Not many.  And I am thinking about where to dig a shallow hole for the bird bath.  A small pond sort of bird bath down by the feeders and the fenced garden.

Well, I was just on phone for awhile and now I'll hit publish and go pick up my inhaler.

Daily Notes- March 25th

                                        

Good Morning.  As if it there wasn't enough STRESS to go around- I got knocked for a huge loop yesterday when I went to the Pharmacy and was told they do not have any inhalers to fill prescriptions.  Seems that last week a wave of people who had unfilled (for a long time) prescriptions for inhalers decided they needed to fill them.  Wiped out the supply chain. Echos of the Toilet Paper thing. Hoarding.  Re-selling at a profit. The worst sort of human behavior.

I am not proud of this but the fragility of my systems gave way and I stood in front of the Pharmacist crying. Not to invite sympathy.  I just had no borders left.  There are a few days left on the inhaler I am using twice a day.  I usually order my next one when I get down to one week.  Each day I am to call at 1pm to ask if they have an inhaler for me.  I am NOT to assume they will have one in time. They will TRY to find something to give me.

Thank goodness I had already chosen my few grocery items.  I don't think I would have been able after hearing the bad news. I did, thankfully, choose some Ben and Jerry's ice cream and that bag of Fritos my daughter told me not to buy.

I got down on the floor in the beans section to find the last 8 bags of brown lentils all the way back against the wall on the bottom shelf.  I scooped them forward so other shoppers could see them and bought only one.  And pulled forward other items as well while down there. I had done that early in the pandemic to bring forward boxes of oatmeal.  Not every person in their 70's can get down on the floor and then back up and we like lentils and oatmeal.

And perhaps I was stupid to get down when I am never sure I will be able to get back to a standing position. I just didn't think about that.  I should.  With distancing.....I wouldn't expect any help.

I bought a lovely head of escarole in the produce section and will be making a favorite soup of mine.  I looked for and found the recipe in the card box.  I took the card with me to Florida one February long ago and set a pot of it simmering.  The home owner (we were guests) and his adult daughter (I had know her since she was 2) exclaimed "beans and greens" and ate every speck.  I was reminded of that day when I selected the escarole. I will remember it as I eat my soup.

I am washing my hands (often) with a small bar of French soap I found in the back of a drawer.  So creamy and just the very faintest fragrance.  A whisper.  And it is not making my hands dry- they feel smooth and soft.  So, I wash my hands more often.

Have a good day my friends out there where ever you are.  The sun is shining here in Maine.

Daily Notes- March 24

                                              

Looking down over the edge of the back deck an hour ago as I finished shoveling.  Six inches of heavy wet snow overnight and a power failure.  I am wondering if the wet snow sanitized the air we  are breathing?  The dry air here in the house is causing me to cough quite a bit.  Ricola cough drops to the rescue.

My milk jugs (with seeds and soil) got very wet yesterday with the snowfall.  The little parsley seedlings are the only top growth and they seemed okay.  Sun is very bright outside and I went "snow blind" out there in the back -south side- with the bright sunshine.  G says I need to wear ski goggles. I have the screen door open on the vestibule porch so the Fig gets fresh air.  Even with the door open, it's 50 degrees now (inside).  The Fig Tree is starting to produce leaves.

My prescriptions are ready for pick up and my daughter is "allowing" me to go to the store to get them by myself.  I am going to maintain a six foot separation from people and wear a surgical glove on my right hand and only touch things with my right hand and then dispose of the glove.  Since I am coughing and that might get me ejected from the grocery store- I will have my mouth and nose covered and will have a cough drop in my mouth.  And more unwrapped and ready to put into my mouth. She will administer some sort of "daughter lie detector test" when I return.

I think she learned this behavior from my example when she was in high school and college and did not always tell the truth the first three or four times she was asked a question.

Maine closed all of our public ocean front beaches yesterday.  People were coming from other states  over the weekend to walk close together on the sand and we can't have that sort of behavior.  So.  Maine Beaches are Closed. Even to card carrying Mainers.  Glad my daughter and her friends got to walk the beach Saturday. They observed the 6 feet rule.

I have deleted most of what I wrote here today....  I did send Gretchen an unedited email.  Hope I haven't offended her. It's hard to tell anymore what is okay and what is not okay to say.  I usually get in trouble with "not okay" to say.

But if everything gets to be "safe to say" is it actually a conversation?

My Investment Banker (a woman) sent me a letter about investment things and I replied- we're okay- we have toilet paper- carry on- it will all work out.

Daily Notes- March 23

                                   

Pandemic Sugar Supplies.  In additional to wiping down all surfaces, Word Search puzzles, Suduko puzzles, planting seeds, cutting back dead stems, raking perennial beds, repotting plants and Law and Order.  G likes Sweet and I like Salty.  My Salty is down to zero right now.  The oversalted soup sort of tamped it down.

We are staying busy and staying at home.  The count went from 70 to 89 with the virus last night.  One person has recovered. Nothing like other States but we have only 1.2 million people in the entire vast State of Maine and most of them are old and living in Senior Living Communities clustered around our larger cities and hospitals. Sort of like being on a Cruise for 365 days a year. With that level of contagion possible also.  Residents are confined to their rooms- no dining together or lectures or cocktails.  They do get copies of word puzzles each morning.

I called in my two prescriptions and was notified by the recorded voice that they are VERY busy and will TRY to get to MY prescriptions TOMORROW.  But maybe NOT.  Makes me feel all warm and cozy.  One is an inhaler and the other is tiny pills that need to be counted into a bottle.  Still a problem for most Mainers to get toilet paper so family owned take out food places are giving you a complimentary roll with each order.  Everyone is enjoying that.

I potted up more seeds yesterday and made sure everyone was moist and happy.  G cut back the peony stems we left up- We had other concerns in the Fall with Riley and didn't get to the Fall Cleanup chores other than the leaf blowing.  I like to rake leaves but G likes the very noisy leaf blower as did all the service providers hired by all of our neighbors.  The leaf blowers were a constant from morning until late in the evenings.  Someday we'll be hiring people to do things. But not yet.

I did almost all of the easy Suduko puzzles in my book.  They were not easy..  So I am not even attempting the medium and hard ones.  I did all the easy puzzles on the right hand pages of the book and now have to go back and do the ones on the left hand pages.  I don't like the left hand pages. This morning's puzzle is only 30% filled in.  So I checked out the internet and found a do it yourself fruit fly trap and made it from a jar filled with white vinegar and dish soap, covered with plastic wrap and then rubber banded to jar and holes poked into top.  Now we are waiting for the arrival of the pest fruit flies.  Actually, here in our house its dirt gnats.  They are drawn to G's candy filled yogurt each morning and the jelly on his bagels.

Well, as you can read--Life here is not all that thrilling.  I am going down to the sewing room to pick litter off the carpet and to stuff all the scrap cloth back into the bags.  I have been thinking of doing some eco printing but find reasons not to do it each and every day, so far.  I have also considering baking bread. I have not done that, either.  It just doesn't seem necessary.

Daily Notes- March 22

                                                 

The floor in my sewing room.  and I have attempted to clean the space but always end up having to dump the boxes out looking for a specific scrap of cloth.  Not finding it most of the Time.  Easier to just close the door.  Those little bits are hard to pick up unless one gets down on the floor with them- then how to get back up?  Nothing to hold on to and rolling chairs are bad choices. (just saying...) The trials of the aging in place.

The Sunday paper included a grocery insert- full color.  Not sure the reality of the store shelving will make many shoppers happy.  I have two items on my list- ketchup and crunchy peanut butter with no positive thoughts about either item.  So far, none to be had.  I am dreaming of finding ricotta, frozen spinach and mozzarella to make a large pan of vegetarian lasagna.  I have sauce and noodles in the pantry--it could happen, right?.  The store flyer mentioned pork butts and I do have a crock pot and some BBQ sauce so I could make pulled pork.  That might be the way to go. If.....big if here.

My walking buddy is going in hoping for the avocados pictured in the flyer.

Did you know airplanes are still flying passengers from place to place?  I though they were all grounded.

I watched a PBS program I had recorded on our TiVo.  The Press. I watched all the episodes from afternoon to evening and was feeling very refreshed and calm heading to bed at midnight. I was feeling normal.  I did not delete them.  I may need them all again in the coming weeks--or months.

Yes, I am internalizing that this will last for many future months.  All summer.  But I will have the garden to occupy my hands and body then.  Right now I am counting the weeks until the compost bins- the three of them- are thawed and I can start sifting them. Good hard work. I need it.

How are you filling your days?

Daily Notes- March 21

                                                    

New buds.  The flowers on the white orchid were all infested with the fuzzy white bug.  I sprayed and cleaned etc but the bug won.  Let's hope we have more luck with the virus???

I only had 9 ounces of brown lentils in the jar- so I added an extra potato to the pot on the stove. It is simmering.  Usually this particular German recipe makes a very thick soup. Very.  So, a little less of the lentils might make the end result less "formidable".  I didn't want to open an entire can of whole tomatoes to get the one tomato the recipe asks for.  Instead I squirted in some ketchup.   And noted that ketchup is now a rationed item. I wonder if they have any ketchup at my grocery?  They have no peanut butter.  Plenty of jams and jellies.

We went for a drive yesterday.  Like a Ghost Town. We did stop at Firehouse Subs to buy dinner (they had their open sign ON and others did not). We ordered by phone and then G went inside to pay and carry our food out to the car.  We ate at home. Their meatballs are excellent and I am wondering if they would sell them by the pound if asked. G says they will do anything to make a sale. He might be right unless stock is low.

I am considering asking my neighbors if they are interested in having a chat.  I have seen that people are carrying chairs over to the ends of driveways and talking with neighbors in other neighborhoods. Distances between the chairs is greater than 6 feet but also outdoors so perhaps safer???  We could each provide our own cocktail to sip.  Others are doing the same on the internet.

The new deadline for tax preparation is just giving my procrastination a wider scope-- but Maine has decided to stick with April 15th - so............ I need the Federal to do the State.

Watched the Chateau program on PBS (it was recorded so not sure when it actually is on) These two Brits buy a 26 room old crumbly chateau in France and are fixing it up.  Last night we watched the work necessary to install an elevator (from Spain) before Christmas.  And it was a lovely Christmas.
The one Spanish installer said- in a very shocked voice- "I do not know how they managed to do all the work in three weeks with just the 3 people"- as when he visited previously- things were in very rough shape.  I often wonder if the BBC brings in people to "help".

G does not like the program.  But his father was not this kind of guy.  Like the engineer on the Chateau program.  So, I am charmed because it all reminds me of my childhood and how we just did everything ourselves.  Breaking thru walls, making a kitchen, a basement bathroom, a bedroom in the Attic (never completed but used until we all went away to college).  The MacGyver pool cleaning system that nearly electrocuted my brother.  We actually laughed.  I grew up on the very edge which makes me color outside the lines as a way of life.  But highway driving scares me to death.

So, I have covered cooking, houseplants, dining out, visiting neighbors, watching tv---and I even managed to wash clothes and scrub the toilets (like the last thing I ever want to do).  It is NOT raining or snowing so I am going to go out on the deck to check on my milk jugs and seeds.  Especially to see what the parsley seedlings are up to- perhaps more that two leaves????  And I have about 10 more seed packets to plant into jugs.  Going to be a spectacular gardening season.

Daily Notes- March 20th

                                                

Desktop.  Just moments ago.  I finished the mending/repair of my red sweater.  I used the pocket to fill in where there were holes.  That's my digital thermometer.  Taking my temperature and NOT having a fever--calms me down. Listening to Jude on Spirit Cloth also calms me down. She had a short audio test today.  And Grace welcomed two baby boy goats yesterday.  It was a long, cold night but it ended well.  They are very cute. No names yet but I think they will be interesting.

It's cold and raining here and while G does his back stretching exercises, I am going to bundle up and take a walk to the end of the street and back.  Under my umbrella. Maybe twice.  Exchange the indoor air in my lungs with fresh outdoor air. Then have a large mug of hot, sweet tea.

I watched the latest version of Murder on the Orient Express on tv last night.  Lovely visually but........so glad I didn't pay money to see it.

I have a number of things set to record this week on my TiVo but my most favorite thing to watch is a self made movie (PBS) of an artist summering here in Maine and his paper collage methods and his gardening.  I have watched it 6 times I think.   He crumples and paints the white standard pad paper, lets it dry and then slowly rips the papers into shapes to glue- white glue with his fingers- onto the drawing he has made on stretched canvas.  He does this work at a table on a glass windowed porch- the kind all Maine cottages have to keep the mosquitos out in the summer.

I also love watching The Healing Machine- also PBS.  I have wire- a root ball cage and lots of little things like rusting stars and beads- I could make my own healing machine.  Set up a table in the vast empty living room.  Plastic on the floors.  Hang it from a branch in the big oak tree.  With a special attachment that allows it to rotate in a circular fashion.  Sparkle in the sunlight.

I like watching people make things.  I have two cooking shows set to record on TiVo.  One is a chef named Vivian Howard.  She is a Southern woman and she talks.  Talks more than she cooks.  But she talks about cooking, about food, about her history with food.  And she is sloppy and makes a mess and then laughs about being messy and then just makes another mess.

Jude is going to have another class. She is going to talk and sew and make and I am going to be so very happy listening to her voice.  It's the best thing ever.  And I wonder about other bloggers I love reading.  Would I love listening to them as well?  Telling me stories.

This Time alone in the house.  I miss listening to people talking most of all.
 

Daily Notes- March 19th

                     
Most of my sewing yesterday was on my number one grey sweater.  The adjacent areas worn thin with large holes under my left arm.  Major work.  The red sweater is needing some help also.  But I have no red to use as a patch.  I do have a black sweater I could cut into.  Or I could wait until Goodwill is safe again-- but I was not finding ANY used cashmere sweaters in any colors for months and months.  So I will use grey or black to patch the red sweater.

Daughter arrived with our groceries (lots of shelves in store are still empty no restocking).  The "stay at home" shopping was fun (sort of).  I made a list and took pictures of the items.  We sent pictures back and forth when my brand of instant coffee was NOT on the shelf.  I got the store brand as it's just coffee. Something hot to drink in the morning that isn't tea. Coffee doesn't mean all that much to me. But I would have missed it at breakfast.

And I had her purchase a small piece of smoked ham to cook with my recently discovered brown lentils. $1.47.  My store sells the small ends they cut off before slicing the deli meats. I will make the lentil soup from a recipe given to me by a dear German friend from the 1980's.

And we now have pizza dough and pepperoni.  I also got sweet potatoes.  I like them baked and then stuffed with roasted vegetables and tons of butter. Or just alone with lots of butter.  I asked her to buy more butter.

I should have gone outside for a solitary walk yesterday- fresh air.  Today it's cold and raining. But I could imagine if Riley was still here- I would be walking him out in this weather.  So, I shall go out. Down to the end of the street where it meets the road and then back to the end and home. Or even do it twice.

Daughter bought stamps- I should have gotten some as well.  Next time. But we did get Pay Per Bag garbage bags.

And the Taxes loom.  I haven't even begun to sort the paperwork out yet.

If you had a choice would you subscribe to Netflix or Amazon Prime? We cancelled Netflix about  a year ago because we never watched it but we need something to watch besides News, Law and Order and Hallmark (which G hates).

Daily Notes- March 18th

                                               

My pantry.  An old cupboard with shelving that is obviously not supported in the center.  The light was not good because of the skylight above and to the left.  I have enough of everything and will only send daughter to buy fruits and vegetables.  And dairy.

I even discovered a jar of lentils (I love lentil soup) way back on the top shelf.  A bag of dry black beans plus three cans of black beans.  Pasta. Canned marinara from Trader Joe. And canned jackfruit which is supposed to make a great vegetarian "pulled pork".  There's falafel mix also.

I also realized we have only been asked to shelter at home for FIVE days now.  I had thought it was closer to 2 weeks.  Felt like it.  The morning paper brought distressing news.  Maine has 32 cases of the virus and 23 of them were confirmed at the hospital 2 minutes drive from the greenhouse where I worked. The testing site is within walking distance of my home. It was a hospital but now is a Senior Health Center.

Our "curve" is zero on 3/11 and 32 on 3/17.  Very unsettling.  Six Days.  Five of which I was in the house.

I found a "non" recipe for soup.  Saute a member of the onion family in some oil (a leek if you have one or green onions).  Add one or more root vegetables cut in small pieces.  I always have carrots and celery in the drawer during the cold months and very often cabbage and a few potatoes.  Add water (or broth if you have any) I have a few jars of dry cubes handy at all times.  Add grains or beans if you have them.  Doesn't matter which ones.  Rice, barley, lentils.  Add anything you have in the fridge that would cook quickly: greens, canned veg or herbs.  Raid the frozen veg supply for a cup of peas or green beans or corn.   There you have it-- SOUP.  It does need to simmer for awhile to cook everything.  

A fellow blogger freezes excess tomatoes in the summer- just tucks the whole tomato in a bag and into the freezer.  She roasts them right out of the bag (frozen) or tosses them into the soup pot.  No thawing. I am SO DOING THIS in August and September.  And not buying little cans of diced tomato for soup.

Now.  I usually have some sliced bacon in the freezer and usually begin my soup by slicing off some bacon from the short edge of the package trying not to slice my fingers.  I saute that in the soup pot with the member of the onion family to get things going.

I sewed a few more edges to the cloth collages yesterday evening and trimmed the edges of one collage because the black cloth was too overpowering.  I did this at the dining room table while watching MSNBC.  Drinking tea.  Realizing I don't leave the house all that often in normal times.

Daily Notes- March 17th

                                              

I added borders in to the left side and top yesterday.  That small corner and the grape cloth on the top. which might have been the bottom- I don't remember which way is UP anymore.

Daughter managed to get us a new thermometer to take our temperatures.  Every store had none on the shelves.  She finally mentioned it to the clerk at one of the places she visited--- found out they are now stocked behind the counter.  So people can only buy ONE.  So there is enough for anyone who needs one.  The clerk said people were taking ALL of them.  Just handfuls of thermometers- so management had to stop that sort of behavior.  Wish they had done that with toilet paper.

My husband read in the paper that people are calling 911 to report a shortage of toilet paper.

Soap is best for washing hands so I went looking for bar soap in the storage areas here at home and found a lovely large bar of French soap.  We'll be enjoying the hand washing experience even more now.

I was hoping the chive plants had put up fresh shoots in the warm weather we had been having. But it has not decided to produce Spring growth yet. Today we had rain, power failure, wind, rain.....so far.   Not weather for a nice walk.  I was going to use the fresh chives in a green mix with parsley added to rice.  For the holiday.  Herby green flecked rice.  If I had tiny potatoes the mixture would be lovely on steamed potatoes.  I could do it with dry chives.

It was very good luck on my part, to have checked out that new cookbook from the library .  One of the BEST qualities of the book is the far right section called "if you don't have any...... use........." for each master recipe.  Because, I do not have ......... these days and I also do not have........but I can figure it out.  Gives me clues.  I may actually have the Time to become a good survival cook because a young man with fever, cough etc who has tested positive has been reporting to work- sick- for days now in an area of high concentration of stores.  People. Not a mile from where I sit typing this.  So, I think we are in the house for an additional 3 to 4 weeks.

Daily Notes- March 16th

                                                

Up at the top of this one, just under the pink strip--I can imagine I am seeing my forehead and  eyes- looking out at whomever would be looking at this cloth collage.

Tell me if you see it,  or it's just my imagination.

Today I saw a few birds. Out in the backyard.  Still no squirrels.  It's like the animals out in the woods have self quarantined also. It is also very very quiet.  Too quiet. G has gone to see the dentist for his annual tooth cleaning (yippee they are back to being cover by Medicare).  The dentist office doesn't know if they will be staying open during the quarantine.  But gave G an appointment for April 14th.

I have the proper foods in the house now.  I didn't take the two week thing seriously enough.  But now we have what we need to eat as we would normally eat.   Sigh.  It takes awhile for me to assume reasonable-ness.  And I washed the refrigerator shelves and organized the contents.  Too many packages of cheese (which is not actually a bad thing as most everything is better topped with cheese.) And my milk has a long expiration date so I can use it to make sauces etc. ( with the cheese).

My horoscope for the day: embark on a new task, hobby or pastime.  Explore the possibilities, and open your mind to new activities.

In tidying the freezer section of the fridge yesterday I found three bags of avocado pits (taking up room that is better served holding ice cream).  I know they can be used to color cloth so I am going to look it up see if there is a specific mordant for the cloth and then use some of the pits to dye cloth.  Or over-dye cloth.  I think it comes out pink.  Or I will just move the bags of pits to the porch freezer- which is a bit "iffy" for real edible food right now.  It goes off and on- marching to it's own little internal drummer.  It's quite empty. Plenty of room for avocado pits.

I tend to march to my own odd little internal drummer-  a very unique one that gets me into trouble more often than not.  "Does Not Play Well With Others"  was mentioned often in my elementary school report cards.

Daily Notes- March 15th

                                       

Our first grocery shopping experience since the Virus came to Maine.  There were empty shelves but I got almost everything on my list.  I needed laundry detergent.  The shelves were mostly empty and I need the no fragrance etc kind.  No liquid but I got those little packets.  Last package.  Deep Breath.

I discovered my bottle of detergent was running low this morning as I washed bedding (I think it might be wise to change sheets etc more often now) and realized I didn't have a backup bottle. And I actually started hyperventilating.  "I need clean clothes". So we jumped in the car and went shopping.

I got bananas because if I am sick (not currently) they are a nice food to eat that doesn't need cooking. I had G stock himself up on bagels and yogurt and orange juice.  Breakfast is a deal breaker meal for him.  I'm good with oatmeal.  But I did buy the very last box of Cream of Wheat.  And I got down on the floor swept the back of the oatmeal section forward so others could get what was left. I forgot to buy peanut butter.

All in all people were very gentle with each other.  A woman had two bags of all purpose flour when I arrived to find no flour at all.  She gave me one.  And we both purchased yeast. Bread baking 101.

I also purchased beans, pasta (I have rice), onions, potatoes, cabbage and carrots.  Easy meal foods. There are assorted frozen proteins in the freezer here at home.  I can dig them out and use them.  It will be a surprise. Yep.

We watched a few hours of Africa on BBC yesterday (very soothing) and then a movie- the Ghost something with Scarlett Johansen. Our first futuristic sci-fi Japanese movie.  That was something unexpected.  I thought it was wonderful to look at even though it was very very strange. I am thinking we will purchase a streaming service going forward.  The one from Amazon.  Perhaps if this goes on for a long time- we'll change it up every month.  Keep things fresh.

Daughter arrived to carry the Christmas Wreaths up into the attic over the garage for us.  She also asked for a list of authors we like and took it with her.  She and her friend (guy who shoveled our driveway) are driving to Portland to a used book store.  Daughter loves books. Guy loves books.  Love searching for books.  And library is closed. Possibly for a very long time.

Three additional new cases of Virus- in Portland.

We are thinking about Chinese Lunch- like we do on Sunday.  But we stayed away from Goodwill.