Top Ten Things I Miss While Being Quarantined

10. Meeting friends inside a coffee shop.

9.   Driving to Mullan with T.B. for water aerobics.
8.   Nancy the dog groomer, but Riley misses her more.
7.   Family members that live outside of our area that I can't see.
6.   The library.

5.   All the amazing women that are part of my book club.
4.   Having the freedom to call a friend and meet for lunch inside a restaurant.
3.  Cooking lessons with Mary.

2.   Sibling outings.
1.   The number one thing I miss while being quarantined is Sunday Family Dinners.

If things change with Covid-19, I look forward picking up where I left off in March.

Grocery Shopping Surprises During Covid-19

When the word first came out they we may be quarantined because of the Covid-19 virus my first thought was to get to the grocery store and stock up. We didn't know what to expect. (Note: I didn't hoard...I got there too late even if I wanted to. )

I ended up buying foods that I knew would sustain on the shelf, but may not be the healthiest.I wanted plain rice, but no rice was on the shelf at Yoke's, but there was Rice-a- Roni.  I always wanted to eat Rice a Roni when I was a child because I loved the commerical and the jingle and thought if they were eating it in San Francisco, it must be really special. I don't know why we didn't get to eat it at our house. Usually it was because it was too spendy or Dad didn't like it. I grabbed some boxes  and I felt very special taking the "San Francisco Treat" home. I actually liked it.

When I checked the frozen section I thought frozen waffles you put in the toaster might be good to have on hand. I have never had one in my life. Guess what? I liked them also. Quick and easy and they will probably have a shelf life of two years in the freezer.

Next I spotted a display of Oreos. Wow, if we couldn't leave the house for a few months Oreos would be a good staple to have on hand. Again, I can't even remember the last time I had an Oreo. Did you realize there are 21 flavors of Oreos? When did that happen?  After I saw Carrot Cake Oreos and Cherry Cola Chocolate Oreos I was overwhelmed. I backed away and left all of them on the shelf.

Of course I couldn't buy toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox Wipes, dry beans, or bread that day  I was proud of myself for saying no to the Velveeta, Franco-American Spaghetti-Os, Twinkies, Pop Tarts, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, but I have a confession to make. I just had to lower my anxiety and buy Twizzlers. What better way to help with your stress level during a pandemic then to know you have a bag of Twizzlers "just in case"?

Poetry Brings Comfort

During this time I have been staying inside it has been difficult for me to concentrate on reading longer types of text. I am constantly distracted. Poetry has brought me comfort. Poems are usually shorter. I can pull a volume of poetry and just read a few. Also, many of my favorite poems have a message I am yearning for now. I had posted this poem a few years ago, but right it brought me comfort.


After A While

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn…
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure…
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth…
And you learn and learn…

With every good-bye you learn.

(Veronica A. Shoffstall)

We Are The Silver Lining

 “We are the silver lining in any and every dark cloud we could ever find. There is no need to go looking for the light when you bring it with you.” - Tyler Knott Gregson

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been sheltering at home for a month. I leave the house for essential tasks and to take my dog Riley for runs. During this time it would be natural to focus on the dark clouds surrounding us. Instead I am focusing on the silver linings in those dark clouds. Over and over I have observed people bringing the light with them.

The light came when part of my sister's family showed up the day before Easter in my front yard and read an Easter scripture, sang Easter songs, and brought us cookies. It was hard to stay inside for Easter and be away from family. They provided a silver lining.

The light also came when my sister-in-law decided to take down the curtains in her kitchen and sew masks for family members. My brother provided assistance by doing the ironing. When we had to visit a doctor out of town the mask provided a silver lining.

Light came to our porch in the form of comfort food, homemade dinners, and a poetry book from Silver King School (where my mother taught and I attended first grade). Light came in the mail with encouraging cards from friends. Light came in texts and emails as friends and family checked up on us and providing support.

Silver linings are all over The Silver Valley. One business sets out food for families in need, a restaurant owner makes lunches to deliver to students at home, people are showing support for restaurants by picking up food to go, and customers have brought bouquets to put at the checkout stands to honor the workers at a local grocery store.

There are teddy bears in windows for children to hunt for, teachers driving by students' houses to wave hello and show how they miss them, and a special Friday night parade through town honoring our high school seniors. I love where I live.

It is the worst of times, but I am going to continue to look for the light. 

For Such A Time As This

Such a month.
It has been filled with thinking, journaling, praying, stressing, talking, worrying, and silence.

We have been sheltering in place during the first month of this covid 19 virus. I leave the house to grocery shop, pick up food to go, and take Riley for runs. Everett has only left the house for three medical appointments. We have stopped Sunday Family Dinners, book club, water aerobics, birthday parties, family visits, going out to favorite restaurants, and hanging out with friends.We want to stay safe.

We are blessed. We have a home that is warm and cozy. We have food to keep us sustained for months. We have a dog and three cats that bring comfort every day. We shelter inside well. We have spent hours reading, keeping up with the news, talking, laughing, sneaking in a cocktail, preparing good meals, baking for others, and keeping a weird schedule that works for the two of us. As it warms up we are heading outside to our backyard gardens.

I don't like surprises. I want to know what will be around the corner. I want to be able to count on what is coming next. I can't do that anymore. We don't know what will happen  now. We don't know what is around the corner. I can't control the events around us and that is okay. Right now I am being cautious. I am being safe. Our health is my first concern. I am enjoying our house.
More later. Be safe. Be well.

Grateful For the Land and Robert Frost

 CdA River at the Cataldo Mission

When I drive down the freeway, cruise up the river, move through town, or walk along the path I am reminded of the beauty of the land that surrounds me in northern Idaho. I have never taken it for granted. I work each day at trying to capture this beauty in photos. I was reminded again of this poem by Robert Frost today. I went back and reviewed favorite photo images of the land where I live. Enjoy.

The Gift Outright

The land was ours before we were the land’s.
She was our land more than a hundred years
Before we were her people. She was ours
In Massachusetts, in Virginia,
But we were England’s, still colonials,
Possessing what we still were unpossessed by,
Possessed by what we now no more possessed.
Something we were withholding made us weak
Until we found out that it was ourselves
We were withholding from our land of living,
And forthwith found salvation in surrender.
Such as we were we gave ourselves outright
(The deed of gift was many deeds of war)
To the land vaguely realizing westward,
But still unstoried, artless, unenhanced,
Such as she was, such as she would become.

winter tree

fall up the river

514 Sunset

fall on Hill Street

Priest Lake