Like most of you, I have been trying to stay informed of current events, especially the pandemic that is spreading around the world.
I feel so powerless right now. I can’t make this go away, I can only isolate myself and practice proper hygiene when I am at work. As a physical therapist, it is next to impossible to practice social distancing with my patients.
But there are things I can do. I can go outside, into the fresh air and sunshine. I can dig the grass roots out of my garden beds, and prepare the soil to grow fresh food that we can enjoy later.
I can make a delicious dinner. Tonight, I made Creamy Tuscan Chicken. I did some knitting. Now I am skeining off my most recent handspun project. These things are predictable; these things I can control.
I hope you are all finding little ways of controlling your own world. Be healthy!
I have spent most of this rainy day indoors, processing this beautiful coated Merino fleece. I have had this fleece for quite awhile. I don’t usually spin in the grease, but this fleece is so clean, I am just flicking and spinning. My plan is a three ply yarn. I figure there are a couple of sweaters worth in here. The waste will be used to make dryer balls. I hope you all are well, and making good use of your time. Peace to you all; make life diy.
So things have been a little slowed down at my therapy clinic this week, as more people are realizing the seriousness of the Coronavirus is real. As a health care provider, I soldier on; at least until the time that our hospital shuts us down. There has been talk of pressing us into service on the hospital campus to do temperature screens and other tasks where they may become short handed. So far, that has not happened. Doctors are still ordering physical therapy; it’s at the patients discretion as to whether or not to come. Even if we are busy, the most people we would have is five, so we would be in compliance with the no more than 10 mandate. I needed something simple, with lots of cheerful color, to knit. When things are really slow, my supervisor is okay with me knitting at work, so long as all the work is caught up. This is Changing Staircases by Dragon Hoard Designs. The yarn is a DK weight wool/cashmere/nylon yarn from Destination Yarns. Great choices for soothing my tired soul. Stay healthy, y’all; and make life DIY!
As the pandemic Coronavirus is beginning to make itself known in Arkansas, Mom and I are deciding to hunker down and diminish our exposure. I am still going to work (for now), but Mom is definitely at increased risk, so she is staying home and I am taking care of necessary outings. That means home, work and the grocery only as needed. No more iced teas from Sonic, no more eating out or extracurricular activities until further notice. We have told all of our rehab clients to cancel their appointments if they feel ill, are coughing or running a fever. As I work a lot with the elderly, and we share office space in a rural health clinic, my risk for exposure is high enough, thank you very much. I am not panicked, mind you; just taking appropriate cautionary actions.
I originally had a hike planned with friends yesterday, but with 100% chance of rain yesterday (we got 4”!), our back up plan was to gather at my house for board games and snacks. After learning that our number of cases was growing, I called it off. I gotta protect my Mama! So we have both been keeping busy, mostly with yarn. She has been crocheting lap blankets for the local nursing home, and started a ripple blanket yesterday .
I have been wanting to cast on Navelli by Caitlin Hunter for quite some time. I wound my yarn, knitted my swatch, then realized that I did not have a US size 3 circular long enough to cast on with. I looked at Knit Picks, which fortunately is having a needle sale. I took a break, though, to work on a paper project. I spied this project for a Paper Star Lantern. The pattern is a free download. I will have to use the Exacto knife to cut all of the stars, so it will take awhile to cut them all. There is a download for a rusty metal texture, but I have all kinds of scrapbook paper, so thinking of using some of that. Another option that occurred to me was to glue different colored tissue paper on the inside, then all the stars would be colored! What am I gonna do? Not sure yet…you’ll have to stay tuned to find out! In the meantime, wash your hands, cover your cough, and avoid unnecessary peopling. Stay healthy, and make life DIY!
I know it’s been awhile since my last post. A lot has happened since I last wrote. Some close friends have let me know that they missed my blogging.
In 2013, I left my job of 13 years with one of our local hospitals. I had tried to convince them to open a small satellite physical therapy clinic in my hometown, but they were just not ready to go down that path. What ensued over the next six years was me trying to find the right fit, including an opportunity to try and build a clientele in my hometown with another company. I also did some travel work in Alaska, and then worked home health for two years. In all that time (especially during the home health stint), I found myself doing nothing BUT working. I had very little time to pursue my other interests, and it was beginning to wear on me. Then one day, I got a phone call. It was my old boss at that place where I had worked for so long. And guess what? We are opening a clinic, and would like you to run it, if you will come back to work for us. Needless to say, I was excited!
Now I am all set up, working my own clinic. I have wonderful staff working with me, I am 15 minutes from home. I pass right by a fitness center on the way home, (sitting and driving five days a week did NO favors for my weight or my health!) I also have “Me” time now, and am finding a happy work/life balance.
One of the things that I rarely had time for was gardening. The garden, in the meanwhile grew smaller and weedier with time. I am now on a schedule of gym MWF and garden on Tuesday and Thursday after work. So I am pretty chuffed with myself for FINALLY building a new garden bed.
The plan is to fill this with dirt and plant pole beans to grow up over the arch. This is visible proof that I finally have found my balance.
I hope to be able to return to blogging once again with some regularity. For the 2 or 3 people who might actually read my blog…