Lynn Nicholas ...writes
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domestic diva ??

4/30/2020

11 Comments

 
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​​Remember when I was whining about the need to clear my calendar and slow down? Well that message was evidently received. April 29 marked the midpoint of my seventh week of COVID19 sheltering in place. I am now officially a slug. Anyone else growing out of their fat jeans? If I visualize receiving motivation to exercise, I wonder what the ethers will toss back? I’m guessing a brownie or two.

I’m going to share the gist of a Facebook meme with you, We’re all  caught in the same storm, but we’re not all in the same boat. Sort of sums things up, right? And here’s a quote I saw today on Twitter, Writing is cheaper than therapy. That quote used to apply to me, but since sheltering in place took over my life, gardening is now my therapy of choice. My ratty-looking fingernails are a testament to how often my hands either are buried in potting soil or raking gravel out of the way to end the life of a particularly stubborn weed. I’m deadheading like crazy, and tucking seeds for summer bloomers in between the spring annuals. My roses have never looked better, and my experimental vegetable garden has begun to show signs of a real harvest. What is it about seeing a tomato plant pop out little tomatoes that is so rewarding? I feel accomplished, and yet it’s the plant, not me, doing all the real work.

Social isolation means making a full dinner every day, trying out new recipes, baking too many desserts, relearning how to use the vacuum cleaner, and realizing we don’t own a bucket big enough to accommodate a mop. Giving credit where it’s due, D and I are sharing the housecleaning duties, but by the blurry view from the master bedroom, it seems we’ve both drawn the line at windows. Believe my sincerity when I say I’ve developed a new respect for cleaning ladies and a deep awareness of the limitations of my aging body. I could star in a commercial for Icy Hot, or maybe an AARP article entitled “The Top of the Refrigerator: Letting Go of Expectations.”

I admit, staying at home does bring out the nester in me, but every Domestic Diva has her line in the sand. Mine is sewing. I absolutely hate to sew! I gave away my sewing machine several years ago. Prior to that, half-finished sewing projects flew across the room more than once. Even back in high school, I hated the mandatory sewing classes for girls almost as much as I detested my typing class, but sewing won out on the frustration scale. But, being a conscientious citizen, I jumped onto the mandatory masks bandwagon and made D and I face masks! Hand-stitched face masks: blood-spotted from multiple finger pricks and anointed with curses fueled from pushing a needle through three layers of thick fabric with painfully reddened fingertips. I’m awaiting my good-citizen, housewife-of-the-year award.

In my quest to boost my aging immune system, I’m taking the new vitamins I bought rather than staring the bottles down, hoping absorb their contents telepathically. Can’t count how many bottles of expired vitamins I’ve tossed out pre-COVID19. I so hate swallowing pills, I actually have an expired container of Oxycontin in the medicine cabinet.  And no, you can’t have my address.

A cleared appointment calendar gives me the luxury of time to read. I’ve finished several stunning novels over the past few weeks: books that pulled me into another place and time, living the lives of the characters. If you’re looking for a few engrossing reads to go with that cup of tea or glass of wine, give these a try: Before We Were Yours, Lilac Girls, The Winter Garden, and Little Fires Everywhere. Reviews posted on Goodreads. 

So, I’m hanging in there, catching up with old friends via telephone, and learning to play digital card games with the kiddos on our phones. And, D and I are becoming more like our dogs: we roam the house all day looking for food; we are told “no” if we get too close to strangers; we get really excited about open doors and car rides (thanks for this one, Gerry.) 
Stay well everyone.

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11 Comments
Shelley
4/30/2020 05:40:02 pm

Oh, I am so jealous of your tomatoes and your roses! We will hit nice warm temps for the first time this weekend! Still weeks away from putting plants into the ground (Victoria Day weekend, May 24, is usually the *safe* time to be past frost!). Can't wait.

Yes, to the fat jeans, yes to the no-sewing (I just purchased 2 handmade cloth masks from someone online) but I have been even lazier than you re exercise. And I haven't really gotten my reading mojo back yet. I am still flitting, can't seem to focus on much for long. I do own the first 2 of the 4 titles you mention so maybe I'll give those a try. I seem to be settling into memoirs at the moment, or the thinnest books I can find, in the hope that I will actually finish one of them!

Keep up your good work. Your garden is already thanking you! They keep saying there is a ight at the end of the tunnel but it still feels like a very long tunnel, doesn't it?

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Lynn
5/1/2020 09:08:58 am

The tunnel seems to be stretching every day. I've found that some of the books I've read put our situation into perspective. Nothing like Leningrad in the middle of WWII to make you realize you don't have it so bad.
Temps are WAY high this early in the season. Hitting high 90s and 100 already. Too much too soon. Plants are gasping.

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Jen
5/1/2020 02:36:19 pm

Becoming a great cook if you like fattening comfort food! Made lots of pasta, rice pudding and cookies!
Trying out new wines and vodkas. Washed dogs today. Training them to become agility dogs and jump over cavalettis. 😂😂😂
Gotta get back to salads and exercise soon!
Hope to see you when we eventually get down there!

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Lynn
5/1/2020 04:46:27 pm

SO GOOD to see your name. Was going to FB msg you today. Us too... pastas, the English muffins I've denied myself for ages. We need to catch up.

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Nancy Morse
5/2/2020 05:38:10 am

I enjoyed reading this, Lynn! I haven’t been as industrious as you. I’m cooking most of our meals, I take a walk most every day.
I finished your book and started Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event. Interesting - both books feature a young woman/girl searching for info about her birth father whom her mother refuses to discuss.

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Lynn
5/2/2020 10:53:21 am

So pleased you took the time to read and comment. I've been seriously catching up with my reading - the one upside to being at home so much. Will look for the one by Judy Blume. She's always entertaining.

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Judy Evans
5/6/2020 11:04:37 am

I loved this blog and can relate to so much of it. I, however do like to sew and have been making masks. If you need a couple let me know. I have been unable to work in the yard because I have a tear in my meniscus and my knee is giving me fits!! I start physical therapy on Friday. We are staying safe and I hope you and D stay safe as well. Miss you.
Judy

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Lynn
5/6/2020 12:31:21 pm

Damn, Judy. Sorry about the knee issue. I'm pleased you are able to get into for PT.
Thank you for reading. Very much appreciated. Was hoping it would be relatable.
I made us a couple of masks. Not great, but workable. Yes, if you have two to spare let me know and we'll do another hand off :)
TY

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Rita Reynolds link
5/15/2020 03:52:42 pm

I feel the way you do when it comes to sewing but now you are making face mask, so congrats to you! And look at the progress you’re making with gardening. I’m trying hard to keep my lettuce and kale alive, probably made my last salad a few days ago. But you already have tomatoes on your plants?!! Wow! I can see why you feel accomplished, so congrats again! Not everyone enduring COVID-19 can make positive changes in their lives but you sure can!

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Lynn
5/15/2020 10:13:39 pm

Don't worry about your lettuce and kale. It's not your gardening skills. It's the end of the season for them. Tomatoes are still green but...they are there so I'm happy. You'll have to come see. We can social distance.

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Vicky
5/18/2020 05:10:54 pm

The roses are beautiful!!

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    Lynn Nicholas - AUTHOR oF Dancing Between The Beats

    My blog is a window into my world. My slice-of-life narratives are triggered by life's
    moments  that transform or reveal.
    Please check out my published short fiction. Most stories are character-driven, situational and, just like life, sometimes humorous. Click for Amazon author page 

    LOOK for Dancing Between the Beats on Amazon and Barnes&Noble.com 

    —Lynn Nicholas

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