One good thing about being home all the time is that I have a lot of time to read. In the beginning, I could not focus and stopped trying but now that there is more of a routine established, reading has been my saving grace. I just keep those books coming. As soon as I turn that last page I go right into another. Even if it’s late at night. It’s working for me and helps with mental health because if you spend too much time thinking about the world around you then it’s too easy to find yourself falling into a hole.
Right Now:
My day is pretty much wide open except my daughter has her second driving lesson with an instructor later today. They used to come to your home but now they are requiring us to be at the school (which is closed) so I will need to drop her off there for her lesson.
This Week:
Senior registration is this week but it conflicts with my daughter’s musical theatre intensive so for the first time ever, she’ll do the make-up registration the following week.
I have a backyard meetup for youth ministry mid-week. Just to check in with other leaders but our plans for fall are up-in-the-air at the moment. We have some options but not many of them work for my group.
Reading:
I finished and reviewed The Second Home and The Safe Place. Both, were on my summer reading list, so for once I am making progress with a list.
I started another book on my summer list, Truly Madly Guilty. I am already halfway through it. I like Moriarty’s writing. Her books are so easy to fall into.
Watching:
I am back to watching Hoarding and Lakefront Bargain Hunt. Mindless TV is all I want right now. Watching Hoarders makes me want to throw everything away. Haha.
Grateful for:
- Shrimp tacos (a perfect food)
- Really good lemonade
- A clean smelling home (I spend so much time home now)
- T Swift’s new album Folklore. It’s SO different and mature
Every week I ask you how you all are but not many respond. I suspect we are all floating in a pool of ennui.
Book Chatter 
This is probably the first Taylor Swift album my wife and I actually want to listen to… For us, I don’t think it is as much ennui as it is a simmering anger and general, and yet specific, agitation. It is why on Sundays, I try to have a true day of rest from the world and it has been (mostly) working for going on 11 weeks.
I’ve not been good at tuning out the world around me. I am starting to feel anxious about returning to work even though we haven’t been given a date yet. I can feel the stirrings and I am not ready to go back before say… January.
I’m glad you are reading voraciously right now. And I like the idea that it’s good for the mental health. I think we all have to figure out what will help us in that area. For some it might be knitting or puzzling or coloring and for other reading, walking, and checking in with blogging friends. (Mine are the last 3 – ha!)
I can’t watch Hoarders. It makes my skin crawl a bit. Like that pimple popper show. Ick! We have a been watching a bunch of remodeling shows and also Agatha Raisin. Ha!
There is something about Hoarders that I find so interesting. I do like to organize and it nearly always sends me in that direction after watching a good block of it.
I was painting a little bit, artistically and then cabinets and today I am working on my patio supports because the one area is showing a little rust. Whatever it takes to keep us busy and our minds off the mess we are living in.
Our school district made registration 100 percent online this year. In the past, you had a choice, but they tried to make it worth your while to register online by offering a small discount on school fees. Holly is ready for school now, no matter what it looks like!
I am not a TSwift fan, so neither Holly nor I have listened to the album yet. I tend towards old school pop and dance tunes lately. They make me happy and get me moving, which is important when you are home all day.
One of the best things about having a house for sale is the fact that it is always clean. I am going to push my family to maintain this regimen even after we sell it because a clean house is good for my mental health!
It is SO hot today; we are under a heat advisory. It doesn’t help that we have 90+ percent humidity to go along with the 90+ degree temperatures. I need to hit the grocery store, but my plan is to avoid outdoors at all costs until tomorrow and the storms that should break this heat pattern.
I hear ya. I was into T Swift when she first started. But never cared for her pop stuff. This album is so different and moody. Fits nicely with the pandemic we are living in.
We did a partial registration online for school but they have to show up to get their books, if there are any and because of electives my daughter always has to see the counselor to correct her schedule. One time they put her in band instead of choir.
A clean house makes me so happy but although my house is not a pig sty it feels cluttered with all my work at home stuff taking up the dining room. I hope your house sells soon. I think you said you got an offer but with a contingency. Good luck.
I’m in a bit of a reading slog right now, despite having two good books underway at the moment. My problem is the mindless TV. I’ve become addicted to Chopped and Top Chef. My daughter and I are also watching Queer Eye. All are keeping me sane. Keep hearing good things about Taylor Swift’s new album — will need to give that a listen soon.
I watched Queer Eye years ago. Who doesn’t love Carson? But my son said the reboot is very good and wanted us to check it out so we probably will. I need mindless TV more than ever.
I think I need to get Truly Madly Deeply as I really like her earlier book. It’s amazing that through a pandemic we’re all still managing to do “normal” things like learn how to drive. 🙂 I think it keeps us sane.
The driving lessons were delayed because they actually closed for several weeks. They gave us an extension so now we must be done with them by 9/12. I felt leary about her being in a car with a person she hasn’t been around but there is no way around it right now.
I have always loved reading- I love opening a book and having a pile of books around- I only used my Kindle when I traveled.That said I hit a bit of a mental snag and found my thoughts were getting the best of me in a negative way- I got started listening to books and now I am addicted- I listen to them when I walk, when I work around the house etc. I can multitask while I listen to a book. COVID had me also seeking out new authors and genres-https://crimereads.com/15-irish-crime-writers-you-should-be-reading-right-now/
Now I am on Irish crime writers so if you like murder/mystery try them out- I love the Adrian McKinty Sean Duffy series -set in the time of the Troubles I found that I love learning that history. Also really enjoyed a dystopian theme book The Last Dog on Earth .
Reading/listening books keeps me sane!
I’ll check out the T Swift album – sounds quieter right? You’re doing great on your reading & summer list, good going! I’m in Calif now but just waiting to see folks, too much alone time this past week! Miss my dog too. but at this point … I got to carry on. & see if I can make this trip work.
Swift’s album is quieter but still simmering with rage. LOL.
So you are one week into quarantine already, right? Soon you will be able to see your family. It will be so nice to finally do so. And the weather by the coast must be nice. It’s over 100 here most days but I can deal with 100. As soon as it goes over 105 I get cranky. I invited a friend over for social distancing coffee this Friday and it’s supposed to be 101 degrees. We will meet outside and way apart. We did it once and although it was warm it was also nice to talk to a human.
I’m not a Swift fan, but maybe I’ll check out the new one in passing.
Still reading poetry, and mostly only poetry. I am slowly “reading” The Institute on Audible. It’s slow…and off somehow.
We did head to the state park near us and Kat spent time with her bestie in the river. So that made her happy, but we’re all exhausted today.
This T Swift album is so moody and quiet.
I need to spend some time outdoors. I am getting a little crazy from being at home too much.
Hey, Ti. Every week I think I will answer how I’m doing but I hold back. Why? Because I’m a true introvert who is finding this a wonderful release from obligations to leave my house. And I don’t want to make you feel worse than you already do, because I’m enjoying isolation.
I do feel for you, I really do. Having an active family and being a people person, you must find the whole thing more than difficult to handle.
I’m retired, grocery stores have curb-side pickup, church is on zoom – every bit of it. I visit weekly on Facetime with my out-of-province granddaughter, and my in-province grandsons are part of our mandated “bubble”. I have a garden and a houseful of unread books. Nobody is calling about social activities. What more could I want?
I’m sorry. I’ll keep quiet. Hang in there, my friend.
You and I are very similar actually. I don’t consider myself an introvert but I was so busy leading up to this pandemic. I had four to five things scheduled for each day. No time to meet a friend for dinner. No time to just stay home and sit on the couch. My husband remembers when I sat in a restaurant before all this and said something needs to happen in the world that forces us to slow down. And then we get this pandemic. My prayers were answered but not in the way I expected.
I am good with being home. I hope my work does not call me to return to campus before January but I am getting the feeling it will be soon. I just get bored with the same four walls. I need to do some outdoorsy stuff while still distancing because I never realized how much I need the outside to feel normal. Plus, so ashamed of this but I have gained 20 lbs since March and it’s making me miserable. Today, I am working on turning that around. I have to! I can’t wear any of my clothes right now.
So when I ask how you all are I really want to know. I am glad you shared. And see, we aren’t that different. My husband is driving me crazy though he gets so bored and he still goes to work every day since he works alone. I just feel for my daughter though. She needed a break too but this college application and audition process in a pandemic is really tough to navigate.
I’m glad I have my garden to work on because I always feel better when I’ve had some outside time – although, I can be perfectly happy without it.
And I’ve gained 15 lbs since March – and it’s worrying me sick: obesity is another risk factor in this disease and I’m also over 65. I think we are not alone in this weight gain thing. Everything took us by surprise.
P.S. – That’s so often the way with prayers: being answered in ways we didn’t anticipate, or could have even imagined. This one was a knock-out 😉
On the weight front, I lose some and then I gain some. It’s an age thing too, I think but at this rate, I’ll be wearing my jammies when I am told to return to work because nothing else fits.