Pictures and More Pictures

Drinking lots of tea and a variety of activities have kept me occupied during this time of confinement ['social distancing']. Today I've been scanning photos. I set the card table up in my office to accommodate two drawers of my pictures, and a large tote filled with my mother's photos sits on the floor nearby.

In addition to the two drawers, I also had a shoe box full of pictures.  I smiled when I looked at the old box from Kinney Shoes.  Do you remember that shoe store?  They went out of business in 1998.  The writing on the lid indicates I got the shoes when I was in Jr. High School [1959-1961].  Look at the price - $3.99!  Those were the days!

I don't know which one of us has the most pictures.  When my mother passed away in 2014 she had boxes and boxes of them.  I sorted and pitched a lot [people I didn't know], gave a lot to relatives, and ended up with one tote.  

I think I have enough pictures to scan to last through the duration of the Coronavirus confinement.  When I'm done, I'll have Shutterfly photo books made.  

I love my daily devotional book, Jesus Always, by Sarah Young © 2016, but yesterday's devotion was as if she wrote it amidst the current Coronavirus pandemic.  She concluded with a Scripture reference found in Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Be safe and stay well.  

Checking-In

Happy First Day of Spring!

It's 46 degrees in southeastern Michigan today with gray skies, but at least there's no snow on the ground.  

Just taking a few minutes to check-in with you.  This won't be a real newsy post because there's not much happening.  The term "unprecedented times" is surfacing frequently online and on TV, and it's definitely descriptive of what we're experiencing.  As I type this post the total number of Michigan residents who have contracted the Coronavirus has risen to 336 with four deaths, and the count will continue to rise.  

I remind myself of a post my son recently sent out to the members and friends of our church.  He wrote it while sitting at his desk in his home office.  A window above his desk overlooks his front yard and shrubbery upon which a bird was perched.  He took its picture because it reminded him of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:26, 33-34:

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?...  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Yesterday I went to a staff meeting at The Whitney.  They don't cater or offer carry-out service, so the restaurant is closed indefinitely.  They gave each of us a shopping bag of perishable food that was mostly produce.

With a very large bag of mixed salad greens and three heads of lettuce I shared the bounty with two neighbors.  There were also two fennel bulbs in the bag.  I've never cooked with fennel before so I'll have to research it. The loaf of French bread is yummy, but I'm rationing it to control my caloric intake.  A friend recently posted this funny picture on Facebook.  Yikes!  I sure don't want that to happen!

I made myself a large healthy salad last night and again today with the mixed greens and romaine lettuce, and I'm still having fun making London Fog lattes with my new frother.  Hopefully eating healthy and following the guidelines from health officials will keep the virus at bay.  

A friend recently posted this on Facebook which is applicable to me.  It's good to have a sense of humor in the midst of this pandemic to offset the seriousness of it.

I couldn't see the movie This is Patrick on Tuesday due to the closure of theaters, but I received an e-mail from CBN [Christian Broadcasting Network] saying they were making the DVD available to the public for $15, so I ordered it.  My hubby also ordered Season I of The Chosen so we'll have some good DVD's to watch soon. In the meantime, I'm content watching the Hallmark channel, HGTV and the Food Channel while sorting, organizing and purging my office.

What are you doing while you're practicing 'social distancing' by hunkering down at home?  Are you reading, putting a puzzle together, sewing, crafting or cleaning?  

This will be the first time since 2014 that I won't be doing my monthly presentation at the Assisted Living facility, but I'm glad they're doing everything possible to keep the residents well until the pandemic has ended.

Be safe and stay well everyone!