Coping with the new "normal"

Like everyone else, I am grappling with how to cope with this new scenario especially now that things are escalating in Ontario. I worry about if my family is safe, how the International University students are going to get home now they are kicked out of residence? I worry about how people on marginal incomes will be able to buy supplies and how small businesses and charities will survive.  I even worried while I was vacuuming this morning about what happens if I run out of vacuum cleaner bags and there is no way to buy more.

So I decided to make a list of what I CAN do...

1. I can try and stay in as much as possible. While I have a big list of groceries and supplies that I would LIKE to have, I can make do.

2. I can keep in touch with my family and friends via text and phone and I can even send a few more handwritten cards and notes.

3. I can take some time to purge and organize (STILL COLLECTING FOR MY CHURCH, the community will be even more in need when this blows over) if you want to save things for me.

4. I can spend more downtime, crafting, resting and reading. I had a feeling the library would close so I got all my holds and I have many more books on hand.

5. I can spend more time with my dogs, I plan on trying to get a minimum of 10 000 steps a day until school reopens or the middle of April. One Month.

6.  I have 8 more blankets to tie. Yep, I can do that in the safety of my home...

All washed and ready to go.

7. I can get my tax stuff together and file all the things in my office that have been shoved into a drawer for a rainy day. Well it looks like that rainy day is here.

8. I can have time to Spring clean my house. In order to avoid distraction, I'm going to pick one room at a time and go from there.

So I'm choosing to look at this difficult time as an opportunity. I'm also limiting the amount of time I allow myself to watch the news and I'm going to hope for the best! If we all pull together early in the game hopefully it won't go into overtime.

Wash your hands and stay safe!

The Milestone Misti

So I recently retired from my career as a Secondary School teacher. I have many good memories from those days but I am ready to have a little more free time down the road. My very good friends who know me so well got me a Misti with all the accessories. I am having a blast figuring it out and it certainly will become a very useful tool in my arsenal...

I had a wonderful PAW-tay and this is my favourite retirement photo.

I don't have many/any photos of myself recently and I really wanted one with the dogs. Look at the gray on Lindor's chin. She's going to be 8 years old on Wed. Hard to be believe. She just became a grand-doggy again as her daughter Eden had another litter of 4 pups. Maya is slowing down. She likes to sleep a lot and chase the odd squirrel despite a bum knee.

I am looking forward to planning my next Fund-raising endeavour and volunteering more, travelling a bit, and spending more time with my family and friends. OH and maybe reading at least 20 books a year! Looking forward to this next phase.