My neighbor down the block decorated the sidewalk with encouraging messages. Love it!
Well, needless to say it’s been an interesting couple of weeks. I’ve been holed up at home with my husband, two boys (ages 15 and 13) and our dog, EmmyLou. For the most part, we’ve begun to adjust to this odd new normal. Sure, we still sleep in a bit and sometimes eat dinner later than usual, but we are settling in somewhat to routines, finding time to work, get outside, and hang out together as a family.
Believe it or not, I still haven’t managed to dig into that things-to-do list from my last post, mainly because I had a new editing project come in that same day. I love it when the universe conspires this way. My having work with the promise of more to come is a always a good thing, but especially now. Just last Friday, my husband learned that all work with his main client—the work that essentially floats our boat each month—will be suspended from the end of April through ??. It may be for a few months, but it could be longer. Really, who can say at times like these?
So as we wrap our minds around what that means for our sweet family of four plus pup, we’ve been working on taking things day by day and practicing gratitude. These are a few of the experiences we’ve had over the past two weeks that wouldn’t have been possible in our hectic, pre-corona virus affected lives. I’m grateful for each and every one of them.
- Going for a run around Lake Nokomis with my 15-year-old and our pup at 10 am on a Wednesday morning.
- Family walks along the lovely West River Parkway. (With all family members present!) Feeling so thankful to live in Minneapolis, with miles and miles of biking and walking paths, and the fantastic park system.
- Learning to play Catan with Will, Theo, and Brian on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
- Cooking with my boys.
- Lots and lots of family movie time.
- Appreciating the little things…like chats over the fence with great neighbors and seeing friends while out on a run or walk.
- Time. I can’t really remember when I’ve had the luxury of this much time. Honestly, I think February may have been the busiest month I’ve ever had, and to go from that frenetic pace to almost a complete stop was a bit jarring at first, but now it’s rejuvenating. I’m trying to be thoughtful about how I spend this time.
- Instagram. (I know. Funny that I list this one right after what I just said above, right?) More specifically: pottery videos on instagram. I was deep into a pottery phase when the world came to a screeching halt. Now, with no access to a studio, I’m so appreciating the how-to videos potters have been posting on instagram. I’m looking forward to doing the Kurinuki lidded jar demo project from
with my family.
- Messages and thoughtful gestures from friends and neighbors. Last week I opened the front door to head out for a run and discovered a bag of chocolate-dipped biscotti and a sweet note from my friend, Renata. So kind! And the sidewalk notes from neighbors have warmed my heart. I’m also appreciating seeing posts about the ways people are helping others. From making masks, to dropping off flowers or much-needed groceries, to simply checking in on one another. These actions give me hope.
- Spring. Can you feel it? Okay, spring would have happened in spite of this outbreak, but now we have the time to actually enjoy it. On Friday I was thrilled to get an email from Mother Earth Gardens, our local garden store, offering a chance to order pansies, seeds, and other seasonal garden items online for curbside pick up. This lifted my spirits immediately. I predict this will be a banner year in the garden! In fact, it’s a great time to start seeds. (For plenty of fun gardening projects to fill your days, check out The Nitty Gritty Gardening Book and Dig In!)
What are you doing to appreciate the extra time you have these days? I’d love to hear from you! Be well!
Kari Cornell 