September 22, 2020
2020 has been a crazy year. This year will be noted in history as the year of the pandemic for corona virus. I am normally a bit hermitty so initially staying at home was fine. However, there is a difference between choosing to stay at home versus being requested/required to stay at home. I went through some stages of dealing with this situation. As there are stages of grief, there are stages of dealing with a quarantine. First for some, they buy up all of the toilet paper that they can lay their hands on. Thank goodness I am a prepper for some things as I was fine during the toilet paper shortage. The idea of using leaves to wipe my butt is just not for me--with my luck, I would choose leaves that I was allergic to and then have a totally other problem to deal with.
I began to suffer a bit from being home every day, all day long--no more trips to the grocery or lowes or to knit group at my local yarn store. I even began to miss the motorcycle group events--and if you didnt know, riding my motorcycle scares the shit out of me but I do it to get myself out of my box and feel alive. However, the worst part of this whole ordeal was no more swimming for me--the local aquatic center closed in March and still has not reopened. Of course, in March, I popped a tendon from my right leg. I was informed from the doctor that it is a vestigial tendon, meaning we dont really need that muscle/tendon nor use it much. However, I want to inform you that it hurts like a mother fucker to be popped off. Useless does not mean painless. And the ER did not give me any meds for pain--can we say that I have slight malice in my heart for that nurse practitioner who saw me to experience that same pain? I bet he would prescribe pain meds lickety spit for himself if so. It took me about 2 months to be able to walk again on my right leg correctly. I started walking with my neighbors in the mornings at 6:15 am (getting up at 5:30 am) so I could get exercise and perhaps lose the weight I had gained. However, I so miss swimming. I have been swimming pretty consistently since I started swimming in 11th grade when I joined the water polo team. (And to add insult to injury, my left leg has felt the need that perhaps it should pop its tendon to match the right. I think my body is redesigning itself, much against my will.) I started sewing a WHOLE LOT and I dont really like to sew but I am pretty good at it. I made pandemic dresses, colorful dresses with frog fabrics. When I wear one, I feel like I look like an escapee from a mental institution. I even made some and gave them away.
I pulled out a dollhouse that my grandfather started (he built the walls and painted it--my favorite color YELLOW--sarcasm is dripping here) and never got to finish before he died in 1987. I was given his kit and accessories back then and have lugged them with me ever since. Thus a new hobby/craze was created. I will eventually create a separate blog for the build of the dollhouse, but I thought I would show a picture of it here. I have installed 'hardwood' flooring on first level and have other levels to add and do more 'hardwood' flooring and even tiling. Yes you read that correctly. I found miniature tiles for dollhouses and bought enough to create a tiled bathroom in the house. (I went a little overboard in my purchases and now a little bit of a credit card debt to pay off. Stupid me. However, the dollhouse may become the dream home I have always wanted but at a much lower cost. Maybe a win here--unless you consider that I cannot live in it, then a loss. I'll take it as a win as I like being positive.) Then once house is built, I have the furniture kits to build the furniture. A test of my wood working skills here.
Knitting continued of course, just me and Netflix instead of with my knit group sometimes. I built three new raised beds, two from lumber around the house and one from store bought lumber--all cedar. Two hold strawberry plants--two styles, one ever bearing and other is June bearing. The other bed is for asparagus. Next year, may I have a bountiful harvest of all.
I stayed quite busy with many different projects. I even learned how to change out the 8 year old battery in my laptop Apple computer WITHOUT shorting said computer out! (My battery was not keeping a charge and I thought I might have to buy a new computer but nope, thankfully.)
During this time, I thought about my life and dreams. I had one dream left to lose from my previous life--restoring a classic car. I had a cabin that I sold in 2015 and with the $ earned, I bought a classic car to restore--a 1977 Fiat 124 Spider rag top. (I named her Pearl in honor of the fact that 2015 was my 20th year wedding anniversary and I had wanted a pair of pearls to commemorate the feat.)
I had thought my ex and I would do this car restoration project together and have a hobby for two. But alas, not to be. So, with divorce the car came with me and I drove it every so often but I really didnt have the $ to restore. I was reluctant to part with her and I kept her. But really, I dont like to keep things I dont need/use so I decided to sell the car. However, I did not get offers for what I had put into the car--many wanted to pay much less. And I guess I really wasnt ready to part with Pearl then because I did not accept any of those offers.
And the quarantine continued and I am still unable to swim. So, I decide to give the car away but to whom? Well, I have an older brother who I adore and who really doesnt have a hobby except to work and maintain his house and rentals and be a great husband/dad/son. He is quite handy with motors and all, so I asked him if he wanted Pearl and he was thrilled with the idea. So he and his son came in July and took Pearl to her new home with them in Georgia. He even kept her name, Pearl. I cried a little bit. Losing this last dream was easier than I thought possible as my brother has taken it on in a way--its a work in progress for him and his two boys. He even figured out the electric short and car is drive-able now.
Now my spot to park my truck is available again--only one spot in 2 car garage for truck to fit as it is too long for other spot by kitchen door. However, I am missing swimming terribly and that spot is perfectly sized for an Endless Pool--the handy man special one. What to do? Dilemma as I dont have the necessary funds for a pool. And yet, I might. I decide that I would rather own a pool versus owning/riding a motorcycle. It may be only a matter of time before I wreck doing an activity that isnt really my passion. So, I have decided to sell my bike and a few other things. I decided that if I can get 2/3 of the $ needed for a pool, then it is meant to be for me to own a pool. Then I can swim year round, no matter the weather or the world conditions for pandemics (or zombie apocalypses.) I am also starting up a miniature dollhouse business on Etsy. I enjoy crafts and so I am taking all that I have learned/taught myself over the years and putting myself to work on making items for dollhouses. My shop is called Laughingfrogspad on Etsy. I have not sold anything yet, but I am hopeful. I am determined to have a pool. I am okay with no sales yet, as the garage space has stuff in it. And for a pool to go in garage? The whole garage needs to be cleaned/decluttered/organized and wiring done for pool. Plus two new garage doors--one to replace the one I backed into 2 years ago and bent a little out of shape. At least it still opens and closes--most of the time anyways. (And yes, the dingbat in me is alive and well. Maybe one day I will post the pictures of the accident I had with my truck and the handicap parking pole at my local Food Lion. The damned pole won and my truck was basically totaled but the insurance company decided to fix instead. Thank goodness as I certainly dont have $ for a car payment.
Lastly, I have joined a few dating sites. Initially I typed the word singles on my blog, but changed to dating, as I had found that singles wasnt the case. There are men on these sites that are married but pretend to be single or are married and say they are in an open relationship (I wonder if their spouse/significant other knows they are in an open relationship?) or some who say they want to make a threesome. (I like mono on mono, thank you very much.) Dating during a pandemic--I think that might be an oxymoron phrase. I am 2 months into this endeavor and have only met one decent man of the many I have come across and/or exchanged texts/emails with. However, our paths in life are not in alignment for future goals. (I have done the divorce route and am ready--well, big toe dipping into the water ready--for a relationship and he is just starting the divorce route--he is coming out of the water and drying off for a bit to take a break--from a relationship.) If doing a Kathy Bates on him from the movie "Misery" and keeping him wasnt illegal, I would do it. But alas, it is. And yet, I dont think what I would have in mind would bother the captured man--he might want to stay my captive. Haha. However, one more month of this dating endeavor and then I shall say goodbye to trying to date for a bit. Enough excitement (disappointment really) for awhile there.
Anyway, 2020 is not over yet and maybe there will be more to happen? I must admit, I could take status quo right now, with just having my goal of earning $ for the pool be the most excitement and then getting the pool. Of course, then having to build it? I must like projects as my life is constantly filled with them.
addendum: I guess I should post something regarding the animals and fruits of labor rewards? The chickens finally were put in their own quarantine, I mean pen. I realized I was spending more time and effort and some $ undoing their damage to the yard. And the dogs were staying fat from eating chicken poo and chicken food. Well, the dogs have lost weight and the yard isnt in more of a state of disrepair--still disrepair but at least no new damage. The chickens try and escape periodically when I open the gate but for the most part, I think they have accepted their new smaller digs. However, a new problem has arisen with them--12 chickens and only 4-5 eggs a day (if I am lucky), with sometimes one being broken/eaten by a hen. As this is a farm, these creatures are here to give me eggs to eat and eggs to sell and they are not fulfilling their part of the deal. So, they are on a lease of life here. Come Spring, if still low yields, then time for these girls to become roasting hens instead of laying hens. I so hope they resume laying as I do not plan to be the one to carry out their death sentences nor will I be able to eat them. I shall have to find someone for those chores and/or enjoyment.
The peaches rotted on the tree--too much rain. Gee, who knew rain could do that. I have had blackberries, blueberries, and grapes--dirt farming. As for GH aquaponics, I have had swiss chard, tomatoes and strawberries. Nothing in great abundance but more like teasers of what may happen in the future? I shall hope. Humidity is still an issue as the mold/fungus persists, even with a fan blowing in the GH and the GH opening its vents for water to escape. I have raised caterpillars and slugs--unwillingly of course. And I discovered that slugs sink into the water whereas caterpillars float on the water surface. Kind of cool there. Fall is coming--today is the first day of Fall and so, I shall be planting more in the GH and hope for a good winter crop of something. Hopefully NOT collard greens--so far that has been the best crop I have grown and I still dont like collard greens. But I am eating them.
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