Change or Maintain?

Our leaves and flowers seem to be slow appearing this spring. Definitely later than last year, but not really unusually late. Maybe the social distancing and isolation just has a person anxious to see change.

We’ve had about a week now of cooler and windier weather than normal, so I’m sure once the warm sun returns things will pop.

How are things growing where you are?

Yard-work is not my favourite pastime. Let me rephrase that, yard maintenance is not my favourite thing to do. If we were building or changing something outside I’d be all in, but I have to force myself to do the weekly weeding.

If it was up to me there would be some flowerbed and rock-garden changes done this year, but Mister has the “why change things” attitude. He says why do major projects when it’s up for sale, which is reasonable. It’s just with what’s going on in the world we also doubt it will sell this year. Money spent on different landscaping wouldn’t be a recoupable expense.

We had this cottage built fourteen years ago, and have lived here full time since 2009 with little to no major changes.

I’m feeling a real need to change something inside or out.

Normally, painting a interior room would solve this restlessness and would have been a winter project. Edging around 22 windows, 6 doorways, and tall vaulted ceilings made me think it might be more than this aged body should tackle though. I know I can do it I have in the past. I also remember how much work it was. Before you think it, no, having someone else do it does not satisfy my need to change something.

I’m sure professionals out there will say I have some big underlying issues with needing change, but really I’m just tired of seeing the same old same old.

Do you like change? 

I’ve mentioned before that woodworking is one of my favourite hobbies. Not having a garage though means it’s done in warmer weather outside. I spend the snowy winter months planning projects, and I’m chomping at the bit to get started on them.

I’m certain that’s why spring yard work irritates me, it has to be done before projects get started.

So there’s my dilemma, I feel stuck wanting to change something or at least get started on some outside projects. Hurry up and warm up weather, quit with showers and blustery winds.

Do you like to rearrange furniture, paint rooms, change or add landscaping?

Are you content with material things staying a certain way for long periods?

What About After?

Does anyone else have these thoughts?

Are you ever going to be able to relax while in a crowd, or even just shopping or dinning out again?

Knowing this virus is still out there, how fast it can spread, or that this could happen again with a different virus, just how much paranoia is healthy?

Will flights, cruises or even mass gatherings have any appeal to you?

I’m hoping Mister and I can find a comfortable middle ground. I do think it’s going to take some time though.

Air travel won’t be in our near future, but to be fair, Mister has never enjoyed airports. We were checking out cruises when this all started, but they aren’t high on our priority list anymore either.

Respecting a strangers personal space anywhere we are will be our new habit.

Not to the point of if I’m in an elevator and a crowd enters I’ll flip out, at least I hope I won’t, but my eyes may widen if someone in there starts coughing or sneezing.

Will this isolation experience forever change your habits?

We’re still hanging in here, hope you are too.

One Thing At A Time

A Family Float taken years ago

I’ve been a bit quiet blogging lately so here’s an update as to why. When this isolation started I thought I was going to continue writing posts from my already outlined file. Yet, when I read a draft its level of importance in life has changed. For most, it just doesn’t feel like the right time to post them. They’re not deleted their day may come.

I’m sure I’m not alone feeling that with each added week of isolation I’m becoming more unsettled. Motivation has become my biggest obstacle. My attitude sways towards, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” it’s not like there’s anything else happening. I’ve lost the scheduled routine of what needed to be done every week.

Don’t get me wrong, part of this slowed down lifestyle I think we needed and I hope to continue practicing it.

I use to always tell myself, “I’ll sleep or relax when I’m dead”. My new motto might just be, “Every minute of every day shouldn’t be scheduled unless time to relax is included.”

Or, maybe my motivation issue is because most of the enjoyable stuff is done on my to-do-list.

I have been ticking things off which feels great, but I also hope this isolation ends before I have to do some of the remaining boring items. My temporary remedy is the other day I added about 10 new things to the list for more choices.

I should probably be ashamed to mention these, but I’m actually proud of myself for getting them done.

Our son is married and has a young son, and I recently got all of my old stashed notes recorded in his baby book.

Another impressive feat was completing the “Grandmother” book our older set of grandchildren gave me in 2003. This one has 64 pages of questions to be filled out regarding my childhood right up to views for the future, and then it’s to be given back to them. It’s now sitting here waiting for us to be able to deliver it.

I have material from 2006 to make a quilt which has finally made it to the cutting table, but we’ll see how far I get with that.

Our snow has finally melted and spring has arrived, so outside work takes priority. It also means I can start some woodworking.

Have you gotten anything done that’s been on your list for a long time?

Do you have something on your to-do-list you’re not looking forward to tackling?

My main one is, resealing our paved driveway which I’m guessing is around 1000 square feet. The worst part is we know this chore has to get done.

All in all, things with Mister and I are as good as can be expected. Life hasn’t stopped throwing us a few curve balls, but I’m sure that’s happening to everyone. 

(knock on wood) We’re still virus free, and as far as we know family and friends also are, so this is great.

It looks like summer is going to be nothing like what we had planned which sucks big time, but that’s out of our control.

Stay healthy and sane everyone. (smiley face)