A to Z Challenge – B

The letter B…

My mom and dad always had books they were reading as we were growing up.  And they passed that love of reading onto me and my sister.  I loved to read and read a lot of books to my daughter as she was growing up.  She in turn now is always using her spare time for reading.  I don’t read like I used to.  I was at a place with my vision where with my glasses on I couldn’t see the print, but with my glasses off to read, I couldn’t see at a distance if I looked up for some reason.  So last month I broke down and saw the doctor.  I am now the proud owner of a pair of bifocals.

Photo by Oziel Gómez on Pexels.com

My hope is that I will be able to resume my reading of books now.  I do still have the issues of fibro fog making me forget what I have already read sometimes.  I do read a lot of blogs too.  Any time I read something short or long it can transport me out of my life for a while to live through the characters.  So, if you haven’t guessed yet, my B gratitude is for books!

A to Z Challenge – A

There is this challenge going on in April.  An A to Z challenge and I think I want to try to write for it like I did last year.  Often people will offer a theme for their part in the challenge.  I have given it a lot of thought and will be doing A to Z gratitudes.  In this time of crisis around the world we should all focus on the good things we still have and show gratitude as often as you can.  Focusing in on the things I am grateful for during this shut down and isolation will help me cope a little too.  As today is April first I say let’s jump into it…

 

The letter A…

There is something to be said about timing.  Sometimes things just work out well even though they were not planned that way.  I would not call myself a gamer, but I do indulge in the occasional video game and have a couple of games on my phone.  One game my daughter and I have played for years is called Animal Crossing.  It is a all age friendly little game about village life.  There was a new version for the Nintendo Switch that just came out about a week ago.  This time you are on a deserted island and you do a little island hopping to gather friends to join you on the island until it becomes a little village.  You can fish, catch bugs and take care of trees, weeds and flowers.  A little shop sets up on the island for some supplies.  It is a cute little time killer.  And with our governor requesting us all to stay home I have lots of time to play.  So, for me the letter A gratitude goes to Animal Crossing.

Mumbles … Pass

I just want to put my two cents worth in right now.  I kindly will pass on getting the corona virus, thank you.  I have better things to do this week and really enjoy breathing fairly easy – I have asthma, so it is not perfect all the time.  So, whoever is listening… I don’t want the “rona” (as my daughter refers to it), I want a treatment, vaccine, and cure found for it sooner rather than later, and I want people to stop freaking out until that research is done.  There is no need for hording toilet paper.  If everyone respected each other, there would be enough to go around.  The people on the front lines are over worked and understaffed worse than normal – be kind.  And thank the people who are still working for you in one manner or another – medical personnel, food service, retail, delivery people of all kinds, police and fire, the newscasters who try to keep us updated on the latest information, the people who keep your cable and internet running and those who clean up our world.  They are all still out in the thick of it while you are at home trying to fill your day, so it passes quickly.  …end of rant.

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – pass

Mumbles … Conflate

It was time for another Google search… who uses the word conflate?  I looked at it and thought cornflakes.  Seriously, I had to look this one up.  It means to combine.  I got to thinking … depression and anxiety are two things that should not be conflated.  Especially with this pandemic happening.

My anxiety makes me worry about the virus 24/7.  And the isolation from keeping up with social distancing just fuels my depression.  So, I worry and try not to cry.  I have to worry about my boyfriend.  he works retail and I am sure not everyone is going to social distance themselves when they are sick.  So they come into the store to (try to) buy cold medicine and tissues and then go through the check-outs coughing everywhere.

My daughter is also a part of a service industry – a coffee shop manager.  Corporate headquarters and state mandates mean she is still open but only for to go and drive-thru orders.  And wouldn’t you know it… people come through a drive-thru sick also.

I have seen it multiple times on Facebook recently – thank a truck driver bringing supplies, thank retail workers stocking and selling you items you need, thank the medical community as they all are putting their own health on the line to serve you.

I should stop mumbling and try to read more posts that I am behind on.  I have just conflated a bunch of words together to make a semi-coherent blog.  Hope you all stay safe!  (((HUGS)))

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – conflate

Blankety Blank…

It is 4am and I give up.  Ever since I saw the word prompt there has only been one thing on my mind.  It is a song by Tanya Tucker called “Strong Enough To Bend” and it was a song I used to sing occasionally at karaoke.   Otherwise my mind is drawing a big blank.  So this is my poor excuse for writer’s block…

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – bend

Fandango’s Friday Flashback – March 13

I have a little time to sneak in this post this week.  I go back to 2017 when I was doing a daily happiness and gratitude challenge originally posted here.

Happy and Grateful – Day 71

As March begins I continue with my goal to find happiness and gratitude every day.  There is at least some small thing that can bring a smile and give you a moment to be grateful for.  Please join me in looking for the good moments of the day … it would be great if you would share them in the comments or on your own blog.  Be aware of the little wonders of the day!

Today I have spent a lot of it worrying.  Worrying is something I am really good at, I learned worrying from my Mom.  She would stay up late listening to the police scanner when my Dad worked overnight shift as a policeman.  So I definitely learned a thing or two from her.

First there is a winter storm advisory out for the night.  Last I looked we had a couple of inches of snow already.  But we aren’t supposed to get more than 5 inches.  Probably the most we have had in a storm this year, but I have been through a lot worse in the past.  My biggest concern was my daughter getting home from work and she made it fine.

I have also been worried about a friend who is seeing his biological father for the first time in a lot of years.  He never really knew him at all growing up and they were meeting tonight.  I felt better after he texted me things went ok for the night.

My worrying has been done for the day.  I am happy I can relax a little now.  Taking my anxiety meds will help too.  I am grateful every one is safe and happy.  Now if I can just get my tension level down enough to sleep…

 

 

Fandango’s Friday Flashback (FFF) – March 13

Mumbles … Predicament

Photo by hermaion on Pexels.com

The shelves are getting bare here.  There is no hand sanitizer at the local Walmart.  The cleaning solutions aisle is about empty.  There are no face masks.  And don’t get me started on the toilet paper aisle.  If people keep hording these things there are many people who are going to be in quite a predicament.  Why do people panic and buy out the stores?  If you are not in a high-risk group you may get COVID-19, but you will survive it most likely.  I don’t have all the numbers and stats even though I have read them in the past.  That is not what this is about.

How much toilet paper does one household need?  Why haven’t the stores put limits on how much people can buy?  I feel sorry for those who really need it – like someone going through a colonoscopy prep.  There are just some things you need softness for.

In all seriousness… now is a time to think of others.  Take only what you need and leave some for the rest of us.  Stay healthy everyone!

 

*Oh and as a final note that was the only toilet paper picture on Pexels free link here… it bothers me because it is on BACKWARDS! 😲

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – predicament