Month: April 2020

Inspiration for an easy jean outfit

/ edebock / 3 Comments

LogoAs you no doubt know by now, I read several fashion bloggers for “women of a certain age” on a regular basis. I’ve posted links to their blogs here. Every now and then, one of them posts an outfit that inspires me to try to create something similar from what I have in my own closet. I like to think of this as being inspired rather than copying!

This is exactly what happened about a week ago when Brenda Kinsel published a post entitled Easiest jean outfit recipe for the COVID season and beyond.

Brenda Kinsel

The key ingredient in her outfit is her beautiful Dressori kimono jacket. I don’t have anything like that in my closet, but its denim colour brought to mind something that I do have, my cabi waterfront shirt from several seasons ago.

Though it can be worn as a button-up shirt, I much prefer to wear it open over another top.

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Here I’m wearing it with a pair of medium wash Gap jeans and a plain white t-shirt from Uniqlo. While Brenda fashioned her outfit to meet a friend for coffee at an award winning hotel and spa, mine is much more a relax at home during the COVID-19 pandemic sort of outfit. Even at home, however, I like to finish my outfits with appropriate accessories.

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I tried a long necklace first, but it didn’t play well with the ties on the waterfront shirt, so I decided to wear my black pearl heritage necklace from cabi instead. I added some simple silver earrings and my Nordgreen watch with its navy leather band. Since I was staying home, I also wore the SoftMoc slippers that I featured in last Friday’s post.

After reading that post, one of my friends told me that she thought I should get a commission because she decided to order a pair. Many fashion bloggers actually do monetize their blogs by advertising for various brands and receiving a small commission when one of their readers places an order. Some also receive free product in return for featuring it on their blog. Though the idea of free clothing does have appeal, I consciously decided not to try to go this route with my blog. When I mention a brand, such as cabi, Nordgreen, or SoftMoc, there’s nothing in it for me. I blog simply because I love writing and I love the connection that it gives me with you, my readers. Monetizing would make it feel like a job and possibly take some of the fun out of it. If I wanted to go that route, I suspect that I might also have to start a second completely separate blog so that I could continue to share opinion pieces that might not meet the approval of companies I chose to be affiliated with.

Essential or non-essential?

/ edebock / 6 Comments

As the Covid-19 shutdown continues and spring finally comes to Alberta, I’m hearing more and more discussion about essential versus non-essential services particularly amongst my fellow golfers. I have a great deal of respect for Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Deena Hinshaw, but there are many who are taking strong exception to her declaration that golf courses are non-essential and must remain closed. This has been made worse by the fact that courses in our neighbouring province of British Columbia are open.

I love golfing and I eagerly await the opening of our local course each spring, but I would have a difficult time arguing that it’s an essential service. On the other hand, it definitely contributes to physical and mental well-being and it’s an activity that could quite easily be done while still maintaining appropriate social distancing. Adaptations could be put in place to ensure that golfers are not touching surfaces such as flag sticks.

One of the greatest sources of frustration for many people is the inconsistency in what is being deemed essential and what is not. For me, the most obvious example is cannabis shops. How is it that a substance that was illegal less than two years ago is now essential? Grocery stores, yes. Pharmacies, of course. But, cannabis stores? I don’t think so! In fact, I was even a bit surprised to see liquor stores remain open.

I realize that there are those who use cannabis medicinally, but like any other prescribed medication, they were able to access it legally long before it became available to the rest of us in October 2018. There’s no reason why it can’t still be accessible to patients who need it during the pandemic without the shops that cater to recreational use being open.

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There would definitely be a lot less grumbling about following current public health orders if they were consistent. Golf or cannabis? Why one but not the other?

One day at a time

/ edebock / 4 Comments

I’ve been pondering why it is that I don’t seem to be as stressed out by the Covid-19 shutdown as many people around me are. First of all, I acknowledge, as I have before, that I have it easier than many. As a retiree, I don’t have a business to close, a job to lose, or children at home. Trusting in a God who makes manna also makes all the difference in the world, but I believe that there’s another factor as well.

For most of my life I was a long term planner to such an extent that I tended to live more in the future than the present. When I retired a little over a decade ago, one of my primary goals was to learn to live more in the moment. I didn’t anticipate that cancer would be what it took to teach me that, but when we’re not guaranteed a future (none of us really is), we start to look at life quite differently and each day becomes a gift. What I’ve discovered about myself during this unusual time is that I truly have met my goal! While people all around me are worrying and making dire predictions about how long this is going to last, I’m finding myself quite unbothered by that aspect of it. I’ve learned to inhabit one square on the calendar at a time and I’m not giving a lot of thought to what the future will bring. It’s very much a “que sera, sera” attitude, but it seems to be serving me well!

I’m sad that I won’t be able to celebrate with two grandchildren who have birthdays in the next couple of weeks and that the trip we were planning for next month had to be put on hold. I’m also hoping that we won’t have to miss a whole season of camping and golf, but mostly I’m just living one day at a time and not worrying about what next week or next month might hold.

An old Merle Haggard song keeps running through my head:

One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking from you.
Give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine,
So for my sake teach me to take one day at a time.

One Day at a Time Calendar Daily Routine Plan 3d Illustration

In closing, I want to be absolutely clear that I’m not suggesting that everyone should be experiencing this time of uncertainty in the same way that I am. Of course, I’m deeply concerned for those who are living in fear and for whom the outcome might be quite devastating. I’m simply enjoying the fact that I’ve met my goal and learned to live in the present moment.

Stay home, stay safe and I hope that you can find some joy in this day!

The power of the written word

/ edebock / 8 Comments

The Bible has a lot to say about how we ought to use our words. The book of Proverbs is full of wise sayings about the power of the tongue.

The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.  Proverbs 17:27-28
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  Proverbs 12:18

feather-pen-vector-546939It was English novelist and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton who, in 1839, wrote “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

Today, when most of us are holed up at home waiting out the Covid-19 pandemic, the written word is being used more than ever. We FaceTime and we Zoom, but we also use written platforms like Facebook and Twitter to connect with one another.

For some of us, writing is our preferred method of communication. We find it easy, but others may struggle to express themselves clearly. Without the visual and auditory clues that go along with face-to-face communication, misunderstandings can happen very easily. We definitely need to cut one another a bit of slack.

For example, a friend recently responded to something that I said on Facebook with a comment that could easily have been taken in two completely different ways. I had no way of knowing whether it was written in jest or meant to be extremely hurtful. If we had been talking face-to-face, I would have been able to tell based on her body language, facial expression, volume, and/or tone of voice. To tell you the truth, I still don’t know what her actual intent was, but because I know her and I don’t think of her as a mean person, I gave her the benefit of the doubt and assumed that, even if it fell a bit flat, her response was meant to be funny. Had I concluded that she was being nasty and responded in kind, I could have easily destroyed a relationship!

I love a good online conversation where people can express their views, have them heard, and willingly listen to the views of others. Unfortunately, however, what could have been a meaningful dialogue often becomes nothing more than a battle of words. Why is that? What can we do to prevent hurt feelings and misunderstandings? I have a few suggestions. If you have others, please add them to the comment section below.

  1. If you disagree with something that someone else has written, don’t react immediately. Take time to think about it first. Is there any truth in what they’ve written? Did they actually mean what you thought they meant? If you’re not sure, ask for clarification instead of immediately going on the defensive.
  2. Avoid getting sucked into arguments. Sadly, some people are willing to go toe-to-toe online in ways they’d never dream of doing face-to-face.
  3. Understand that your sense of humour isn’t universal and that, without cues like facial expressions and tone of voice, what is intended to be funny might not come across that way.
  4. Don’t comment on someone’s spelling or grammar. Sometimes the English teacher in me wants to take a red pen to the screen, but this is just plain rude! It’s also a tactic that’s often used by commenters who simply want to belittle someone they disagree with.
  5. Edit your responses before you post them. (There’s that English teacher again!) Read over what you’ve written. Does it actually say what you want it to say? Is it clear or could it be open to more than one interpretation?
  6. Distinguish between fact and opinion. Just as we should all know the difference between a news article and an editorial, we need to be clear when we’re the writer. If you’re declaring something to be a fact, be prepared to back it up. If it’s opinion, say so and remember that everyone is entitled to have one even if it’s different from yours. What a boring world it would be if we all agreed on everything!
  7. Remember, posting online is the same as speaking in public. If you don’t want something to come back and bite you, don’t say it online!
  8. Don’t be that person who always has to have the last word.
  9. Don’t drink and tweet! If you’re impaired in any way, whether it be from lack of sleep, a fight with your partner, or one too many drinks, you run the risk of saying something that you’ll regret. Resist the urge and wait until you’re in a better frame of mind.

Slippers

/ edebock / 8 Comments

LogoAfter a week during which I published a couple of fairly heavy posts about the fallout from Covid-19, let’s finish off with some fashion fluff! During this time when most of us are spending more time at home than usual, what are you wearing on your feet?

When I was growing up on the coast of British Columbia, we usually wore our shoes in the house. If I remember correctly, that was common in that time and place. Here on the prairie, however, almost everyone takes their shoes off at the door and when I settled here, that quickly became my habit too. Though I live in town, this is farming country and I suspect that taking your shoes off simply developed as a way to keep from tracking barnyard dirt into the house. It was a habit that served us well when we moved to Japan where homes traditionally had tatami mats on the floors and shoes are always taken off at the entrance.

My preference has always been to go barefoot, but since we live in a climate that isn’t conducive to that except for a few months of the year, I usually wear slippers in the house. Until fairly recently, my slipper of choice was a mule; comfortable and easy to slip on and off. Last winter, however, I took part in a falls prevention program put on by our local health authority. One of the topics that was covered was footwear. It was then that I really began to notice that my slippers weren’t very secure on the stairs which I usually go up and down several times a day. Since they were beginning to show signs of wear anyway, I decided to replace them with these.

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The moccasin style is warm and comfortable as well as much more secure on my feet and the rubber sole provides good grip when it’s needed. They’re available in eleven different colours and I notice that they’re even on sale right now.

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Whatever you’re wearing on your feet, I hope you’re staying home, staying safe, and coping well in spite of all the restrictions brought on by the pandemic!

Fear and Covid-19

/ edebock / 6 Comments

Yesterday’s post generated a very lengthy discussion on Facebook. As the conversation went on it became very clear that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a great deal of fear. I found it very interesting that people were not expressing fear of the disease itself. No one talked about being afraid of succumbing to the virus or even of loved ones getting sick. Instead, they expressed fear that a vaccine, once discovered, will be forced on people against their will, fear that churches, now closed, might not be allowed to reopen, fear of economic collapse, and fear that our personal freedoms are being eroded and that we’re headed down the same road as Nazi Germany. It seems to me that what people are really afraid of is change, the unknown, what life will look like when this is all over.

Some of the fears that were expressed in yesterday’s conversation may seem pretty far-fetched, but I don’t want to make light of anyone’s fears. Fear is real and it can be debilitating. It feeds upon itself and it isn’t necessarily logical or realistic. After all, the author of fear is the great deceiver himself. The Bible calls him Satan.

I once preached an entire sermon on living without fear, but in a nutshell, the antidote to fear is trust. When we put our trust in our jobs, our institutions, our relationships, our rights and freedoms, what happens when those things are stripped away? That’s what we’re finding out now.

Our devotional this morning came from Proverbs 16. The second half of verse 20 jumped out at me like a flashing neon light… “blessed is he that trusts in the Lord.” When everything in life is like shifting sand, He is the one and only constant. Total trust in God is the only true remedy for fear.

The Bible is full of admonitions not to fear.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

In these uncertain times, when trusting in the things that we usually depend on fails us, we need to trust in the only One who knows what the final outcome will be, the One who will still be with us when Covid-19 is a distant memory.

The Bible also tells us that “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). As human beings, we may not be capable of perfect love, but we are certainly capable of reaching out to others in love even while we social distance. While the circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in fear for many, they have also brought out the best in others. Whether it be singing and waving signs outside the windows of a long term care centre, dropping fresh baking on a neighbour’s doorstep, picking up and delivering groceries for someone who is self-isolating, planning a drive by birthday parade for a child who can’t have a traditional party, or just taking the time to pick up the phone and call someone who’s living alone, people are finding creative ways to reach out in love. Maybe, hopefully, this world will actually be a kinder place when this is over!

So if you’re feeling afraid, don’t just hunker down with your fear and let it fester. Trust in God and reach out in love. And if you’re truly feeling overcome, please reach out and ask for help.

Redneck thinking and Covid-19

/ edebock / 10 Comments

I live in Alberta, a province that’s well known for and somewhat proud of its redneck reputation.

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This was the politest definition I could find!

I grew up on the BC coast where people tend to have a more liberal mindset. Perhaps that’s why I sometimes have a hard time understanding how Alberta people think. These are broad generalizations or stereotypes, of course, but sometimes I really do feel like a fish out of water! Don’t get me wrong. I like country music and wide open spaces and one of the best jobs I ever had was operating a combine, but I just don’t get redneck thinking.

Take COVID-19 for example. An online poll conducted April 3 to 5 indicated that 22% of Albertans think that it’s being blown out of proportion, higher than any other province in the country. That doesn’t even include the ones who believe that it’s either a hoax or a conspiracy theory of some sort! I think my blood pressure goes up every time I open Facebook and see another one of their posts. They choose the most obscure and outlandish “news” sources and when the good Lord was handing out discernment, I think they must have been in some other line.

Yes, China wants greater control worldwide and, unfortunately, western nations are making that way too easy for them, but no, they didn’t create the virus in a lab and then release it into the atmosphere! There’s lots of scientific evidence for that. No, this isn’t some nefarious government plot to take control of our lives. I don’t even know which government they’re referring to… Canadian, American (there is a difference, you know), Chinese, or maybe they’re all in cahoots with one another? And no, we’re not living in a police state just because we’ve been asked to limit our activities to protect ourselves, our communities, and especially the most vulnerable in our midst. And no, it’s not okay if they die because they’re old anyway and have had a good life!

Yes, we’re putting up with a lot of inconveniences right now, but that’s what they are. Inconveniences! Yes, toilet paper might be hard to find. It wouldn’t be if people had been smarter in the first place, but maybe just be thankful that you have a toilet. 2.3 billion people on this planet don’t! Yes, I’d like to be able to see my doctor and have an ultrasound on my thyroid, but those who need more urgent care are getting it.

When this is all over, as it surely will be someday, if the number of deaths isn’t as high as projected, there will undoubtably be rednecks who see that as evidence that they were right all along. However, there will also be those of us who’ll realize that it’s actually proof that what we’re doing right now has been successful. After all, that is the goal isn’t it? Lives saved, not government domination.

Why is it so hard?

/ edebock / 8 Comments

As I’ve seen the news about pastors, like Rev. Tony Spell in Louisiana, who are insisting on their “right” to hold Easter services in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have to ask why is it so hard to obey stay-at-home orders that have been put in place to protect the lives of the vulnerable; the very people that churches profess to care about? Why is it so hard?

I fully understand people wanting to be with family and to take part in their traditional Easter celebrations. I’d love to be with my kids and grandkids too, but I’ve been pondering why we do what we do and why we think we need to. Nowhere in scripture are we commanded to gather together for Easter (other than the instruction not to give up meeting together in Hebrews 10:25 which, thankfully, we’re able to do virtually) or given any instructions about how to celebrate the resurrection. These are manmade traditions. Perhaps a quiet, at home Easter without all those extras is not a bad thing. Perhaps it’s a time for us to reflect in a more intentional way on the real meaning of the event which is not bunnies, eggs, and chocolate. It isn’t even necessarily going to church!

I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with the ways we usually celebrate Easter, but just this once, it’s okay to do things differently. In fact, we need to do things differently! As the church, we need to be obedient to the Word of God which tells us in several places to obey those in positions of authority over us. Romans 13:1 tells us, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Regardless of what people like Rev. Spell proclaim, we are called to obey those who put the current social distancing regulations in place! Why is that so hard?

I’m reminded of the two Easters that we spent in non Christian countries. In Japan, we did attend a Christian church and celebrated Easter there, but outside the walls of the church, there was no recognition of Easter at all. In China, where we weren’t part of any Christian organization, I’ll always remember that we went out for dinner with a couple of our college students on Easter Sunday and ate roast duck and bullfrog! Not frog’s legs, the whole frog! It was delicious, but I digress! At the end of that day, I wrote this and I think it applies as well to our current situation as it did then.

“Easter isn’t really about what we eat or who we spend the day with. Whether we’re with family around a table laden with ham and all the trimmings or in a shopping mall in China eating bullfrog, as Christians, Easter is at the centre of who we are and what we believe.”

 

Fashion and cosmetic brands join the war against Covid-19

/ edebock / 6 Comments

LogoFashion may seem frivolous, especially in times such as these, but many in the industry have shown their true colours and joined the fight against Covid-19 in some very practical ways.

Take fashion designer, Christian Siriano, for example. Siriano, who has dressed the likes of Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift and Whoopi Goldberg, initially closed his studio due to the pandemic. After receiving special permission from New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, to reopen as an “essential” business, however, he gathered his team together and set up an assembly line to produce surgical masks. Working six feet apart, of course, they turned out almost 2000 masks in the first week of production.

Balenciaga, Prada, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, H&M, Zara, Hanes, and Uniqlo are amongst many other brands, both luxury and fast fashion, who have made the switch to producing masks. In addition, Prada has been financing the ICUs in three new hospitals in Milan and Gucci committed to producing 55 000 medical coveralls as well as more than one million masks. American department store chain, Nordstrom, has teamed up with Kaas Tailored to have their alterations teams in several US states sew more than 100 000 masks.

Joanna Griffiths, founder and CEO of Canadian intimate apparel brand, Knix, while exploring whether or not that company’s leakproof nursing bras could be transformed into masks, discovered that two of Knix’s main product vendors also own factories that produced PPE (Personal Protective Equipment such as masks and gowns). Deciding that the best way Knix could help would be to purchase finished PPE rather than reinventing their own product, Griffiths launched a GoFundMe campaign that surpassed its original goal of $50 000 in just 48 hours. Should you wish to contribute, the campaign continues and you can find it here.

Canadian winter coat manufacturer, Canada Goose, has pressed its factories in Winnipeg and Toronto into service producing patient gowns and scrubs for frontline healthcare workers. Jockey has been providing healthcare workers with Tier 3 isolation gowns and others using their resources to produce gowns, scrubs, and masks include Nieman Marcus working in conjunction with JOANN fabric and craft stores, and Gap Inc. which includes  the Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic, Intermix, Hill City, and Janie and Jack brands. Ralph Lauren is also producing masks and gowns  and the charitable arm of that company, the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, is donating $10 million toward the global Covid-19 response.

You’ve probably heard about breweries producing antibacterial hand sanitizers, but they aren’t alone in that endeavour. Many cosmetic and fragrance brands have also turned their factories into production facilities for hand sanitizer. These include Estée Lauder, Guerlain, Parfums Christian Dior, LVMH, Givenchy, Coty, L’Oreal, and the Orly nail brand. Estée Lauder has also given a $2 million grant to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières to support relief efforts in countries that lack the resources to combat the virus on their own.

Shoe companies are also getting involved. Crocs is donating a free pair of shoes (including shipping) to frontline health care workers. If you’re a healthcare professional, simply visit their website to request a pair. Allbirds began by donating $500 000 worth of shoes to healthcare workers and others on the frontlines. Now they’ve launched a “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” campaign which allows customers who buy a pair of shoes for themselves to automatically provide a pair to a medical worker. If you aren’t interested in purchasing for yourself, you can simply donate a pair through the program. Find the information on this campaign here.

Numerous other fashion and cosmetic brands are finding unique ways to contribute to the worldwide fight against Covid-19. Fashion label, Michael Kors, pledged $1 million to New York based relief efforts with the designer himself personally pledging an additional $1 million. Saks Fifth Avenue is donating $600 000 to support patient care  and to address mental health needs in response to the pandemic. Kenneth Cole is donating 20% of sales to the World Health Organization’s Solidarity Response Fund. Body Shop is donating 30 000 units of cleansing products to shelters and senior centres across the United States and Canada. Finally, MAC Cosmetics is donating $10 million to 250 organizations worldwide that are committed to fighting Covid-19 as well as donating 100% of Viva Glam lipstick sales to vulnerable communities that have been impacted by the virus.

I’m certain that my research hasn’t turned up every fashion and cosmetic brand that is contributing in a meaningful way to the Covid-19 response. If you’re aware of others, please include them in the comment section and let’s all do our part by supporting these businesses both now and in the days to come!

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Coping with the new normal

/ edebock / 9 Comments

I was supposed to be in the city this afternoon for an appointment with Dr W concerning cancer #3 which is located in my thyroid. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, that didn’t happen. Clinic visits are being restricted to only the most urgent cases while people like myself are required to make do with a phone call from the doctor. Had I been in the office, Dr W would have done an ultrasound to determine whether or not there has been any change to my thyroid since I last saw him six months ago. We both agreed that that would have been the best scenario. If I was able to have an ultrasound done in the community where I live, we might have gone with that option, but the closest place that I could do that would be the hospital located an hour away. Since we both know that a hospital is a higher risk location than his clinic would be, we agreed that that wouldn’t be a good choice. Instead, we wait. We wait until the Covid-19 threat passes and I’m able to see him in his office again. He’s predicting June or July, but no one knows for sure. We wait and we pray that the cancer doesn’t grow or spread; that the additional two or three months doesn’t make a difference.

I was also planning to stop into the University Hospital dental clinic this afternoon to pick up a supply of the fluoride gel that I use once a day to protect my teeth from harmful effects of the radiation that I received after cancer #2 was surgically removed.  Thankfully, though, that can be sent to me by mail.

As we enter the fourth week since our province declared a state of emergency and services began to shut down, we’ve all experienced many changes. Most, like accessing my fluoride, have been fairly simple to deal with, while others, like not being able to see Dr W and have my scheduled ultrasound, are more challenging and may have serious long term effects.

Thankfully, for retirees like hubby and I, the impact of Covid-19 has thus far been easier to bear than it has been for many others. We don’t have a business to close, jobs to lose, or children to teach at home. Nevertheless, the novelty of staying home 24/7 wears pretty thin and many of the frustrations that go along with the current situation affect us all. In light of this, I thought I’d share a few things that are helping me deal with our new normal.

Routine.  I like routine at the best of times, but it’s even more important in times of uncertainty. This doesn’t mean that I can’t be flexible or spontaneous, but having some structure to my day really helps keep me on an even keel.

Adequate sleep.  I try to go to bed at night and get up in the morning at about the same time each day. That takes a bit of self-discipline. I tend to be a night owl and I could easily stay up way too late, but I know that I function best if I get about 8 hours of sleep a night. Thankfully, in spite of the fact that I’ve had a couple of nights where odd dreams that probably indicate an elevated stress level have kept me from sleeping well, most nights have not been like that and I feel well rested.

Exercise.  I’m very fortunate that, unlike many people who are finding it difficult to exercise because their gyms have closed, I have everything I need here at home. Monday to Friday my day begins with a 25 minute exercise routine that focuses on core strength, flexibility, and balance. Our basement gym consists of a treadmill, two weight benches, and a large assortment of free weights. Three afternoons a week find me down there lifting weights and on the alternate days, I either walk on the treadmill or outdoors. Sunday is usually a day of rest.

Healthy diet.  If anything, we’ve been eating better than ever since the beginning of this pandemic because I’ve been a little more intentional about meal planning. That started three weeks ago when we visited five grocery stores in one afternoon and found their meat departments almost empty! Thankfully, the shortage didn’t last and I’ve since been able to add enough to the freezer to last us quite awhile. We keep very little unhealthy snack food in the house, so even with many more hours at home, we haven’t been tempted to fill up on junk food.

Spiritual nourishment.  Prayer and Bible reading are regular parts of my daily routine that help keep me balanced. We’ve been missing the opportunity to meet in person on Sunday mornings, but we’ve been enjoying church online.

News, but not too much!  I don’t want to live with my head buried in the sand, but at the same time, I don’t want to become obsessed with every detail of what’s going on. I’ve continued my habit of reading the news after breakfast every morning. We subscribe to one newspaper online. I check the world, national, and local news each day, but I very seldom read editorials. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been watching our provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health give her daily Covid-19 update each afternoon online, but I don’t watch TV news.

Connection.  Staying in touch with friends and family by phone and online has been a vital part of staying sane. I enjoyed a lovely visit with a group of girlfriends via Zoom one evening last week and we’ve also enjoyed chats with several of our grandchildren.

Purpose.  It think one of the key ingredients to coping throughout the ups and downs of life and perhaps more than ever right now is having a sense of purpose. In addition to the usual day to day activities like meal preparation and exercising, I’ve been cleaning and reorganizing the kitchen cabinets and I’ve been using Duolingo to learn Spanish! Of course, there’s also the blog! Writing it and connecting with all of you gives me so much pleasure!

The one thing that I’d like to be doing more of these days is getting outdoors, but we seem to trapped in a never ending winter. Our snow is usually gone by the end of March, but not so this year. There’s lots of sunshine in the forecast though and our daytime temperatures are beginning to inch up over 0ºC (32ºF), so perhaps this too shall pass just as we know the pandemic will.

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So, my friends, how are you coping? What are some things that are helping you get through these most unusual times?