Around Here

Like almost everyone, we're staying home and doing our part to flatten the curve.   The novelty of it has worn off and we're dealing with the pain of losing so much.  Eating dinner with friends, spontaneously dropping by the store just because you feel like it, walking the trails without thinking about where the next person is, sitting down to coffee with a chum, sewing with quilting buddies, popping into the library to check out the new books......well, you know, all the pleasures we took for granted, now gone for at least another few weeks.

Thankfully, so far we've been spared the worse.  No one we love has shown symptoms of the virus, but it is heartbreaking to learn of the travails of others who have lost people they love, who have become sick themselves, or who have lost their jobs and face an uncertain future. 

Still, around here there is much to appreciate and enjoy.  

Around here we are remembering our recent great lobster extravanganza.  Wanting to cheer himself and some freinds up and to help the lobstermen of Maine, Ben ordered several pounds of fresh shelled lobster which he then divided up among some lucky recipients.  

We had a lot of fun hearing about the ways people enjoyed this treat and had ourselves some mighty fine lobster rolls and lobster mac & cheese. 

Around here we are so glad that we found someone who could cut Turbo's hair!  His puppy coat had grown out and was ready to be scissored off, something I definitely did not want to tackle at home.  We were lucky to find an experienced person to do it for us and the results were just what I wanted. 

Before:  

After:

I confess that I loved the "before" shaggy look but Turbo is now doing some trails off leash and getting into the native grasses that can stick to his fur AND and is learning about the pleasures of mud and water so it's good timing for a shorter hairdo.

Around here we are enjoying our neighbors.  When you have a dog you meet a lot of people while dog walking, and in this time of "social distancing" these short friendly contacts are especially welcome.  With everyone out walking more than usual just to get out of the house, we get a lot of traffic by our corner house and people often pause to admire "adorable" and "cute" Turbo.  We've chatted (from at least six feet away) with lots of folks we don't usually see and that's fun.  I've come to realize that the overall friendly vibe of our neighborhood is not so common, and I'm increasingly glad we landed here.   

But a special pleasure has been getting to know the people who are now renting the house next to ours.  They have a wonderful doodle dog, an 11-year old who is polite and calm and reminds us that Turbo will not always be a puppy.  They immediately took to Turbo and we chatted about dogs and gardens and such.  Then one day I made brownies and on impulse sent some to them.  They sent back some homemade soup and a few days later some lasagna, and oh my, can she cook!  It looks like the "beginning of a wonderful friendship."  (Can you tell we watched Casablanca recently?)

Around here we're seeing all the signs of spring.  We've heard a hummingbird or two, daffodils are  blooming, and the irrigation ditches are flowing again.  One hallmark is the return of the turkey vultures, and they arrived late last week, soaring in the sky above the Flatirons.   

They roost in a tree two blocks away but much to my surprise two of them made themselves at home on a rock at our house for a while the other day.  I was glad when they left!  I like seeing them high above, but don't want all their mess in my yard.  

Around here I'm in face mask making mode, sewing them for family and friends.  It's a perfect project for these times, useful but also fun once you figure out the steps for the type of mask you've decided to make.   I love finding fun fabrics to use in my stash, and am enjoying seeing my supplies somewhat dwindle as I use them up.  It'll be fun to restock once we can shop again!

Around here I wish I could say that I'm doing a lot of reading and catching up on Netflix series, but I'm not.  It's still busy here and the days fly by without us needing much distraction, unless you count reading/watching the news.  

But I am enjoying a book that has actually made me laugh out loud....

...and a series that often has me in stitches.

Hope everyone stays well and remember that this, too, will pass.  

Linking to my friend LeeAnna's "I Like Thursdays" at Not Afraid of Color