Venturing Out

Well......I did it! I finally got out and went to a store. Today was the first time that I went to a store, since the beginning of March. I got out early and went to Publix. I stayed for one hour! Oh my goodness! I haven't had such a full cart in a very, very long time. My children have been shopping for me. They have been very good about doing that for me. I knew it was about time that I ventured out, though. So, I got up early and hit the store at 8 a.m. Then, I left there at 9 a.m. I went through every aisle to see what I might want or need. Yes, I had a list. I didn't really use it, since it was on my phone, and my phone was in my pocket!
     Did I buy too much? Yes. Did I buy things that I needed? Yes. Did I buy a few things that I did not need? Yes!  It did feel good to go, but I am still shaking from the experience. Really, I am. When I got home, I cleaned everything. Then, I put it all away. That activity right there was enough to wear me out!  Plus, it is really hot here and the sweat was rolling down my face!
     I was going to attempt to go to the gas station, but I figured that I had done enough for one day. However, I decided to take a trip to the bank. It is right down the street. I had a check to deposit that I didn't think would work through a mobile deposit. That trip took a while, waiting in the drive-through line, but at least I was in my car. I did have to touch the container that goes from you to the bank, though, twice! I had plenty of clorox wipes to use, though. So other than shaking pretty hard from nerves right now, I am okay.
     Luckily, Publix had some ham sandwich meat and the snack that I like, so I made a good sandwich for lunch and ate that with some fresh, new cheetos! HA! They were out of some things, though. At least it wasn't as bare as it was in early March!
     There is another trip that I really need to make but am frightened of taking. It is a trip to a small lab for blood work. The little lab is inside the medical building that is attached to the hospital. I know it will be okay, but that trip will be for another day. I need to get over today's journey, first. I will admit that after finishing both trips, I took a long shower and washed my hair! I am not sure why I think I had germs, but doing that sure helped me to feel a tad better about the whole ordeal.
     I got a package yesterday from 123 Stitch, so I was like a kid at Christmas! I ordered three new cross stitch kits and a few little stitching tools. I also started back working on my three angels. The first day, it took me an hour to do two lines! I am not sure what happened to me, but I just could not get it right. I tried working on another part of it Monday, and I got the feet done on the third angel. Yesterday, I got some of the face and hands done. I am not sure why, but I keep having to take out a lot of what I stitch. I guess it is just hard to concentrate sometimes. Since I am on the third angel, I am getting excited. After she is finished, there will be a lot of backstitching/outlining to do. That will be fine. I can keep up with that, without getting lost or having to count the little squares!
     My new charts are pretty. I also found a site where I can download PDF patterns, so that is fun. I bought a few Christmas things to do. They look fun, and I am excited about starting those.
     Well, I need to stop for today. I hope that  you are all doing well.
Have a great day!!
   
     

Meanderings

Meandering - following a winding course

    I think that my brain is meandering a lot these days! That is nothing new, however! My brain is known for doing a lot of that!
    In these days of staying home and not going anywhere, I imagine that everyone is experiencing a lot of mind meanderings.

    So...What can a person do to keep their mind occupied?

     I often think about women of the past and how they must have kept themselves busy. Women were not allowed to work or go outside of the home most of the time. In old pictures, stories, or movies, you often see them sitting at a big hoop or frame doing embroidery of some kind. The concentration of counting and focusing on patterns would have easily kept one's mind from wandering into unwanted thoughts. I cannot imagine how they could just be content to sit there day after day doing things like that. Perhaps they weren't, though. Plus, that type of life is all that they knew. Of course, they had many responsibilities around their homes to keep them busy. Many women had large families of children to keep them occupied. I am not sure why I think about the women of the past so much, but I do. I feel for them and what they must have gone through on a daily basis. Of course, we cannot really know how things were. We can only imagine.

    I suppose that living in a very old city prompts many of my thoughts. I see such large houses with high, steep stairs in downtown Savannah, that I also wonder how so many people could actually climb up so many stairs to get to the main part of the home. Men or women of a particular age or physical limitation would have tremendous difficulty getting in and out of one of those houses. This thought also makes me think that many people were just stuck in their homes unable to get out, really. Then, there are the people who lived 'out in the country'. These women had hard lives, as they had much to do outside on their farms and inside their homes. Have you ever read a book about the early women who moved west? I often think about the stories of the Kansas dust storms and wind storms and how the people were so overcome with fear and terror. The women in those areas had to be extra strong just to survive each day, both mentally and physically.

     Books were not always readily available to the everyday person, in these older times. The Bible was the biggest source of literature for most people. There are plenty of stories in the Bible to keep one busy! When reading about history, you find that a lot of people used the Bible to teach their family or other people how to read. Pen and paper were in short supply, as well. Mail delivery was not available everywhere. Of course, there were no telephones or other ways like that of personal contact. Telegrams/telegraphs were only in certain places. Can you imagine being far, far away from your family and not being able to have any contact for months or years? The women of the past had to be SO strong! Women are strong, in general, even today. Just look at what it takes for a child to come into this world - through a woman. Of course, many women in the days of old did not survive childbirth. If they did, they faced years of pregnancies and multiple birth experiences. I am just in awe of women in general, but especially of women of the past. How about you?

     Today, we have many things to keep us distracted. We have the major things like television and the internet, which can be good or bad. It depends on how you use these two things as to whether they are good for you or bad for  you. For me, social media is also used in short supply. I choose to stay away from the news or shows that are sad, scary, or mean. I need happiness and joy. I need good thoughts going in my brain. So, I stay away from those being negative, loud, or mean. My cousin 'introduced' me to the wonder of  YouTube cross stitch shows, and I am enjoying picking and choosing which types of informative or entertaining things to watch on there. My daughter and son-in-law have always found many neat things on YouTube for my grandchildren to watch. They do not have cable tv, so little informative, instructional shows are entertaining for them. A major fun thing to watch is a show about dominoes being laid out in very ornate patterns that, when 'let go', can make all sorts of interesting things happen. You should find some and watch them. They are amazing!
 
     I mentioned in previous posts that I have taken up cross stitching again. I was doing really well for a while. It has been a few weeks, though, since I have taken up my needle!  I am in two Bible studies, so the readings for those are taking up a lot of my time. I must admit that the readings are most enjoyable. I have read parts of the Bible that I am sure have been read before, but I am seeing them all in a new light and with a new understanding. These scriptures and stories are what I need right now to keep me grounded.
   
     One of my studies is about a book called "Duty or Delight", by Tammie Head. This book is awesome, and it is just what I need right now. I am blessed by my personal study and by meeting with my small group via Zoom once a week.  My other study is the Disciple I Bible study that was created through the Methodist church. This study is a year long, deep study of the Bible. There are now three more Disciple studies: Disciple II, III, and IV.  The saying - Growing Old isn't for Sissies - can be altered for a Disciple study. A Disciple study isn't for sissies!  It takes a great commitment for almost an entire year of deep reading and study on your own, and then meeting together with your small group once a week to come together and discuss the Scriptures.  The sessions are meant to be 2 1/2 hours long each week. However, my group started out as a Sunday School class. So, we were doing a lot of work in 45 minutes. Now that we are meeting on Zoom at night, we are able to meet for a longer period of time and really delve deeply into the study as it was originally intended.

     My grandchildren are a blessing. It is really wonderful to see their awesome little faces and smiles each time I visit. They are just awesome! I have a new, one month old grand nephew that I love to see! So, these little ones bring much needed joy and happiness to an "old" lady!!

     My bike riding adventures are still happening. My cousin and I ride every day. We go at least 4 miles a day, and sometimes we go 6 miles. My saying is:  WE GO SLOW, BUT WE GO!!  As a matter of fact, we are about to go for a ride in a few minutes. She just called me to say that it is going to rain later today, so we better get out and ride now!  So, I will bid you adieu and get ready for another awesome day of bike riding on my pink, three wheeled bike!! 

    Have a great day!