Memorial Day 2020

🎜Proud to Be an American🎝

American Flag with Lassen in the back ground

Today I took a walk around the neighborhood for an hour. There were a lot of flags flying in the wind and flowers blooming. In May Redding had twice the normal rainfall and the last two storms were very cold, which meant we had snow stick to Lassen and Shasta.

Mt Lassen to the East

Mt Shasta

In my town we have the Trinity mountain range to the west, Lassen to the east and Shasta in the north. On a clear day like this you can see all the mountain ranges and there wont be this much snow again until next winter. The wind had let up and the temperature was a perfect 75 degrees this morning as I hiked around the neighborhood to the north of my apartment. 

This is a great time of year to enjoy the roses. Many houses had colorful displays. These three posies were next to the sidewalk.

Shelter in Place Update

   I am so tired of hearing the phase "Covid-19 update" on the radio. Shasta County only has recorded 34 cases of the virus and only 4 deaths were attributed to the virus in the county. We are opening up this weekend with dine-in restaurants and churches may open their doors next weekend. 

   I did not get to work at either of my jobs during the past two months. There was one day I got to help a teacher clean desks for 5 hours, but other than that I have had no reason to get out of bed at a reasonable hour. Reasonable to whom? Reasonable to a person who is normally at work Monday to Friday at 7:10 a.m.  Molly is the only reason for me to get up before noon.

   It has been like being in High School again. I was thankful my mother rarely expected me out of bed before noon in the Summer months. On reflection, 1978 was when I started working full time and I have been expected to be at work Monday to Friday most of the past 42 years. In my own defense I am usually awake by 9 😊

  These two months of Shelter in Place have been an introvert's day dream. I am a people-pleaser and people exhaust me. I have continued to find ways to make people happy in my little world, but honestly social interaction is not something I missed. The first couple of weeks I missed my jobs and my students plus co-workers. I missed getting to hug people when we meet. I hate the masks. I can't breath with that thing on my face. It steams up my glasses and I find myself breathing through my mouth.

  Molly and I have got our routine and when I felt a need to see the Grand-girls in Yuba County my daughter, Mary was willing to cat-sit. Molly got to stay with Mary for three night. I got to spend one night and two days with my giggle-girls.

Lots of hugs and kisses

   On my way home I was able to get fresh Strawberries and Cherries outside of Chico. Molly was happy to be home as we settled back into our routine.

  Most of my friends have heard that Pier 1 Imports is closing down. We have about four months of work expected to liquidate our store in Redding. By October I hope to have another part time job to supplement my income at the school. The school...that is another subject that I have no answers for and a lot of questions. CDC has given guidelines for schools that are impossible. California has cut school budgeting drastically and I can't conceive what my fall is going to look like from the lack of information I have on my situation. 

 For the past 43 days I have been doing the SWITCH app 21 day brain detox. I just finished my first two cycles and now I have begun my third cycle. This app is helping me to "take every thought captive." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) My mantra for the summer is: Imagine a good outcome. Dr Leaf states that 90% of the bad stuff we worry will happen does not happen. For today I choose not to worry.

  What I did choose to do today was wash laundry, wash dishes, feed and care for my cat and give myself a foot soak and pedicure after a long walk up the hill to the fancy house. 

Nail salons, beauty shops and my apartment pool did not get to open yet. Thankfully, I don't need to have my cat groomed. Today I did see a lady who had her dogs hop out of the vehicle looking like they had just gotten their summer hair cuts. She did not look so well groomed. 

 Yesterday I had two video conference calls and got a visit from a teacher at my school. She was delivering the Classified Appreciation Gifts. Even though we had to set on the bench for this round of play we were appreciated for our work in the school. That is something I can focus on.

Humor is the only way to deal with this crisis, or any crisis. Another meme I saw today said, "Whatever your five year plan was in 2015, I am sure you were wrong." I have two girls who graduated from university May 2015. Their 5 year plan was to be married and have children. They have both succeeded. Their professions are on hold at the moment, but being wives and mothers has been a great goal. I am very proud of all my children and their spouses. 

   2020 has not been what we had expected. Staying home and adopting a cat was not my birthday wish in 2019. Finishing a semester of University study was also not in my plan. Fall 2020 will look different, but I choose to work my hardest at what I can and leave the plan to God.

He has a purpose and a plan.