hunker down projects

On social media I see so many friends tackling big projects while they're sheltering at home. Making quilts, painting furniture, landscaping, homeschooling, cleaning out their garages.....doing big stuff.

Even though I'm still working full-time at Second Helpings, I'm not working Saturday nights at the Red Key or the occasional Sunday at Marigold. I don't have any writing deadlines, I can go to Mass on my own schedule, and any concerts or parties have been cancelled.

Since I have an abundance of energy in regular times, you'd think I'd channel it and all of my free time into painting the house or starting a novel or scanning the boxes of photographs in my closet or writing letters or organizing my Christmas ornaments or cataloging the PEZ collection....or even keeping up with Words With Friends and birthdays greetings on Facebook.

Nope.

I spent the first few weeks overwhelmed and tired. Second Helpings is doing amazing things and we were working seven days a week in a combination of onsite and at-home shifts and conference calls and planning.

Leaving the house and coming home felt exhausting. I leave my shoes and anything that I was bringing home on the porch, take my clothes off inside the door, run to wash my hands, sanitize the door knob and my keys, toss my clothes down the laundry chute, shower, sanitize my watch and jewelry and glasses, start laundry, sanitize my purse and lunch bag on the porch and fall into bed.

Not that I was sleeping well. I was waking up several times a night in a panic - taking my temperature and realizing that I was hot because the cat was laying on my head or was shivering because the blankets had fallen away. Worrying about COVID-19 symptoms messes with you dang head.

I've certainly settled down. Work has evened out. It's a true testament to how nimble Second Helpings is that we pivoted overnight in how we deliver meals to the community. Not to mention doubling the number of people that we're serving.

I'm sleeping (mostly) through the night and I no longer obsessively take my temperature (now just before I leave the house).

I was feeling guilty that I didn't have a good answer to the question that invariably comes up in Zoom meetings, "what are you doing to keep yourself busy?" Answering "laundry and keeping the cat alive" doesn't seem ambitious enough.

I finally realized that getting through this is a big enough accomplishment in itself. In order to quit feeling like an underachiever I've given myself a list of small things that I can do to feel like I've accomplished something.

This evening I separated a jar of coins from the buttons, pocket lint, and safety pins that had collected there. I went as far as rolling the pennies and separating the Euros from the Canadian coins.

Look at me go!

may shower [of a different sort]

Vintage wrapping paper

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

My sweet cousin, Jessica is having a baby this summer. Which seems impossible, really, since  I was 18 when she was born. She and her dear husband live in Chicago and I don't see her nearly enough. 

The party was lovely - all of women first-cousins on Mom's side were there. I'm the oldest cousin and I'll admit to getting teary looking down the table and realizing what strong amazing women they've become - mothers, teachers, medical professionals, artists, business leaders - not a bad apple in the bunch! It was also fun to celebrate with Mom and my dear aunts. 

Mom gave Jess a beautiful statue and some Holy Water. My sisters and sister-in-law pitched in for a shared gift. We were semi-practical with the main gifts; monitoring system and music player, but I couldn't resist the Hello Kitty glitter lamp that was on her list. Can't introduce this little girl to sparkly things too soon. 

I bought a box of miscellaneous things at an auction of a distant cousin's estate sale a decade or so ago. There was a bounty of what is now vintage wrapping paper. I knew that Jessica would appreciate it so I wrapped the presents in the delicate paper.

I love having nothing on my schedule but church and the shower today. It's what I imagine Sundays are like for everyone else.

water anyone?

 500 Festival Princesses on the right, me (wearing three shirts mind you) on the left

As I said, I love participating in the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. But this year I made a last minute decision to volunteer at a water station instead. It was a blast, although a long day. We started the morning at 5:30 setting up thousands of cups of water and ended around noon. I loved seeing friends run, or in a few cases limp by. It was fun to hang out at the Speedway, which might be the closest I get to it this month.


One of the big factors in my decision not to walk was that we were invited to the wedding reception of my friends Alan and Heidi and that I had to work at the Red Key later that evening.

The reception was lovely. It was held in the Normandy Barn at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. They first saw the space during the Farm to Fair exhibit. I loved all of the personal touches - the table decorations all had meaning. My favorite part of the centerpiece were the balls of white string made from the string that bundle the Broad Ripple Gazette - the paper that I write for and Alan publishes (and edits, sells ads for, and delivers).

All and all a lovely day in May.

i never did like math

Just because I'm tracking Weight Watchers points doesn't mean I'm making good choices. 

Deja vu all over again..four years ago I lost a bunch of weight. I found it in the last year or so. I started eating most evenings with Sweetie, who was working twelve-hour days rebuilding a restaurant. In retrospect eating like a construction workers wasn't such a good idea. 

I recommitted myself to Weight Watchers about six weeks ago and have lost eight pounds. Ten more to go. I know I'll feel better when the weight is gone, and more importantly my clothes will fit. Especially the new ones.

start your engines

Racing into May

We take the month of May very seriously here in Indianapolis. Not so long ago Indy 500 drivers and their crews arrived the first weekend in May and practiced at the track all month. Now the drivers and their crews arrive the week before the race and the qualifying is compressed into a few days. 

Indianapolis has figured out how to keep the spirit of the month even if the drivers aren't in town yet. The Mini-Marathon is the first weekend in May and is my favorite 500 Mile Race related event. There are 35,000 folks registered, making it the largest half-marathon in the nation. This is the 37th year for the race and I've participated in at least half of them. The last several years I've walked the 13.1 mile course with a camera and notebook reviewing the bands along the way, earning me by first - and possibly last sports byline.

Back in the older days of the Mini you could pick up your packet at a sporting goods store or a table set up on a corner downtown during the lunch hours. Now packet pickup spans two days and is held in the Convention Center. I enjoy picking up the packets and being part of the crowd. 

The serious runners can check out the latest technology in running gear, the fashion conscious runners can shop for hairbands, shorts and other goodies. I have just one goal when I pick up my packet: find the person with novelty photo opp. I have no shame when it comes to this sort of stuff. The 500 Festival team provided a copy of the actual wreath that will be given to the winner and real milk (which I was afraid that I might drop). 

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines! 

may[be]?

 Chez Pez, May Day 2013

Hello lovelies. I'm not even going to try to explain where I've been and why I haven't posted. The winter was long and snowy and cruddy. I've had snow day contingency plans for Second Helpings for years and finally got to test them this winter. I'm glad the plan worked, but the novelty wore off after awhile.  April was so soggy that it came only .01 inches from breaking the 120 year old record. 

As you can see from the photo of my house the Redbud trees are blooming and I still have the string of Saint Valentine's Day lights on my porch. I need to Spring the place up and put up the new porch lights and buy some flowers.

I'm challenging myself to post every day in May. One, two, three, go!