Welcome to this special edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes and lives? Over the next few months, a group of seven bloggers will be sharing their workspaces, their homes, towns and more! Since we truly live in a different world now – one most of us have never experienced – we’re talking about our world as it is now and since we live around the country it will be interesting to see how this is affecting their lives.
Our governor in Alabama finally issued a “Stay at Home” order on April 4 – till April 30. While that isn’t the same as a “Shelter in Place” that many states have, it’s better than nothing. IF people will just adhere to it. We’ve had the ‘suggestion’ before, but it didn’t seem to be very effective. Grocery stores have limited supplies of many items and too many people have still been out and about.
I saw this online and thought it was such a great idea, and for adults as well as school children. I have my great-grandfather’s memoirs and I treasure being able to sort of share in his world. Think about your future generations. I received a journal as a gift when I first began my breast cancer journey and I’ve been journaling ever since – but it was solely for me. Now I have a different attitude towards it.
And now I’m truly one of the “elderly” (rolling my eyes), so I’m being extra careful. My only excursion out has been to pick up a prescription that I was out of and pick up some cross stitch charts to work on. I left the house on March 30 – drove to the pharmacy. Then went to the cross stitch shop (that was closed) and picked up a good-sized quantity of charts. The only person I encountered was the girl who brought the meds to the car. When I got home I disinfected my car, the bottle and bag the meds were in and me!
I have been so blessed by my church family and some neighbors. Many have called and texted checking on me. I’ve had ‘deliveries of milk and half & half (two main staples in my diet). Both of those items seem to be almost as difficult to obtain as toilet paper, and I REALLY am not anxious to have to learn to drink my coffee black 😳
I even had a friend from church bring me flowers yesterday (to my porch). Some lovely white Hydrangeas (which Emma Grace was really interested in), enough for two bouquets.
I’ve gotten out in the sunshine a couple of time lately. We’ve had so much rain it was great seeing sun. Koda enjoyed it too and he did pretty well on the long leash we used.
All of my family are in different states and most are able to work at home. The others have essential jobs and must be “out in the world”. Do I worry about them? I try not to: Det. 31:8 says “The Lord God will go before me, He will never leave me nor forsake me, I will not worry and I will not be afraid.”
The chances are happening all around us. Check out the others in the Where Bloggers Live group.
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Iris at Iris Originals Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Em at Dust and Doghair
Julia at When the Girls Rule
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh the diary or journal idea is a good one! My boys are quite young, 4 and 5, but maybe a weekly video would work well for them, to have something to look back on! 🙂
it’s good you are staying safe and well – it’s an interesting world definitely! It’s good that you can minimise how often you go out. All our grocery stores have stopped online deliveries so we still have to go out to buy them, but otherwise we are safe at home.
Hope that you are having a good week 🙂
Mica – Away From The Blue Blog
I think the video is a great idea – but you could also journal – they might be interested in reading it when they’re all grown up. I wish I had that sort of thing from my parents from during the War.
We still have grocery store deliveries – they’re just slow and I’m not crazy about some of their substitutions. I’ve been depending on friends more lately- just hate to do that. My week is almost over – and I’m doing well.
Iris
All of my family are in different states and most are able to work at home. The others have essential jobs and must be “out in the world”. Do I worry about them? I try not to: Det. 31:8 says “The Lord God will go before me, He will never leave me nor forsake me, I will not worry and I will not be afraid.” ***** Oh, Iris – you’ve been on my mind. I’m glad to hear there are people nearby who care and check in on you. And bring you half-and-half! 🙂 I’m with you. We have family… Read more »
Ahhh thank you Cathy for such nice thoughts. I’m doing okay so far. I can surely relate to your family being far away too. I will keep you in my prayers.
Iris
I am a big fan of keeping a diary or journal but somehow didn’t really think about doing it during this quarantine until the last week or so. In some ways, my blog is kind of a substitute for journaling everyday. But I think it will be interesting to read about this chapter in our lives down the road, when the memory is no longer fresh. Your bouquets are lovely. How kind of your friends to remember you with them, milk and half and half. I do drink my coffee black most days but since the quarantine began, I have… Read more »
I think someone’s journal during this time will be fascinating reading for those not experiencing this time period.
I can drink black coffee, only if I have no alternative. But, I’m certainly going to try and avoid that. I’ve tried to learn to drink it black, but been ‘doctoring it’ for too many years.
I surely do have wonderful and caring friends and neighbors. I am blessed.
Iris
I can’t imagine my coffee without my cream. In fact, if it came to that, I’d just skip it. Obviously, I don’t have to have it…LOL.
It’s wonderful you have such great neighbors and friends. Having that support system is so key.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Ohhh – I’ve tried black coffee. I can tolerate it – if I don’t have a choice. But the world is not ready for me with no coffee.
I am blessed with friends and neighbors.
Iris
I love the idea of journaling through this time. My blog is, to an extent, an accounting of what I’ve been doing, but…I wish I’d been recording what is happening AROUND me more. And I REALLY wish I could get out more to be taking pictures of this time. To see NYC virtually EMPTY?! That is a Once in a Lifetime event! But…it could also be the LAST of a lifetime event…for me or someone else…so I’m trying to stay closer home, bundling my errands as much as I can to only go out 1-2 times a week. I’m so… Read more »
Glad you’re staying home Bettye. It’s probably more of a challenge for most people than for me. My boss brought me groceries yesterday. I’m so blessed with friends and neighbors (and a great boss).
I’ve been journaling for years but thought that was such a good idea for the time we’re in.
Iris
I think the biggest freakout over groceries at our house has been about half and half, Iris! While the rest of the world was loading up on TP, I was hoarding shelf stable coffee creamer…
Very happy to hear you are well, and am bolstered by the stories of people checking up on people. Groceries are fairly plentiful here in western NY, but I wondered/worried about those in less populated areas. Glad your fellow parishioners are checking on you!
Love your bible quote! I’m going to have to add that to our nightly prayers.
Stay safe!
Oh Em, I’m so glad I’m not the only one trying to buy all the half and half. 🙂 And, another of my church family just texted me this morning that she had some coming from Costco for me. I haven’t been in a grocery store in over a month, but I hear the shelves are a bit better stocked now than when this first began and everyone started going nuts. It truly is a different world we’re living in right now.
Iris