The Quarantine Report

I'm writing this post a week ahead of when I normally would, which is usually right before blog day and I'm freaking because I don't have a topic. The idea popped into my head and I need to get it down while it's fresh and before it grows feet and wanders off into the woods and doesn't return.

Our weather this week has been typically springlike. We've had all these things going on: rain, a somewhat nearby tornado, hail, sunshine, 40s, 90s, wind, calm. Everything except snow, sleet, and fog.

The crazy weather makes a good example of our emotions and reactions to this awful COVID-19 Pandemic. I say our, but maybe it's just me.

All of it together makes me a little crazy. Husband is Mr. Fetch It. We're fortunate in many ways with this quarantine. He's more spontaneous. If I don't have a routine, I'm lost. He enjoys meeting and greeting every day. My personality is somewhere between introvert and extrovert, with a few good and bad qualities of each thrown in. Too much peopling wears me out. Too many spontaneous activities turn me into a zombie.

My daily routine hasn't changed too much. So what do I do?

I write. This lets me play with Gracie and experience her adventures in my head. It also keeps my brain occupied so that it doesn't dwell on anything other than Gracie and all the what-ifs that pop up in the story as I write.

I play Farmer Jane. If you've been following me for a while, you know Husband is the gardener in our family. The only things in our backyard when we moved here last year were three young Chinese elms. One of those was barely hanging on. Literally. The wind almost blew it over a couple of times until we had them all restaked and braced properly.

Now we have another tree, this one a magnolia. Some shrubbery - red tips and Texas sage. Flowers: pentas, hibiscus, camilla, Pride of Barbados, knockout roses; and soon soon salvia, vinca, and portcullis. Veggies and herbs: peppers (mild and hot), squash, small tomatoes, basil, oregano, dill, sage, and I think a few more, but can't remember which ones.

So now the one pot of cherry tomatoes we have is bearing fruit, and some of it is ready to pick every few days or so.

And... leaves on my plumeria stick! Will there be blooms later in the summer? Stay tuned ♥

I watch and listen to the birds. In addition to sparrows, doves, and my beloved mockingbirds - one of which chases the neighborhood squirrel along the fence every morning - a pair of cardinals have also been visiting. So pretty!

Anyone have a clue about these two? I think they are cormorants. Someone in the neighborhood has been complaining about a whole flock of them invading one of the lakes and eating all the fish.

I read. I have read as many novels this year already, in four months, as I normally read in a year. I'm not complaining about that at all.

Update: Judging from some of the comments, I didn't make this clear. I call my yoga Coffee Yoga and Wine Yoga because of the times of the day I do them. Coffee is done in the mornings and Wine is done in the evenings. Coffee is calm and stretchy. Wine is wicked and warrior-like. Apologies for any confusion :)
I yoga. I have two different routines, Coffee Yoga and Wine Yoga. Some days I do both. Some days I do neither. I still do the coffee and wine, just without the yoga :)  I'm not a master at this by any means and I only do simple poses with short focusing times, but it makes me move as well as being calming and relaxing.

I post a lot of funny and motivation/inspiration stuff on Facebook. I hope it brings a smile to people's faces as they scroll by. Or makes them think. Or reminds them to be grateful. We often forget all of that. I'm guilty, too.

I miss walking, and I'm looking forward to being out and moving around freely. A long walk on the beach would be awesome, but I'll be really happy to walk around the neighborhood.

Now, after about six weeks more or less (I've lost count) of not venturing beyond the mailbox or the backyard or seeing any real people other than Husband, a few family drive-bys, and even fewer strangers walking or running by our house, I find myself missing people I don't know but can see and hear in person going about their daily lives as I do mine. It's a strange feeling.

Have faith.


In other news, people love bargains and readers need books. Solomon's Compass will be on sale for 99 cents over the Memorial Day Weekend, May 21-27.

Love and Murder on the Texas Gulf Coast

Finding your true north isn't always easy. It's more difficult when you're the target of your uncle's killer. But USCG CDR Taylor Campbell is a determined woman - even more determined than veteran SEAL Jake Solomon, USN Ret. 




I'll be back here on Wednesday, June 3.

Hugs,

Carol