Wednesday - 5th

This morning we wake up to snow.






It's not a big deal. The usual mushy stuff you get in early spring. Sort of pretty, actually, though the cats complained.





As I rest an extra hour in bed (because I don't know about your nights, but ours have become pot-marked with wakeful hours where we discuss nothing in particular), I thought about how hard everything is for people with few resources and, too, how hard it is for those who have to put themselves in dangerous situations (in Poland, one grocery chain relieved all seniors employees of their duties and put them on sick leave), and how really hard this is for parents with very small children.

Maybe also for parents with older children. Ed came back from his Zoom meeting with his techie pals and told me this joke, delivered by a dad of several school aged kids -- after two weeks of closed schools and a lock down at home, you'll realize the teacher was right about your children!

Having a little more time than usual this morning, I flick through news stories, searching for those that have something positive to offer. There aren't many!

But here's one from CNN.com: their chief medical correspondent talked to Deepak Chopra -- you know, the New Age movement guy -- about how to deal with the stress of right now. In the audio clip, Mr. Chopra sounded insanely calm. You could almost see a twinkle in his eye as he said, quite convincingly, that he began each day feeling happy. Or at peace. Or something equally positive.  All it takes is waking up to your four intentions for the day: to be joyful and energetic, loving and compassionate, reflective, and to keep within you a lightness of being and laughter. Not tomorrow, not later, but on this day. Got that? Lightness of being, darn it! Slow down your thoughts, slow down your breath. Do nothing: move into choiceless awareness.

It stresses me out just thinking about how much I fail at these steps, but maybe that's just me. I go back to snuggling with my usual inner chaos. 

And so long as I'm handing out advice and tips on managing, I'm sure some of you are wondering how the hell you're supposed to stock food for a month in your small refrigerator. Well, I learned something today! Many things that you think need refrigeration actually fare well in the cupboard. Ketchup, for instance. Even once opened. (I didn't believe it either, but hey, these guys swear it's true.) There! I freed up space for the bottle of wine you refuse to open unless it's perfectly chilled.


Breakfast.





I tell Ed he should practice cheerfulness. Ed isn't uncheerful. He's just Ed. Same old, all the time.

A break in childcare today. Kids are home, parents are juggling work and the demands of the very young.

Ed and I have no great desire to go out anywhere. Not even to the county park. Leftovers for dinner. Time to dig out those candles again. And to say a quiet thank you to all those people who are doing their damn best to keep us all fed, informed and healthy!

With love.