Because we are country inhabitants, we keep a pretty good stock of food and supplies on hand. It is a 30 minute drive for us to shopping of any significant kind, and hour for "big" shopping. So, I have not been in a panic over running out of anything vital. Not even toilet paper!
That is the big mystery and the source of lots of jokes now, the run on toilet paper. I can imagine what historians will write about that! ha! So far, this is my favorite joke, a post on Facebook.
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| Forget your cash, bring TP! |
City Dwellers have a different situation. I know many that only shop for a few days at a time, and really don't keep much on hand. When there are multiple stores within a mile or so of your house, you don't have to stock up, in normal times.
So, while children are now finishing the school year at home online, and many parents are working from home, or working weird shifts and hours, the question is, what to we all do with our free time?
True the TV and internet are still there, but somehow the idea of millions of people being glued to a screen for days on end doesn't quite seem right, or healthy. Some will default to that, no doubt. But there are so many other options for at-home, family activities, or outdoor activities in parks and places where we can still practice social distancing. It would be a shame to not take advantage of this "pause" in our normal frenetic lifestyles. Let's try on some new things and set aside the screen time for a rainy day.
Play games and work puzzles - particularly good for rainy days, or evenings. Lots of ideas how to make your own games using recycled bits if you don't have board games on hand. This is where the internet will be handy. Cards, dominoes, building blocks to name a few.
Start a garden, even a few pots can be fun. If you don't have regular gardening equipment on hand, think out of the box! Any water proof container (plastic, ceramic, metal) where you can put a drain hole in the bottom will work. Put a few pebbles in the bottom and add dirt. Find a sunny spot on your porch or patio that is protected from the wind. Don't have seeds from the store? Save the seeds from your produce like tomatoes, green peppers, or the root end of onions, or the sprouting eyes of old potatoes. They will grow. Trade with neighbors and get cuttings off their plants.
Go for a walk and collect photos or examples of pretty rocks, leaves, birds, trees, etc.
Deep clean the house — not a favorite whose house can't use it? I’m thinking, the windows, the screens, the closets, the ceiling nooks and crannies, the light fixtures, the oven, refrigerator and pantry. Whew! I’m exhausted just thinking of it! But what a great time to slowly tackle some of these projects. I actually found some lists for deep cleaning. Who knew?
Cook my way through old recipes - I have recipes I collected since the my girl scout days when I was 10 or 12, favorites of my mom and other family members, so I thought, why not? Many of these are very simple and can use what you have on hand. Or, pick something from your cupboard or freezer that you forgot you had, or bought and never used. Plan a meal around it!
Downsize old paperwork - I probably have tax papers since the mid 90’s and don’t need that stuff. Going through and shredding and recycling all that paper would free up some boxes and filing space
Write stories - I wrote one story for the grandchildren, have another started, now seems like a good time to write. These can be true stories from your life, or family lore. In the days before radio or tv, people told stories, wrote poems, sang songs. We can do that!
Sewing or needlework projects - patchwork quilts are fun, puppets, stuffed animals, or that project you started and never finished.
Family history - Work on your family tree, capturing what you know, going through old photos and letters. The internet has many fun ideas for doing this that could engage the younger ones.
Make DIY products - I actually started this before the COVID-19 crisis because I was noticing the strong scents in many soaps and cleaners were making me clog up; I’ve been saving empty spray bottles and containers for my own concoctions. There are lots of things you can make at home including your own spice mixes, cleaning products, craft items, etc. Online stores are still shipping so if you need to, you can order. You might be surprised all the things you can make from old blue jeans or t shirts. Pinterest!
I'll expand on some of these in the future.
