Pokey Peas Challenge for April 2020

I am guilty of hoarding butter...I have about 8 lbs in the freezer, 1 in the fridge...and we pick up a couple of pounds whenever we do visit the store currently. I think my family would eat well as long as we have baking necessities in the house!

It feels like topsy turvy world everywhere I go. Masks. "x"s on the floor wherever I go to keep people apart. Emtpy toilet paper shelves (still!). Yet the birds are singing the arrival of Spring and the kitten is showing that he'd really like to be an outdoor cat, please! (we have 2 outdoor cats, 1 indoor cat. Plan was for this guy to be indoor only). It's so strange how life continues like normal and yet is so abnormal!

Stay safe and home everyone. I feel very anxious when the boards are quiet - I feel like peas or their families might be sick - hoping the quietude is just peas not feeling chatty, and not anything serious!

Just heard from ABCreations and she has revitalized our turtles again! I am off to edit my signature, but here is the post she just dropped into our February thread.  Check out her instructions there!

Hi everyone. It's a rainy Saturday here. I finally started sanding my living room walls this week. I have to work around DH's call schedule. He had much time open Friday but I started with the news Friday morning. then he said he was going to be furloughed for 2 weeks some time between now and the end of May. So I didn't get anything done yesterday. We did have a fire and roast hot dogs. It was a beautiful day. However, mosquitoes love me, couldn't find the spray, and so I was out right after the hot dogs were eaten. The first fire of the year, is usually the best too as the kids are excited and chatty. They were out until after 11:00. I was in before 9. DS has spring break next week. He's hoping to get his 2 non-live classes further along but is going to help me with some projects as well.

Glad to see you are feeling a bit better nylene. Please rest and take care of yourself. Yes, Don's cough finally went away about mid-March.

Thank you ABCreations for fixing our turtles. How are you and your family doing?

Is dgs running you ragged, grammadee?



I feel this way too. Stay safe out there. I did a local grocery delivery for just a few things since I was almost out of milk, ended up getting my butter too. whew!


Continued prayers for all.

I have been working from home for the last 3 weeks. I'm working more hours than if I actually went to the office. Our employment attorney has advised the owner that if anyone over 65 wants to come to work they have to have a release from their doctor. I understand that - but I really don't think a doctor is going to make an appointment to see patients so they can go to work. Any way - things could be worse.

I've made abut 160 masks when I've not been working and will make some more this weekend. Getting elastic has been impossible so I switched to making them with ties for the time being. Our state is now advising that anyone who goes into public should wear a mask. Also, they are being asked to wear the home made fabric masks and save the N95's for medical personnel.

I miss my kids and their kids. Most of them live within a few miles and we usually see each other at least once a week. I also miss my scrapping group. grammadee and justjac figured out how we could do a virtual crop a couple of times and that was really nice.

Now I'm going to watch some more scrapping videos and steal their ideas. I mean be inspired!!

Hi there pokeys!

My son tested negative and is dad has shown no symptoms. They are glad to be out of quarantine and I'm so happy he tested negative! Work is starting to really slow down. Slow enough I'm not sure how much longer things can last before we are just forced to close. Of course, my job would still go on, just possibly without as many people. So I may end up working more hours too gramma. I'm really grateful that I'm still working. I've enjoyed the slow down and slower pace. It's been nice to have a little breathing room.

I am not seeing Rudy or or DS nearly as often as we are used to. About once a week, and that's really only because they live across the street and we've both been working from home. I feel a little guilty for seeing them. I get more often than DS does and I'm so worried about bringing it home to them! I had a cloth mask to wear out, but felt awkward wearing it, so I'm happy it's been recommended to wear them. I don't feel like such a weirdo! lol.

nylene, I'm glad you are feeling better. But take it easy! Everything can wait, take care of yourself! I'll bet you do miss those grands. I'm not sure how I would do if we weren't "cheating" a little bit.

kitbop I think of you often as this pandemic rages on, I hope you will stay safe. There are X's at all of the stores here as well and today Walmart and Target started limiting the number of people in the store at one time. My regular grocery store has traffic directing arrows on the flow and one way aisles. Strange times for sure! And still no toilet paper or cleaning supplies here.

knutschen you stay safe too! I can't even imagine being on the front lines of this. I hope you get the coffee figured out, it sounds delicious! I love coffee lol. That sucks about the foundation though.

LisaDV I'm sorry you didn't really get to enjoy the entire evening with the fire. I hate mosquitoes too. And I'm guilty of picking up extras of anything I use regularly right now. If I can grab 2 of something I will for just in case. I'm probably part of the problem lol. I'm glad your DH gets to split time between work and home. I hope the homeschooling continues to go well.

grammadee it sounds like things are fun at your house! I'm sure the teaching is coming right back to you. Your grands are so lucky to have you.

linda I had to lol at your ambivalence at DH being around more often, because I could totally relate to that! My youngest DS has been calling a lot more frequently now out of boredom as well. This seems to be really hard on extroverts and the youngers that are used to a lot of socialization. I tried to do curbside with Joann's today for some adhesive but all the stores here in my area are closed. Including Michaels I believe. I think I have enough of everything - I KNOW I do - but being told I can't go to craft stores makes me want crafty stuff even when I don't need it lol

kellyr21 I hope you are doing all right! I'm with LisaDV, I hope everyone will just check in to say they are alright, even if they don't feel up to chatting.

I'm hoping to get some scrappy mojo back soon, now that things don't feel quite so dire. Hope everyone is having a good weekend and staying home!

gramma those hangout crops are fun aren't they? I'm hoping to take part in some soon!

joyfulnana - such a relief about your son.

kitbop - I'll have a look about for patterns and see if I have the supplies - I don't have a big sewing stash anymore because I've been downsizing it - with my children older, I'm not sewing so much.

Hi Pokeys, I'm so glad to read so much good news on this thread. So glad you're on the mend nylene, and glad for the negative test results joyfulnana.

knutschen and kitbop, thank you for all you do. You and your colleagues are in my thoughts all the time.

Things are quiet here. DD16 is having trouble keeping up with the demands of her online schooling, but we're hoping she'll be able to catch up before the quarter ends next week. DH has adjusted to teaching his classes online, but the rest of us still need to work on being quiet when he has his classes. We frequently get scolded for talking and laughing too loud while his mic is on. I've just been having a nice time with my papers and glue, but Passover is this week so I have to do some baking this weekend in preparation. My family loves when I make mandelbrot (almond bread) which is kind of like a biscotti but it's made out of matzah, so obviously not as good, LOL. 

Stay healthy everyone!

So good to hear from so many Pokeys! Hoping you are feeling better each day, nylene and looking after yourself. Awesome news about your ds, joyfulnana! Thanks for checking in, knutschen. I am SOOOO thankful for you and kitbop and all the other front line health workers who are working so hard to care for those stricken down with this. Hoping you can all stay safe and that you are taking time to look after yourselves, body & mind & spirit.

Hoping your dd is getting used to home schooling, msliz. Dgs was spinning out of control yesterday about it and not wanting to do any more or look at the SeeSaw app which he usually loves. But then we realized it was because he was in a panic about the reading test where he was asked to read out loud for the teacher. Turns out he thought he would be reading for the WHOLE CLASS! Guess he didn't connect the dots that we had not seen any of his classmates reading aloud on the app. Once he knew it was just for the teacher, he settled down, read the book privately with his mom on facetime, then went on line happily, read the book aloud and answered all the questions this morning. The teacher--bless her soul--sent him a sweet message on a SUNDAY MORNING, telling him how well he had done and even commenting on the vocabulary he used while doing it (He was supposed to identify non verbal clues from the book, and he stated that "that pigeon was throwing a TANTRUM!")

Dgs wanted to bake Easter cookies today ("nests") but I don't have the ingredients so we made chocolate chip cookies instead. Thinking I can figure out an alterntive for the nests, but will have to do inventory of what I DO have on hand now that I remembered that I have the Eggies in small packs that we can use for them. Might do that tomorrow. His dad needs to be physically at work on the base tomorrow all day, so Auntie and I are doing up a "hand off" schedule between us for the day, alternating between structured and unstructured activities, and coordinating with Grampa's schedule helping out with calf birthing and care at our nephew's farm.

Hang in there, everyone!

Thanks for checking in knutschen. Foundation issues stink. My sister is dealing with one right now or should say not dealing with one right now since everyone is staying home. If you can see light through the hole, it would need to be fixed in my mind. That guy might be whack-a-do. You’ll have to tell us if Miss Phoebe likes her bike rides. Please stay safe.

Working and 160 masks: you are very busy, gramma. I’m sorry that you miss your kids. Hopefully this will be over soon.

Linda, I don’t like masks either. I don’t mind things touching my face, but I do have a bit of claustaphobia, I never connected the two. I wore a bandana yesterday when sanding the 2nd living room wall. That was hard enough and it was loose at the bottom. But the dust from the first wall without the mask gave me coughing fits all that night. It’s so nice that the girls are cooking. DS grilled chicken legs yesterday, but I had to brine them. If I hadn’t been covered in white powder from sanding, I would have had to make the sides. DH did that. DH made deer burgers earlier in the week and I made the sides. I wish they could just send DS home, he could do 14 days of quarantine at his apartment and then come home for the duration.

joyfulnana, that’s such good news!!! Good for you for wearing your mask, even when they hadn’t said to do so. I really think it was just because they didn’t want people buying the N95’s up from the professional health suppliers.

kitbop, interesting about the scrub hats. DD made macarons a little while ago, and DS made cheesecake just last month. Both were yummy. Although I will admit that I never saw the appeal of macarons. I’ve had them out and at a bakery once. Then DD made them. I told her she should make them once a month. I always say homemade is better and this proved it to me. All that sifting though. Lol.

DD says that mosquitoes go after a certain blood type, nylene. We must be the same. I got up to go in, and DH who wasn’t getting anything said he got bit like 5 times just as I was walking away. They went from where I was directly to him since he was closest. I’m glad you are on the mend. Just keep resting and doing what the dr. says. TV in your jammies sounds like a good idea.

Thanks for checking in, msliz. DH needs his own room to close the door when he’s online. Happy Passover.

That’s so sweet of dgs’s teacher. I could see panicking if you thought you were reading in front of the whole class. What a great way to keep dgs entertained with the hand-offs! I’m sorry about the snow, but glad it’s you and not me. I hope you get an early spring though, because last year it seemed like you were always getting snow even into June or is that my imagination. Hopefully you’ll be done now.

My clean up from yesterday’s final sanding of the walls has been postponed due to a massive headache. It started about midnight and kept me from sleeping well. I took 4 advil this morning and it’s down to a dull annoyance unless I start moving around. Then it starts hurting again. DH just showed me the huge weather front moving in so that could explain the headache. Hoping the system will bring us closer to morel mushroom season. We’ve been looking, but it’s still a bit early and we haven’t had enough rain and warm days together. This could really make them pop. A little headache is worth it, I guess. Sorry I won’t be able to have kitbop and grammadee over for morel season this year. Fingers crossed for next year though. Have to get rid of my extra guest first too and since we have him on lock down with us - no job hunting for him right now.

I made a list of different crafty projects I’d like to do/finish so that I can stay creative. I’ll be trying to do something creative everyday for 100 days. It starts tomorrow. I have a feeler thread out to see who was going to do it (here) and will post another thread later today for those that are doing it, if they want to share on 2peas. Just an FYI for any Pokey that might be interested in joining. justjac will be doing it again this year.

Waving and praying for all our pokey’s and peas and all those that essential during this time. Stay safe.

nylene so glad you are feeling better! and that the turtles are working for you!

kitbop i am also feeling the odd juxtaposition of life continuing like normal yet being so abnormal, this 'new normal' is crazy, i'm ready for a new new normal! I am so thankful for your HUGE commitment to helping everyone who is sick by putting your life in danger, i'm going to recommend the surgical hats to my sewing friends for our local hospitals, thank you! My DD keeps coming up with recipes she wants to try too, yesterday was cake pops, what an undertaking!!!

msliz we need your recipe for mandelbrot, i love anything almond!

grammadee i'm not sure how i would handle snow on top of this mess, lol, thankfully i'm in california so we've only had a bit of rain. i hear you about the distance learning, i'm a substitute teacher so i'm used to just jumping in where ever but its different when its your own kiddos (that's why i never sub for my own kids' classes!) excited to see pix of the new baby calves!

LisaDV how is your DH doing? we are also excited to catch up on school work during spring break, DS has a term paper due on silk in ancient china, i'm looking forward to learning more about it... not sure he is, lol! Are you staying hydrated during all your sanding and work? I usually get headaches with weather fronts too, but also from being even slightly dehydrated. Mosquitoes prefer blood type O... I'm O+ and i'm always the one with the bites while everyone else is unaffected!

knutschen thank you so much for putting your life in danger every single day to be on the front lines helping those who are sick, you are APPRECIATED! they have started putting mattresses in our schools' gyms to prepare for the influx of patients, it's scary. best of luck with the foundation, that sounds like yet another nightmare to add to your already full plate we all might need a pic of you and Miss Phoebe riding around town!

gramma thank you for making masks!!! i've been trying and failing miserably. I saw something online that said bungee cords are full of elastic when you cut them open, idk if that helps you or not, maybe they are easier to purchase than just elastic from the sewing store?

linda i don't handle the mask well either, i had a pretty one custom made a while back because i thought if it was pretty it would be easier to wear... not so much. how nice that your DDs are cooking, I'm trying to get my DD on that road as well, she's only 9 though so I can't really leave her in the kitchen alone just yet.

joyfulnana i'm so very happy to hear about the negative results for your son and his dad!!! even tho things are scary, i feel like they are slower too and that its a good thing.

Good Tuesday morning. How is everyone today?

I had dgs all day yesterday in what he described as "a great Gramma day". Dad had to go into work; Auntie was not feeling well--combo of stress (she is VERY introverted and not used to all the family time we have been having and that brought on some digestive issues, so I sent her to her room and said take the day off) Grampa had to go help with the calving/feeding operation of his nephew.

So it was just dgs and gramma here most of the day. We started with building LEGO, then he did his Math assignments, and listened to the LA instructions before his class video chat at 10:00. Then snack time and we headed outside. Came in for lunch and he lay down with me to watch Ice Age. The LA goal this week is to learn story construction, so I pointed out the characters, setting, problem, solution and ending in the movie, and we talked about it after when he was describing the movie to others in the house. We also fit in adding some details (decorated and attached the door) to the cardboard house he is building for his Show & Share on Thursday.

After a quick ride out to see the animals with Grampa, he came back to me and played with Scrabble letters to practice his spelling while I was fixing supper. By then the others were back in the picture, so home school was done for the day. Daddy asked me after bedtime routine what I had done with him b/c he went to sleep almost instantly last night! Full disclosure, I am not sure i remember my OWN head hitting the pillow last night LOL... But I think there was a smile on my face...

ETA  I added a couple of baby calf photos to the April Photo Challenge thread, and one of dgs working up a sweat on the driveway yesterday shovelling snow.

nylene I’m sending healing vibes your way.

I’ve been working on organizing my scrap room. Stamps and stencils are done. Dies are almost done. The thought of organizing paper is scaring me. I have so much. I barely leave the house any more. It was so cold and windy last week I didn’t go for walks. I’m doing yoga with a Facebook class three times a week.

I hope all you Pokeys stay safe.