Rebooting

 Did we even know what "rebooting" meant until the computer age? That's what I've been doing over the past three weeks.  First, I said all the "right" sentences to my doctor last month and she urged me to start an anti-depressant to ward off impending depression.  Having already dealt with it a couple times in the past, even though I'm reluctant to start the meds I realized right now I don't have the energy to talk my way out of it this time.  So I'm phasing into the little blue pill!

I'm also strong arming my way back into a more regular walking routine since I've become very sloppy about regular walks.  I've still been birding a couple times a week but that isn't walking -- it's ambling very slowly and I need a bit more go-juice!  The challenge is that it's just so much easier to stay home and stitch and I don't feel guilty because I'm being productive.

At least I think I'm being productive (though being productive may be a bit more important to me than it really needs to be . . ).  So this morning, I flipped through my work journal to see if that has been true since being at home so much since mid-March.  Yep!!

I've made all those masks!  It's been so impressive to see so many of you part with some of your stash to mask up the folks around you!!  

I'm almost finished with the third quilt in the set I'm making for my triplet grands.  I'm starting to think about graduation quilts for the two older ones -- must keep the momentum going!

I finished three small charity quilts and have another one under way on the design wall.  I am realizing how short my attention span is when piecing a new block -- yep, twenty blocks looks like enough to me.  Ready to move onto to something new in spite of the fact that I have enough pieces cut for another 40 blocks!?!

I've knit three pairs of socks with a whimsical fourth pair in process.  I'm hoping this will eliminate the Christmas sock knitting panic later in the year!  I've never had almost half my goal finished so early!

I've finished one shawl with another just past the halfway point.  And more importantly, I resisted my favorite designer's shawl mystery project that is currently underway.  Must knit what I have!!!

I've pieced and hand quilted a lap size Halo quilt based on Jen Kingwell's pattern -- binding is ready for the hand stitching this evening!  To move through a quilt from start to finish in a few months feels like such an achievement for me -- definitely not typical!

I started a quilt that has been on my "wish list" for a couple years -- Christabella by Marge Sampson-George -- it won't look like the Aussie versions of this quilt and I'm machine piecing it.  The fabric selection is slow going but I'm having fun working with two new fabric collections and filling in with some stash fabrics.  Love those zebras!

I've read posts on Instagram about quilters losing their creative focus -- I've thought about that a bit and my long standing habit of escaping to my stitching has definitely been carrying me along through this period of relative isolation.  I'm not sure there have been any big "creative aha's" but I also believe those don't happen when one isn't working, doing, messing around with the stuff.  So I push myself to pick up something no matter how I feel because I know that most of the time, doing that will draw me into a better attitude.  It's good to be able to look back over the past five months and see that trail of finished projects.  

There have been some creative bursts in the garden!  Yesterday, as I deadheaded the purple coneflower in the hope of getting a few more blooms, I tied up several bundles and hung them upside down in the hope that the local goldfinches will find them and harvest the seeds, dropping some of the seeds into other parts of the garden!

 I can't seem to read for more than 15 minutes at a time right now so I've turned to listening to books.  My current tome is The People's History of the United States -- 34 hours!?!  But I've always enjoyed history and this book dredges up the lesser known bits of this country's history which I'm finding helpful in explaining some of our current issues.  I also hope it will help me relate our family history on to my grandchildren in a way that is relevant and truthful.

Speaking of grandchildren -- look at this!!  I can still sit in a low place with a pile of kids in my lap!!  Best part was they all climbed into my lap on their own!!

Bliss!!

Oh, yeah and I've lost 4 pounds in spite of all my sourdough baking experiments!!  

Time to clean up the tray table next to my evening stitching spot so I'm ready to keep moving forward.  I love finishing so pushing myself back to the stitching always leads to a brighter spot!

I hope you are able to "make" yourself do the things that engage your mind to continue moving forward during these wierd times.

Mary