Hi Friends,

How are you? Are we done yet?

I asked my husband on one our daily walks this week, “What one thing do you want to keep from this time once life goes back to normal?” He immediately replied he would like me to continue making him lunch and dinner everyday. While I was hoping for a deeper conversation I struggled with the answer as well.   One plus is the lack of hurry. However, I am realizing as this drags on and on that I perform better under a certain amount of “hurry”. When I have all the time in the world and I have one item on my to-do list I don’t rush to it because then I wouldn’t have anything on my to-do list.  I do like the fact that I don’t have to do all of the weeding at once but I hate the fact that I could now weed everyday if I wanted to… It’s complicated.

Missing family and friends is the worst of it. Also,  worry free grocery trips are missed! 

I think what I want to hold onto is the renewed awareness of how much I value people and freedom in my life. I don’t want to ever take that for granted again. 

What I’m Doing

Jeff and I had to get out of Meadow Glade. It’s a nice area but enough was enough. We packed some sandwiches loaded up Lucy and headed for our beloved Gorge. We figured we could stay away from everyone as we drove around and just enjoyed Spring blooming in the Gorge. It was beautiful! The Cherry and Apple trees are blooming and the weather just highlighted the stunning scenery.

We went for a long bike ride last Friday. It was long mostly because we had to stop for a phone call from Jeff’s boss and then had 2 flat tires. 

I’ve been cooking more than I ever thought I would. It gives me something to do.

We began planting our garden. Just what we can get our hands on. So far peas, kale, carrots and some herbs. I also dared to plant two cherry tomatoes. We shall see if the weather holds for them. 

What I’m Reading

Hannah’s War by Jan Eliasberg

This is a historical novel written about the real life Dr Hannah Weiss, a physicist from Austria. She is brilliant and very close to making a break through described as the “greatest scientific triumph of the twentieth century”. It is also 1939 and she is a Jew.

This novel jumps back and forth between the beginning of the war where she is a scientist working in Berlin and the end of the war as she works as a top contributor on the Manhattan Project. While working alongside Dr. Oppenheimer she is aware and concerned about the power they are creating.  Who’s side is she on? The question of her loyalty is the focal point of the novel. She is an Austrian who loves her home country and is passionate about science. She is also in love with a non-Jewish top scientist left behind. As a Jew she had to flee Germany and the research team as well as her lover. Is she still communicating with him? Is she passing on the top secret information from the Manhattan project? Has she fallen in love with the lead investigator accusing her of being a spy?  4 stars

A Long Petal Of The Sea by Isabel Allende

I am half way through this book and hooked. It has taken awhile because the list of characters is long and it seemed like the first half of the book was a bunch of disjointed characters and their stories. Now as they are all coming together seamlessly I am really enjoying it. The novel is begins in Spain during the Spanish Civil war which is a time period I’ve never read about.  Currently who I believe to be the lead characters have immigrated to Chile as refugees from the war. The stories of those who take them in seem to be overlapping who I thought the lead characters where which leaves me a bit confused at times. Regardless, I am curious and interested what will happen next. 

What I’m Photographing

• Nothing
• I will not whine about the fact that the weather has been a photographer’s dream… It’s hard not to think about all of the missed opportunities with blooming trees and gardens along with perfect Spring weather. 
• I did have a client order an album which I have been working on designing. I’m really thankful for that!

Goal Check

• My motivation this week has been super low. 
• I have done yoga every day – I really find this helps
• I need to get back to some classes I could still be working on

My Current Favorite

• This weather!
• Super thankful for the time for 2 walks a day and long bike rides.
• Lunch and Dinner on the patio every day
• The time to soak all this sunshine in.

Hang in there friends! We will get through this!

Shelly