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New Languages, Rented Clarinets & Chocolate Milk Popsicles...

Tuesday, 28 April 2020 23:10

Trying to Make the Best of a Situation

By Judy Rykken (aka "Rex')

A routine gives a certain calm and structure to the day. With the new stay-at-home edict, it’s difficult and at the same time, a change is good for the brain and presents learning opportunities. The best part of this is noticing how neighbors, friends, and communities are helping each other!

After many weeks at home, to counteract the sadness of not being able to visit my wonderful husband, I thought about what to do to brighten the day! I thought about priorities, how much time I waste, and what new activities would I like to try, previous ones that have been abandoned that could be restarted, current nagging tasks that are no fun to do (and easy to put off), and projects to maintain what is already in place.

Things to try: learn a new language (so much fun), rent a clarinet and see if I can still play (after high school band and orchestra, I sold mine because I needed money), reread old favorite books and see if they still are magical, give away “fantasy island” clothes ( that size 8 and 10 are long gone), singing along with music (no one else can hear), and make new recipes. Like most people, I cut out recipes from magazines and newspapers, then heap them in a pile for a later time.

That time is now.

It’s a great time to reconnect with old friends, send some snail mail to those out of town (we need to keep the post offices working), make a list of favorite smells (think lilacs, sheets dried on a clothesline, the air early in the morning on a hot day). What makes you happy? For me, it’s a smile on someone’s face when they see me, swim in a cool lake, a good chocolate soda, chocolate milk popsicles (if you haven’t made them, you are missing a treat), flowers in the sunlight, and hearing the birds singing and watching the trees blow around. What makes you happy? Who brings out the best in you? What gives you peace of mind?

I am very ready for this to end, but there are bright spots too. Stay happy, stay healthy, stay home!

PS - Just realized I didn’t mention exercise, but I figure it’s like brushing your teeth: it’s taken for granted that it’s part of the day!

One good thing about this coop up is there are lots of good Youtube workouts and Zumba classes online. I mentioned language learning because I’ve been meaning to learn German so I can do a bike trip in Germany-Austria later this year or in 2021.  I love traveling when you can talk to people and order food and get directions.  It’s so different from what I already know (French, Italian, Japanese) that German might be difficult. That’s OK – more of a challenge.
I do hope we can still have some races this season – news? 

If beaches are closed, there is one dino that will be a bandit and swim anyway. Swimming is such a delight. Police wouldn’t arrest an elderly person (81), would they? We’ll find out.