{ Slow days }

We've had pretty strong storms in our areas paired with Tornado watches.  I forget how quickly time flies, and when we approach Tornado season I'm always caught a bit off guard.  It's a bit earlier than usual too, we are still in March, but I guess even mother nature is out of it's usual routine.

The days have been slow, spent indoors, pottering around here and there.

I was having a conversation with my sister in law because she is very different to me in the sense of being alone, or staying home.  She prefers company, she prefers going out and being outside.

I on the other hand, have always been a homebody, more so when we were active duty military.  I quickly learned how to be home, how to be alone, and more importantly to be ok with that.

If any of you are like me, we are all pretty overwhelmed and a bit tired of the constant barrage of information, fake news, factual news, numbers of infected and dread from all over the world.

I've turned off my news, I am staying updated through my husband but personally, I need a break from it all.

I've been reading up a storm, I am now but a few pages from finishing The Spanish Queen by Carolly Erickson.  Read about 75% of the book in one night.

No doubt I will be going through my To Be Read shelf in not time at all.

Maybe we should do a Quarantine Book List, and pick a few books that we want to get through during these isolation times.  Motivate people to go through their book shelves and get reading.

My crochet basket has also been pulled out into the open, and I work on a row here and there as I go about my day.

Life has slowed down, I feel like we can breathe easier, hear the birds outside chirping louder, or maybe it's the fact that no too many people are out and so the constant hum drum noise has been muffled.

Baking has been one of my releases.  I cook and bake all the time, but if I'm being honest lately it's become more of a way to get food into my family and not so much a work of love.

Not because I don't love my family, or the baking or cooking, but because we're always running around.  I have to zip into the kitchen, quickly make a meal and get it on the table, and honestly it takes the enjoyment out of it all.
 

As the days have slowed, I've been able to be at the stove, taking my time, cooking with love and not rushing our meals.  They seem to taste even better.

Baking is the same thing, usually I would leave the baking for the weekend, especially when it comes to bread.  The rising, the kneading, is not a process that you can rush, right?

I've enjoyed being in the kitchen mid afternoon, working on a loaf of bread or a cake.

The photos above are for Irish Soda Bread and some Chili Spaghetti (though I used shells instead of spaghetti noodles).    I've made the chili spaghetti before, and last night I basically made the same, though browned the ground beef, added a jar of spaghetti sauce with meat and a can of chili. 

It was delicious, it is filling, it makes a lot and we all have leftovers for lunch today.

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few more Homemaker Series posts, and I think that right now is the perfect time for those.  Going back to the basics, learning to make do with what you have, and making things simpler in general, is exactly what we all need at the moment.

Starting with meals. 

I am heading to the base commissary this morning, for my usual bi weekly shopping.  I usually look forward to it, but if I must be honest, I'm not quite sure what to expect.  The grocery stores in our area are depleted of food, empty shelves prevail. 

I am not sure what I will find at the commissary, if things will be as usual, if there will be empty shelves, if I will be able to do my usual shopping.  I am not even stockpiling, maybe I'm being naive or too laid back about it, but we've been told over and over not only by the military here, but by the local and state authorities, to NOT hoard and NOT stockpile because there won't be a shortage of food.

Like I said, maybe I'm being too trusting, but I prefer to get a little bit extra but not go overboard and leave others without food.

Quick Marley update, he is pretty much back to normal, we are now starting the tapering down of the steroid treatment.  Thankfully no more accidents in the house and he is back to barking at the door to go potty.  Yay!

Right, I need to get up, get some breakfast, get dressed and get things ready to take Jasmine to work.

Speaking of Jasmine, she works retail and is a cashier which means she is in constant contact with money and people and dirty things.  She is extremely good at constantly disinfecting and hand sanitizing and washing hands, but just like every other retail worker in our country, with the current situation, she is at a higher risk of contracting this virus.

I ask that you would say a little prayer not just for her, but for all those in the retail and service field, along with the doctors and nurses, pharmacy workers and so on, who are still out there working to provide us with what we need, while putting themselves at risk.  I truly do pray that the Lord protect them and keep them safe.

Sending you all blessings and love.