What's Getting Me Through

There are times in one's life where things just feel ... hard. Sad. Sluggish. And I've been in one of those periods for a bit now. 

It didn't come out of nowhere. In the space of a few days, I learned of the very unexpected death of a cousin who is not that much older than me. I learned that another good friend is having serious health challenges, not the least of which is a level of dementia that requires a move to a 24 hour care home. This time of year involves anniversaries of some very difficult experiences as well. And those things have long echos, I have realized. And then there is the news. I haven't even been able to tune it at all, it is just so discouraging.

So this has been a time of coping, of accepting, of putting one foot in front of the other, and trying to find the pockets of pleasure and contentment in each day. I live in a beautiful place and I am proud of myself for having gotten myself here. I have a lovely daughter and a comfortable home. I have two happy dogs and two curious cats who keep me smiling. I have wonderful friends who appear in my life every day through phone calls and texts and emails and social media. 

Several bloggers I follow post regularly about the things that are saving their lives at the moment. (You can go check out Anne Bogel at Modern Mrs. Darcy and Katie Noah Gibson at Cake, Tea and Dreams -- they are both wonderful writers.) In this time-of-the-weird-mood, I have been thinking about what has been getting me through. 

Reading, of course. I've read two novels I highly recommend -both from favorite writers whose books always seem like gifts.

Sewing, also. I find piecing so meditative sometimes. Last week, I pulled out a bundle of fabric that a friend had passed on to me when she was cleaning out her sewing room. "I love the fabric," she said, "but realistically I'm not going to get around to making anything with it." It suited my mood on a drizzly Sunday to cut it up and sew it together with a very simple free pattern, and as soon as it is quilted and done I will send it back to her. 

Long arm quilting provides another regular pleasure. I was so happy to get this Skip to My Lou quilt all quilted, and I had a great time doing it. I am slowing getting reacquainted with the tricks of long arm quilting.

I sit most of the day to work at my computer (which, I confess, has been part of my recent cranky malaise, too.) So I've decided to get up every 60-90 minutes and do 15 minutes of quilting at the longarm. Machine quilting as exercise! I'm making slow progress, and making some pretty wonky feathers on this scrappy donation quilt, but it feels good.

What with packing and moving house, I've not sketched or painted for AGES. And by ages I mean well over a year. So I decided that I needed to do something to get back to it. I signed up for a 4-session zoom class from Becky Cao. She is a sketcher I've followed for a long time, because I love her loose, spontaneous sketches that capture bits of her daily life.  So, after a big of a search in my house for the supplies (where did I put my watercolor kit? Where are my pens? Has the box of sketchbooks been unpacked yet?), Sunday morning found me at the computer sketching along with Becky.

It was a really good 90 minute session. And although I sure felt rusty - yikes, how to make those watercolors go where I wanted! -- I was pleased that I touched paint to paper again. I'm already looking forward to next Sunday morning. I'm thinking Sunday morning would make a good regular sketch time after the class is done, too.

Mainly because work has been so busy, I've mostly been home inside. But I did take a trip off island last week to run errands and to meet a friend for lunch and do some shopping --and at long last get everything completed to get an enhanced driver's license, complete with maiden name and new address. What a paperwork tangle that was. The twilight ferry ride home was lovely.

This past Saturday, after the usual recycling center visit to dump still more cardboard, I took myself out to breakfast at Whidbey Donut again. They do excellent scrambled eggs, and I enjoyed my coffee and book in front of the fireplace.

Oh, one more thing bringing me much pleasure. Last week, Caroline and I took our cats to the vet for routine checks, and I snapped this photo of Maybel and Kaya hanging out in their carriers in the car.

 That photo instantly made me think "Somebody's going to emergency, somebody's going to jail" from the Eagles' song "New York Minute" -- and from the West Wing episode of the same name.  That, in turn, caused me to find and rewatch the West Wing episode -- it's episode 16 from season 2, in case you are wondering -- and it's one of my all time favorites. Sam relies on "the magical powers of a clean shirt," CJ has a "woot canal" and considers the social inequality of cartography. 

That episode made me so happy that I've started in from season 1, episode 1 to watch them all again. What a pleasure to spend some time with these smart, funny characters each evening. 

I went on a hunt to find some funny, cheerful cards to send a friend -- and came across this one. Kind of summed up my mood. I've sent it off to a different friend, because I know it will make her laugh too.

 So, friends, that's what's getting me through. How about you?