Welcome to SOLO at SIXTY!
Week 7 of the 2020 pandemic quarantine. Who would have ever thought?!?
Know what I realized after wearing my mask everywhere? You can read a lot about a person just by looking at their eyes. I mean, that’s all you can see with these masks. Which is bad for me, because I tend to look at people’s lips while they are talking since I am a bit hard of hearing! And it is even harder now that their voices are muffled by these masks. So now, I look at their eyes. I pass someone and smile, and can see them smiling back. Their eyes are smiling. You can also read their sadness, frustrations, and pain. I never thought about this before donning my mask. Now I am more aware. Are you?
“Sometimes our eyes can’t hide what we really feel inside.”
Are y’all sporting masks these days? Any cool ones? I had no bandanas or fabric or elastic to make a mask. Saw a great post on FB about using old short-sleeve t-shirts to make a mask. You cut out the sleeve (remember – use short sleeves), then cut a strip at the bottom of the t-shirt (not the hem but above it so you can stretch it out) which becomes your tieback. Here is the link. I started with an old t-shirt of mine, but quickly realized that the sleeves were too small. My daughter reminded me that some of my son’s old t-shirts that did not make it in his t-shirt quilt were still in his dresser. So I washed them, cut the sleeves out, plus 2 strips off the bottom of each t-shirt, and made some masks. My daughter’s favorite was from an old tie-dyed t-shirt of his dating back to a spirit day in high school. I even sacrificed a couple of old Carolina t-shirts plus one from Bubba’s Fish Shack! Sent masks back with my younger daughter for her, my son and his fiancée, and saved a couple for my older daughter, son-in-law, and me!
Yes, my daughter went back to her home in Charlotte last Friday. Sad to see her go, but thankful for the time I got to “mother” again. I loved every minute of it. We had a lot of fun together – cooked good meals, drank good wine, watched good movies… fun! Told her she can always come back since we are both sheltering at home SOLO these days. But the plan is to meet back up at the beach soon… how much better is that?! Her first morning back home she jokingly texted me “Good morning! I am ready for my coffee!” Now, I don’t drink coffee, but I made her a pot of coffee every morning. Part of my mothering!
“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” Jill Churchill
My kids and I had a zoom call Friday night. Loved seeing their faces and catching up. My younger daughter was still on the road heading home, and was part of the call, just without the video. Made the last hour of her trip home go by so much quicker. Even though she did not see us (she was driving after all!) she could hear us and join in. So thankful for this technology! I know, I know… I say that every week. But it is so true. My sweet older daughter facetimes me every day to check up on me and let me visit with my granddawg. And my sweet nephew facetimed me as he and Jack were reading books before bedtime. So sweet to get to visit with them and listen to books that I read to my children. Special times. I hope we continue this going forward.
“The smallest gesture can have the largest impact… It takes so little to be kind… even from a distance.” Anita Opper
Last Wednesday, my neighborhood set out luminaries in celebration of the 50th Earth Day and in honor of our medical heroes. It was quite the sight. Very uplifting. We do this during the Christmas season, so it seemed appropriate to light up the night in these challenging times. With the increased daylight (YEA!) we did not light them until 8 pm. I love this time of the year… longer days, warmer temperatures. Things are looking up!
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
When I started this blog three years ago, I was looking for that light in the darkness. I was looking for an outlet where I could put my thoughts and feelings into words, and hopefully help others who have suffered a loss. I wanted to show that no matter what, life goes on and can be better than before. Writing every week has helped me reconnect with many old friends and find new ones. I feel like I have accomplished a lot of what I set out to do with this blog, and then some. I have felt so much support, and received great feedback from so many people who felt I was talking just to them. Thank you for all of the love and comments! But now, I am going to take a step back. Instead of publishing a new blog each week, it will come out once a month, the middle Wednesday (like being the middle child, which I am!). You can sign up (here on the blog site) to receive the BLOG via email every time it is published. I’ll continue to post the inspirational quotes each weekday on SOLOATSIXTY’s Facebook page, plus post when the NEW BLOG POST is coming out. I always end these blogs with a reminder not to take this life for granted and to make the most of every day, and I plan to do that, because as we all know… none of us is promised tomorrow.
“Might not be tonight, tomorrow or the next day, but everything is going to be okay.”
See you in 2 weeks, May 13, 2020!
Best,
Leslie
PS…. here are some more shelter at home funnies:
“Overslept this morning and was late getting to the living room.”
“When a sketchy guy wearing a mask and gloves rings your doorbell at night: 2019: OH MY GOD! CALL THE COPS! 2020: YAY! Dinner’s here, let’s eat!”
“Can we uninstall 2020 and install it again? This version has a virus!”
SOLO at SIXTY 
Eagerly anticipate your blog! It has kept me sane during Covid! Thanks!!
Your quotes always inspire me-your pictures engulf me with happiness! Thanks for giving freely of yourself to keep so many blessed m!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will miss your weekly blog, but will enjoy the monthly blog! You have such a positive outlook,
always a gift to hear from you….
LikeLiked by 1 person