April 10, 2020 thought for the day: Sweet are the tears that are dried by your loved one. Portugese Proverb

It’s been a day I haven’t experienced in a long time. I got a few miles away from the house. I had to get blood drawn and at a lab that was on the other side of town. It was good to get out for a change. As it turned out, the clinic was not busy at all. I was in and out in about a total of twenty minutes. Lowell took me, I am a bad driver outside of my “comfort” zone. We both wore masks and used hand sanitizer several times. It was also good to see him and to talk for a while. It was simple bonding and it gave a little fresh light to the day.

The photo challenge for April 9 and fitting with the monthly theme, “month of gratitude”, I chose a shot of the post office. I am grateful that they are there with delivery as it has been for years and years. “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Fridays seem to be generally on the more relaxed side of the week. I didn’t have an agenda for today. I would like to have continued some yard work. I move slowly with just a little accomplished at a time but it gets done. The weather isn’t cooperative and inviting to that particular past time today so I will put it on the back burner until the temperature goes back up. I will get to it eventually.

Before I left for the lab, I sent out my now regular morning virtual “visit” to our sanctuary though photos of another of our gorgeous stained glass windows.

The tenth was another of those days when I had a second photo of the day challenge. This one was titled "an animal". Well, I have a choice of two in the house and many squirrels in the yard. I chose Sugar napping again.

I tried having our necessary groceries brought to the house but that method didn’t turn out so well. Tomorrow will be the result of an order made to be picked up curb side. After reading reports about that from other people, I am having an unpleasant feeling that that also will be a minor disaster with having to wait a long time even though we were given a pick up time or not having the order complete. I am feeling that I am going to have to “bite the bullet” and go to the store during “senior” hour, whether it is “unsafe” or not. The choice doesn’t seem to be an easy one. I wonder if there would be a better more efficient way of handling getting food. People seem to be coming up with so many light bulb moments with ways to handle life in this crisis. Maybe at some point someone will mathematically or scientifically come up with a way to make grocery and housekeeping supplies more easily accessible in emergency situations like this one . . .  Maybe having curb pick up or delivery only as the restaurants have to do .....I’ll get off my soap box now.

The word today is faults. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them, Confucius.  If you wish to be loved, show more of your faults than your virtues, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton. The mystery of existence is the connection between our faults and our misfortunes, Madame de Stael.  If anyone is unhappy, remember that his unhappiness is his own fault... Nothing else is the cause of anxiety or loss of tranquility except our own opinion, Epictetus. Bear with the faults of others as you would have them bear with yours, Phillips Brooks. The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression, Quintilian.  Men ought to be most annoyed by the sufferings which come from their own faults, Marcus Tullius Cicero. Had we not faults of our own, we should take less pleasure in complaining of others, Francois Fenelon. Everyone has his faults which he continually repeats: neither fear nor shame can cure them, Jean de La Fontaine. Certain defects are necessary for the existence of individuality, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. A fault is sooner found than mended, Ulpian Fulwell. Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that Tomorrow never comes, Benjamin Franklin. Who mix'd reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth: If he had any faults, he has left us in doubt, Oliver Goldsmith. 

For a photo to fit “month of gratitude” today I went to archives. I remembered a couple of photos that I have taken that touched my soul in relation to this theme. This one if of two of my most favorite people enjoying a bit of life together.

We keep learning. Leaning isn’t always about good things but some of the difficulty that causes us to learn can lead to better ways of doing things. Unpleasant happenings can lead to so many new ideas as off shoots of its destruction. I think that’s what is happening for all of us now.  The article today is about making home improvements some of which may be new ideas for us to lean in this difficult time. It states that since many of us are spending more time at time it may be a good time work on the house. Lowe’s has apparently had an increase in sales at this time. Also suggested is not to try to do things you are not equipped to do, like electricity and plumbing. Maybe put off projects that require permits and inspections. If you need to have service for the AC or something else, be sure to keep the six-foot distance rule. Suggestions of things to do might be art on the doors and walls. Have family help by gathering family photos. Maybe there are areas around the house that need painted. This may be the time to make a paver patio. Work on a garden, this project can be kid friendly. Another tip in the article is to have the driveway resurfaced. Maybe work on the garage doors, add “faux windows and so on. One of the last tips in the article was to do spring cleaning all around the house and property.

It’s pizza time again, love it.

Joy