Weekends Used To Be More Fun

It was a rare Saturday that we didn't have a movie to see or dinner with our friends planned.  Now our Saturdays are just dull stay-at-home days.  I have read more books than usual - I found a stack of actual physical books in a cupboard and have been working my way through them and mostly enjoying them.  I apparently like my taste in books.  😄   And then, after Saturday we'd get to go to church where we'd find some smiles and a few hugs and some spiritual uplift, along with some mental behavior analysis and plans to do better at being a disciple of Christ.  (And yes, I would often find ways to complain about someone who bugs me.  I don't really know any people outside of church.  There's a reason I'm still going:  there's so much work on me still going on!!)

After so many weeks (and so many more to come- how many is so, so, so unknown) of holding church here at home, it is going to take some adjusting when we actually go back.  I have found that the actual sacrament part of our meeting at home has been having more of an impact on me than when at church.  Too many distractions for my thoughts there, I guess.

Totally yummy.

Since we spent Saturday completely at home and by the end of the day I had less than 2500 steps, I knew I'd never get to sleep last night unless we went for a walk.  It was hot outside for me - 77 degrees at 6 p.m.  And I'm never at my best in the afternoon, evening.  My energy naturally peaks in the morning and by afternoon, late afternoon, I'm beat, exhausted and done (even when I haven't moved the body enough to register many steps on my step counter).  Last night's walk took w-a-y longer than expected.  We took a somewhat different route, one that I thought was shorter.  Ended up with over 12,000 steps after the walk and we barely made it home before sunset.  I texted a friend that we were in front of her house waving, and she came out for a driveway visit.  Earlier we had seen her next door neighbor walking and I had said "say hi to your wife for me".  She's a real sweetheart that I've missed.  Next thing we know, he's brought his wife out so the 5 of us had a nice long chat on the driveway.  It was difficult to leave them without a hug.

Tablecloth so far. 

Norway spruce

Later on we met our new across-the-street neighbors just heading out for their walk (they're apparently not afraid of the dark and walking in it like I am) and had to stop and say hi.  And introduce them to another neighbor who was passing by with her Mom and her dog.  It felt like the entire city was out and about.  Hard to social distance when there's so many of you out there.  (That's why I like to be out and about early - most everyone but me is still asleep.)

I am making progress on the tablecloth I'm crocheting.  It's slow, and getting slower it feels the bigger it gets.  And I had really wanted a more open, lacy pattern.  But this one is ok.  It gives me a goal.  Oddly enough, the name of the pattern is the Virus pattern.  So, during the virus pandemic I'm working on a virus.  hahaha

The other day we were given a couple of these Reese's peanut butter cups - the new thin ones.  We had them for breakfast dessert.  So glad that breakfast dessert is a thing.  (And if it wasn't before, it is now.)  The pink "cones" on our norway spruce?  They're really pink!! When they get old and lose their color just the slightest tap or breeze sends tons of pollen drifting everywhere.  It's really something to see.

For Sunday Sacrament meeting, I chose to listen to a talk by Elder Uchtdorf given in a General Conference Priesthood session some years ago.  He referenced this scripture that I so love.  I love the mental image of the Lord inclining unto me and listening to my tearful pleas.   Then putting a new song in my mouth - which right now to me means finding gratitude in every day.  Finding ways to tell Heavenly Father
how grateful I am for His plan and His care and hope for His purposes to be fulfilled.

I'm so grateful to be in a safe comfortable environment where a walk can take twice as long as it should because people seem happy to see and visit with you.