Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. ~ Winston Churchill

I missed last week’s WFH post. Now that life is starting to take a new shape, we’re getting busier again. I must admit we like the slower pace of life. I’m not sure exactly how that will play out in our future, but I expect to see some changes coming. The first is the arrival of our new fridge. The British Hubby was able to fix the dryer so we have 2 out 3 appliances back. A new oven/range unit is coming, but with our toaster oven and grill we are managing just fine. We are officially in phase two and now have a mandatory face masks requirement in place with some age and health restrictions. The masks below are from Christy Dawn. For each 5 pack purchased, they donate a 5 pack.

Ernie had his Wellness check during this stretch. He was the calmest of all three kitties for this experience. Ernie was so friendly the vet tech didn’t want to give him back. Yes, we know Ernie is a special snuggly kitty. Ernie is mostly doing great. He’s at a good weight. His T4 level is where it should be which means his thyroid isn’t acting up again. He is starting to move a little slower sometimes, but he’s a senior kitty. The one down fall: he has a bald spot on his belly that is very slowly growing. Ernie is our OCD cat. He buries all the food bowls. He must snuggle daily to reconnect his bond. Washing releases endorphins. Ernie over washes to calm himself. The vet has confirmed he has no medical condition causing this. We could put him on kitty Prozac to calm him so the fur grows back. (It’s gotten close a few times, but Ernie hides and washes it all off.) Or we could just say it’s one of Ernie’s many quirks. He’s slowly going bald to look like his humans. Maybe one day we will need to put him on kitty Prozac, but for the moment he’s perfectly fine. Why give him drugs if it’s not medically necessary? Below is one of Ernie’s favorite places to nap and wash while he waits for the British Hubby to finish a conference call.

These past two weeks I’ve had a chipped cavity fixed. I’ve ordered some fun washable face masks. No need to fill up landfills with disposable ones. And we purchased our second tank of gas since the end of February. We’ve had some gardening triumphs and disappointments. I’ve learned quite a bit. I’ve not made the same mistake twice. I keep finding new ones to make.

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Sally the slow poke got too much summer sun. I shouldn’t have scorched her tender leaves. I think I over watered the next one. Celery needs a lot of water, but I guess not as much as I gave it. The onion and first celery seem to be doing okay. The sunflowers are in various stages. A few will go into the ground this week.

Ruby is the big surprise. I thought she was going to join Sally the slow poke in the compost pile, but she’s made a come back. She’s gone into a bigger pot and has a new leaf.

And now I have lemon trees that have sprouted! Why they don’t look the same, I have no idea.

This past week, I cast on my old favorite. A dishcloth. Here’s Sunny Family Time. It’s a free pattern that looks great in a solid or self-striping yarn. It has a good texture for cleaning.

Hope you had a great week. Stay safe, social distance and remember your mask.