Quarantine Diary #33 4/15/2020 Let there be Light

My friend Karen sent me this lovely, lovely photo collage of all the windows in her house. In the past week she has washed them all, washed the curtains, ironed the curtains that need ironing.  Isn’t this lovely?

In the past month her job, her husband’s job, and the jobs of all her kids have changed; all will now be not working or working less. Unemployment has been applied for by humans who have never applied for unemployment before in their lives. One son’s destination wedding has been put on hold. ALL the high school graduation related events for her beloved high-achieving grandson are now kaput; the family can’t even get together for cake.  Her husband’s oddly shaped little skin thing was, in fact, serious enough to require three trips (so far) to a clinic and surgical center and then there was waiting for pathology labs. Oh, and he doesn’t have his job of over 30 years to go to, cuz it’s closed til this crisis is over. (His health is okay. All he has to do now is heal.)  Also her mom is in assisted living and Karen can only visit through the window.

So. Aren’t those windows beautiful?

What are YOU doing with your freaked-out energy?

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I slept swell last night so apparently my insomnia was possibly related to five cups of coffee?

A relaxed brain will dream so mine did.  I dreamed I was in a car with Trump who was the driver. The world was gray and ominous. Trump didn’t know where we were or where we wanted to go. I DID know where I wanted to go; back home. I used Google Maps to direct him. He paid no attention and got on an expressway where he proceeded to drive 80mph BACKWARDS. I yelled at him to get off the highway. He did, pulled into a restaurant and walked away to get donuts (yes, this was in my dream). I had coffee. (of course). I recognized the people at the table next to me. We decided we met years ago at a social services seminar.

Question #1. How many of you worked in any way in a social services type helping career? Were you at the next table?

Question #2. Was this a dream or the evening news?

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Do you need a mask? On Sunday I told you how to order them from Otis. Read here. 

The ones I had are gone. You can contact him directly to order a mask for about $5/each plus shipping. His email is: otis@otisthompson.com

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Values in the Time of Covid:

1. Our $ came from the gov’t (i.e. our taxes) today.  We are keeping it “liquid” until at least summer in case more craziness happens. Kids, grandkids, five jobs, cats, dogs – what could possibly go wrong?

2. I found a nickel on a parking lot this morning.  Will probably keep it “liquid” also.

3. We have not been able to find bread flour. Bread flour is not all-purpose nor is it whole wheat. It’s higher protein because it’s a different kind of wheat (I think).  Len is picky about flour and his bread is evidence. Anyways, I moseyed online around for Bread Flour rabbit holes and found some.

We found it at grain farmers’ cooperative in North Dakota. He ordered TWO 25# bags and the shipping costs more than the flour but get this: the price per pound will end up less than we pay per pound for it at our grocery store. Back when a person could get it.

Says something about what we pay for when we buy our groceries. We pay for someone to carry it across the country to us.

It's been years since we bulk-bought flour, but we know how to do it.  We will immediately put it all into Ziplock bags (some reused, some new, whatever it takes). We will set up the bottom of our fridge as the flour shelf and pile the bags in. Then we will put one bag at a time in our little under-the-fridge freezer for 2-3 days, pull it out, notate that it’s been frozen onto the bag, and then put in a new one. Freezing kills pantry moths. Storing in the fridge protects the flour.

A loaf of sourdough uses about 1.5 lbs of flour and lasts about 5 days. Which gives us six months of knock-your-socks-off bread. When we are sure this all works, next time our we could order even more and share it.  We will let you know.

4. If you go to my UU church, you know Chet. He is many amazing things (Bluegrass and Irish music singer and picker, husband of Sally, once-upon-a-time Waldorf teacher). He also has a tree trimming company so once upon a time I asked him tree questions. He came by a few weeks ago to consult about the over-enthusiastic urban trees that grow between our fence and a parking lot.  

He is in my backyard right now doing a daredevil’s job of getting rid of half our shade. We are the end of his day; he was already in town doing a big job for a bigger client. He is charging us less than we expected to pay. His assistant is sawing the giant limbs into shorter logs, but in the next hour they will just walk away.  Len and I will clean the yard and take the wood to our town recycling place (when it opens again).  

So he earns a bit of income in a time when many people are not hiring arborist work. Plus, we are talking about trying a vegetable garden this year because there will be light!

If you live in SE Wisconsin (he can decide what’s close enough and what’s too far) and want to talk about your trees (consultations are free) he is Chet Celenza at 262 844 0460 or scelenza@wi.rr.com

5. Buying way less. Tipping way more.