A few weeks ago I saw a segment on Good Morning America advertising a cheese making kit. Honestly, it didn't take much to convince me to jump on the purchasing bandwagon. For some reason, making cheese has been something I've been wanting to try for the past two decades. Between the deal and the time afforded by quarantine, taking the plunge to chase my cheese making dreams seemed like a no-brainer.
To my delight, my kit arrived Wednesday night. After finishing my work yesterday, I cleaned off my kitchen counter and began my first foray into cheese making. I don't think I've been this excited since quarantine started!
I spend a lot of time in my kitchen, but it has been a long time since I have had this much fun cooking. I had water boiling, my instructional cheese making video playing and pans clanging. I loudly belted out self-composed cheese making songs as I enthusiastically pulled and molded my cheese.
At one point the boys were all standing in the doorway to the kitchen, quizzically watching my antics. I was loud, messy and having a blast. None of them quite knew what to make of my theatrics, but they all knew enough to leave me uninterrupted.
Sometimes, I guess it's good to do something just for yourself. I found an escape from the pandemic in a virtual cheese making class. Not only did I have a great time, but I have a bowl full of excellently pulled cheese in my refrigerator.
We had another gorgeous day, affording us the luxury of being able to spend the day outside. Social distancing is so much easier when we can get outside to play. Listening to the boys laugh as they ran around the yard made me so happy. For a few hours, I escaped the pandemic anxiety and just enjoyed life.
Timmy spent hours hunting zombies through the yard. He was disappointed, but I was rather relieved that his hunt proved to be unsuccessful. Even though he didn't find any zombies, he had a great time and was smiling from ear-to-ear during his quest.
After the final zombie hunt we all hopped onto our bikes and rode through the neighborhood. Our nightly bike rides have become one of my daily highlights. I love spending time with the boys, just pedaling and talking.
As we were riding our bikes through the neighborhood I couldn't help but reflect upon how very lucky I was feeling. Quarantining is difficult, but I cannot fathom how much more frustrating it must be for those who do not have a yard and readily accessible opportunities to get outside. I become cranky whenever we are stuck inside for more than two days. I promise, I am going to try to keep my complaining to a minimum!
Timmy and I spent hours outside yesterday, armed and hunting zombies. He was carrying a rake while I was allotted a wooden spoon for protection. I have to admit that I'm relieved we didn't locate any zombies because I had doubts about the effectiveness of my assigned weapon.
Although we didn't find any zombies, I did log nearly 16,000 steps during our quest. Being outside and getting some exercise was perfect consolation for our lack of zombie location success. Determined to keep the neighborhood safe, Timmy has vowed to resume the hunt today.
He didn't locate any zombies, but he did find another skull in the woods. He surmised that it was the remnants of a zombie feast, but I think it was probably an opossum. I love his imagination!
Another non eventful day of quarantine is in the books. It was too windy to go play outside, but the boys seemed content to just quietly play for most of the afternoon. I used the down time to catch up on work and to relax.
As boring as it is becoming, quarantining has allowed all of my leg ailments to heal. The sores, burns and aching discomfort that were developing have all been remedied. I am no longer feeling any pain when I walk, and for this I am eternally grateful. It is wonderful to be able to walk without discomfort. The absence of pain has been liberating!
Timmy was quiet yesterday, which means he will probably be raring to go today. I anticipate an afternoon of running around the yard and riding bikes. The cold temperatures don't deter him, although it frustrates me that we are in the middle of May and I still need a warm jacket. As long as the sun is shining and the winds aren't howling, Timmy will want to play outside.
With my leg feeling strong and finally being ahead in work, I think today will be the perfect day to play in the yard. I've given up on waiting for warmer temperatures. I'll just take the sunshine.
Another Mother's Day has come and gone. Like all other recent celebrations, this year was different. I think I have (finally) made peace with the disruptions caused by quarantine. Rather than being sad, I've decided to change my perspective. Traditions ended because of the quarantine but opportunities to reinvent a celebration were born.
We didn't go out for breakfast, but we did enjoy grilled burgers and fries for lunch. I made dinner for everybody but the boys cleaned up. We didn't do anything grand, but it was nice to just relax and unwind.
Although I had a great day with my boys and Scott, but I definitely missed seeing my Mom. Video chat provided a connection, for which I am grateful, but I missed giving her a hug. Hopefully I will be able to visit her soon, but we are planning to wait until it is safe for everybody to reunite. In the meantime, we will continue to stay connected through the phone and computer.
I hope that everybody had a Happy Mother's Day!
