November, Changes!

As I start this post, you will be happy to know that I am sitting- on my own sofa, in my own apartment, with my own things!  They came on Thursday. The front rooms are at least presentable enough for me to open the door (and open it to anyone else) without cringing. The kitchen is workable although not close to being finished. I can sleep on my side of the bed. I cannot say much for the rest, though!

My sewing room move is a double edged sword. I left behind one table and all the storage.  Which means right now everything is in boxes by type. It also means that I get to decide how to store everything from scratch and get a new table. Which is fun, but probably leaves said studio/office in flux for many a week to come. 

When I finally got out of bed yesterday (I don't deal with time changes well at all and really wish that so called daylight savings time was real time year around), the parking lot was pretty well empty. Unsure if folks went to family or to church (some of the biggies round here have piles of cars and lots of hugging outside). I enjoyed a quiet day since I just left D and SIL on Thursday and had plenty to do. 

It's a new month, with a new, mainly empty calendar to fill, in a new place. In the time of Covid. It can aways be difficult to meet your neigbors, but this time is especially difficult. That doesn't phase me or make me less happy about the move at all. I am still really excited about the changes!! I've met a couple of apartment neighbors to say hello, and chatted with some folks on my brief, trudging walk to the mail kiosk. In a perfect world, the library and community rooms would be open, but I am not a jump out there and introduce myself type of gal to a bunch of people all at once. So in some ways this may be an easier adustment, who knows. 

There  is much less mask wearing outside and in the covered but airy hall areas than I am used to, and I think I will probably be "that woman" for while in that regard. I will not chat two feet away from someone without a mask, so in the beginning folks may think I am odd but so be it.  It's actually funny, all these seniors (from 55 to 90 something) walking around maskless, and yet nothing is open. Senior center, silver sneakers, community theater, library book clubs, you name it. It's going to be an adjustment as Colorado was, overall, pretty darned tight in the mask wearing area.

Instead I'll be keeping myself busy unpacking and doing creative stuff (that goal list included no creative stuff, much of which needs to be finished for the holidays) and working to find chances to socialize, virtually and maybe on rare occasions otherwise. I'm making a list of things to finsh by the first if possible and then I'm going to copy Jackie's method of assigning them numbers and drawing one at a time. I'm looking to sign up for a racial justice weekly book club through church (virtual), as well as the weekly "second half" tea (also virtual), and join the quilt guild (monthly virtual meetings for now). My move eliminated any chance of senior college at least until January, then I'll join up. And I'll remain on my Texas knitting zoom some weeks. Not a fan of regular social media as such in the normal times, but need to add some friends to my FB list and I really enjoy the "groups" on FB for knitting and quiliting and travel. I even belong to one called Cool Retired Women!

I'm promising myself that I will leave the house daily, even if just for a short drive to a park or to take a very short walk (we'll see how long that commitment lasts)  and as long as the weather is nice enough (which should be for a long, long while) to sit on the patio and knit or whatever for awhile everyday, both to enjoy the Texas weather and have a chance to say high and wave at people who walk by within the safety of my little wrought iron, fenced off area. Laugh though you may.

I decided that I would take decorating pumpkins off last week's end of year goal list. Instead daughter and I are going to make gingerbread houses from scratch, I want to make a some Christmas decor (will add those to the creative list coming up) and go on a lights tour. Dallas has one of the best botanic gardens/arboretums in the country and I'm wondering if I will feel comfy doing that with the mask attitude here.

I've been cooking with my toaster oven and small pans, and that works (one night I cooked eight chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Thats not gonna work for me any more). I've decided to get a 1.5 or two quart slow cooker this week. Also, the reality is that I am gonna want to deliver/carry in a couple times for dinner and I have adjusted said budget.  Saturday I had a cup of Panera soup and a half sandwich. Sooooo good!

Today's goals are to work on organizing that sewing room, pull out the projects I hope to finish for the holidays and put them aside, and hang up some of my clothes from the clothing boxes. You all may see posts much more often for awhile as I aim to motivate to get apartment and projects finished.