I have so many thoughts swirling in my head that I literally cannot think straight. They range from the ordinary and mundane (fold the laundry, clean the counters) to the wildly unproductive and anxiety-inducing (I’ll spare you – you really don’t want to know). We are 20 days* into this and I feel sideways, drifting while firmly anchored in my house. One day I feel happy and somewhat light, the next I can barely function. I need to make sense of what I can and be somewhat ok with the uncertainty that remains. I decided to start writing again to get it all out of my brain. And so, here I am.

We are living in a strange time. I don’t really need to tell you that. You know. But I do need to say it. This is not normal.

Still. It is the new normal.

A friend asked me last week what new things I was doing in this quarantine. Truth: I couldn’t think of anything. I am a homebody. I am still making things and keeping myself busy: knitting (more), sewing (very little), cooking (more), reading (more), watching TV (about the same), walking (more), hanging out with family (more), group texting (more), reading the news (less), cleaning (more), napping (more often, shorter lengths). The same activities in different volumes. With the exception of walking, I am only leaving the house once a week to grocery shop and that is the most anxiety-producing activity I have done in years.

It’s all so strange. And, still, it’s normal.

I’m going to write more here. Chronicle my days. Share what I am making. Give a voice to my thoughts.

I also was really tired of seeing that photo of me in a knitted hat. So there’s that.

Hi friends. It’s good to be back.

*The last time I came here to write was on January 20th. I had a written a draft of a new year’s post titled “Twenty Days In.” Ironic timing, right?