Addressing the Elephant in the Room

Addressing the elephant in the room...

West Edmonton Mall — North America's largest — is a ghost town.

Navigating through much of its forty-eight block area, past pristine shuttered shops, gives one a post-apocalyptic feeling. It's like being in a movie.

Just a few months ago, on a Friday that also coincided with a teachers' convention weekend, the only parking space I found was so tight that I had to ask my mother to guide me when I backed out. The rear "haunch" of my vehicle barely cleared a double pillar by a couple of inches. During holidays, it's usually a gas guzzling adventure to find a spot to leave your car when you come here.

That same gas is now selling for a price that I'm sure I haven't seen in about twenty-five years.

It's a weird time. And that's putting it mildly.

Life took a u-turn into a whole other dimension for people in my community in mid-March. On Friday, kids came home from school as usual, but by Sunday, schools were closed indefinitely, one week ahead of spring break. In the ten days that followed, we heard increasingly dire messages from all levels of government, culminating with: go home and stay home.

By the end of the month, all non-essential businesses were locked up and restaurants could no longer offer in house dining. Don't go out unless you have to, but if you are out, stay two metres (six feet) apart.

To date, I've purposely avoided discussing the unprecedented challenge facing our world.

---

Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

---

If you're anything like me, you hear the latest news and statistics in the morning and then you get another dose of them in the evening. It's our duty as citizens to stay informed, and to put into practice what our medical experts and professionals recommend.

That said, I need a fence around some areas of my life to keep as a safe refuge, for my own sanity. I need — and I think we all need — a place to get away from the depressing daily deluge. Blogging provides me with some semblance of the "old normal", so apart from today, I will continue to post about the same things in the same way that I've been doing for the past six and a half years. This blog is not going to become my personal COVID-19 diary.

So to those of you reading who may have wondered why I've been largely ignoring this undeniably life altering event, that's why.

Also — to tell the absolute truth — I probably can't speak my mind about this without getting overly political. The government of the country to our south is led by a naked emperor who fiddles his way through the crisis. His attempt to direct a manufacturer not to export N95 masks to us this past week was beyond infuriating. Generally speaking, as the USA goes, so goes Canada; we have historically been so interconnected as to almost be one. But at times like this, I'm reminded that we are not "one", and quite frankly, I thank all the forces in the universe for that distinction.

But there, you see? I've already said too much by being absolutely honest. I long ago decided that there's no place for politics on this blog, either.

As I described at the top of this post, my home city is topsy-turvy right now. Apart from going outside and getting some individual exercise, there is really nowhere to go to ease the mind from over thinking on the pandemic. Nothing is open except essential services. National parks are closed. Provincial parks are closed. City playgrounds are off limits to children. There are no organized sports taking place. Traffic jams are a thing of the past.

Basic grocery shopping has become this weird, stressful experience, meticulously planned and consisting of grabbing items as efficiently as possible while staying a proper distance away from fellow shoppers. At times, people have to line up and wait outside to avoid over-crowding on the inside. Some stores have markers on the floors indicating one-way aisles and traffic cones dictating separation while we wait to check out. We look at each other with worried faces — if they're not covered by a mask — and nod politely.

Oh, and here's the ultimate irony of this situation: reusable bags are verboten in many places. Plastic bags are free again. (I've been leaving my items in the cart, packing them into my bags when I get back to the vehicle.)

I don't sleep well at the best of times, but now I often wake up in the early hours with my mind churning over odd details of this pandemic. I feel for helpless seniors trapped in long term care homes where outbreaks have occurred and am ever grateful that my mother lives in her own house and is not endangered by outside caregivers.

---

Watch live classes for FREE at CreativeLive! [affiliate link]

---

During the day, I say to myself, "we will overcome". Because truly, whatever doesn't kill us will only make us stronger. Meanwhile, I have no doubt that things will still get worse before they get better, even with our relatively well managed provincial and federal response. It's scary.

But then, the old saying that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade resonates with me as well. Therefore, when we were given the unofficial order to stay home, I decided to pursue some pandemic projects.

But what will they be?

What might I want to take on during this period that I'll look back on in the coming years as being a new experience, a learning experience, a memorable experience — beyond the obvious, that is.

For the sewing side of things, I flipped through some of the projects that I've admired in the past but had no desire to do, for various reasons (like too involved, takes too much fabric, etc). What better time to change it all up, toss aside the excuses and say, I'm doing this!

Here's my first choice:

Tropical Rug sewing pattern (image courtesy of AGF Studios)...

However, I may not lay it out on the floor as a rug; it may end up being a wall/window hanging, like my hanging Christmas tree. We'll see how it plays out.

I'll document my progress on this leafy project over the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you'd like to see my non-sewing pandemic projects, check in regularly at this new page; I'll be adding to it as I think of things to do during this surreal time.

'Til next...