Blogging in the time of a pandemic

An Entire Month of April Fool's?

As my fourth blog post ever, I'm still a little new to the finer points of blogging. The SEO's , the number of words, the formatting - I'm not fluent in computer - Steep learning curve! Also, if you've read my first blog you'll remember that I didn't list writing as a talent. I'm navigating a new world. My goal was to post regularly on the first Wednesday of the month. Why a Wednesday? I'm a middle child, it seemed to be fitting. If there were 5 weeks in every month I'd be posting on, you guessed it, the 3rd Wednesday of the month. I was so close to meeting April's deadline. I was halfway through a draft and stopped for a break. Came back to realize I HADN'T SAVED MY WORK! So here I am, hours away from meeting my self-imposed deadline. My sarcastic son suggested I randomly insert the words to "Hail Purdue" into my text as an April Fool's Joke. This is what I came up with.....

My current situation 

Is much like everyone else's situation- Up in the air, In flux, unbalanced, shit show, changing every day. It's like a continual April Fool's Joke. When I first realized my regular work would screech to a halt, I wasn't too concerned. I had so many projects that needed to be done, I thought "hey! I'll finally get to those". Days later I found out my colleagues in other parts of the country had switched to making masks and I put out a call to every doctor and nurse I knew locally but the response was that there was no need for them in my area.

To Your Call Once More We Rally, Makers All 

So here we are, two weeks later and I'm making face masks. I'm a Boilermaker, a Purdue University Graduate (Alma mater hear my praise), and a maker of things that bring people comfort and beauty for their homes. I soon learned that family and friends and people in my community who work in health care needed masks. It made sense for me to be a 'Maker of masks for those who needed them. I was going all gang busters on masks (industrial sewing machines, a great set up, and lots of materials on hand helped), really pumping them out. Then I was asked to help care for my two year old granddaughter. I packed up my home sewing machine, batch cut mask supplies and off I went. Production slowed, but I am enjoying my time with Freya and have learned to "Let It Go". I now have the movie Frozen memorized, and have yet to figure out the story line of Frozen II.

Where the Wabash Spreads Its Valley 

Filled with joy, my voice is raised to say that I've joined the Facebook groups Mask America and Greater Lafayette Sewing Masks and have volunteered with Greater Lafayette Sewing Masks .I'll now be making face masks as long as they're needed for my community. I'm hoping that this virus is slow to get to rural midwest America in the same way most fashions, fads, and high speed internet are, and that it's under control soon.

From the Skies In Swelling Echoes, Come the Cheers 

I'm telling this message to anyone who will listen or read this and it's my hope that it is continued in swelling echoes faster than the virus spreads. It's not a hoax, it's real. Stay at home, follow the guidelines, don't touch the stuff in other's grocery carts (yes, this actually happened to my husband!) I hope soon we can all cheer and tell the tales of vict'ries and heroes.
Although not what my son intended, some will recognize I still managed to insert the fight song within the text of the blog. My apologies if this offended anyone, (my IU friends and other Big Ten pals or Trustees and administrators of my Almer mater) it was a mild attempt at word play. No permission was asked (it was close to midnight when I wrote, after midnight when I posted) so none was granted. Two minutes to deadline and I still need to insert links and photos. (enjoy the stock photo of the palm trees at the top) Maybe the joke is on me.

I usually sign off, "until next time". But for today it'sStay Well,Laura