Sunday Afternoon Tea - Favorite books on the Kindle Part 2

As I write this, we have had thunderstorms come through and the daffodils have begun to bloom.  Both are part of early Spring in the Midwest. A sign that no matter what is going on right now, the seasons will follow each other as they have for a very long time.

I think my mind is beginning to settle.  At last.  It took awhile to think through all the changes that have so suddenly come to our planet.  It feels like we are living in the pages of a dystopian novel.

Currently Reading
I was reading Gentian Hill by Goudge for an online book club but my right eye has been giving me problems.  The sight in that eye was greatly improved with the surgery but it can still cause challenges when reading smaller print.  So I set Gentian Hill back on the shelves and I'm concentrating on Kindle books for the moment.  To be honest, it wasn't my favorite Goudge book but I can see why others would like it.

I add to my vast collection of Kindle books once in awhile when a title that looks promising goes on sale for around $1.99 or less.  Sometimes it is a book or author I'm very familiar so when I saw the author was Vannetta Chapman, I knew I had liked some of her other books.  So I took a chance on two thrillers last week when they were on sale.

The first book was called Hidden and the sequel is Protected.  I love a well written mystery and I couldn't put Hidden down.  I'm just getting started on Protected but so far it looks like I will be carrying the Kindle Paperwhite around with me until that book is finished.

The last time I checked, they were still on sale and I highly recommend them if you want a good thriller.  Proof the genre can be written that is both clean and a page turner.  The hero of Hidden is a Christian but not sappy (if you know what I  mean).

Info:  Hidden... here and Protected... here.  You can get information about the plots on their Amazon pages.

I also noticed when checking prices that her dystopian series about the electricity going out is currently on sale.  I purchased it last year when it went on sale to have available on the Kindle.  I haven't read the series but I have never read anything by Chapman that I didn't like.

If you are interested, those titles are: Deep Shadows... here,  Raging Storm... here, and Light of Dawn... here.

Current Audible Books
Last Fall I joined Audible and I've enjoyed deciding how to use my credit each month.  When you have any kind of an eyesight challenge, Audible books provide options.  I'm putting together month-by-month a library of fiction and nonfiction audible books.  The nice thing about Audible is that you can cancel at any time so there is no long term commitment.

I have two that are next in line for my listening attention.  They are Christy by Catherine Marshall (one of my all time favorite hold-in-your-hand books) and Jan Karon's In the Company of Others.  I'm leaning toward the latter since I have been told it is fabulous on Audible with all those Irish brogues.

Audible links:  Christy... here and In the Company of Others... here.  If you are not an Audible member, they are pricey but the library should have them.  Once they open again.

Around the Web Ideas
I've enjoyed hearing what other book lovers are doing during this time. There is a trend toward reading books they have had on their shelves for awhile but never got around to reading because they tended to be larger volumes.

Books like The Lord of the Rings (Kindle... here), The Count of Monte Cristo (Kindle... here), or The Brothers Karamazov (Kindle... here) would make great reading now that there is time.  A more modern author like Rosamnde Pilcher writes nice long novels that will take you away from it all for awhile.  Two of my favorites are The Shell Seekers (Kindle... here) or Winter Solstice (Kindle... here).

I'm thinking of rereading the beginning novel of some of my favorite series like At Home in Mitford (Mitford Series Book 1 - Kindle... here) or Death By Darjeeling (Tea Shop Mysteries Book 1 - Kindle... here).  Both series have brought me many hours of reading pleasure.  I think the last few books in both series were not as great as the others but they were good reads).

If you are on Instagram, I've really enjoyed the readings by Sarah (formerly Clarkson) which include a poem and a Psalm each day.  They are at Sarahwanders... here.

I think this is enough today but it may either give you new ideas or spark a remembrance of what is already on your book shelves.  Until next week... stay inside if possible and wash your hands!

Also, please forgive any typos since my eyes are far from perfect and I often don't catch them until the next day.  I do go back and fix what I find.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.

Image:  Interior With the Artist's Daughter by Duncan Grant

Living the Pantry Lifestyle -- What I'm learning from the pandemic

We are almost entering week three of self isolation.  We have developed somewhat of a routine as we get out one day a week, wearing masks and keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer in the car.

When I walked into Meijers last Monday, an employee was disinfecting the grocery carts and showed me where the carts were that had already been disinfected.  I think that really brought home the seriousness of the situation even though less people have died than past pandemics (except in a few countries), I am well aware that being over sixty and a diabetic puts me at great risk.  So I am very careful.  Not fearful.  Just careful.

Now that we are under a mandatory isolation, we can go out for food, to a pharmacy, or to a doctor's appointment.  I am very thankful we already had two of the masks that have been out of stock for a couple months, thanks to my husband's environmental allergies.

Since we were stocked up as much as possible, our trips to the grocery store have been short.  I shopped one day, my husband shopped the next day, we took a list... and got in and out of the stores as fast as possible.  Not out of fear, just out of wisdom.  I am thankful that we can "top off" our pantry items with fresh food. 

This last week, I was trying to remember some of the lessons I've learned through all of this and a light bulb idea came to mind... I need to write the lessons I'm learning down on paper.  I always think I will remember things and then I don't.

So I have used a small-ish notebook to record not only pantry lessons but life in general lessons regarding living through a pandemic.  We really should, you know.  On paper, not online.  So that someday, should Jesus tarry, our grandchildren and their children will have a record.  Much like we enjoy reading about from the Great Depression and WWII.

I have it ready and I'm going to begin with my thoughts from first hearing of the outbreak in China up to this weekend.  Our world has changed so much that it is hard to believe for many of us, the affects personally have only been for a month or so. 

Included will be Pantry Lessons that I'm learning, which will be useful to me and to anyone else who reads it.  For instance, some of the things that were unavailable right away that surprised me (potatoes, meat, Kleenex, etc.) and what went fast that did not surprise me (TP, milk, eggs, bread, flour, sugar, butter, etc.).

Perhaps my biggest surprise was the pandemic itself and how very very fast our world could be changed.  I knew from writing about emergency preparedness a long time that a pandemic was possible, I just didn't realize how quickly it could cover most of the planet in this day of globalism and world travel.

I think the Pandemic Journal will also help gather my thoughts.  I am probably one of the few writers who does not keep any journal.  I did so for decades but decided in my 40s to burn all of them.  I didn't want my personal reflections such as they were to be read by anyone else. 

This is different.  It is being written to share what is being learned. I hope you decide to write such a journal, too. At the very least, it will help me remember what worked and what did not from my pantry.

Stay safe.  Stay blessed.

Image:  The High Hills, Brambly Hedge  (I have to admit, I looked at this and thought CROWDED ROOM!  Sheesh.)

Self Isolation Update

I thought I would send a hello to all of you while I have Internet service.  It has been slow for a lot of rural DSL users since people are home and online.  DSL is kind of the old party line equivalent of phones I believe... or so it seems that way.

I am finding ways to take advantage of being home for long periods of time.  Otherwise, it is an opportunity to read or watch a TV show in the daytime without any guilt whatsoever.  I was a little guilty about baking a cake yesterday but I froze half of it so the temptation would not remain but a few days.

I shared a photo of these flowers on IG this morning.  Aren't they beautiful?  They were sent yesterday from my friend and former neighbor.  Our boys were children together and her twins are still friends with Christopher.  She dropped extra soup and bread off here a few days ago, I met her as she drove up so we could social distance (a phrase which has become a verb).

She decided to send flowers to friends during this time to support a local business.  Brilliant!  What a good idea. After I took this photo, I divided the bouquet into three vases to enjoy in different parts of the house.

We are fine.  Well, I am but my husband is climbing the walls already.  Our voluntary self isolation is now a state mandatory isolation.  We each made a trip to a grocery store wearing a mask earlier this week, me one day and my husband the next day.  Since there are now limitations on the amount of food one can purchase, I was able to find everything I needed that the stores had been out of before.

Being in a high risk category, the self isolation will continue unless there are unusual circumstances.  I'll be back on Saturday!

Sunday Afternoon Tea - Favorite books available on Kindle Part 1

Today and next week, I want to share some of my favorite books that are available to download on the Kindle (both fiction and nonfiction).  Unless a series  is a special Kindle price, the links should have the paperback window available to click on should you want a hold-in-your-hand book.  I'm concentrating only on those available for the Kindle because it is taking awhile to get purchases from Amazon.

You don't have to have an actual Kindle, the Kindle app can be downloaded on Amazon so you can read on your tablet or even your smart phone.  I have a Kindle Paperwhite that I love because it is easy on my eyes but I also read using the Kindle app on my tablet.

Fiction

I know I talk a lot about the books by Goudge (Elizabeth, not Eileen) but I also love books by D. E. Stevenson.  I first heard of them from my friend, Kristi. They used to be very hard to find so hardback copies were pricey.  Now many are available in paperback and some available at an inexpensive price only on Kindle.

Lanier calls D. E. Stevenson "Goudge lite", they are very similar in that they take place in England and/or Scotland but they are less "spiritual" than Goudge's books.  Both women were excellent story tellers.

I love the series that includes Vittoria Cottage, Music in the Hills, and Winter and Rough Weather (the American title was Shoulder the Sky).  It begins with the story of Caroline Dering in England and continues with the story of her son who moves to the farm of his aunt and uncle in Scotland.

I liked Vittoria Cottage very much but I loved Music in the Hills and Winter and Rough Weather (my copy is titled Shoulder the Sky) because of the way they bring Scotland alive to my imagination.

Info:  Vittoria Cottage... here, Music in the Hills... here, Winter and Rough Weather (aka: Shoulder the Sky)... here.

There are a few Kindle "packages" where they put Stevenson books together for one small price, too.  They include:

The Bel Lamington Novels (two books) were very hard to locate for a long time.  I was so happy to see them come out as a package for the Kindle at such a small price.  Both are wonderful and in them we get a glimpse of old friends from the above series of books.

Info... here.

The Novels of D. E. Stevenson is a bundled set of three stand alone books including Still Guides the Stream, Blue Sapphire, and The House on the Cliff.  I haven't read them but I did recently purchase the Kindle package to have them available.

Info... here.

The first Stevenson book I read was Miss Buncle's Book, a very amusing light hearted look at what happens in a village when a book is published that seems to be talking about real life people in that village.  No one suspects Miss Buncle as the writer. This is a book to read if you need cheering up!  A sequel is Miss Buncle Married, which I liked but I loved Miss Buncle's Book.  

Info:  Miss Buncle's Book... here and Miss Buncle Married... here.

There are other excellent D. E. Stevenson books but I need to get on to some other authors.  ;)

Nonfiction
I was going to add quite a few books here but this is already long.  I will add more next week!

I was asked if there are any books similar to one of my favorites called An Everlasting Meal.  (If you haven't read it, do so soon!)  There is one similar that I purchased many years ago for the Kindle (the hardback was expensive).  It sounds like a downer but it isn't at all.  It is called The Feast Nearby.  The subtitle is: How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 a week).

I have read all of this book twice and parts of it a few times.  Like An Everlasting Meal, it provides a lot of thought about how we can eat healthier and cheaper by learning to cook and paying attention to our food.  Although the author is not a person of faith,  it is a very interesting story of how one can be on top of the world one day and have their entire world change overnight... and how that change ends up making her life much better as she learned a new way of living and cooking. It also takes place in Western Michigan, close to where we lived when my daughter was growing up.

Info:  An Everlasting Meal... here and The Feast Nearby... here.

Would you believe a book I stole borrowed from my daughter's library is what sent me down the path of stalking Jonathan Edwards?  It is called Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper (wife of John Piper). Her chapter on Sarah Edwards was life changing.  She writes about many women of faith who can inspire us in these difficult times.  I highly recommend it and really should buy one to replace my daughter's copy someday.

Info:  Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God... here.

I plan to be back next week with some more of my favorites to read to "take me away from it all".

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.

Note:  Please forgive any typos as I'm trying to write as fast as possible while my internet is acting odd (our poor rural DSL server is getting a lot of strain these days).

Image:  The Lord of the Rings film

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Some favorite pantry recipes

I don't think I will ever take for granted those quick trips to the grocery store again.  Not only to purchase fresh ingredients but just to get out of the house for awhile.  Once it warms up, we can sit on the front porch or the deck.  The wind chill is 23 at the moment.

I do feel for people who have to get out to work, knowing they are putting themselves in possible danger of getting the virus.  Also, for those who live paycheck to paycheck and suddenly find their income cut off.  Our income may be low on Social Security but so far that hasn't stopped.

A long time blog friend posted a photo on Instagram showing her husband putting rolls of TP in one of those Post Office boxes that you can fill for a base price to send to a loved one.  Mr. Rogers used to sing "There are many ways to say I love you", did you ever think sharing rolls of TP would be one of them?

I decided a couple days ago to use this time to work on a few much needed projects.  The most important was to take everything out of the deep freeze to take inventory.  When I came back in the house, I was sneezing.  My husband asked if I was getting a cold and I told him that I had been almost upside down in the deep freeze and very cold temperatures always makes me sneeze.  Yes, you can imagine the look of confusion... unless you have a chest style deep freeze.

I reorganized everything and while I did not find the extra butter I thought I had frozen, I did find a half gallon of vanilla ice cream that had slipped into the bottom of the freezer.  Hallelujah!  My husband sometimes purchases ice cream when it goes on sale and tucks it in the deep freeze.  Apparently, that is how it could go missing without my knowledge.

I now know exactly what meat and frozen veggies are available there, as well as in the refrigerator freezer.  I don't have a lot of meat but enough to hopefully last through this emergency.  I admit that this is when I wish I had my super deep pantry I did twenty years ago!

I was asked what to eat first from the pantry.  We concentrated first on the fresh vegetables and refrigerated items with a short shelf life.  If this crisis situation was a storm where we could have an extended power outage, I would always use up frozen items next but I haven't heard of any power outages.

I thought I would share some favorite pantry recipes.  Most can be made with what is available in many pantries and a couple can be made with a deeper pantry.  The links are to my recipe "blog", which is really not a blog but where I posted recipes I would talk about here.

Good Pantry Recipes
Homemade Chocolate Syrup
This is very good and easy to make.  Cocoa is one of those perfect pantry items because it has an extremely long shelf life.  It can be used on ice cream or to flavor milk.  Info... here.

My Favorite Bread Machine Recipe
This recipe came with my original bread machine from the 1990s.  It is great with all white flour but I have used half white flour and half whole wheat flour with good success.  I have used three parts whole wheat and one part white flour, which my husband liked but was a little too solid for my taste.  I also use this recipe to make cinnamon rolls.  Info... here.

Indian Fry Bread
I used to make this all the time.  It is the recipe from the historical reenactment feast we loved going to before both kids left home. The fried bread can be left as is or shaken in a bag of confectioners sugar or a cinnamon-sugar mix for more of a doughnut flavor.  It does call for at least a few inches of hot oil so keep out of the reach of kids while frying, otherwise there are lots of ways for them to get involved making this.  Info... here.

Amish Pumpkin Bread and Cranberry Orange Bread
I usually have the ingredients on hand for either of these quick breads.  This is one of the recipes that I freeze cranberries when they are available to make at other times of the year.

I keep at least one 11.5 oz. bottle of orange juice in the freezer to make the cranberry bread, defrosting it when needed. The plastic bottles freeze well.  Don't worry if you don't have an orange for zesting, I keep orange "extract" on hand and it works great.  Info... here.

Muffins My Way
This recipe was in the cookbook from the hospital where my daughter was born, purchased at that time.  It only makes eight muffins but you can easily double it.  Info... here.

Easy Fruit Cocktail Cake
This was one of my mother-in-law's favorite cakes to make.  I'm thinking other canned fruit will work just as good as the fruit cocktail as long as they are diced.  Info... here.

Jean's Peach Pie (Cobbler)
My sister, Jean, sent this recipe to me.  It is a perfect pantry recipe, especially if you find vanilla ice cream in the deep freeze.  Info... here.

Salmon Patties
Here is a savory addition to the list.  My husband hated salmon patties until I discovered this recipe.  I now make them small all of the time (as talked about in NOTE) but without dipping them in flour first.  We like the texture better than it is in the big patties.  Info... here.

Happy cooking/baking!

The first full day of self isolation

Just before I started writing this, the border between Canada and the United States was closed.  We are definitely living in unprecedented times, my friends.  I think if I was reading this in a novel, I'd think the author was stretching things a bit.

I began staying home on Monday and my husband made a trip out Tuesday to buy eggs at the health food store (they had just received a shipment) and later to purchase water softener salt to last awhile. 

Thankfully, we can hold up for a few weeks at least. Since I am a high risk candidate for complications, it is time. I'm surprised by some of the items that have been sold out. I knew some items would be sold out but I was shocked to find the meat and the potato areas empty the last two grocery trips I made. (I do have plenty of rice and some packets of instant potatoes so we will be fine.)

My husband wondered if that is because it is the Midwest where meat and potato diets are still in vogue?  Would this happen in say... LA?  Hmmm... maybe.  Fortunately, I had just enough potatoes left at home to make colcannon for our traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner.  There were plenty heads of cabbage left, even on sale.  ;)

I understand the temptation to be fearful. I have friends and family who have had important trips cancelled.  Graduations and other important events have also been cancelled.  Not to mention those who will lose their source of income during this time.  We need to lift up those affected in prayer and help those who are within your ability to help.

There was a beginning and there will be an end to this pandemic.  We do not need to fear but to decide this is an opportunity to trust God, help others, and take advantage of more time to talk to family.  Either in person or online.  Better yet, write a real letter.

I have some books I've been wanting to read and movies I have set aside to watch. There will be no excuse for being too busy to read the Bible during this time and I'm pretty sure we especially can use the Psalms right now.

I hope to put together a Sunday post of my favorite books and movies that bring peace.  On that subject... I ordered a book from Amazon today for my husband's April birthday because I heard they were slowing their delivery times.  Even for Prime members, the earliest the book would get here is next week already.

Image:  Cotswolds Evening by Robert Duncan  (You are welcome.)

Sunday Afternoon Tea - Turning my thoughts to that which brings peace

Thus says the Lord: stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

The Bible verse above is the official motto of Coffee Tea Books and Me... and my personal True North.  It has been on the sidebar for as long as I can remember.  When the world is crazy, I look for the ancient paths and the ancient wisdom.

As I write this Sunday afternoon, I have my favorite John Denver CD playing next to my desk.  His music has been one of my happy places since I was a teenager.  This particular CD was purchased at Cracker Barrel two or three years ago and I can't tell you how many times it has been my go to music in uncertain times.

Last week was unprecedented in my lifetime.   I was not and am not fearful whatsoever.  However, I was unsettled.  I think most of us were.  It is human nature to feel this way when we are in uncharted waters.  It was difficult to concentrate on anything.

No books or movies would settle my thoughts.  A couple TV shows held my attention briefly.  I have a thank you note to write and there were two blog posts to write and... nothing.  Thoughts were cluttered in my mind, flying around much like a 747 circling to land at O'Hare during Holiday travel season.

I have been busy with the normal quotidian tasks of cooking, washing dishes, doing laundry, folding towels, and waiting on Florentine and Mouse (the outdoor kitty) as their indentured servant.  I have sent a package to my daughter at the Post Office and stopped by a few grocery stores to purchase fruit and vegetables and milk and cream and... coffee.  I know, can you believe I ran out of K-cups?

China is already pointing a finger of blame at the U.S. for the virus, various politicians can not even wait until the crisis is over to wag their chins about what a terrible job the president and vice president have done protecting the American people.  Putin has decided to take advantage of the situation to destroy the American oil industry.  The news is not worth watching if we want to keep calm and drink tea carry on.

However, I've begun to notice less mental clutter and more concentration on what is important.  Like people and books and kitties and lovely photos of the blooming of gardens in the southern part of the nation.  I had quite the snowfall yesterday but the daffodils have been known to peek their buds through snow before.

A new season is about to bloom in all its' pastel beauty.  It may take awhile to reach this far north but it will come.  It always has.  It always will.  In spite of all the recent bad news, the world is on its' axis and one season follows another.  It seems like spring always takes awhile.

This is not the first pandemic and it will not be the last, even if it is the first one affecting most of us living on the planet.  We have recovered from market crashes before and life went on.  It is not the first time many of us felt like the world is crazy.  I feel that way every day.

Yesterday I watched a program about the Celtic Christians, beginning with St. Patrick and continuing for generations.  I found it actually comforting that it was in the midst of trials and tribulations that the Gospel was spread to Ireland and Scotland and back to England.  What would seem like a catastrophe to those living through it at the time would often result in God's work furthering His Kingdom.

That is what we are here for... to further His kingdom.  I've been pondering how we can do that during this pandemic and economic crisis and as I watched the documentary, I realized it was by standing fast in the midst of unwanted change to the cause of Christ.  We look to the ancient ways and the ancient words.

What an opportunity we face that rarely have those of us in the Western world since WWII been asked to do.  When the world seems to be falling apart, all we need to do is to be the voice of calm in the midst of the whirlwind.  It is not the time for us to fall apart but instead we are to find our peace in His Word and good books and good music (yes, even John Denver!) so that our soul and our spirit are filled with peace.  A peace much needed in today's world.

There is a spirit of fear (2nd Timothy 1:7) hovering over the world today and we have a chance to break it in our own little place on the planet.   How?  Turn off the news if you haven't already.  Read the Word, especially the Psalms.  Read good books.  Watch Persuasion, or Emma, or Casablanca, or The Lord of the Rings, or whatever stories take you away from it all.

The battle for peace is in our mind.  Fill yours with God's Truth and good things. Seek His Truth.  Check up on the elderly and the single mother and the disabled veteran and everyone else God has in your circle of influence that may need your help.  Oh, and continue to wash your hands.

You really have come into the Kingdom for such a time as this.

Image:  American Homestead/Winter

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Yikes!

I must admit that there are weeks I am not very excited about writing the Saturday Pantry Posts.  I feel a little bit like the movie Ground Hog Day except for me it is saying the same thing over and over... stock up and be prepared.

Last week I was feeling in an "I told you so" mood.  This week, however, has gone so far beyond my wildest imaginations of what could happen (and I'm good at end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenarios) that even my "I told you so" has been silenced.  I feel like I haven't warned people enough to stock up in the good times in case there is a not so good time... and we all have them in life.

Who could have imagined a few weeks ago that everything would be shutting down?  Everything from schools to Broadway to basketball championships to Spring Training.  Closed signs are up all over the place.  Even most of the churches in the area have decided to stop their regular services, keeping only their small groups going in individual homes.

I went to Kroger early yesterday morning, thinking I would get there before there were a lot of people (I stay away from large crowds during flu season, anyway).  It was so busy that I had trouble finding a parking place in the huge parking lot and there were only two grocery carts available when I walked in the door.

I only went there to purchase some fresh veggies so I quickly went to the produce section, put what I needed in my cart, and went to an empty self check out machine to pay and get away from the crowd.  Later on the local evening news, a reporter was standing outside of that store interviewing people who had stood an hour in line later in the day just to check out.

I hope people will remember these empty shelves and long lines when this emergency situation is over.  Except for items that are perishable, it is an excellent idea to keep a basic stock of food and essentials at all times and rotate in new items on grocery days (bringing the oldest items forward, placing the most recently purchased items in the back).

I filled in a few places where there was a need a couple weeks ago while the shelves were well stocked, items like gallons of water that I kept forgetting to buy.  I'm also keeping a list of those things I hadn't thought of before to purchase after this pandemic is gone.  Especially more First Aid and health items.

There are a lot of instances of price gouging, which I'm pretty sure in the state where I live is illegal in a time of emergency.  However, those of us who are people of faith should see this as the best time to care for others.  Which is possible if we did some stocking up ahead of time.

I was going to suggest doing some grocery shopping or purchasing a grocery store gift card for those people you know are on a fixed income and do not have the ability to stock up.  You may live in an area where the store shelves are empty so it may be necessary to take a sack of groceries and essential items (and perhaps prepared food and a baked goodie) from your own pantry shelves to someone who could not stock up ahead of time.

If necessary, place it on their door step and knock to let them know you dropped something off for them... and wave!   It is possible to be a carrier of the virus when you have no symptoms.  Which is why the country is shut down.

If you are still in need of essentials, remember that the most obvious stores sell out first like Sam's Club, Costco, Walmart, Target, etc.  You may be able to find some items at hardware stores, small grocery stores, and other places people may not think of right away.

In many ways, this pandemic has been like having a Hurricane Watch or a Winter Storm Watch for there was time to prepare.  You know, back when people were teasing you about stocking up "just in case".  However, the events of last week were more shocking than I think any of us anticipated.

The lesson we will take away from this is... be prepared.  Keep alert.  Be aware of events that may signal what is coming... like when China and then Italy shuts down.  Keep a basic level of necessary items in your pantry, etc.  Do not wait until the President declares it a National Emergency to go to the grocery store.

I believe a lot of good can come out of any crisis situation, if we ask God what He wants us to do and to learn.  Stay calm, read the Psalms, and wash your hands.

Note:  Annabel has some very good information about making your own hand sanitizer or wipes... here.

Sunday Afternoon Tea - Cultivating peace in turbulent times

We shape our homes and then our homes shape us.

Winston Churchill

It seems overnight that we went from hearing it will be highly unlikely the coronavirus (now known as COVID-19) will affect many in the United States to seeing cases spring up like wack-a-moles all over the place.  It is enough to make one want to stop listening to the news... if the never ending election season hasn't already caused you to watch Andy Griffith reruns instead.

I'm taking it seriously and even though I already had food in my pantry, I have stocked enough extra groceries and essential non-food items so that we could remain in the house if necessary.  I even bought a case of ramen noodles!  What can I say... I live in a university town so they are only $2.50 for a case (and the noodles without the MSG loaded packet are actually quite good).

I talked to my husband this weekend and we agreed we should very soon avoid crowds, instead we will run errands when needed in the early hours of the day.  I often do that, anyway.  He canceled a nonessential medical test at the large VA Hospital to be safe.

Otherwise, I did make one very important purchase to help my immune system this week.  I bought another $1.99 bouquet of daffodils at Kroger.  My first flowers were just beginning to wilt.  I usually don't put a vase of flowers on the coffee table in the Living Room but that is exactly where the bouquets have been sitting.  Their sunny disposition is the kind of contagion we all need at the moment.

Recently, I was talking to my husband's doctor at the VA and he explained how some soldiers develop PTSD.  We often think of one huge traumatic event but quite often it is being in harm's way for long periods of time that can damage the fight-or-flight response each of us has. 

As it turns out, the same thing can happen in any long term stress situation.  However, if the stress is managed properly, it helps prevent trauma.  Mary Berry wrote in her wonderful autobiography that unlike many people who were children during the bombings in WWII England, she doesn't have traumatic memories.

Her mother made their home a pleasant place even during the war and when the sirens went off and they had to take cover, she made a game of it.  I don't recall the details but it certainly worked.  She said while the war was obviously very disrupting to their lives, her parents made life as normal as possible for their children.

I love to read about home life in Great Britain during WWII and so many books have shared that truth, which is that our homes can be a place of peace and beauty in the midst of the world seemingly falling apart around us.

I can think of no books that remind us of this more beautifully then Goudge's The Elliot Trilogy, especially The Bird in the Tree and Pilgrim's Inn. In both books, the people who lived in the homes realized they could become places of great peace in the midst of difficult times and in both books the houses brought peace to the inhabitants as well as those who visited them.

For some people in today's society, the role of home maker (or maker of the home) is no longer considered important.  It is viewed as a life of drudgery with a poor woman living her days doing laundry, washing dishes, and constantly running after toddlers.

All of those things are certainly true but for a person who takes being a home maker seriously, there are so many creative ways to spend her days.  For she realizes that she is the heartbeat of the home, the thermostat so to speak who decides what the atmosphere of her home will be like.

If it is a home that is her canvas of creativity, filled with prayer, kept fairly clean but with that lived in clutter of something cooking in the kitchen or kids playing in the backyard... one senses it immediately.  There is peace in a home with an open Bible and music in the background.  I often think of how Ruth Graham kept her Bible open in her kitchen to catch some reading now and then when her five children were young.

All this to say that we live in very uncertain times.  It doesn't have to be a pandemic to bring about anxiety for there are wars and rumors of wars, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, economic downturns, health concerns, political squabbles, and multiple other opportunities to fear waking up each morning.

What an opportunity for our homes to be a place of hope and peace in troubled times, an oasis of faith in a world of anxiety.  That doesn't mean we do not ever worry, it just means that we have learned to give those worries to the Prince of Peace and try our best not to take them back again.

As I write, I have my mother's vegetable beef soup simmering on the back burner of the stove.  There will be dishes to wash, a floor to sweep, kitties to feed (including the outdoor kitty), and a couple of other daily duties to complete before I can relax for the day.  But I think it is in the everyday tasks that we can take comfort and give comfort in a time of turmoil.

It is a time for pondering Psalm 91 and a time for prayer and a time for the washing of hands.

Mentioned in this Blog Post
Recipe for Life by Mary Berry, info... here.
The Bird in the Tree, info... here.
Pilgrim's Inn, info... here.

Psalm 91 NIV... here.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.
Image:  Family Circle by Lee Stroncek

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Our aliens are microbes

There is a line in the movie Independence Day where the character who has been warning people about aliens says, "I've been telling you for ten d*m years!".  My husband likes to quote it from time to time except he says dang.  No one paid attention to what the man said because he drank.  A lot.  (Spoiler alert:  He ends up saving the world.)

Our aliens we are dealing with are microbes and those who have been warning us that our now global travel and economy will someday support a pandemic, are saying that very thing.  If you get a chance, watch the movie Contagion but you might want to wait until the current crisis is over.  On second thought, it will show you that COVID-19 is nothing compared to the virus in the movie!  At least so far...

In addition to my usual big once a month shopping day earlier this week, I was able to do some additional stocking up... adding another layer to the pantry of items we could use whether or not we are quarantined.   I didn't have any problem finding items on my list but it did take going to four different stores to find what I needed.

One store was completely out of flour and didn't have the sugar I use in stock, another was almost out of rice and dry beans.  This is before there is a confirmed case in our area.  There have been shortages of specific items for some time now, taking awhile to get them restocked even before the coronavirus was on the radar.

I don't usually have conversations at the grocery store, especially on stock up day.  I just want to shop my list at each store and go home. However, with the additional shopping this week, I was not in a hurry and people were all talking about the coronavirus.  Most I talked to were at the store to stock up "just in case".  Some were there after realizing their employers were taking this very seriously.

I had planned to purchase the mega size TP at Sam's Club like we usually do every three months.  However, in a conversation at one grocery store, I found out the local Sam's Club was having a hard time keeping TP in stock.  Which was surprising because there was plenty at all the other stores.

As it turned out, it was time for our annual renewal payment to Sam's Club and after talking about it, we decided not to renew this time.  We no longer purchase enough bulk items to make it worth the fee.  I found the same package we usually purchase at Walmart for almost the same price.

What have I learned from this stock up?  Well, you can write about preparing each week but that doesn't mean you are prepared.  Honestly, I hadn't thought much about a pandemic.  We almost threw away the hand sanitizer a couple months ago because we hadn't used it.  Now we are thankful for a last minute decision to keep it, "just in case".  We also have a tiny bottle that was given out to veterans at one time, it is now going in the car after reading that one should use it immediately after pumping gas.

We have a few masks and a reusable respirator only because of my husband's environmental allergies.  I know there are no masks to be purchased anywhere but I was curious about the respirator.  I checked and it was now only available third party on Amazon and the filter that fits in it is selling for a time and a half what we paid.

I was also curious as to the status of various Mountain House and Augason Farms products.  Many are sold out and what is available is ridiculously high.  I don't know if the ten pound bucket of Augason Farms quick oats is always $33.99 but really... oats store very well in a food grain container when used regularly.  Third party sellers were selling the oats for over $50.00... for ten pounds of quick oats.  Yes, they store for twenty-five years but really...

I knew most of the Mountain House emergency kits were sold out and/or on a two month back order but I was shocked to find a Mountain House meal I had purchased last Fall for around $8.99 a pouch, now selling for $22.00 to $30.00 and only third party.  ONE POUCH!  I only purchased a couple for the emergency kit I've been putting together because it seemed pricey at the time.  Now it seems like a bargain.

Which brings me to my ponderings this week.  It is good for a crisis to wake us up once in awhile for the need to be prepared ahead of time.  I know we can't be prepared for everything, I hadn't thought of what would be needed in a pandemic.  However, if we are prepared at least a little at all times by keeping a deep pantry and basic supplies, what extra funds we do have can go to additional purchases rather than starting from scratch.

If we have been putting some thought into being prepared for emergencies already and we have been stocking the pantry (including essential non-food items) a little at a time, we are far less likely to forget something essential.  Especially if we have written out an emergency list of essentials to look over when needed.

I didn't have much time to do research this week but I plan to do more next week.  What we do know is this... the death rate is now around 3%, still very low but more than the flu.  This may have increased because the numbers coming out of China were under reported and now it is in other parts of the world.  Those who died were mostly over 50 or already in poor health.

On one hand, we don't know what we don't know.  I heard an interview where the medical reporter was asked if this virus will die when it gets hot as most coronaviruses do or if it can come back worse in the Fall as some viruses have done in the past.  Her answer was that the experts do not know.

Having said that, I was talking to a woman at Kroger who was stocking up after her employer had sent out an email asking employees to avoid even personal travel.  It brought the seriousness of the situation home.  I told her, from everything I have researched, even if there is no breakout in our area, fear of the possibility makes it necessary to stock up on essentials.  Fear can cause a run on the grocery stores, creating shelves such as shown in the photo above.

We need to take COVID-19 seriously by being prepared to be quarantined.  We also need to take it seriously to be prepared to stay away from places where there are crowds of people.  Preparation and prayer help alleviate fear and fear can lower the immune system.

Having two auto immune diseases, I already wash my hands immediately upon returning home no matter where I have been.  Prayer and washing our hands for at least twenty seconds are both necessary (they say to sing the Happy Birthday song and that is about twenty seconds).

Stay safe my friends!

Mentioned in this Blog Post
Contagion... here and here.
Independence Day... here and here.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.

Image: No credit was given for this photo.

Sunday Afternoon Tea - Staying calm when the world is going nuts

Today's Sunday Afternoon Tea post will be a little different as I want it to be a response to the recent Saturday Living the Pantry Lifestyle posts.

I enjoy doing research on subjects of interest and preparing for all emergency situations has been a subject near to me since I was a very young wife in the 1970s.  Everyone thought the world was falling apart at that time and indeed there was good reason with gasoline shortages causing long lines at the gas station and due the world situation, the economy had tanked and interest rates were over 20%. 

The environmental movement was warning that humanity would soon die off and there was still a good chance of being nuked by Russia.  No wonder a lot of Christians thought Jesus had to return quickly for if one believed everything they heard, mankind would not exist past the 1980s.

We can laugh now that the 1970s are far in the rear view mirror of history but we were not amused at the time.  Since then, there have been numerous end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it warnings but we are still here. 

Granted, the world really is more dangerous than it ever has been.  However, the more we know about a subject, the easier it is to prepare for it as much as possible.  We can find out the most probable outcome as well as the worst case scenarios.

I have been sharing links to websites that I trust but I am also still reading what those who tend to be more outlandish are saying.  For I have found in the past that the Truth usually is somewhere around the middle of "no problem at all" and "the end of the world is tomorrow".

Okay, here is what we know about the coronavirus.  You most likely have had a coronavirus before, perhaps many times.  For the common cold can be a coronavirus.  I've long said there is nothing common about the common cold!  That is one side of the virus spectrum.  SARS and MERS are also part of the coronavirus spectrum on the most dangerous side.

There is all kinds of speculation as to where this virus came from in the first place.  Many experts say it started where animals are butchered in the city where it first broke out, others say it has to be a weaponized form of the common cold virus, still others believe it may have been a vaccine experiment gone wrong.  What the various authors believe is definitely tied to their worldview and there is disagreement even among the experts.

This "new" coronavirus is definitely contagious and governments are doing what they can to contain it with good reason for people do get very sick.  However, unless this new virus mutates, medical experts are still telling us that the flu is still far more dangerous to most people. 

Almost all of the deaths from the new virus have been among the elderly and those with immune deficiencies.  The last statistic I saw for this flu season was 32 million cases of the flu, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 18,000 flu deaths.  The death rate from the current coronavirus is still less than 2% of those who get it. 

It kind of puts it all in perspective if you are living outside of Asia and some parts of Europe.  Can the virus mutate, certainly it can.  However, so far it doesn't show signs of mutating from whatever caused it in the first place.

It is wise to do everything we can to prevent getting the virus and spreading it, especially if you or the loved ones you live with are elderly and/or have immune deficiencies.  If we prepare all we can, then we can rest knowing we have done something to prepare for a quarantine.

Having said that... we also need to remember that the news media thrives on scaring us half to death.  Which I find annoying because, like the boy who called wolf, there most likely will be a real danger someday that we need to prepare for and who will we trust?

During our last semester of being in a home school co-op, I taught a class to the older kids that combined two loves... literature and worldview.  We read through a Dickens' novel first to understand how his writing opened the eyes of people to the conditions of the British Empire, especially for the poor. 

Then I had them read various magazine articles I had photocopied (hmmm... is that illegal?) that were all about the same story but each had a different perspective.  It was an eye opener for them to read the various magazine articles and how each writer wrote about the same subject but from an entirely different perspective.  One would be hard pressed to believe they were writing about the same thing.

Everything we studied that semester was to show the young people that everyone brings with them a worldview, which is the lens by which each of us views the world around us.  Sometimes it takes some study to find the Truth among the various options.  We learned from this experiment that being widely read on various subjects is a good thing.

However, the one place we always find the Truth is in the Bible (and even then we disagree on how to interpret it... sheesh, it is a good thing God knows this all turns out for our good and His glory!).

We need to prepare for the worst but also realize this most likely is not it.  However, it would make a good dress rehearsal should there be a time we do have a dangerous epidemic where we live, or terrible weather, or another terrorist attack, or other kinds of social unrest.

Peace is a Person and what better time to bring that peace to those around you than when the world is losing its' collective mind.  At least it seems that way if one only reads the headlines. 

Limit unnecessary travel if you are concerned.  Be prepared to stay inside for a few weeks if necessary.  Pray, read the Word, and wash your hands.