Quarantine Bloglette: Change

I have this recurring dream about finding coins. They're in plain sight, but no one else seems to notice them but me. It begins with me seeing one, then another, then another and on and on until I'm filling my palms and pockets with coins. I shared this dream with an acquaintance of mine (Jerry, the instrument repairman at the music store where I worked in Charlotte). I told him that I didn't know what it meant. He suggested that rather than seeing the coins as coins, I might see them as change. Very insightful. I don't dream it as often any more, there are other dreams that visit me more often, but it still comes to me from time to time.

They say this pandemic with its isolation will change us. I sure hope so.

Pre-pandemic, I was very much an eater of what I craved. Then we were evacuated to Moscow and, for fear of my life, I began to eat whatever I could get my hands on. Douglas signed us up for home delivery of locally grown produce. We've been eating things like Mizuna, Spiky and Stinging Nettle. These things are supposedly good for you. (I did, by the way, discover why Stinging Nettle is so named. Fortunately, when you cook it, it no longer stings.) We receive about five pounds of greens plus a few herbs and other vegetables like broccolini and golden beets (the only thing I actually like). It's all we can do to eat it all in a week. My body doesn't know what to think with all these greens. Now that I know I'm capable of eating like this, perhaps I'll continue it post-pandemic. (I've doubled down on the chocolate just to show my body that I'm still in some control of my faculties.)

Speaking of which, Douglas was in charge of grocery shopping a few weeks ago when my allergies were so bad. (He went once. It took him about five days to psych himself into it.) In effort to eat less chocolate, I told him not to buy me any. My chocolate stash was dwindling and he knew it. And do you know what? He didn't buy me any chocolate! A few days before he went shopping, I went to the freezer to grab an ice cream bar, but there were none. My face fell. Douglas saw this face. How can he see that face and think I actually meant it when I say to buy me no chocolate? Maybe post-pandemic, he’ll know when to ignore my admonitions.

On a more serious note, a definite change I've notice in myself is my level of patience. I had already become a much more patient person being married to Douglas. He sets a good example. He's become more patient while married to me for, um, other reasons. Not knowing when we can get back to our home in Vladivostok has left me remarkable tolerant of this day-after-day existence. When life returns to normal, or the new normal, I will either be one of the most tolerant, patient people around or I will put up with nothing. I am hoping for, even anticipating, the former, but  bracing for the latter.

Part of our Fourth of July celebration is sidewalk chalk art. I've picked some of my favorites to share with you. (It might look like this guy is smoking. He's not. He's blowing a party noise-maker.)

This, I think, is in honor of those who adopted garden plots and are growing vegetables and flowers on the compound. I might add some more pictures as the exhibition grows. I want to get this posted on time.