It’s April! And I’ve been doing a lot of indoor cycling. Because I love it and it makes me ridiculously happy and I need that right now. I love running, too, but it’s easier to get on the bike if you’re feeling tired! I’m going to work on remembering that I feel energized once I start running, too, but there’s just something great about exercise that you can start doing while you’re sitting down.
It’s April Fool’s Day, a holiday our 9 year old anticipates and plans for basically all year and our 8 year old nervously dreads. I enjoy finding ways to surprise and delight them that aren’t mean, because I think the best jokes make everyone laugh.
This year we decorated for Christmas, made our usual Christmas morning breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and gave the kids a few small gifts that will give them something extra fun to do during the weeks at home.
We’ve been staying home, playing board games, doing remote learning and making meals from pantry staples that stretch out the time between our trips to the grocery store.
I’ve also been sewing masks for health care workers at a nearby hospital who requested them to wear over their PPE that they’ve had to reuse even though it’s not safe to do so. This is devastating, because hand-sewn masks are not medical grade protection. They’re not safe for health care workers to wear. They might help keep your own respiratory viral droplets from spreading as far, so wearing one could help keep you from infecting others, but they are not good protection for someone who is working with patients because they’re not air-tight around the face.
But because of shortages, and the mind-numbing unwillingness of our president to use the Defense Production Act to get more PPE for our health care workers, these hand-sewn masks are being worn over N95 masks that are getting reused.
I have a lot of fabric remnants from all of the reusable gift wrap I’ve sewn for Sustainable Wellesley’s zero-waste holiday efforts, so I also started putting together sewing kits with elastic and fabric and instructions for people in our community to sew masks as well. I made 85 masks worth of kits and they were all picked up by people who wouldn’t have had the supplies to help otherwise. Seeing how many people wanted to help was a highlight of the week.
I hope you’re finding ways to keep moving! Look for the helpers, help the helpers, stay informed but limit the amount of time you spend watching the news and scrolling through social media, and be sure to give other pedestrians space if you’re exercising outdoors.
Our local yoga studio has been publishing great online classes, and accepting Venmo donations. There are so many ways to remain active and connected even as we work together to flatten the curve.
Wishing everyone the best, stay home and stay well.