Sifoddling Along

By Marilyn Carnell

In this time of epic changes in our lives, I can only focus on small things that are within my control. I have been confined to my house since March 7 and don’t see escaping in the foreseeable future. I live in Minnesota and so far, we have not experienced anything like New York and other large cities in the US, but we have had a lot of snow. Go figure

So what have I learned?

I have learned that it is possible to be alone for long periods of time, but it is necessary to connect with others. For the first time in about 30 years, I don’t have a pet to indulge and this is not the time to acquire one, though it would be nice to have a cuddly companion.

The first thing I learned was how nice the app Zoom is. I have used FaceTime to keep up with family and friends but Zoom allows groups of people to “meet”. So far, I have Zoomed (yes, it has morphed into a verb) with my sewing group, my book club and social hours with members of my church. It is wonderful to feel connected to others, even in personal isolation.

Next, I learned how to make masks for others. As I said last month, I can manage to make a simple task complicated. Not only did I manage countless mistakes, I managed to run my serger into a pin and wrecked it. For the second time, I slipped away from my house to get it repaired while maintaining the proper distance from others. That wasn’t easy as when I picked it up 3 days later, the clerk forgot to include the cord. In all, it took 3 hours of driving time to get my sewing projects back on track. Another slow down was my search for the “best” mask. I finally decided it was the pattern from the University of Minnesota https://twin-cities.umn.edu/…/diy-face-masks-during-covid-19.

The best thing was the discovery of Dalgado (whipped) coffee. It has been immensely popular in the last month as people have time to experiment in the kitchen.

It is incredibly simple: 1 tablespoon each of instant coffee, sugar and hot water.

Mix or whip until it forms soft peaks and use it as a topping for hot or icy cold milk. It is delicious and since it is the equivalent of three cups of coffee, wakes me right up.

Now we face months of wrenching changes in our lives. This morning (April 17) to paraphrase Governor Cuomo: if something is destroyed, we must build it back better. I like that attitude.

We must all work together to make this a better world. My best wishes to all.