Lately, I have found myself putting things off: a visit to the bank, the doctor, the post office… “I don’t have to do it today. There’s time. Maybe in a week or two…”
Then I caught myself: why? What is going to happen in a week or two? Will the coronavirus go away? Will it be safer to go out and about?
Not likely. The you-know-what has hit the fan and is now flying in all directions. I’m afraid the world as we used to know it is no more.
A few days ago, we had a huge local demonstration of small business owners – restaurant owners, tour guides, dance instructors – who were all hit hard by COVID and now demand that the government gives them a financial boost to keep their businesses afloat.
I understand their plight, I really do. I know what it’s like to be financially desperate. However, I believe that no amount of handouts will enable businesses to operate if they don’t adapt to the new situation (Zoom lessons, takeout instead of sit-down meals, etc). And it often sounds like that: people don’t want to adapt. They want things to go back to normal, refusing to admit that normal has flown out of the window.
Even if we are lucky and the coronavirus disappears (which doesn’t seem likely), the impact of the past months has already hurled the world into a deep recession with a wide ripple effect. To get through it, we must be resilient, resourceful, and flexible.
In the meantime, there’s yarn: the best escape whenever things are stressful.
My latest make, a little crochet tunic for Hadassah. It was meant to be a dress, but I ran out of yarn and, as it was one of the oddments of a vintage stash, had no way to buy more.
Nevertheless, I like it, and so does the recipient. I put some vintage buttons at the back. Love the open raglan top – such a useful design.
I hope you are all using your favorite wholesome destressing outlet, whether it involves gardening, fabric and yarn, baking, or any other thing you can do away from dangerous crowds.
Domestic Felicity 
Lovely! 👌
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Thank you ♥
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Very Cute top you made!! I love the color too!! I am afraid you are right about things never returning to how things were…this is indeed the strangest time of my life and I am 68…and even stranger in ways than what my mom and her parents told me of the Great Depression and WW2!! All we can do is pray that we and our loved ones will be protected!!
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Quite true. Not much we can do individually except protect ourselves.
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handwork is such a comfort! Some time ago, back in pre-covid days, I bought some knitted squares at a yard sale. Whoever had made them had meant them for an afghan (I think), but never finished. There are about 30 of them. In the evening when I’m done with my regular projects, I am gradually crocheting around the edges of the squares in a plain dark blue I had put away. I don’t think there are enough to make anything, but I can make some squares to add to it and end up with an afghan. I’m getting a lot of satisfaction in finishing this person’s project for her. I hope somewhere she knows and is pleased.
I love Hadassah’s tunic!
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That’s such a great idea! It always makes me sad when handmade projects end up discarded. I hope you get to finish it and have a beautiful, original piece with a history.
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Yes, yarn is the best escape, though in my case I prefer knitting.
I sympathize with small businesses too – less customers and more expenses (sanitizing everything, etc.) . I love how you proved your point: you said that businesses need to adapt to the new normal, and when you didn’t have enough yarn for your intended project, you adapted and accepted it for what it was going to be. It’s lovely!
Susan
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I didn’t even make this connection consciously, but it’s so true! Protesters are saying, “lift all restrictions! Save my business!” – while the sad truth is, many people will no longer patronize small local businesses because they order online for safety’s sake. The government has nothing to do with this anymore.
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