FO: face masks

The time has come the walrus said, to talk of many things. Of shoes and ships and face masks, and cabbages, and kings... (apols. to L Carroll)...

Well. If you'd told me in January that I'd be sewing face masks for myself and my partner I'd've laughed in your face. Fast forward to July and we're both wearing them whenever we're indoors in a public place - so basically, when out shopping, because that's pretty much the only place we go lately. We get odd looks - well, you see a sudden sharp flicker of "Oh!" in someone's eyes, before they shut their faces down and their eyes slide off you, as if acknowledging your face mask makes them feel guilty. Well, so be it! It's not just some silly 'flu invented by the media, nor some conspiracy theory devised to silence you (yes I've seen THAT on Facebook today) like something out of the Handmaid's Tale. I mean, come on, conspiracy is one thing, but a world-wide one?! As human beings, clearly we're just not THAT organised! Unless you think it's a worldwide conspiracy to kill ourselves off by being meat eaters, in which case... maybe! But we brought that onto ourselves. I went on a mostly plant-based diet at the start of lockdown, did I mention that? Not been all that hard and the weightloss is an added bonus...

Anyway, I made some last week out of some leftover fabric Mum gave me - she didn't like the colour, but I actually loved it, despite not being a lover of green normally. So I look daft? I'd rather that, than face-down for three weeks in an induced coma, with a pipe down my throat, other machines servicing the "other end", with the possibility of long-term health problems or death at the end of it! Yeah, I'll wear a mask. Ironically they force me to limit my exposure to the covidiots because they make me a bit warm so forcing me to focus, stop browsing and get on with whatever it was I came into the shop for. How can that be a bad thing? And for all those saying "Bad for you, pleurisy, asthma...!" etc - I don't see surgeons dropping like flies because of wearing face masks during operations. If they wore them full time, then yes, maybe. Plus we know how to treat pleurisy and asthma. Covid, clearly not so much...





G is happy with the fit on his, mine needs a pleat under the chin. Clearly, he has a manly chin and I do not! :D This pattern was given to me by an old school friend, I might try the one with a seam down the front next, see if the fit is better. I am using hair elastic for the ears and twisty ties for the nose wire - might need to double up or triple up on the wire.

I've got some crochet lap blankets to post but it'll have to wait as I've not yet taken a picture of them.

Current mood: annoyed with covidiots

Broken-hearted, but carrying on...

Lockdown seems to be doing strange things to people. I've realised, I really don't have a very large circle of friends, outside of work. I've tried reaching out to a few people and had some... interesting responses. Mixed messages. I am beginning to think I should revert to type; my inner introvert is screaming "Stay back, stay inside. It hurts too much when people reject you! Stop putting your heart out there, for people to trample on." She has a point. Casual remarks and missed appointments have left me in floods of tears. It's all in my head, of course, but through the magnifying glass of lockdown, what would normally be brushed off has knocked me for six.

I refuse to apologise for feeling low. This whole situation is weird beyond belief; the fact I'm not curled up in a corner somewhere, trying to sleep it out, is a miracle. I am fighting that response. I am beginning to think I dreamt my former life and imagined the existance of people outside of this house that I may have once met. The world has become very small - a weekend treat of a nice meal out and a visit to the local pub reduced to a bag of chips and beer consumed at home, a chilled shopping trip where nothing was bought but everything browsed reduced to a photography magazine and a few new pairs of socks at the supermarket. Even the weekend hoving into view makes little impression now - every day is the same when you stare at the same four walls. Despite the government's "assurances", I will be staying out of the way of covidiots as long as possible. There's only one of us bringing in any money at the moment, and that must be protected. No pressure there, then...! 

Thank goodness for the crafting. I suspect I would have gone completely doolally without it. 

I'm done adulting today. If anyone wants me, I'll be in my blanket fort, knitting. 

Current mood: depressed

Panic on the streets of London...

Yeah, that's a Smiths lyric, but it seems somewhat appropriate, given the impending doom of Covid-19 bearing down upon us. I'd love to say I'd been doing lots of crafty stuff, but at the moment things are getting postponed or cancelled everywhere (with good reason). So again, there's not much to report.

Many thanks PB for your lovely comment, I so rarely get comments that aren't spam - it quite made my day! And this is something we all need to remember, in these darkening times. Be nice to one another. Help each other. I'd like to say to always look for the positive in any situation. I'm really struggling with that at the moment. The situation has dire consequences for everyone. I do wish the media would try and focus on the positives instead of frightening us all. Constantly telling us how bad things are (and how bad humans are) only perpetuates the negativity. A feedback loop.

I'm part way through reading a book called "Ten to Zen" (Owen O'Kane). He describes a 10 step, 10 minute method of meditating and restoring calm to oneself. Don't all immediately buy it online though - have a care, dear reader! Whilst us fortunate ones get to work from home for the foreseeable, the logistics workers and delivery drivers are being asked for extra shifts. This is, alas, a big flaw in our consumerist, skewed society. Someone has to PUT that item in a box, that item you order online. It's not magic - there's some really cool technology goes into the sites (I should know, it's what I do!). But there are still people within that logistics chain, people who maybe have health problems themselves, or children, or frail relatives they really do NOT want to pass this awful thing onto.

Anyway, I digress. The author says he doesn't believe in positive thinking. In the midst of grief or trauma, being told to look on the bright side is, at best, somewhat facetious, and at worst, dreadfully patronising. He espouses adaptive thinking instead - play to your strengths - what can you do well, what do you need help with. That is the approach we need to take here.

And also - practice mindfulness, if you can. Be in the present. No point worrying about the past, it is over. No point panicking over the future, it is unknowable. If you are eating, taste the food. If you are bathing, luxuriate in the bubbles and scents. Don't just do - be! Focus!

As a crafter, I'm hoping the travel time saved with WFH will allow me to get some machine knitting done. We shall see.

Stay well, dear reader!



Current mood: scared