I know I’m not the only-NOT EVEN CLOSE-person who has had plans and lives totally disrupted, cancelled, or ruined by COVID-19. It is a pandemic, and many people around the world have suffered, lost family members and friends, or even lost the battle themselves. When you consider those staggering losses, the tiny little loss of my regularly scheduled stamping weekends seems trite and uncaring.
But I do care. This pandemic has challenged us all in many different (yet similar) ways. I pray for our city, state, nation, and world to be healed. So I mask up when I go out. And I stay home.
Having a hobby is necessary as we are staying at home, working from home, eating at home, recreating at home . . . everything at home. I’ve recently noticed that I am even getting bored of reading! I can’t believe I said that! Please. Libraries. Please open! (On a side note, I was able to visit my local bookstore for 15 minutes-that’s the time limit-to pick up my 2021 planner. Thank you, Inklings, for being open enough to allow us to request and do curbside pick up.)
I digress. Rubber stamping. My hobby. Usually, by this time of year, I’ve made between 3-5 trips across the Cascades to set up rubber stamp shop with my stamping buddy. These trips come with assorted college friends’ get-togethers, meals out, shopping, walking, exploring. And Stamping. With a capital S.
The total this year? 1.
ONE. This occurred in February, before most of us had even caught on to the seriousness of COVID. Even before the winter snowy weather was complete. My trip required my honey to drive and pick me up. Too early, as my friend and I popped awake to the pre-dawn sound of studded snow tires. Rats.
I am thankful that we risked life and limb, slick roads and storms, to kick off the year of stamping. We all know how life came to a screeching halt shortly thereafter.
We finally realized we could, like everything else anyone does, enjoy short times of virtual rubber stamping. I think it took so long because of school duties (she is a teacher, and I was helping homeschool my grands) and we thought things would open up sooner rather than later.
So. Later. We use the Messenger app and call each other and visit while we stamp. With my phone, I have to wear ear plugs, so my phone sits in a measuring cup, tipped up but able to hold the ear plug jack. She props hers up on something. Actually, I can’t see it, so I don’t know. We stamp, chat, show and tell our projects, offer advice, and generally try to enjoy our hobby. If I have to move, she goes with me in the measuring cup. If she goes, I wait on the table (I’m on the phone after all, heh-heh) or she hauls me along and I try not to get seasick.
It works. I have a tiny cat food can box tray of projects in process. Just looking at the box brings me joy and hope. And I know I can pick it up and work on my nearly finished creations at any time.
How about you? What hobbies do you enjoy? How have you adjusted to the pandemic? Have you tried virtual hobbies? I’d love to hear how you are filling the time. Besides snacking, which has turned into another unfortunate hobby.
Hang in there, friends. We will get through this!
Love, Laughter, and Life 
July 24, 2020 at 3:36 pm
What a delightful post! You have found a wonderful way to stay connected and your stamping creations are attractive and fun. My hobby is gardening. It is peaceful and calming. I stay connected with my children and grandchildren through FaceTime and telephone calls and my sister-in-law and I social distance outside. And then there are my writing friends who are so supportive.
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July 24, 2020 at 7:58 pm
Good for you! I am blessed to have 2 of my grands living right next door, so we see each other all the time. In the garden, the yard, the house…the other 3 I care for a few days every other week. So I see all of them on a regular basis. My writing group has gone to online critiques since we cannot meet together, but hopefully when this settles, we can meet in person again. I have been writing more letters though, and that’s fun! At this point in the summer, most of my gardening is harvesting and watering. Lots. of. Watering. 🙂
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July 24, 2020 at 7:51 pm
How fun!! You are so creative. 🙂 Now I’ve got to figure out how to haul all my stamps down the stairs and find a place for them. One more thing to scoot in our room when company shows up! Ha!! But it’s worth it. Love this post.
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July 24, 2020 at 8:01 pm
Thank you! Living in an RV…the most regularly used stamping supplies are in the boot (what we call the under the bed, accessible from the outside only space). If I want to stamp, my honey and I go outside and haul them inside. The indoor space is just so tiny, it really can only stay in for the stamping time. Then back outside. Most of my stamping stuff is in storage though. I dig through some of it every now and then. But I love the tiny cat food box of in-progress projects. Just enough to sit on my printer out of the way until I need them. 🙂 You can do it! And I’ll want to see pictures!
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