QUARANTINE UPDATE

CLOVER!!! and I have been QUARANTINED for weeks and weeks now........


On MARCH 22, at the beginning of our QUARANTINE, I decided to set some small goals.  That was FIVE weeks ago, plenty of time to almost completely REDO my house, right?? 

I went back to my MARCH 22nd post and here are the goals I set:

• Under-sink cabinets in the bathroom (2) - CHECK!
• Medication cabinet in the kitchen - CHECK!
• Catch-all cabinet in the kitchen - CHECK!
• Kitchen desk drawer papers - CHECK!
• Plant indoor herb garden - TODAY PERHAPS??
• Filing on the studio cabinet - NEXT.......
• Garage cabinets/drawers - WAITING FOR WARMER WEATHER

Looks like I'm accomplishing ONE SMALL TASK/WEEK.  Not bad for a person in RETIREMENT...... Hahahaha

Oh, one more thing that I accomplished that wasn't on my LIST -

Years ago, I RE-UPHOLSTERED my big, comfy chair - just to see if I could do it. It was a really fun and satisfying project. BUT, the fabric no longer goes with my decor (nor does the original fabric), so I decided to strip it all off and will soon send it out to be professionally re-upholstered with fresh, new fabric that will go with my upcoming NEW WALL COLOR.

Don't get the wrong idea - I'm not being a total slug...... I READ every day (my book and articles on the Internet or that are sent to me), TALK to FAMILY/FRIENDS, ZOOM a BOOK CLUB every week, and ZOOM with family/friends to keep in touch and feel like we are SOCIALIZING. 

CLOVER!!! lets me know if I've been reading for too long.......

And each evening, I pour a glass of wine and watch some news and entertaining TV shows. 

I'm now up-to-date with HOMELAND, OUTLANDER and SISTER WIVES (I know I know......) and am looking forward to the new season of BILLIONS, THE BACHELOR, THE BACHELORETTE, COUNTING ON (the Duggar Family), BIG BROTHER and OUTDAUGHTERED (The Busbys and their quintuplet girls). I do like these REALITY TV shows! 

Oh, and I watched the TIGER KING series (WEIRD PEOPLE) and am ready to start OZARK.

And on Friday I went grocery shopping for the first time - with MASK and GLOVES. It was supposed to be a PICK-UP from INSTACART, but while I was sitting in the parking lot at the appointed time, they CANCELLED!!  HMPH!  

So, in I go, filled with ANXIETY about facing "THE BIG BAD WOLF" - CORONA. Yes, I've been afraid of the VIRUS.......

It wasn't awful.  People DISTANCED and most followed the arrows up and down the aisles. The shelves were being restocked, but there were certain items not to be found (FLOUR, RICE, HAND SANITIZER, and WIPES of course). I came home feeling a bit DIRTY with GERMS/VIRUS/BACTERIA - you name it. 

But, I have to say that I'm happy to have gotten my INITIAL OUTING out of the way. FACING YOUR FEARS really does work!

What have YOU been up to??

JOAN

THE BIRTHPLACE OF LEONARDO DA VINCI IN ITALY

While planning for a few free days in ITALY last Fall, I discovered the town of VINCI, which is about 1 hour west of FLORENCE. 

I put two-and-two-together - LEONARDO DA VINCI means LEONARDO of VINCI. I knew immediately that I had to visit and am so THRILLED that I did. Hopefully, you can get the feeling of his BIRTHPLACE through my photos here.

LEONARDO was born on APRIL 15, 1452!!!  Think about that....... almost 600 years ago!

The town of VINCI is way out in the countryside. As you can see, VINCI is very proud of its HERITAGE.

In the central square, there is a STATUE of a HORSE that LEONARDO had drawn.

We finally had to stop and ask where LEONARDO'S actual birthplace is and were directed to ANCHIANO, a village 3 km outside of VINCI. 

Looking at the surrounding landscape you can see what must have inspired him in his paintings.

 

We found it!

LEONARDO was born the illegitimate child of a domestic servant (a peasant girl) and a wealthy Florentine notary, PIERO FRUOSINO di ANTONIO DA VINCI. He was born and lived in ANCHIANO until about age 5, when it's believed that he then moved to the town of VINCI to live with his Father, Grandparents and Uncle.  

His stone home and courtyard were BEAUTIFULLY restored in 2012, led by a  TEACHER at the UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE in Florence.

The INTERIOR - only 3 rooms - is sparse (but impressive) with simply a few reproductions and some items for sale.

Naturally, DA VINCI'S "THE LAST SUPPER" (reproduction) is on display. The original is in MILAN, ITALY.

Along the roadway, out by the ENTRANCE, people leave FLOWERS at this SHRINE. I love the mixture of brick and stones here. And of course the brightly-colored ITALIAN POTTERY.

There are many VERY OLD OLIVE TREES on the property and in the surrounding area.

LEONARDO died in FRANCE in 1519 at age 67 of a probable stroke. Legend has it that he died in the arms of his trusted friend and confidant, FRANCIS I, KING OF FRANCE.

He's buried in the COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SAINT FLORENTIN at the CHATEAU D'AMBOISE in France.

20 years after LEONARDO'S death, FRANCIS I is reported as saying -

"There had never been another man born in the world who knew as much

 as Leonardo, not so much about painting, sculpture and architecture, 

as that he was a very great philosopher."

JOAN

A YEAR AGO THIS MONTH AND THOUGHTS FROM OTHERS

APRIL 2019 at our PARIS hotel on Ile Saint-Louis - "MY BOYFRIEND"

SOME WORDS OF WISDOM from my Aussie friend, HELEN - 

"Raise your words, not your voice.

It is rain that grows the plants, not thunder."

APRIL 2019 - Springtime FLOWERS in PARIS by the EIFFEL TOWER

APRIL 2019 - TULIPS outside AMSTERDAM - COLORS for miles!!

APRIL 2019 - a cheerful window of FLOWERS in EDAM, NETHERLANDS

APRIL 2019 - CHARMING EDAM, NETHERLANDS

Also from my friend HELEN - 

She asked her 16-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON, "who is a bit of a geek and loves nothing more than to play games online with his friends" - 

Helen: "How are you coping with being at home?"

Her Grandson: "I've been training for this all my life!"

And another from HELEN -

ANDREW BLACKMAN is a British-born, award-winning novelist who WAS traveling around the world with his wife. Writing now from his home in BELGRADE, where they are confined to their homes after 5pm each day, he said this in his APRIL 2020 NEWSLETTER.

"When I stopped reading tweets and starting reading books, I felt healthier. 
I plan to keep that distance as much as possible this month - 
not hiding from the news, but not drowning in it either."

"At 8pm every evening, the people on my street come out onto their balconies 
and clap for a minute to give thanks for the medical staff 
who are working so hard to keep us alive. 
As I clap each evening I also think of the supermarket cashiers, 
the cleaners, the garbage collectors and all the other people 
who are keeping things running."

APRIL 2019 - FRANCE

Speaking of BOOKS, I could sit in this PLAZA and read for hours!

The beauty of traveling to new places and taking photos of special moments and places, is that you can return there in your mind in just seconds...... and DAYDREAM and REMEMBER and SMILE for a bit.

Naturally, it's disappointing that my foreign trips for this year have been canceled but this time at HOME has given me extra time to reflect, to appreciate all that I have, to continue to connect with FAMILY and FRIENDS via FACETIME and ZOOM and to think about all of the ADVENTURES that still lie ahead.  

THICH NHAT HANH, Vietnamese Monk and Activist states -

"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today."

And to keep us all smiling here's one more BOYFRIEND photo.......

APRIL 2019 - MONNICKENDAM, NETHERLANDS

STAY HEALTHY!!

JOAN

WINE, DON'T WHINE

Particularly for my WINE-LOVING friends, I couldn't resist sharing some FUNNIES that are circulating, hoping you'll get a chuckle (or two or three).

My ACCOUNTANT called this week to discuss my tax return (UGH). He told me that he and his friends are going to have a PARTY this weekend on ZOOM!! Does that sound like fun or what?  

I'm thinking I need to host a HAPPY HOUR with my WINE-LOVING FRIENDS. What do you think??  Who's in?!

If your friends are all busy (HA!) you can always do a PRIVATE WINE TOUR in your home......

And when you feel like toasting - here's an idea........

For those who want to go out, but don't have a mask..... IMPROVISE!

I imagine I might have some friends who have this PHOBIA.  

Not me - I'm a PLANNER! 

Hee hee......  

A solution for us wine drinkers - remember "DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE!!"

And WELCOME TO MY WORLD!!!

Since we just got word that we are to continue to self-quarantine for the month of April, I thought this was an appropriate FUNNY to share........

And if any of my neighbors on their daily walk happen to check out my GLASS RECYCLE BIN, they might be saying this about me as well........

JOAN