Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic? Don't Panic! {DIY Hand Sanitizer}

So we're living through a pandemic right now.

Crazy, isn't it?

I must say, I never once in my entire life anticipated anything like the coronavirus, nicknamed COVID-19.

It was very strange going to the store for a regular grocery run and seeing zero packs of toilet paper on the shelves. All I needed was one pack, yet there were none. Why toilet paper? This isn't an illness that causes the runs, so I'm not quite sure why there's a run on TP, other than stocking up in case you get quarantined for weeks on end. Even that doesn't make much sense to me, though. If everyone only purchased what they need for a week or two, like we do under normal circumstances, there wouldn't be shortages now. But panic-buying is apparently a thing, and it's just as contagious as the coronavirus is presumed to be.

Even with the shortages of available sanitary items, I've remained calm through the entire thing. Why? Because if it's my time to go, I'm prepared to meet my Maker. He has taken wonderful care of me through the ups and downs of life so far, and I don't see why that should change simply because a new illness has arrived on the scene. The question through this event, for me, has been...

Do you trust God or do you not?

My answer is a resounding yes.

ReMo Wrap-Up {Giveaway Winners}

Last month was the second annual Read More "ReMo" Challenge, hosted by a few friends and myself over on Goodreads.

If you want alerts as to when the next ReMo Challenge will be, head on over to this Goodreads page to join the group. Be sure to turn on notifications for the group, so you'll be alerted to updates right when they happen. Then you'll be in the know!

ReMo By the Numbers

18 - The number of participants.

Two of these were ladies from Canada. Yes, international friends are welcome to participate each year, though the prizes might not be able to be mailed internationally. Each year's prize packs will have their own set of rules.

3 - The number of prize pack winners.

Congratulations to our grand prize winner - Beth - and our second and third prize winners - Mikayla and Selah. Their prize packs included books, and these will be mailed out as soon as I have all the books in hand. My pick-up plans got delayed, but thankfully, all the winners understand this and are exhibiting great patience.

221 - The total number of books read.

Y'all, this number blows me away! We read a TON of books in a single month. Congratulations to us all! This averages out to be over twelve books per participant. Our top-three busiest readers were Esther (33 books), Hannah (30 books), and Abigail Harris (28 books). When I was tallying up everyone's totals for the month, I was so impressed by all the books we managed to squeeze into only twenty-nine days. So proud of us!

Preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo

Camp NaNoWriMo is in one month.

One month.

I am not yet ready for this, but I will be. During March, I'll be doing prep work for the first NaNo event of the year.

Character development is a large part of my preparation. If I don't know the characters well enough, writing in their voices becomes practically impossible. So I'm learning all I can about them as I work through a couple of different questionnaires. The loooooong one is only for the two leads, whereas the short form will be for several supporting cast members. I'm diving into their personalities, emotions, and dreams as well as their fears, faults, and sorrows.

One of the neat things I've already learned through the long form is that this particular form gives me insights not only into the leads but also into their friends and relatives. Any important relationships they have get explored through this form, which should, in theory, make the short form for the supporting cast go a lot quicker as I'm already figuring out bits and pieces (and sometimes large chunks!) of who these supporting characters are and how they effect the leads' lives.

Reading List: Winter 2020

These are a few of the books in my reading list this season.

Currently Reading

Up Next

What's on your reading list as we finish up winter 2020?

The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin {book review}

Last week, I finished reading Sarah Sundin's The Sea Before Us, which leapfrogged In Perfect Time as my favorite Sundin book. Here's my review, as posted on Goodreads.

Wow…

Just… wow.

The whole story was brilliant. From a love triangle done right to deep faith journeys to familial estrangements and deaths to the fight for healing and reunion… all in the package of a WWII-era story... This novel really had it all.

And that finale! Goodness, I could gush… if I were willing to spoil the story.

But I’m not.

Just trust me: You will not regret reading this book when you experience the final few chapters, and particularly the final few paragraphs.

*happy sigh*

The Card {a short story}

Scalding tea wasn’t fun to wear on one’s shirt, but it was better than frying another keyboard. Marla grabbed her “It’s definitely a Monday!” mug from her lap and settled it back atop the round coaster not too far from her shiny, new keyboard on her cubicle’s desk. With her other hand, she pulled the cotton material away from her stomach, which immediately felt the relief of cool, fresh air that whooshed at her from the fan she had blowing from a corner of the desk.

Earlier, she’d been freezing and had to pull on two sweaters. Why did her hormones have to choose today to go wacky? It wasn’t like she had a meeting in—she checked her wristwatch—Goodness!—only eight minutes or anything.

She grabbed one of her sweaters and blotted at the spot on her shirt and the few clusters of damp dots on her calf-length skirt. With that task done as best she could in a pinch, she tossed the sweater under her desk to reclaim later and focused on sending the right document to the communal printer across the large room. She pulled on her other sweater—thankfully, she’d not used the one with buttons to mop up her mess—and it did a decent job of hiding the majority of the stain that might or might not come out in the wash. After sticking her swollen feet back into her two-inch pumps, she spun her chair halfway around and rose.

Two steps forward and her ankle gave out, rolling to the right. She caught her balance with flailing arms, but the pain radiating through her leg with each new step indicated she’d be grabbing ice on her way back to her desk after the meeting.

This meeting was crucial, life or death for her year's to-do list really. Yet, she was having a horrible day from top to bottom. Honestly, what else could go—

The Flower {a short story}

Would the young boy never decide? Mortimer checked his wristwatch one more time and looked to the door. He should flip the sign to Closed and lock the child in until he made his choice, but it would be unprofessional and inappropriate. Still, he needed to close down the shop for the day. His Margaretta would have dinner on the table by now. He could almost taste the rich aroma of his favorite homemade tomato and mascarpone sauce wafting down the back staircase.

Coins clinked together as the towheaded boy in the ratty shirt and hole-spattered jeans counted the money in his palm again. He eyed the medium-sized bouquet of red roses displayed atop the glass counter in front of him. Valentine’s Day was only around the corner, but surely this scrap of a boy couldn’t afford such a bundle of deep-ruby petals.

“What’ll it be?” Mortimer didn’t mean to sound so gruff about it. The day had worn him out. Four orders had been cancelled, due to breakups mere days before the most romantic holiday of the year. Poor chums. Hadn’t found a true pearl like his Margaretta. He decided to soften his tone a bit and try to encourage the lad to make a quick decision. “Have you considered the daisies? There’s a full rainbow of colors to choose from, just in the bins behind you there.”

The boy turned his torso to look for a long moment at the various shades of daisies not far beyond where he stood rooted to the linoleum tiles that had seen better days. When he turned back around, his shoulders curled forward, and his chin nearly disappeared into his t-shirt. “Didn’t sell my bike to Tommy for no stupid daisies.” He swiped a wrist beneath his nose as he sniffed.

Mortimer couldn’t miss the glimmer in the kid’s eyes.