Self Isolation

[Michael Leigh]

During this awful Coronavirus  pandemic I will be self isolating as I am over 70.  Might pop out for a walk ocassionally if I go stir crazy and need to stretch my legs!   I'll have to run up and down the stairs a few times daily to keep up with my exercises.  The Daily Doodle on FB will help me keep "my eye in".  I expect to be doing lots more collaging and rubber stamp making. Not so much mail art as I expect the post office will be closed soon.  Signed up to Zoom to video conference.  That's Hazel's doing really as she has to do online tutorials with her students as the college is closing soon for the forseeable future. All very sad and worrying.  We have enough food and toilet rolls and plenty of newspaper if we have to make our own!  That huge pile of DVD's I dubbed from old VHS tapes will certainly come into it's own!   I knew there was good reason for spending so much time copying those!   All the hoarders out there are saying "Who's the fool now!?"

[Michael Leigh]

Another papier mache and junk creation.

[Bradford]

Looks like a boxer.

[Michael Leigh]

Made myself a little friend!

[Michael Leigh]

Bradford - yes, very cheap here in the UK.  You never know what may turn up!   All part of the fun. Will just have to get used to it I guess. My wife suggests we just open a drawer or cupboard and re-discover the junk we bought years ago - probably forgotten we had it!   Might document our finds on FaceBook. And here too if I have time!  Busier than ever now being stuck indoors , all these projects keep turning up. Latest is making stuff from your re-cycled kitchen waste ( not food ) all the packaging. I made a tug boat yesterday!  Photos soon.

[Bradford]

Yes, the charity shops.  What a bounty and so cheap.  There are three in Spearfish 14 miles away.  One has color coded (for date placed on sale) price tags.  On Wednesday, one color is 50%, then by Friday 75% off the original price.  I try to go once or twice a week.  I've found some great things that you'd never find anywhere else. 

Besides, you can't have too many books although I've always tried to have enough, hence the group here, tsundoku. Even at that, just yesterday a parcel from Shaftesbury, Dorset arrived courtesy of a book dealer which included John Aubrey's BRIEF LIVES, First Folio Society Edition w/ slipcase and the 6-volume SAMUEL PEPYS DIARY, John Bumpus edition of 1889.  After all, charity shops only have so much.

[Michael Leigh]

Jennifer - I've tried all the rest - Pritt are the BEST!  (jingle)

[Michael Leigh]

Thanks Jennifer - always have a plentiful supply if Pritt stick - essential for collage!

[Michael Leigh]

Nice to get these different views of self isolation from around the world. I have always been a bit of a hermit too Bradford but will miss my walks into town to check out the charity shops for DVD's and books etc. But I have enough books and DVD's anyway!  Will have to get used to walking down the road to the Trent and Mersey canal and walks with Hazel ( my wife ) along the canal path or else to the woods over at the nearby Country Park. Some Greek sunshine would be nice right now Katerina - it's still quite cold here in the UK though see signs of spring on the way with daffodils and snowdrops blooming. Buds of the trees etc.  Good you have countryside on your doorstep Jennifer - we are lucky to live in a beautiful country where not all of it has been ear marked for hideous housing estates!   Outdoor sketching sounds like a good idea. I have recently got back into doing "daily doodles" and drawings in my notebook for FaceBook group of the same name. Mostly things around the house. Some new doodles attached -

[Bradford]

I love staying in, only going out to the post office a few blocks away then back home in 15 minutes.  I did that when I first moved here was often giddy realizing on the 3rd morning that I didn't have to go out and do anything yet again another day!  Most of my family considers me an eccentric hermit at times, which is well-deserved.  I love being home with my books, art supplies, the internet.  Can't wait to go to 3 days per week starting in April.  I never get bored if I'm at home.  Cabin fever is for most people, but I'm wired differently.  If I meet up with some friends for Happy Hour for a couple of hours once a week, I've had my "social" fix.  

For now, Deadwood, South Dakota is the only casino jurisdiction in the entire United States that is still open, but it's sure quiet.  Snow is falling, temp will fall to about 3ºF tonight (-16ºC); a cozy time to be indoors.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Make art, stay well, stay safe!

I am also over 70, so staying in,

and only going out on my balcony for some Greek sunshine :-)

Spring is here already