MARCH

Yes, it's March and already more than half over!  Time for an update.

 Alan and I enjoyed the birthday lunch with Lindsay at Eddie Webster's back on Feb. 26.  She turned 16, had her driver's test that morning and aced that with no points off!  Congratulations!

There were two birthdays in the Diekrager family the first week in March, Ashely turned twelve on March 2 and Eric was 17 on March 8.  Alan and I went up to Milestone on the 9th for a joint celebration and a sleepover.

 We stopped in Weyburn on the way home and bought groceries. We are thirty-five miles from Estevan so we shop whenever we are close to a grocery store, sometimes even in Crosby, ND.  We are used to "stocking up" so we are ready for the restrictions due to the coronavirus.  I always have powdered milk on hand, buy tomato and mushroom soup by the case (mostly to use in casserole dishes). We still have jars of Elberta peaches that I canned in August and potatoes and carrots from the garden.  We don't eat a lot of bread but I have yeast and wheat to grind when needed to bake a batch.  There's meat and frozen fruit and veggies in the freezer so we are in good shape with drinking water from the well.  The farm is a great place to be, especially when social distancing is in and people over 70 are considered more at risk for the virus.

Now it's March 21 and restrictions abound!  We haven't been shopping since March 10, but we are doing fine.  I baked four loaves of whole wheat bread yesterday and we have a big jar of peanut butter that hasn't been opened yet, also a container of honey.
I made a batch of Norwegian Fish Soup and we are enjoying that.  Next, I'll make Hamburger Soup in the Instant Pot and freeze some of it so we have a change of menu!  I also made Potato Cheese soup and put some in the freezer so we are eating well.  

I did make a list of basics that I will be short of soon.  Next week we hope to get a chance to shop.  Weyburn Co-op offers parking lot delivery for out of town customers so we might just do that.  Stores have empty shelves right now but that should improve when the panic subsides and hoarders have their stash!

Today is National Quilting Day.  I have a child's quilt top pinned so I better sew it together today.  Our quilting group has canceled our Tuesday workdays, just had two left as we usually quilt until the end of March.  Now we have something to do when we have to stay home!!  We have made over a hundred quilts this winter.

Life doesn't change so much for the two of us.  We both enjoy reading and even if libraries are closed we borrow ebooks on our iPads from Overdrive.  We enjoy playing games online.  I love Scrabble but don't like the new version they are switching to on Facebook that has too many "bells and whistles".  I just want to play the original game!!

Worship service is canceled on Sunday and we will miss that, and the fellowship that follows.  Pastor Nick will be doing a service online so we will be able to follow that from Faith Lutheran's website I believe.

Kirk will have a birthday on Monday so maybe we can join him on Facetime for a "party". We keep in touch with Todd's in Norway that way.  They are all at home too.  Kristy and the girls are busy baking and cooking so the girls have great Home Ec classes! Nora has online classes in grade two.  The other day they learned the "One potato, two potato" song in her English class.

Well, I am going to heat up some soup so I will publish this blog and might be writing more often during these "stay at home" days.  I have lots of unfinished projects to keep me busy so I won't mind the restrictions and trust that these efforts will keep us well.  God is still in control and "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to God's purpose."  Romans 8:28.  That's one of my favorite Bible verses.

Now we have had supper and then this blog post will be on its way.  I made three pizzas and tapioca pudding so we'll have extras to put in the freezer for another day.

Tomorrow is Sunday, but no service in Torquay so we'll listen on line to Pastor Nick from Estevan.  Then I suggested to Alan that we make it "Family Day" and get in touch with family via phone calls or Facetime.  Alan's sister Joyce called tonight so she got a head start on us!

Bye for now. Stay safe.