Coronavirus cases seem to be going up, but they have slowed down a bit here, and people have been protesting a lot here because of the death George Floyd. Still angers me that the police seem to forget that we the citizens pay their salary. Without us working and paying taxes they wouldn't have an income. The amount of law enforcement that seem to forget their place, is disgusting. That aside, the county here has been approved to go into Phase 2 of reopening businesses and out numbers for the county seem to be leveled out. We go into wildfire season here now, today actually. We didn't get a lot of rain the past season, so I hope it doesn't affect us too bad. I've been able to get out of the house once this week. I went to the grocery store with Jeff and Skylar. It was kind of painful getting in and out of the car, but it was nice to be able to walk around somewhere besides the house and yard. Sun has been out, too, so I've had a chance to sit out and get some Vitamin D on my skin, which was nice. Hopefully, this weekend goes well and I can get out a bit more. Here are five things this week.
1. This Gift.
Since I've been recovering from my surgery, I haven't been able to get out and do things I normally do and a friend of Jeff's from the fire department knew this. She placed this on our porch while we were out this week getting groceries and other items for our house. It was a nice surprise to come home to and very thoughtful of her.
2. This Planner/Calendar.
Best part about a new year is a new planner/calendar. I've really enjoyed using the Orange Circle Studios calendars and when the time to retire the previous year, it's always nice to get a fresh new planner for the coming year. This calendar goes from June to June, and if you click the images to the right (gray or pink), you can get the 2021 calendar and get started on your future road trip planning, household planning, or even write in your day to day activities.
3. This Package.
I had ordered these before my surgery and due to being backed up and having to send their supplies to frontline workers, our shipment came later than expected. Unfortunately, our shipment came damaged. But, Habitat Botanicals were amazing and replaced everything for us. I was really upset that the glass bottles were not only broken, but completely crushed and shattered. If you haven't heard of Habitat Botanicals, you should check them out. They are incredible. Their products are eco-friendly and packaged with the environment in mind. And, just like the incident above, they are on top of anything that doesn't meet your satisfaction.
4. This Paint Spill.
Someone lost an entire can of paint on one of the streets here and I couldn't help but snap a picture of it. As much as I am into horror, I thought it was pretty cool how the paint landed on the asphalt. Total horror movie vibes.
5. This Setup.
This is my setup in my room right now. I sit most days right there and do my work, or write up things I'd like to do when I am feeling better and less in pain. When I am done working, I have Skylar, or Jeff, move my work things to my desk in the other room and I get situated with all the pillows around me and sleep. It's a pretty comfortable setup, but there are days where I don't want to do anything, or even move and I give myself those days right now. Healing is at my own pace and I am not ashamed to take some "me" days. And, you shouldn't either. Selfcare is very important.
-We also watched the launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday, May 30, 2020. It was carrying the Crew Dragon and headed to the International Space Station and made its way into the history books.
Positive affirmations this week:"What are things you should stop expecting from others?"
This is always tough, but there are six things that I stop expecting from other people and it has helped my mental health and wellbeing a great deal.
1. Closure (With some people you will never get this, let it go.)
2. Apologies (Don't ever expect someone to apologize, it will save your sanity to just move on.)
3. Explanations (Don't seek explanations from people, if what they did is bad enough, drop them and move on.)
4. Understanding (Some people are not worth your time.)
5. Validation (This is a huge no no, don't ever seek validation from others. Make yourself happy.)
6. Belief (If you are in the company of others that don't believe you, seek better people. You deserve better.)
And, other people shouldn't expect any of these from you. If someone in your life falls under any of these six, it may be time to cut them out of your life. You are worth so much more than that. But, remember one last thing, forgiveness isn't for the person you're forgiving, it's for you. I've forgiven a lot of people in my life that don't deserve it, but I didn't do it for them-I did it for me and my worth.
I started at the beginning of May with a 1 sec every day picture/video post. It's fun to look back on the previous month and see what great things happened throughout the month. I like to post them on Twitter, as well, just to share in the good vibes. I plan on sticking with it each month to help with my positive affirmations each month. This is the end of May 2020. You can get the app here and start recording your affirmations each month.
Wow, what a week! From the Coronavirus pandemic (over 100,000 deaths in the United States alone), and a new strain of the virus. But, a few counties are able to move into Phase 2 of reopening, and now with the death of George Floyd, there's a lot of negative going on. I just don't even know where all of the negativity in the world if coming from. People are so self-absorbed and blind by other people's suffering. It's almost like people go day-to-day with blinders on and can't even see what's in front of them. Jeff said that he was at the store getting supplies and a woman he said, was literally screaming at the store manager and two officers about how they were forcing her to wear a face mask for a made up virus to control her. There's a lot to unpack with that one statement, but the main one, she's clearly not okay in her mental state. Two, stores are private property. If they required you to wear a clown costume while shopping, you damn sure better wear a clown costume. I don't think people realize that no one is forcing anyone to shop at that location and you have to abide by their rules. Same as with your house. If you wanted everyone that came to your house to remove their shoes, that is your choice to make in your own home, even if you RENT. As with the George Floyd murder, the protests here have really picked up. I agree that something needs to change. Police need to be retrained in some areas, sure, but holding your knee onto a man's upper back and neck area for over nine minutes while he is saying he can't breathe, is wrong on so many levels. I do believe that policeman (former policeman) is going to face some serious charges. I watched the video, it's heartbreaking. It's not only heartbreaking, it's disgusting. I feel bad for the bystanders having to stand there and not be able to do anything. I hope they are doing okay, too. I guess we'll see YET AGAIN, how this black man's murder plays out. It's so disheartening to know that people, put in a position to serve and protect us, take our lives and our existence so lightly. Black, Hispanic, Native, Asian, and even white... I've had my own experiences with the city police here about three summers ago. A K9 officer and another officer belittled, and bullied me over trying to get help for a neighbor's dog that had been given a large dose of pain medication (by accident). As a K9 officer for the city, this policeman proceeded to tell me, "cops don't care about animals." What a dumbass thing to say as a K9 officer. I stood in the lobby of the police department and had to listen him tell me I was a poor citizen for trying to save this poor animal and that I should be arrested. I just couldn't believe it. Only thing these two policeman did was make a law abiding citizen hate city police and not trust them ever again. I will never give my time, energy, or even respect to the city police here because of that one incident. And, that's all thanks to that one policeman and his need to feel in power by his badge. I really do hope karma gets him, but I hope it's not in a way similar to George Floyd, but with this shitty attitude, I wouldn't be surprised. Here are five things this week to help pull back some of the positives.
1. These Flowers.
They were a nice surprise from Skylar and Jeff and they really brightened up my room. It was nice this week to wake up to them sitting on my nightstand. Along with the sunshine, it makes things a bit more positive while I recover.
2. These Yard Daises.
It's always nice to see these yard daises. White Daises are one of my favorite flowers and while getting outside and walking around a bit this week, it was nice to see them under my feet. Summer time is definitely on its way.
3. This Sweet Kitty.
Eleven has been following me around when I go outside to walk around, or when I get up from the bed to use the bathroom, or bathe. She's been such a sweet, protective kitty. I just love her.
4. These Tulips.
Last fall we planted tulip bulbs around the trees in front of our house and this year they bloomed. I love how all the colors are a different shade of reds or pinks. We also have daffodils planted along side the tulips and I can't wait until they have all bloomed and take over the base of the Hawthorne trees. Skylar and I started this year collecting a few blooms from the season and using the flower press to preserve them. Looking forward to having a large collection of different blooms and plants from each season.
5. This Bag.
Grover Collaborative has some great items. I am loving these 100% recycled trash bag. We don't have a monthly subscription to them, but we do purchase from them from time to time when we run out of eco-friendly items we use on a regular basis. You can use them too by clicking here, especially during the pandemic, they have come in handy.
Positive affirmations this week:"What’s your stress level like lately?"
It's pretty leveled out this week, but when the pain from my surgery is intense I seem to be more edgy. I've noticed when I'm talked down to, or feel that people's responses to certain things aren't right, it seems to bring up stressors in me. I think a lot of that has to do with my past and how terrible I was talked to at times. But, I find ways now, as an adult, to help offset that as much as I can. Some days are more intense than others, but I try my best to pull myself out of it.
Skylar and I decided to take a bit of a hike into the back areas of the city and through the woods to the South Santiam River. There's a park at the end of the walk and eventually the city has plans to pave a walking path, as part of the Build Lebanon Trails project, but for not it's either bark mulch, or gravel. It was a nice day and we walked slower than normal, because I'm not very fast right now, and once we reached the river, we weren't disappointed in the view.
Life at a "Swell's" pace is a lifestyle and travel blog chronicling the life and travels while living in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley. It is mostly written by Shelly HW. Click the image to learn more»
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