Well, it is official. I am on furlough from my job until August 31. Although the boss is working on possibly getting that shortened. We’ll see. One of the many different types of casualties of this pandemic. Thankfully, as of yet, no one in our family has contracted the virus.

The one thing that I have been doing these past few months is keeping a journal during this time specifically, (although I have been keeping a journal on and off for the last ten years). But in this time of massive social upheaval, crazy shenanigans, and scumbaggery, it is even more important to record one’s thoughts, feelings, day to day life, anything to help those in the future understand what living ‘in’ this bit of history was like for folks. (The genealogist in me can’t help myself anyway.)

With furlough coming up, starting next week, it is time to make an effort to find a little joy in life. For me genealogy and beading are two of those activities that help with that. I can focus on projects that have been on the back burner for retirement. Including my beading. I have a project that has been on my loom for 17 years (ever since I started working again), now I can finish it. I will also be back to my blogging again.

It will be good to get a little joy back.

When the 1918-1920 flu epidemic swept the world it doesn’t appear that any one in our family was personally affected by it. No one, as far as I can tell, died from it, no one talked about it either. They certainly didn’t leave any records of having done so. I would really like to have found a diary or journal from that time. Did it affect them personally? Did anyone of their close friends die? How did they get through day to day life? Did they help their neighbors? Did they grab their guns and storm the capitol building of their state, screaming like crazed rabid humans, to go back to work? I don’t know.

But at least our descendants will know that their family was sane, smart, and sensible.

Be safe, smart, sane, and sensible.