Mind over matter. Today is May 30.
My dad woke me up with a soft knock on my door this morning saying breakfast was ready. I was in the middle of a dream involving annoying, complaining cheerleaders, which was both entertaining and confusing, so I was glad to roll out of bed and come to the table. My mom had made her cherry and nut pancakes as well as fruit and sausage, and everything tasted so delicious. I’d love it if we got into the habit of having a scheduled day each week where a different person cooked breakfast and we started the day together. Even though my parents, brother and I are living in the same house, we all run on different schedules, so we don’t end up spending as much time together during typical breakfast and lunch meal times as I’d like.
After we finished eating, my mom and I filled out our election ballots for the school board. Because of the pandemic my family and I’d requested to mail ours in instead of going to the polling station to avoid unnecessary contact with other people. This was the second election I was eligible to vote in, but it was the first time I had to send in a ballot instead of completing it at the polling station, so my mom helped me with filling out the envelope and making sure I’d completed everything correctly so my vote would count. I was glad I did mine early in the day because as my brother was leaving for work a little before noon he asked me for help, which I was happy to provide. While my parents’ ballots and mine were in the mailbox when the postal worker came by, my brother ended up having to drive and catch up to the worker to hand deliver the ballot because he was running late.
A little while after breakfast, I decided to clean my bathroom and pick up my room, which I hadn’t done for some time. I put on music and played it through my bluetooth speaker so I could have some fun tunes playing while I worked. I actually enjoy cleaning, and having an organized space without grit, grime or random piles of clothing is a nice feeling. I’d wanted to vacuum, but somehow a part my dad had ordered for our vacuum (that we needed because he’d lost the original) hadn’t arrived yet, so I’ll just have to wait and check off that chore whenever I can in the future.
When I was done with those tasks, I relaxed and goofed off for a bit. I’m in this dead spot where some of my favorite shows have just finished airing their seasons and others haven’t quite released their most recent seasons onto streaming networks, so I’ve been going back and watching my favorite episodes of various programs including Queer Eye, The Witcher and Anne with an E on Netflix. I have a varied taste in television shows, and I’m constantly looking for a new program to watch and become invested in. I wish some series had more seasons (like Travelers and Sense8) but I’m glad there is so much content available that I can continue to expand my palate and find new stories and characters as a viewer.
My dad had taken a trip to the store to pick up some groceries for us and for my grandpa because my mom was going up to see him later today. When he returned home with his purchases, I helped wipe them down for him. He also gave me a card from some friends of ours, Doc and Mary Whitener, who had written me a beautiful note congratulating me on the awards I’d received and my graduation from high school. I was touched and plan on writing back to them tomorrow to let them know how much I appreciate their kind thoughts and words.
In the afternoon, I decided I wanted to work out. When I exercise, especially when I use weights, I tend to be lazy and only do the moves I like and are easy for me. This time, however, I created a circuit of weights and sit-ups. I did four different forms for lifting weights, each with about two sets of 25 reps followed by one set of 25 sit-ups. I repeated this circuit three times through with a two minute break between circuits to get water and breath. I played fun music the whole time and kept saying things to myself like, “You’ve got this,” and, “You’re doing great.” By the end my arms were shaking, I was tired, and I felt proud of what I’d accomplished. I ate a snack of Greek honey yogurt with berries and granola to regain some energy while drinking water on the couch with the overhead fan on. I think I was still like that when my mom got home from visiting my grandpa.
Following a dinner of baked cheesy noodles (a.k.a. Mac and cheese as my mom would call it, though I’d definitely pictured a different dish when she’d said that name), blueberries and salad, my family and I went our separate ways for a while to unwind. I joined my parents on the deck while I made a s’more because I can’t turn down an opportunity to make a sweet treat over an open fire. Whenever the Korean baseball game my brother was watching finished, the four of us gathered to play Spades. For a while both teams were stuck in the 200-300 point range, but after 12 hands my mom and brother eventually won the game. I’m hoping to have a rematch tomorrow, and I can’t wait for my dad and I to crush them. All’s fair in love and Spades.
“Even so, I must admire your skill. You are so gracefully insane.” ― Anne Sexton[TS_VCSC_Lightbox_Gallery content_images=”331139,331141,331142,331143,331144″ content_images_size=”full” content_images_titledata=”caption” content_title=”A glimpse into Bailey Stover’s 74th day of social distancing” data_grid_preloader=”-1″ lightbox_title=”caption” thumbnail_size=”full” lightbox_effect=”simpleSwitch”][/TS_VCSC_Lightbox_Gallery][penci_text_block block_title_align=”style-title-left”]How did you spend your 74th day of social distancing? Let us know in the comments below.[/penci_text_block]
