Weird day. A year ago today I became unemployed.
A week later I unearthed the box of lye I'd had for years, expecting to, when I worked up the nerve, make soap. I went from living a crazy hectic schedule to being home ALL day, EVERY day. Except for not being able to find food at the grocery stores for several weeks, and that surreal feeling of wearing a mask when I did brave the outside world to find what little food could be had, and being glued to the news to attain some sense of the scope of this "thing," it was blissful. Sort of. I enjoyed seeing my husband all day, every day. My dogs were immeasurably thrilled to have us home ALL THE TIME. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into a year...
I've made a lot of soap since then. I matched the newness of living in a pandemic with the newness of uncovering a new hobby. Making soap, and learning about how to make soap, became my parachute in the frightening unknowableness.