Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2020 - 9:23 p.m.

My clearest thoughts are always in the shower. While stepping in earlier, I thought about how, year after year, I want to ask my physician to write me a note that excuses me from work for three weeks. Not a week; that would be too short. Two weeks would only give me a chance to start getting in the groove; not enough. Three weeks was always the magic number. I've always wanted to take a major mental break from work. Had gotten to the point where I was really trying to figure out how to maximize that 6-month Rainy Day Fund and just not work for a long time. Just to get a break.

Realized this morning that I got exactly what I've always wanted. More actually - 3.5 weeks. And it is actually above and beyond because I'm confined to home. There's nowhere to go, no activities to participate in, nothing to do, nobody to go see. I am home, resting. Every single day.

I was so confused all day about what day today was. I'd lost track of the days of the week.

This worldwide tragic situation has given me the exact break from life that I've always wanted. Crazy.

I was telling someone the magnitude of this pandemic is the manifestation of at least 80% of the world's population constantly feeling like, "I need a break."

My family completed our 21 day Daniel Fast. It came and went so fast! My goodness!! I wasn't praying for anything specifically. Just focused on being quiet, keeping my mind clear, my heart open and receptive. God answered a prayer I didn't even get to ask: my job reversed course on the paycuts and furloughs. That was very nice. I'm happy about it, moreso for the people who would not have been able to handle that financially.

Stimulus payments are coming. I'm looking forward to my $200. LOL Hey, at least I'm getting something!

I've made good progress on my old room at my mom's house. Have quite a bit more to go. It's so weird to touch things and clothes and trinkets and souvenirs that I haven't even seen in 8 years. Doing a lot of Marie Kondo, "thank you", to stuff as I let it go.

Cleaning out that room makes me realize I have quite a bit more furniture and shelving that I need to purchase for my home. Will do something of an inventory after I get through more stuff. My stuff will dictate the design of my house, it seems. LOL

Speaking of, two things. 1) The refi is almost done. I was getting irritated because I told my lender I wasn't interested in a refi initially because I didn't want big ol' closing costs. He assured me that wouldn't happen but by the time I turned around, the closing costs were *crossing* $11k. *eyeroll* I decided to get rid of escrow after doing some reading. I can save what I need for my taxes and insurance in an interest-bearing account and at least make a couple dollars off of what I'll have to pay when things come due. It's better that way, for me. So that brought the closing costs down to more like $6500. :-)

Still have a ways to go in figuring out how to pay my mortgage off in the next 8 years on my current income. I need to manifest double my income. Will work on that this week. *wink* LOL

Oh, shoot. Can't remember the second thing. D'oh.

Anyway, I want to get my yard looking pretty. Going to do it the old-fashioned way: have this man come spray all the weeds to kill 'em, lay seed and water the yard with some old-school sprinklers. I'm not up to paying $5,000 just to install a sprinkler system (including a well). Nah. And I'm ready to get my fence put up, but now the guy is closed, I'm sure. Want to get that done asap. I'd been saving money as I could so that fund is all set and ready to go.

Hey, so the best part of my current situation has been my exercise walks. I have been SO NOSY! I walk all the streets of my neighborhood. All the nooks and crannies. It's perfectly safe during the daytime, especially now. Folks are inside, for real. I take in my neighbors' whole presentation - their house, their yard, their cars, illegal stuff they got around - all of it! It's so fun. And there are so many more trees and birds in my neighborhood than I realized. I've really enjoyed the walks. I almost broke both my feet walking too far in the wrong shoes. All that was fixed with the right pair. My body still feels better, despite the little aches and pains caused my my weight. Gonna keep this up so I look forward to changes that make those go away.

My neighbor behind me is an old man. His wife passed right after my great-aunt Jennette, so he's been a widower for 6 years. He walks to my corner everyday, looking around. He has a bunch of fruit trees and has given me some of his cherimoya/custard apple fruits. Almost forgot why I was mentioning him: it's so interesting that while the majority of the world has had to drastically adjust to quiet living, this is his everyday life. His schedule and activities are the same as they have been and will be after this is all said and done. I admire his lifestyle.

Let me get to manifesting a lifestyle where I don't have to work, am not bound to a rigorous schedule, have the means to support myself and the full health and faculties to enjoy it.

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