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Finding the Good in Challenging Times

By Traci Smith
Published on September 1, 2020
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As I write this letter, many of us at Ogden Publications are working from home, in an effort to keep us, as well as those who have to be in the office, safe and healthy. Hopefully as you’re reading this, things have settled down and are well on the way to getting better.
Right now, though, I think we’re all trying to find the “good” in being stuck at home and having to distance ourselves from family and friends. So, here are a few positive things I’m discovering during this difficult situation.

Because I don’t have a 1½-hour commute now, and because my internal clock gets me up at the same time as I got up to get ready for work (but now I don’t have to pack a lunch or go to the convenience store for coffee and sometimes fuel), I’ve got a couple more hours each day to get things done. So, I’ve started doing laundry and house chores before I start work, and I’ve been spending more time outside after work, doing yard chores and getting the garden ready to plant.

I’m saving money on fuel, since I’m not driving nearly 100 miles a day, and I’m also reducing the wear and tear on my vehicle.

I’m spending less money on things I don’t really need, because I go to the store only when I absolutely have to, and I get only the items that are necessary.

I’m making time to craft and work on DIY projects, as a way to de-stress. I’m currently in the process of making a family cookbook for a cousin who’s getting married later this year.

And my favorite thing is getting to spend time with my family, playing cards and board games, having cookouts, and taking rides in the country on the UTVs just to get away from the house for a bit, while still social distancing ourselves from others. We’ve also gone fishing at the creek, hunting for morels, and looking for deer sheds.

How are you and your family spending your time at home? What are your positives during these challenging times? Send me a note, along with photos (JPEG files, 300 dpi, attached to your email), if you have any. And don’t forget to send in your stories and photos for Trash to Treasures and Country Critters!

Until next time,
Traci Smith