Stone walls do not a prison make

First of all, I have a confession to make:  I am enjoying this pandemic.  I didn't realize it until this morning, when I got out of bed and immediately turned the TV to CNN, then to Fox for awhile, then back to CNN.  For once, they are all saying the same thing.  But yes, I'm getting a charge out of the stuff going on in the world.  People getting sick isn't funny, but we are going through a unique experience here that fascinates me on some level.  It's probably the same sort of mindset that makes people slow down and try to look at a horrible, bloody accident, even while knowing they might regret it.  I used to laugh at my mom for this sort of behavior.  Whenever there was a bombing or tornado or hurricane, she'd be glued to the news channels for days.  I never understood it, but here I am doing the same thing.

We have been eating quite well.  Today Cliff and I ate the last two pieces of apple pie from Sunday after polishing off the noodles and mashed potatoes I warmed up, but I had to mash more potatoes for tomorrow, because I need four cups for a shepherd's pie I found on allrecipes.  Years ago I tried a recipe for shepherd's pie and wasn't impressed, but I found this highly rated recipe and decided to try once more.  It only has five ingredients, which makes me rather leery, but I have a pound of left-over roast and plenty of mashed potatoes (now).  It calls for beef gravy; I didn't make gravy Sunday from the roast beef I cooked in the Instant Pot because we put noodles on our potatoes in this family.  However, I saved all the liquid from the Instant Pot, poured it into a pint jar, and stuck the jar in the freezer, not knowing I'd be using it in two days.  A little cornstarch will turn it into delicious gravy.  I'm really hoping this simple recipe is as good as the reviews say.  I'll read more reviews, because sometimes people will make additions or change the recipe in some way and say that makes it better.  I might use a suggestion or two.

We are supposed to have rain Wednesday and Thursday.  Today is cloudy with no rain.  I made sure Gabe and I got our walk in, knowing we might not be able to walk tomorrow.  Tomorrow is Cliff's payday, so I suppose we'll go to the bank, since we're both getting low on cash.  I was planning on finding a store that hasn't been stripped to the walls by hoarders once we got our cash, but my daughter just messaged me.  Her husband stopped by a store, so she asked what we needed.  I told her I didn't NEED anything, but... well we were pretty low on Miracle Whip and Ketchup, and Cliff would really be depressed if we didn't have those two items in the house.  I have been wanting a bag of tortilla chips;  I made hummus the other day and really enjoyed it, but it's no use to make hummus if I don't have chips.  AND I wanted sour cream so I could make enchiladas.

When I go for my walk, a song will often come to mind, and sometimes I'll sing as I walk.  Today I thought of a song I haven't sung or heard in awhile and got ready to sing it, but then thought I'd record it.  The singing is unremarkable:  I was walking, so every time I set my foot down it made my voice shake; and I was breathing pretty hard, so it might remind you of an obscene phone call.  I really don't know why I'd share it, but the words are uplifting, even though I got one or two of them wrong.  If you want to hear what it really should sound like, go to Youtube and do a search for "Thank You Lord for Your Blessings on Me" by the Easter brothers.