It’s time for August 2020’s Link Party with Sheryl at “A Chronic Voice”! This month’s prompts are: Unlocking, Limiting, Studying, Watching, and Healing.

Unlocking

Currently, my corner of the world is kind of open with orders to wear masks in businesses, and to continue social distancing. I think restaurants are only allowed 25% occupancy. My church is open with social distancing going on. Some people wear masks; most don’t.

I don’t really feel comfortable going out to restaurants yet. I’m pretty much still hibernating except for physical therapy. I plan to go to church this Sunday with my mask on. The covid case numbers have been getting pretty low in my community. Today there were 3 new cases. I hope I’m making a good decision.

Limiting

Unfortunately, I’ve slipped on my no-sugar diet this summer. I need to lose 12 pounds. I cannot afford to buy new summer clothes, so I need to just stop eating sugary foods! Grrr! So far I’m really struggling with saying “No.”

Studying

This summer I’ve been doing a lot of reading, and listening about racism. Sadly, I didn’t care enough until George Floyd died at the hands of a police officer. I have a black daughter-in-law, and suddenly I was seeing her in that video, or one of my future grandchildren. It has been very stressful for me to learn about this topic. Yet I am convinced that I need to learn, and advocate for those without voices.

There is a a Facebook group called Be The Bridge that has a ton of learning resources about racism. Please check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BetheBridge

There are also many book lists about this topic. Here is one to get you started: 7 Anti-Racist Books Recommended By Educators and Activists

I have read White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo from this list. It was a difficult read, but quite eye-opening. I highly recommend it!

Watching

I recently watched a great movie about a children’s author/illustrator named Beatrix Potter. Not only has she written many delightful childrens’ books, but she was also quite a spunky lady during a time period when women in England were only supposed to get married and have children. Renee Zellweger does a great job playing Beatrix. You can watch it here:

Healing

I am still working on getting full motion, and strength back in my right shoulder/arm. I broke it on January 22, 2020. I’m beginning to worry that it’s not going to return to pre-fracture function. I am thankful that I pretty much have 90% of the movement back. Lifting my arm up to reach the second shelf in a cupboard or the top shelf in the medicine cabinet is still difficult, because something shifts and catches in my shoulder. It doesn’t hurt as bad as it did. Thank God! It’s just more of a nuisance.

Plus, I’m getting quite weary of twice daily exercises. I’m beginning to feel like my whole day is taken up by them, since it takes about one hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. It sometimes takes longer, because I need to take breaks in between exercises.

Wrap-Up of August 2020’s Link Party

So that finishes my answers to this month’s Link Party. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe!! You can read more Link Party entries here: https://www.achronicvoice.com/2020/07/29/august-linkup-2020/ Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

If you missed my July Link Party post you can read it here: https://www.upbeatliving.net/july-2020-link-party-a-chronic-voice/

Till next time, Kathy

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