Abbotsford residents are undertaking a whole range of activities and projects to cope with social distancing and worries regarding the COVID-19 crisis.
Photo by Joanna Paprocka Boduch
Gloria Williams: Cancelling her 1st birthday party, then planning one for the 4 of us that live with her. Decorating. Inside & out! Making posters. We already had her gifts… 1 daughter made a spaghetti dinner. Got her cake. A little cupcake for her to eat & make a mess. 1 candle… we made her day special with her immediate family lots of memories… reminiscing the year & making new ones… LOVE!!!!
Gigi Astles: I enjoy beautiful early morning runs. Keeping up my endorphins. I title this photo.. When you’re trying to achieve social distance but your favourite running buddy is persistent.
Mer Kazman: Puzzles, tons of puzzles. Ducky, our mastiff cross, loves to help. She may not get many right, but she is is always willing to join in on any family activity.
Max Prime: I’ve been spending more time on my art business which has been the one benefit of this whole thing. I’m also thankful for this beautiful weather, I can’t imagine going through this in the rain and gloom
Stephanie Baldwin: Having my coffee with this guy! He takes all the stress away. Every. Single. Day. We had to cancel our Mexico trip and then a week later I got laid off from work. I truly believe everything will work out and we as Canadians will get through this together
Victoria Kelleher: Planting baby succulents with my best girl. Gardening is my happy place
Kendra Kilback: This helps keep my kids sane and my house clean!!! (They miss 7-11 visits!)
Catharine Jane Goldbaum: Crafting. Making a wedding album for someone
JeffandJennifer MacDonald: Crafts, baking and lots of outdoor time.
Allison Lane: Indoor camping! Kids are having a blast!
Kathy Miller: Today, my daughter and I are painting the living room
Sonja Hutchinson: Enjoying some solitary morning fresh air
Robin Creor-Burgess: Knitting and baking with my kids.
Stephanie Steijn: Sitting by Cultus Lake, just taking it all in
Susanne Marks: This is my sane and tranquility time, being with my horse Codee.
Jasmine Malhi: Trying out new walks outside of the regular parks we go to , maintaining social distancing
Heather J Rayner: Working on my mystery quilt.
Jesse Flora: Finally decided to pick this bad boy up again
Mary MacDonald: Drawing to relax my inner thoughts.
Shannon Carriere: Painting rocks and cuddling my dogs!
Adrian James Collins: Isolated dog walking with the little one.
Theresa Richards: Still continuing with school through zoom
Cara Boerner: Colouring!
Carly Bohanos: Gold Panning
Sarah Allegretto: Playing outside in the yard Alot when the weather is nice
Chrystal Veltman: Social isolation inside our motorcycle helmets
Jessica Allan: Sitting at the lake
Heidi Joosse: Lots of prayer, reaching out to my good friends and self-care
Mercedes Wiebe: Gardening— pruning, chopping, digging. Can’t wait for blooms. It helps! I’m also watching a ton of 22 minutes. Laughter is good medicine
Mark Maxwell: Sleeping
Kaylee Gill Nelson: Paint rocks and put them put on trails. People are hesitant to pick them up right now but at least they can take photos and spread some happy
Paul Thibault: Counter Strike with friends online and long drives by myself with my camera! Having a great time learning how to use it, and its something I can do completely by myself. We asked you how you were dealing with the stress and anxiety of living in a world gripped by a pandemic. Check out the responses below, and in the slideshow above.
Cheryl Otosson:
Journaling. That way I can get my raw feelings and emotions out vs keeping them bottled inside.
Will also be something my kid can look back on when older and compare his journal (which is full of happy moments so far) vs the adult version of what’s happening.
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Tania Smith:
Creating a back yard food forest and starting a letter to plead with the city to allow a couple of back yard chickens. Sustainable urban living is very possible. Using my knowledge of farming large estate properties (my business) and applying to small spaces.
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Lori Hauff Madill:
Around our house, we aren’t super stressed, as we are a faith based family, but to keep busy, we are doing lots of projects!! Sanding and staining old furniture. We also go on family hikes, play board games, do LEGO challenges via friends on social media, watch movies, and we found a really cool guy in YouTube, that does science experiments. His name is Mark Rober.
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Kristin Dalen:
I use mindfulness with various breathing exercises and grounding techniques and allow all emotions good or not so good. I focus on what I can control not what I can’t
And I offset the bad with laughter and music
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Erica Tj:
Reminder: you are still allowed to walk around in your neighborhood but just stay away 2meters from other people! You can still say hi to people that you pass.
Fresh air is important for our mental health.
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Denise de Jonge:
Going to attempt this everyday with my family.
Do something fun
Do something educational
Do something as a family
Do something productive
Do something lazy
Do something active
Do something nice for someone without expecting anything in return.
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Paula Halvorson:
Baking, paint by numbers, cleaning and organizing
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Bronwen Kenyon:
Limiting the amount of news exposure. I check updates once or twice a day just to keep up to date but try to do other things during the remainder of the day
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Nafisa Sayed Al-haddad:
Teaching my older son how to cook my country food, All family do the cleaning,
Video call my siblings back home and sometimes we play scavenger hunt on video call with them ,we name 10 staff in the household who will find them first.
And we have special time to make prayers.
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Meghan Lee:
Make art & look at art. Many art museums around the world are offering virtual tours amid this isolation period.
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Kaylee Gill Nelson:
Paint rocks and put them put on trails. People are hesitant to pick them up right now but at least they can take photos and spread some happy.
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Henry Braun:
I live on some acreage so I can go out and sit on a bench under my two oak trees and just look out over the North Shore mountains … And I read some things that will nourish our soul. All of us need that. Just to think on the things – my kids and grandkids – the things I’ve experienced in my life that I’m thankful.