Dear Diary: How this early childhood educator is creating memories with her son

CBC Calgary wants to hear from you. How are you finding the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic? Have you gone for a haircut? Been to a restaurant? How will you spend your summer? Are you longing to get back to the office, or do you love working from home? Have you started a new hobby? Learned a new skill?Send us a page from your COVID-19 diary.

In this instalment of our series, Dear Diary: In a Time of COVID-19, Rekha Poudel tells the story of the art she made with her son during the pandemic, and how it is bringing her family closer together.

This entry has been edited for clarity and length.

Coronavirus spreads freely all over the world and scares humans away from socializing. The Government of Alberta closed the schools and child-care centres.

During COVID-19, I tried to create something memorable. I collected materials from around my home and started an art project.

Working in my basement, I painted a white baby gate brown. I sensed my teenageson, Rick,standing in front of me. I looked up to him and he asked, "What are you doing, mom?"

I replied, "Trying to make a window wall decor."

He repeated, "Window?" He paused for a while and looked around my messy room. "Why a window, mom?"

I explained, "When the door is locked, people view the world through it."

Rick suggested I make a black frame.

"Um, black? Black is the absence of light." I added, "I still see hope, a light through these holes."

I placed my eyes on the holes and smiled at him. He checked the cellphone and announced, "Oh, my class started."

He went upstairs to attend his online class.

The next day, I baked the peacock-shaped dough. I was adding the 3D peacock model on the window that I painted. Rick came galloping down the stairs. "Why a peacock?"

"Peacock is viewed as good luck and prosperity, that is why. It is a motif on windows and doors in Kathmandu, Nepal." I replied.

Rick said, "Seriously, you see hope in this pandemic?"

"Yes, I have lots of optimistic thoughts. Researchers are working day and night to find the vaccine against COVID-19. Front-line workers and policy makers are working endlessly."

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Rick seemed to agree with my view.

He sat down beside me and helped me glue chopsticks as feathers. He added a cardboard paper design on top of the stick. He attached toothpicks as a beak.

I let him experiment with his creative ideas on my project. He designed the border with hot glue. I painted it with acrylic paint for several days to give a fine look.

Rick asked, "Why brown?"

I answered, "Brown is the natural colour of wood." I added golden colour on the peacock's body. I loaded sparkles on the wings to make it shine in the dark.

He said, "How could we keep this as a souvenir?"

His question started my mind racing.He must have asked this question because we have moved a lot, packing only very necessary things. His question challenged me, how we could make this art as a part of our life.

"I wonder, what if we give it to your dad for our wedding anniversary, which will resonate how we celebrate our love even without buying fancy stuff," I said.

He shouted, "Yes, mom!"

I gave this masterpiece to my husband on April 18, 2020, on our 20th anniversary, and it is in our living room. Every time I see it, it reflects lots of love and hope.