Strange Times

Right now, we're in the middle of something I never could have predicted, who would think that disaster would strike, sneak up on you and you can't even see it? I saw it starting in China - an entire city shut down, then an entire region and an entire country. News of a mystery virus in China that could not be stopped. How's it spreading? No answers and the ports in China started shutting down, no one in or out. America stopped travelers from China. I just kept saying, this is going to be so bad for their economy. It's going to be so bad. And then, of course, the virus, now known as COVID-19, started showing up elsewhere. One, two, three cases in the US. More in Italy. So many in Italy. Hospitals overwhelmed, people dying. Isn't it just another form of flu? How many people die of the flu in America every year? People are overreacting, aren't they?

In the meantime, Americans start to take notice of the rest of the world. People are panicking, what if it comes here and we get quarantined and will we have enough ___? The first question is Toilet Paper. And TP was the first thing to disappear from stores as everyone in the country started stockpiling - or hoarding? I don't know.

The numbers of cases in America are climbing and we look around the world to see other countries with their countless deaths and we start to panic. But we're probably overreacting, aren't we? The first I heard of it was December and three months later, Wisconsin's governor has ordered schools closed. My kids are staying home, no school. Try to do some "enrichment activities," read, take a walk or something. Of course I couldn't enforce any "do school stuff" rules because I'm not home, but the kids do their best to follow through. For one week they're home and I'm pretending everything's going to be fine. It's all normal, right? But when I go to the store there's almost no meat. No frozen veggies. Barely any canned foods left on the shelves. I've never seen this, I never imagined it could happen here in America, where there's SO MUCH FOOD. So much extra of everything all the time. Not now, it's picked over every time we go in. It's not because there's no food, but because the supply chain is not prepared for the big surge of an entire country "stocking up" (hoarding?) at the exact same time. We're all scared.

Last Monday Wisconsin's governor announced a Safer at Home order, telling everyone who possibly can to work from home, school work from home, just plain stay home. Restaurants are open for carry out only, all non-essential businesses are closed. Ads on TV are telling us how we can shop for cars from home and everything else you can imagine. Last week 6.6 million people filed for unemployment as businesses laid off employees because who can pay you when the stores are closed and you're not working? And now, I'm taken back to December when I heard about what was happening in China and I was concerned for their economy. Our economy is suffering as cities, counties, states are shutting everything down. Social Distancing has become the norm as we all attempt to stay home, stay away from other people and don't approach our neighbors for a friendly chat. We shout from one yard to the other or video call our friends because we can't get close to each other. Four, six, eight feet, keep your distance. Wash your hands 100 times a day. And stay out of the stores.

The news is only about COVID-19 and the army field hospitals that are being set up in Central Park, Seattle and elsewhere. There's not enough medical anything. Are we overreacting? Is there any TP or meat or CLEANING SUPPLIES at the grocery store today? Was it actually a good thing that I spent 2 months worth of grocery money to fill my freezer and cupboards to the brim with food? What if we really can't leave the house for four weeks and we don't have enough?

Anyway, here we are now. Watching the news for the latest numbers of people infected, people who have died and people who are laid off. I started working from home last Tuesday and have only been into a store twice since then. This week the school district announced their plans for us to start teaching our kids at home and so here we are today. Now I'm a work from home, homeschooling, disaster prepping mom. And we're doing the best we can.

Positives.

1. I now see all the wildlife that visits my yard every day, I sit at my computer with a view out to the patio and garden and see the bunnies and birds visiting daily. It's nice to appreciate the singing birds and blue skies right outside my window.

2. ALL the activities have been cancelled. Our calendars are 100% open. No Swing Choir, Judo, Chess Club, Scouts, Roller Skating, Dentist, Doctor, Anything. With the exception of Piano, which is done via video call and doesn't require that we leave the house.

3. Family dinners every night. Andy wow, we can cook. With no rushing to the next event, we're free to take our time and cook wholesome good food and eat it together, as a family. Wonderful.

4. Family Time. All the time, every minute of every day, here we are, together. Let's take a walk together, let's play a game together, let's watch tv together. It's pretty fantastic.

5. Connecting with more family in different ways. The kids are calling their grandparents and texting with their cousins more than ever before. It's wonderful to see those relationships stay strong, even as we have to physically stay away from everyone we know.

Corona Quarantine - All the Stuff

A week ago I wrote a very very long thing about the news and all that's happening. I kept it to myself, maybe I'll put it out there sometime but for now, I think it's best I keep my chaos to myself.

So, here's the shakedown. Schools closed on March 13 and my kids spent a week at home pretending it was an extra long spring break. They'd go back on April 6. A week later, the governor issued the "Safer at Home" order and everyone who could possibly stay home was stuck there. For a month. Ok, fine, I'll work from home. And here I am, working from home. Today the Stay Home instructions were extended through to May 26. So we'll all stay home a little longer.

Now, number one, I have to say, I am SO IMPRESSED with us. There have been NO major blowouts, meltdowns, freaking out about the world today. Of course we have our snippy moments here and there but SERIOUSLY. I have the awesomest family ever. The kids do some school work, take care of their chores, go for walks with me when I make them. David and I are taking turns cooking WONDERFUL meals now that we have time because we don't have All The Things every day of the week. These are such strange times but so very wonderful in a way that I couldn't have imagine - no going out? No visiting friends or going to the library? How's that going to be good? But we have Family Time. Every Minute of the Day Family Time.

So, here's a tiny little picture of Life Today.

My tea has been evicted from the cupboard and now sits shamefully in a paper bag on the floor in a corner. Make way for canned foods in the cupboard.

In addition to no room for tea, there's also apparently no room for soy sauce because I keep finding it in various cupboards. Someone finds it, puts it some other random place.

And best of all - my desk (a little folding table with just one monitor) sits between our dining room and living room, giving me a view of our backyard. I have discovered that my yard is very busy every day with visitors from all over the neighborhood. Even while we're stuck inside our cozy hide-away, the birds are venturing out of their nests, the bunnies (babies even!!) are exploring their world. Makes me smile every time I see someone new venture within sight.

Last night we broke the rules and went to HC because Bampa asked to borrow some tools and when it came down to it, none of the 5 of us could resist going for a drive. It was a very big deal. We were Road Tripping and singing songs on the way. It's like we were on our way to a big vacation! And we got there and I hugged my parents for the first time in month and it made my whole week better. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, I guess? I just needed to see my parents so much, it was the very best thing.

And so we continue on to do our everyday things while the world is all shut down and everyone's afraid of everyone else's germs. Here in our little fortress, we're doing just fine.

Homeschool: Art Class

Draw what you see,  take 28 seconds or 28 minutes, ready, go!

After much study and careful consideration of the balance of the piece, Eli captured the flowers' chaos quite nicely.

Hand crafted with Shelly's special reserve pencils, saved for personal projects.

Let's be honest, the plant looks like it's on its last leg.

So detailed and carefully crafted, beautiful!

See? Doesn't have to take long at all! Cranked out in a few seconds between work emails.

 That sums up Art Class, we'll see what tomorrow's homeschool day brings 🙂