Quarantine day 78

As COVID continues to harm the world, our country swirls. Round and round, faster and faster, we swirl like water in a sink avoiding the drain. Every day the news is worse. An uptick in sickness as states reopen. Citizens against citizens, shouting, accusing, judging. Yet another African American death at the hands, or in this case, the knee of a police officer. No strong leadership urging caution, commanding peace, taking charge.

What the hell is happening?

Wherever you stand politically, and no one can convince me this hasn't become part of the divide, you have to admit this country is spiraling. Human decency has flown out the window. A letter to the editor from a woman saying she will only wear a mask when everyone wears a Fitbit because COVID is only a death sentence to the obese? Peaceful demonstrators being smoked, gunned, or run over for voicing their anger? Arsonists and looters destroying businesses in the hopes people will listen?

Our forefathers are rolling in their graves.

In this time, especially for those of us still quarantining, we should all go back to school--to history class. We need a refresh on why our ancestors formed this country. A reminder to their vision of which we've clearly lost sight of. 

I read an article recently regarding William Golding's, Lord of the Flies, a novel of a group of stranded boys governing themselves on a deserted island. The author of the article set out to discredit Golding's account, believing instead that boys forced to survive would do better. By accident, he discovered an actual incident of a group of schoolboys shipwrecked on an uninhabited island for over a year, and in tracking down their rescuer, the author was heartened to learn his faith in humankind was correct. Every boy survived, but they did so by establishing on day one, they would only live by working together.

I hope the people in this country will come to that realization too.

Some day soon.

Quarantine day 67

Oleg escaped our quarantine on Friday, returning to an empty echoing apartment. On Saturday, excited to be free, he went fishing and fried more than his catch--his SnapChat selfie showed a very red Ukraine lobster. This is what he gets for leaving the nest. We women always made sure he had on sunscreen!

Darcy spent the weekend teaching a lifeguard training class from sun up to sundown at a huge manmade lagoon. She did well with the sunscreen, only burning a small strip of skin, and maintained the Red Cross' new COVID-19 rules with social distancing, etc.

I finally some spring cleaning in returning Oleg's bedroom into the office/sitting area. Summer classes for Darcy began today and we needed a better arrangement now that she will be sharing the office with me.

We did our first return to the grocery, meaning we didn't order online for delivery or pick-up. MISTAKE! The Publix we visited was overcrowded, and we roamed over an hour. My nose, cheeks, forehead, and eyes itched the entire time, and by checkout, I was a sweaty mess behind the mask. I really regretted, upon our return home, averting my eyes from the Ding Dongs in aisle 9.

While in quarantine, I need junk food.

Our new norm WO--without Oleg--requires me to find something to occupy my time on Tuesday and Thursdays from 9:30 to 12:00 while Darcy is in Zoom class. I did so today by Facetiming my SIL Susan for a three-hour catch-up, before sitting down to write.

I'm also working on my tan poolside. It's a good life. I can't complain. But not being able to just up and leave my house on a whim? Yep. Starting to get old.

Highs and lows of quarantine

Highs-

• Talking to people, I don't speak with regularly - I've said this before, but this week I spoke with two friends from my job at the city pool, my sister, and my red-haired great-niece who I've only met once. She and her brother have kid messenger--a Facebook thing--, and we've connected. Mainly because I'm wandering around in this house procrastinating when I should be working. We did a video thing Friday night, and she got to meet the other red-headed girls in our family. So cute.

• Zoom meetings - I mentioned this one before regarding church online, but now I've joined the ranks of others who have meetings via Zoom. Mine was with my monthly writer's group. Oleg hooked me up at my desk with a camera, and aside from one bout of Elliot singing loudly behind me, it went well. We had a guest marketing speaker and followed up with our monthly meeting. It was really nice to see familiar faces.

• Game Apps - I'm currently hooked on Farmville in the tropics where I own an island and resort. I'm responsible for keeping my guests happy by planting crops, crafting, and filling orders. Occasionally, there are mishaps like monkeys running amok on the island, but I've joined a beach club where I've met a lovely group of ladies from Scotland, Florida, and Michigan.

• Not having to do all the cooking - I made this a rule when we returned from vacation. Best. Rule. Ever. Who knew Darcy and Oleg could even cook?

• SGN - If you haven't checked out John Krasinski's You Tube outlet called Some Good News, rush over and do so. It's the best!

• Lazy Spring Days - We may not have had the Spring vacation we were expecting, but Darcy and I have taken advantage of our quarantine time to pretend we are having it now. The weather is hot, and our pool is perfect, so we roll out of bed and put on our suits for quality tanning hours and reading.

Lows-

• Sitting - Okay, this isn't anything new for me, but in quarantine, I sit twice as long. There isn't much to do in this house that requires standing other than cleaning, and my tropical farm requires a vast amount of time, and I do this sitting. This week's goal will be to find different furniture and areas for parking my rear.

• Losing track of days - Thank god for calendars--and each other. If one person doesn't know what day it is, someone else usually does. Once May took over from April, I hadn't a clue what the actual date was until I made an effort to check a calendar. Then, I discovered Mother's Day was approaching and quickly put in my gift requests.

• Closings - First to fall in our area was Sweet Tomatoes, a restaurant where I once won a year's worth of meals. The buffet restaurant is a casualty of COVID-19, and soon, retail stores already facing trouble will follow--nationally, J.C. Penney's and locally, Bealls. All three are BIG deals in my life--obviously don't call me for recommendations.

Quarantine day 61

Every morning I awake to Madison's voice from the other room, teaching math. I sluff out to the kitchen where I exchange good morning pleasantries with Oleg. Darcy is outside on the back porch jumping and pumping iron. Sometimes I dread it all.

Shake things up, people!

Oh, we do--on the weekends. Then, Tom is at least a different face.

Next week will be different. Oleg will be back at his apartment an hour's drive away. He begins his internship--virtually--on Monday. Now, he is ordering groceries for pick-up and slowly building a pile with his belongings. We've enjoyed having him, and we will miss him--especially his cooking. He made delicious meals!

Our county is slowly re-opening. I received a call from my hairdresser that she is back to work. It went to my home phone, which rings on my cell phone, and I answered it while driving through at Starbucks. I expected it to be a solicitor since those people are back to work, so when it turned out not to be someone I could get rid of quickly, I panicked. Drive-thrus set me on edge for some reason. I worry the person at the other end is judging me for my slowness or some such nonsense. I couldn't begin to repeat the conversation with my hair lady, and I'm sure she thinks I've lost it during the quarantine.

Maybe I have.

It isn't as if I'm leaving quarantine for a haircut. I'm more an err-on-the-side-of-caution-than a dive-in-see-where-it-lands-me kind of gal. I'm not going to hop on a plane, stay in a hotel, or dine in a restaurant just yet. I'll reevaluate after I pass the one hundred day quarantine benchmark, but I'm also trying hard not to judge those who feel differently.

Although I do think everyone should wear a mask. It's human decency to respect those around you.

Until next week--STAY SAFE.

Out of the mouths of my babes

After the girls left our house for college, I opened any mail addressed to them, and disposed of it properly, either forwarding it to them, dealing with the contents accordingly, or trashing it. They got a lot of junk mail. When Madison returned home, she expressed horror at my opening of Darcy's correspondence, and my excuse did not appease her. Apparently, in her eyes, I was to send any and all mail to Darcy, no matter. 

Today, Darcy received a letter in a non-descript envelope with only an address in the upper left-hand corner. I came into the house, flipping it back and forth as if this would help in the discovery of the contents. It was very official looking, which causes me a bit of anxiety now that both girls are adults. Are they paying their bills on time? Were they caught on camera for something? You know, things like that.

Me: "Darcy, you got mail."

Darcy: "From who?"

Me: "I haven't a clue. It's very official, but there is no return company on the envelope, and since Madison won't let me open your mail, you'll have to deal with it yourself."

She opened the envelope and extracted two sheets of paper, the first, a cover page with nothing but her name, address, and a salutation, and the second, a page and a half of writing. Darcy made a face and chucked the first paper, and then quietly read a bit of the second paper before flipping it over and back like I had done with the envelope.

Me: "What is it?"

Darcy: "Ugh, I don't know."

Me: "What do you mean, you don't know? It's right there in your hand."

Darcy: (whining) I know, but it's too much writing..."

FYI - It was junk mail. 

Four month resolution check

Every two months, I check in to see how I'm doing on my New Year's resolutions. I give myself a score between 1-10 with the hopes that by the end of the year, I'm perfect. 

These two months were mostly in quarantine, so I'm not expecting much--something about stress, a pandemic, and sharing my house should give me some leeway, right?

Let's check-in (4 months):

• Travel (Explore and open myself to new experiences)- Yeah, okay, well, did I mention the quarantine? The US has banned travel, so this resolution has been put on hold. Score: N/A
• Get into an excellent mental and/or physical place where I don't mind having my picture taken. - Okay, this one I can actually say I've worked on. Having Darcy home--Ms. Workout Extraordinaire--has definitely helped me get on the stick. I've started walking and recently added some fitness videos and water aerobics to my routine. While I'm still not picture-worthy, I'm working on it! Score: 7
• Devise a working routine schedule Monday-Friday so that I do it and stick to it - Yikes! This went bye-bye during the quarantine. Does waiting until five to have a cocktail--or as I call it these days, a quarantail--count? Score: 2 - Because, yeah, quarantine.
• Finish editing book #1, so Maya can edit and critique it. - Nope. I haven't written anything but this blog since I returned from Orlando. It just isn't inside me right now. Score: 0
• To drink less coffee and, therefore, less creamer - Nope, nope, and nope. Right now, whipped coffee is the beverage of choice in our house (well, besides liquor), and I have not joined that bandwagon, so that should count for something. Score: 2
• To tackle some old resolutions that haunt me - YES! I have been editing my blog, scanning pictures, and working on my family tree. Whew! See, something has been accomplished. Score: 10

Total Score: 21 out of 50 and a N/A - But again, QUARANTINE! PANDEMIC! COVID19!

Quarantine week eight, day 50 something

Darcy finished her junior year this weekend, and she and I began a new routine this week. We work out first thing, followed with breakfast and some sunning poolside. Our spring day temperatures, after starting with a hot bang, then cooling off, have steadily risen again, making the pool a necessity, especially for me. My seven-forty alarm has gradually been snoozed toward a wake-up after eight-fifteen, putting my walk closer to nine, where the sun and heat index leaves me drenched. I've started wearing my bathing suit under my clothes, entering through the side yard to just strip and swim. The seventy-eight-degree water temperature is precisely what is needed! 

I added water aerobics to my workout routine, and this morning Darcy joined me. I pulled out my old equipment and thumbed through my materials for a refresher in the deepwater aerobics I once taught. My memory may be faulty, but my body remembers well the moves, my arm muscles letting me know I'd worked them well. Afterward, we stretch, eat, and enjoy quiet time while birds tweet and sing and the small children behind us play outdoors, their giggles and shouts taking me back in time.

Monday, many states relaxed their guidelines, allowing beaches and restaurants to return to twenty-five capacity. Here, many restaurants didn't agree with our Florida governor. They aren't open beyond what they've done thus far, carry-out curbside and delivery. The people, however, have come out of their houses. Traffic was back to normal as Darcy, and I drove for essentials-- a Chick-fil-A lunch and a quick grocery run for the things our online order wasn't able to fill. We dutifully wore our homemade masks supplied by my friend SueG whose mother sewed them for her M.D. son, who, in turn, graciously gave up two of them so Darcy and I would be protected on our essential weekly runs. Many people are still not wearing masks, and while my thoughts delve into a red abyss upon seeing this, I inhale, exhale, and let it go.

I can't help the idiots.

But I do resent them for not protecting the rest of us.

In the grocery today, a maskless man and woman even brought their maskless children, clearly under the age of five, and propped them up in the front of the grocery cart as they wheeled up and down the aisles, mindless to the directional floor signs and stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the six-feet of social distancing, letting the rest of us wait behind them while they argued food items. To many, this pandemic isn't real, and for the rest of us, we will have to continue being patient. 

Oleg wrapped up his college year with his last final today. His internship starts online in a couple of weeks. Madison's school is still two weeks from finishing, so she continues teaching, and there is still no word on whether camp will be a go or not or whether the girls will have summer jobs. None of us dwell on it--practicing our patience. 

Such is our way of life in quarantine.

At least we got outside

Saturday, three of us agreed to join the hubby in his blueberry adventures. Granted, it was Tom's typical spur-of-the-moment invite thrown out five minutes after I'd awakened and made myself a coffee. He gave us ten minutes.

Me: "Maybe you should call the blueberry place to make sure they are open."

Tom: "Why wouldn't they be open?"

The blueberry farm is a good hour drive from our house, north of where Grammy Mary Anne lives, and I accompanied them only because he agreed to do a social distance visit with his mother after we picked blueberries. Typically, this trip begins in the early dawn hours, and we are usually the first wave of pickers. This time we didn't get there until noon, and I was already regretting my choice of a black shirt as the sun shone through my side of the car window, but alas, I could've saved myself some stress.

I'd like to say that I was kind enough not to point out the obvious, but we all know that didn't happen. Although I did keep it to three I-told-you-to-call (s).

None of us really complained because, well, the drive and conversation was different than our quarantine lifestyle. Yippee!

Grammy met us in her driveway, and we stayed six feet apart for an hour of chatting before Tom suggested we move to the pool area. There, we were able to sit--six feet apart--and we spent another two hours socializing. In between the chatting, Oleg and Tom disappeared into Grammy's house--wearing their masks--to work on her computer since she missed out on the family Zoom call a week ago. A neighbor, on her way back from cutting another neighbor's hair, took their place in our circle.

Eventually, the men returned, and when the neighbor found out they were computer gurus, she asked if they could help her hook up her printer. Darcy worked out an exchange--computer work for two haircuts as both men kept whining about their need for a barber--and off the three went, leaving the girls behind. That gave us plenty of time for girl gossip and men bitching.

It was almost four o'clock by the time they returned, and only Tom had taken the neighbor up on her haircutting. Oleg opted for him to go first, and then decided he'd stick with his professional barber. The women exchanged knowing looks, grateful we'd had our time alone to get things off our chests.

We washed down the pool chairs and table as required, ordered dinner to pick up on the way home, virtually hugged Grammy, and climbed back in the car to head out, waving good-bye.

Mary Anne: "Thanks for coming! Oh, and thanks for the blueberries!"

Darcy and I snickered quietly all the way home.