The first real day of RI lockdown last week (Monday, March 16, 2020)...
I make a huge stack of waffles and Esme chows down on a bunch of them. Then we play a few games of Crazy 8s. It's a gorgeous (if a bit chilly) sunny day, so Esme and I take a walk down to the pond near our house to hang with the ducks. We keep our distance from the few other folks who are out walking, but it feels so nice to say "Good morning! Beautiful day!" to other people. We walk through the woods for a while, arms around each other, bumping each other hard back and forth along the trail and laughing hysterically. It's nice to to see one of our neighbors who is out walking her dog. We chat with her for a while (from the recommended 6 feet away...) After a few hours we head home for lunch. Esme actually REQUESTS a PB&J (I usually have to cajole her into eating one) and then she takes off on her bike for a little while. Then we goof around in the backyard. Esme bounces on our new trampoline (purchased on Sunday from a friend who recently moved and didn't have room for it in the new backyard) and I enjoy the sun. Finally, when it gets too chilly to stay out any longer we go inside to hunker down on the couch and watch "Lady and the Tramp." Oh - and we even have family dinner! (Thank you, Chris, for making hamburgers on the grill! Best husband ever.)
So today we're on Day 13 of the COVID-19 lockdown.
When this all started to look really serious two weeks ago - with Facebook posts flying back and forth:
"Are they going to cancel school?"
"No, they won't cancel school."
"They're going to have to cancel school. Did you see what's happening in Italy?"
"What am I going to do if they cancel school? OMG!"
I started posting things like:
"If school is canceled, they're going to have put me on anti-psychotic meds!"
"They're seriously going to cancel school. Noooooooooooo!!!"
"It's official: School is canceled. Please send all of the wine."
"There isn't enough wine."
"Send all of the chocolate."
Surprisingly...I have not needed anti-psychotic meds. Or wine. But I did request ice cream when Chris last ventured to Target.
As someone with compromised lungs I am considered one of the more susceptible to the virus so I am seriously practicing "social distancing."
We've enjoyed more family dinners since the hamburger dinner (normally a rarity for our family), more bouncing on the trampoline, walks to the duck pond, family bike rides, more Crazy 8s and Qwirkle and a continuing rather vicious UNO competition (the 8.5 year-old daughter is kicking my A$$!!!), watching classic Disney movies, and baking.
We're trying hard to limit news consumption as much as possible and avoid obsessing over the growing numbers of the virus (impossible...I check the numbers daily). I haven't lost my mind. Esme hasn't lost her mind. Chris hasn't lost his mind.
I won't lie...there's been some serious bickering, a few out and out very loud arguments, and a few wicked meltdowns (from all of us at one time or another), but overall, we're doing OK.
We're getting through this.
Day by day.
I haven't really done much much work since this all started. Haven't spent much time thinking about my business (although I probably should). Of course, cancelled all of my upcoming workshops, which was hard. "I'm sorry you had to cancel your workshops," Chris says to me the other day, "you really had some momentum going this year."
I'm super impressed with all of the folks out there - SoulCollage® Facilitators, Yoga instructors, artists, marketers, etc. who - even though their businesses are closed and they are worried about lack of income and being able to re-open - still got themselves right on the Zoom call wagon to offer all kinds of amazing free classes and talks. There are so many generous people out there offering so much of themselves during this stressful time!!
Part of me thinks I should be one of those generous folks and I should jump on the Zoom call wagon, too. But truthfully, while I'm doing OK day to day, I am also overwhelmed by all of this and feel like I'm hanging on by my fingernails to keep "doing OK". Also, since Chris' company is up and running virtually he is still working full-time (for which I am incredibly grateful!) and I am the full-time parent during the day. So there hasn't been much time for me to hop online to offer classes. Nor has there been the desire or energy. Instead I've been trying to enjoy connecting with my daughter
Really connecting (When we aren't bickering or arguing...LOL)
In a way that we haven't in a long while.
Today is the first day of distance learning for my kiddo. We are on our computers at opposite ends of our dining room table. I'm "on call" to help with technical issues, although the first one we encounter I have to call in the real tech expert (husband) because I'm already lost. Hoping we survive today without too much difficulty.
Hoping we get to the end of the school day and have some time to connect again.
Once distance learning is up and running smoothly for my kiddo, I will likely take to Zoom to offer something SoulCollage®. To join with all of the other folks out there who are making this time bearable. To re-connect with you.
I miss you folks and I look forward to connecting with you soon!
Until then - stay safe, stay healthy. Sending all of you love, light and strength.
We're all going to get through this.
How are you doing during the lockdown? What ways are you finding to connect with others? What are you doing to keep yourself occupied while social distancing is in place?