Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do ...
Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

Friday, April 3, 2020

Another Week - Upside Down

Change is the only Constant in the Pandemic!

On March 30 our Governor decided that too many of the population were not taking the pandemic restrictions seriously and our numbers of deaths and infections are rising quickly.  So he has locked down all but the most essential activities - "Stay At Home" restriction enforced now by law and punishable.  Our Governor has just lost patience with these stupid citizens and now has put some consequences in place.

Amazing really.  Must be an American "thing."  Some people just can't be told what to do no matter what the consequences! If they aren't careful, they could be fined or see the inside of a jail - where, by the way, the Covid-19 virus has made an entrance! Have fun, you ridiculous humans - sitting in jail AND feeling as sick as a dog!!

Although it won't mean much difference to me and my out-of-condo activities (which has been limited to groceries for 3 weeks,) my life has turned upside-down once again.  My grand daughter will be staying home with her parents until the "Stay-at-Home" order is lifted. I suspect that will hold for some number of weeks until we hit our high point on the illness curve and begin to slow on new infections.

First thought ... What does that mean for me!

With a startling awareness, weeks just magically opened up completely with no child sitting😞, no family 😞, no dog sitting😞, no social engagements, no company, no meetings, no nothing!  It has been decades (literally many decades) since I have had a spell like this when I wasn't recovering from surgery or some such thing!  Just think on it ... it took a world pandemic for that to happen in my life!!

When the kids left on the evening of March 30 - and I finished picking up the toys and food and various other stuff - my mind starting churning.

Oh My God!  
You have weeks of total uninterrupted time
to do all the stuff you have kept on the back burner
for YEARS!! 

I used to keep a long term list of big stuff - nice to do stuff - stuff you do every 10 years so (maybe) - if the time is ever right (or not! and it is usually not.)  It was such a 'long time list' that I long ago tucked it away somewhere and now it cannot be found!  Ha!  What are all those things? Think, think.

With out much trouble a list of stuff to do began to develop - and it is becoming very impressive.  Over ambitious, of course, but what the heck.  If some of it doesn't get done in the next 3 or 4 weeks, it isn't the end of the world.  It didn't get done for more than 10 years and nothing bad happened.  

Oh wait ... there is this pandemic!!  You don't suppose ...

What did I do with my days last week - the week with all the free and open time?  I started cleaning.  Yes, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, sanitizing, etc.  In my mind I wanted to be ready.  Ready to be sick.  Ready to step back and do nothing.  I just couldn't do that if my house needed cleaning and picking up.  I would probably drag myself around the condo still doing stuff while coughing and filled with Covid-19 germs - because I can't be sick when there is disorder around me.  I.JUST.CAN'T.  I think I am ready now.  The house is picked up and clean.  The pantry is packed, the fridge and freezer are bursting.  I can now get sick with a clear conscious.  Ha!

And because of that - all that prep - I probably won't get sick!  But I swear to you, if I didn't do all that stuff, I would probably be on a ventilator somewhere struggling to breathe and worrying about the mess I left behind.

Signing off for now from this upside down world!  Hope you all continue to be well in your little space on this earth.  Just stay away from everyone and you will be fine! (Oh ... and for double protection clean your house!)

PS - I love the free unstructured time but I hate, hate, hate not seeing my family ... my kids, my grand daughter, my grand dogs!!  




  

11 comments:

Wendy said...

Yep not seeing the family during these crazy times is the hardest thing. But yes free time - I've finally finished a really hard jigsaw! And I've done cleaning!

Marie Smith said...

Not being with our daughter and the three grandkids is brutal. Technology helps but doesn’t make up for the hugs and kisses.

Michelle said...

Since my family lives so far away I didn't get to see them more than once a year (at most) anyway, but I do wonder sometimes if I will ever get to see them again.... I am working my horses and spending time on my computer without (much) guilt, and can't wait to take Poppy on more walks; she loves them so. Spinning a little bit, but that's harder to do with a puppy around.

P.S. Love your humor!

Sandy said...

We've had the stay at home order now for several weeks, but it seems to me it's without teeth. He won't say it's punishable and I think he should, cause I agree with you...Americans don't like to be told what to do even if makes sense and is for their own good. Sorry you're missing your family. Try scheduling Facetime, or if you're on Facebook you do messenger there with the ability to see them. Or skype etc. Two girl friends and I did that a few days ago. We would be leaving this wkend for our girls week at the beach...but that's clearly a no go. We had cocktails together and chatted for 1.5 hours. It was fun and we're going to do it again tomorrow. Our time isn't much different either because we don't go out and about all that often. I am however ordering grocery for delivery so we don't have to go to the stores. Take Care

Becki said...

We've essentially had a stay at home order for three weeks now. The first week started with the President's "15 days" (which, of course, we knew would be longer). Then our governor declared it the next week - first, through April 7th; now through the end of the month. I fully expect it to go into May, at least. To me, the hardest part is that people keep popping into my mind to call, but that only seems to happen at 11pm or later. I've been pretty sporadic at reaching out. And here it was my greatest intention... :^(

A :-) said...

Cleaning . . . there is that. ;-)

Lynne said...

Before the Pandemic was in full force I had been
cleaning cupboards, drawers, shelves, books and more.
I have many things out on the porch and my thought
was to have a “Ride By Sale” and anything that didn’t sell
off it would go to the Rescue places. (Not Goodwill)

Once the full pandemic hit, I have done zilch.u
Well some garden clean up which I should
be doing today but I can’t seem to fire up my motor!

Happy you have a clean organized house.
I tend to keep our home clutter free, now
“mister hubs,” that is another story.
Oh my . . .

Bet your little granddaughter is missing you . . .
Maybe a Face Time story or two would be a treat!

Stay Happy in your Shelter Time. (I like those Shelter, Sheltering words.)

Paula said...

After Richard died I thought I would have so much time to do so much STUFF. Then the kids left home and I thought now I have time to do all that stuff I've been wanting to do. I am not doing anything. And I keep telling myself I will start tomorrow. But we all know tomorrow never comes. And I'm not worried about my house because no one is supposed to come over. Maybe I will laugh about it all.....someday.

Bohemian said...

Yes, the Stupid out there is abundant isn't it... and thus some require being told what to do in a way they will have serious consequence if they don't! It has been disruptive to everyone's Normal and yet a Blog Friend recently wrote a Beautiful Poem about how this Rare Instance has brought a Unity of Purpose to the entire World and for once Humanity's Focus is on something that will be Beneficial to us all, conquering this common Enemy that we underestimated at our own Peril for far too long.

Angela said...

Here in ND they don't have the lock down orders so everyone was at the local grocery store...white hair people using no masks...We were the only ones using masks. Anyway...we are being very careful! Only got out because we had to go. Hope you stay and well.

Sandy said...

Making blog rounds and thought I'd pop in to say hi and continue to stay well.