April 2, Covid - 19 Pandemic

Today's post is a long one.  I haven't written in a while because I've been struggling with anxiety. I think most of it came from the fact that my husband still wanted to travel to Florida to visit with Nanny and Grandma. I just felt there were too many contact points between here and there where we had the potential to be exposed to the virus. I wouldn't be able to stand it if Grandma contracted the virus and there was even the remote possibility that we exposed her to it. Unfortunately, I worried and worried about it - tried to convince my husband to change his mind - but he didn't. Until the governor issued an order expecting us to stay in the state - no travel to other states.  That helped convince him that perhaps we should stay.  And then the Florida governor issued a shelter-in-place order for the entire state. Those two factors convinced him that we should stay here next week.

With that load lifted, I've been able to kind of settle in and get used to the routine. I've been doing Soduku puzzles, reading, exercising twice a day, and sleeping well.  We've been doing a lot of cooking; we're cooking the meals that take a long time, but that

Making Noodles

Meatloaf

we love. Today, Emma and Andy made noodles from scratch to go in Mary Alice's Chicken Noodles recipe. It was delicious. Emma and I made banana bread the other day, one day Andy made biscuits.  This is just one way we've been keeping ourselves busy.

Today Andy received word that his department is canceling all training through May. So he is definitely working from home for two more months. The governor asked schools to close through May 1. But because of Andy's work news, I have little hope that we will be able to return to school this year. And that makes me sad because this group of kids was such a good group. And recent weeks have made me realize how much I like seeing them and hearing the stories of their lives every day. I miss them.

But other than that, life is putting along much the same as before. We are able to get outside when the weather is nice. We've been working some puzzles together, playing Nintendo, talking to friends online and through text, watching TV and movies, and trying to appreciate this time that we have to spend together. I know there are many families out there not as fortunate. We have food, shelter, activities to do, the internet to do our school work, and at this time, our income hasn't changed. It isn't lost on me that many others aren't as fortunate. I think worrying about those folks is a source of some of the anxiety I have been struggling with as well.

Next week is Spring Break week. Even though we are working from home, and have been for a while, we will not be responsible for being online or completing any schoolwork next week. I'm glad for that. I am going to appreciate being able to work on things I want to work on throughout the day. I'm sad we won't be spending this time on the beach and doing all of our favorite things in Florida with Nanny and Grandma. But maybe we can make it down there later this year. This is a very weird time and surreal as well. Three weeks ago many of the things we are discussing today only existed in dystopian novels. Yet here we are. It's weird. I'm trying to document what we're living through. I intend to post updates more regularly than this week.

Walmart making sure we "social distance"