It is March 18, 2020, which means that yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day. I did not realize that it was St. Patrick’s Day until mid-afternoon yesterday. Normally, St. Patrick’s Day is a day that I have big plans to go to an Irish themed pub with friends. As I said yesterday, there is a “new normal” cast onto our lives.
Upon realizing that it was St. Patrick’s Day, I sent my sister a happy anniversary text. It was her 2nd wedding anniversary. Baby Hewey stayed with his grandmother, and my sister and her husband enjoyed a night of Yahtzee and crossword puzzles. The little things in life are what make life special.
What is new in today’s news: I think that it is more about what is NOT in the news. What is NOT in the news is any signs of hope that we are on the path to recovery. I believe that the situation is under control, and that while we certainly have a long road to economic recovery, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that this is not going to be the disaster to the extent originally thought. Indicators include successful trials for vaccines and the fact that life is beginning to return to normal in China. The stock market rallied yesterday. Aside from the stock ticker, one has to dig around for positive news. I am among those that feel the news media is the biggest driver of the present situation, with their spread of mass panic. I would like to seem them held accountable.
Challenges with present situation: Seeing friends and my sister worried about their livelihoods is the biggest challenge with the present situation. This is going to get much worse before it gets better.
Walking through my neighborhood with Potatoe yesterday, I noted that way more than 50% of the people that live there are over the age of 60. I love the older generation, and I have always enjoyed everybody waving and smiling to Potatoe and I as we passed by. Yesterday, I felt a bit unnerved. All of these friendly neighbors are in the high risk group. The virus could rip through our neighborhood in a terrifying way. However, most of my older neighbors are extremely healthy and active, all still doing their own yard work and home repairs.
On a first world challenge front, I found that my new found time has challenges. I started my day at 4 AM yesterday, by 5 PM, I was done with work, meaning that it was time for my three glorious hours of time to write. Uh, not so much. I did not appreciate that the tasks that I gave up – driving, getting ready, socializing, client lunches and coffees, are tasks the replenish my mental energy. Non-stop work, writing and programming wipes a person out. At 6 PM last night, I shut down my computer, opened a bottle of wine and binged season 4 of This is Us. I have bigger ambition for this evening, we will see how the day goes.
Update on the Birds: Brainy Bird continues to do anything and everything that he can find to do around the house. After he had made lunch yesterday, he began cleaning the kitchen. I said, I would clean up to give him a break from chores and me a break from work. His response, “I got it; we need you to focus on work.”
Little Chirp slept really late yesterday. When he got up, he played his violin and then basketball until it was time for lunch, then he went to spend time at his dad’s house. We all agree that we are going to start homeschool today, even though our school district officially starts on Monday.
Things I am grateful for: I am grateful for the countless number of people that have reached out this week, via phone, text, email, etc. just to see how I am doing. A great use of free time is to check in with folks. Everyone that I talked to is concerned about the economy, but they have an overall positive perspective.
I am grateful for the house that I live in. About six months ago, I sold my expensive home and purchased a very affordable house on half an acre of land. This neighborhood has a warm community vibe here. My stress relief through out the day is to take a walk around the neighborhood. This is such a pick me up, and Potatoe loves it.
My new living situation also means that I am not worried financially. I may wind up not having the money for the remodeling that I want, and I may need to cut back on my lifestyle, but I will definitely be able to afford my mortgage and bills.
Shout out to a friend: I have so many shout outs to do. Today, I want to give a shout out to two of my favorite ladies, Brooke and Amber. These two are beautiful both inside and out. They own a small business together – Sizzle and Brew, which is walking distance from where I live now.
These two are an amazing pair. They have a great business partnership and friendship. I love hanging out with them on Sunday afternoons after they finish closing their restaurant from a busy day.
It means a lot to me that they gave one of my favorite of Brainy Bird’s friends a job, which I believe is his first job. Work experience in the service industry positively shapes a child’s work ethic and people skills for life.
Our family loves Sizzle and Brew. Restaurants are only allowed to provide delivery and take out to reduce the spread of the virus, and I super miss going to Sizzle and Brew to enjoy coffee and conversation with Brooke while I do my administrative tasks for work. Brooke and Amber even added a Little Chirp inspired menu item, which is the Crazy Cowboy. If it is up to Little Chirp on a Saturday morning, you can find the family at Sizzle and Brew. I love walking in and seeing so many friends enjoying their Saturday morning breakfasts with their loved ones. It is the little things in life….
Positives with present situation: Potatoe is loving having me home. He is happiest doggie right now. We went for three walks yesterday! The cats are also enjoying the situation. Storme lays behind my monitor, and keeps and eye on me all day. Every now and again when I stop typing on my computer, while I am on the phone, Storme will poke his head out to get a scratch.
Trooper and Pumpkine are loving their freedom of going in and outside on a whim. Normally, I leave the house, so they are either inside all day or outside. The two already seem to have a routine of inside the house for breakfast, and a morning nap. Outside for the afternoon to play and bask in the sun, back inside for a nap, and then back outside to play during the sunset, then back inside for dinner.
I love my fur kids. It is the little things in life….