Chronicling the Quarantine


It seems like as good a time as any to write a new blogpost. After all, I certainly have time on my hands but, not that much to say or do I? Fair warning, this is a long post.

How are you all doing with your quarantine? For me, I try to keep busy. I spend way too much time on the phone with family and friends and I watch way too much television.

My routine for television is as follows:  Governor Cuomo update (I do not live in NY), Governor Baker update (I do live in Massachusetts), cable news, Gilmore Girls, cable news.

I don't know what day I am of my quarantine but I think it is roughly day 58. Sometimes it seems like a blur, like it went by very fast but then each day drags on. I do know that the South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade was cancelled, the Boston Marathon was cancelled, and the 4th of July festivities on the esplanade in Boston have been cancelled. Tom Brady has left the Patriots. The Red Sox are not playing as of yet, the Bruins will not be in the playoffs and the Celtics are not playing.

Meanwhile, I watched some really great movies. Paris Can Wait starring Diane Lane, The Hundred Foot Journey, and An Inspector Calls.  Of course, the Gilmore Girls marathon was on over Mother's Day weekend.



Oscar has been my true and constant companion. I took this picture on the morning of  April 17th and he was posing so perfectly for the camera. That afternoon, he was crying, didn't want his afternoon treats or his evening dinner and I knew something was up. I didn't want to break quarantine but I took him to the emergency vet that evening around 11:30. A masked vet tech took him from my car and into the vet's office. I hated sitting in the car outside in the parking lot, not able to comfort him. Also it was 36 degrees out and I did not want to run the heater in my car. Can't use gas during a pandemic.
So I froze in the car for about 90 minutes. The blood work showed 2 liver values were significantly high. I was asked to return the next day with Oscar for an abdominal ultrasound.  The good news was it was gallstones and not something more serious. Dietary supplements and antibiotics for 2 weeks brought down his liver values to remarkably impressive values according to his vet. Today, he is feeling and looking so much better! This kitty momma is so relieved!


I received so many acts of kindness during quarantine, from the happy meal my sister made me when I ran out of bread to the tea towel my friend Wendy sent me, to the macarons Casey made me for Easter. Jolie and Casey also dropped off Clorox wipes and a homemade mask. My bank has sent all employees gift cards to local restaurants, car washes and markets, and even a box of chocolates.


The weather got warmer and Oscar continued practicing social distancing from his window perch.


They repaved my road but I did not like the prophetic sign down the street from my house.


If you knew me personally, you would know I do not cook. I am pretty much the queen of takeout so quarantining has been a big wake up call for me. I actually have to make my own salads and my own coffee. I have to actually plan ahead for meals.

I need to keep more than a spare roll of toilet paper in my linen closet. Before Covid, I could just run to the convenience store across the street and grab a few rolls. Needless to say, my thinking has changed.

I now find the smell of toast very comforting. In fact, I savor many of the smells of my home.  Coffee brewing, candles burning, shower gels and soaps. They all elicit a calm, safe response in me.

Right now, I am loving the sage and citrus candle I bought from The Antique Candle Company.



I have my groceries delivered and I have tried every shopping service there is. Prime, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, Instacart and Mercato. I have had popovers delivered and apple cider donuts from a local farm. My sister and I share groceries and that works out well. Bags of Spring Mix are a life saver.

Does your community have artwork in the storefronts downtown? I am loving seeing all the beautifully lettered windows in the communities where I live and work and shop.

I am so lucky I can work from home. What a blessing! The bank is open and there are some essential people working every day but I can do my job from home. Work has slowed down but I was crazy busy in March and April. Now I have to tackle about 20 online courses I have been avoiding.

My sister and I helped our friends Mary and Don celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Don't worry, we social distanced. We were trying to figure out a way to celebrate with them during a pandemic and my sister said she could still fit into the bridesmaid dress she had worn at their wedding in 1980. She asked me if I could figure out how to blast their wedding song music from my phone. Done, I had a portable Bose speaker and I added the song to a playlist on my phone. We drove up to their home (in separate cars), played the music and as they came to the door, my sister appeared in her bridesmaid dress.  We asked them to come outside and under the moonlight and streetlights we had them dance to the song. In case, you're curious it was Longer by Dan Fogelberg. We all had a good laugh. It was just what we needed.

If you read this whole post, congratulations! I'd love to hear how you've been coping with Covid quarantine. Please leave a comment and let me know how you are doing. Soon enough we'll be back outdoors and out and about and posting about more pleasant things. For now, stay home and stay safe!




Comments

Unknown said…
Thank you for the wonderful overview. I'm so glad to hear Oscar is feeling much better. Please take care of yourself.
You echo so many of my thoughts and feelings--even lack of activities during this trying time, Elaine. This is a great post about the time you've spent in quarantine. It would be great if we all did a post---maybe I should! It's difficult--all of the everyday things we did just months ago are gone. The adjustments are hard and as social-even not so social people, it hurts. I'm normally a homebody, but I loved the freedom of going to stores when I ran out of things, Target when I needed something for the bath or kitchen...Home Depot for projects...Here in Illinois we can do some of these things but the lines are super long. I'd rather be on the safe side.

Sending love...be safe. Your sister as well.

Jane😘
K Thorp said…
Wonderful post! We were married 40 years ago this summer, and yes, Longer was part of our ceremony too. Thanks for sharing!
Count Robot said…
Glad Oscar is doing better!
We're just cruising along at home. There's no shortage of things to do.
YarnyDragonfly said…
Your post pretty much sums it all up! For me, the days seem to fly by even though I'm not particularly busy, and not much of anything gets done. I am a home body so I am not minding all the at home time, although I do miss seeing friends, going to concerts and theater, or taking a day trip somewhere. I've done a few "driveway visits" with friends where I stay in my car and they stand way back and we shout at each other through our masks. But, better than nothing! We've been doing the grocery delivery thing too, which sometimes seems like more work than actually shopping, but is much safer, so no complaints. There have also been some curbside pickups, and lots of Amazon deliveries. I really missed the library, but it is now open for curbside pickups! It takes a lot of time to learn how to do things a new way.

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