Unchartered Waters

Coronavirus, COVID-19

That’s where we all are now, in uncharteded waters.

Age 2. Age 102. We are all a part of this. It has had an affect on all of our lives in one way or another.

Days ago wondering “What should I cancel?” “Is it okay to go?” “How do we do this?” What. Is. Happening?

Each day has brought more cancelations, more closures, more restrictions, more information. I seem to just take it in and say “okay” with very little emotion. Many of the things that we are trying to make decisions on have been made for us.

Our daughter Tess was to be a bridesmaid in her best friends wedding this past Saturday in Florida. Cancelled. She and her husband both work at Southwest Airlines and her particular job is incredibly stressful right now. They are now working from home.

Our son Jake and his wife Jordan had planned a trip to D.C. this past weekend. Cancelled. Jake is able to do his job from home and Jordan is a school teacher, so she is now home.

Our daughter Kate had a big event scheduled for yesterday. (I’ll share more on that later) Cancelled. She now is homeschooling her three school age kids with a three year old to care for.

Our daughter Anne is in her last weeks of pregnancy and little grand baby number nine will be born in the middle of all of this. I would imagine we won’t be allowed at the hospital. No big family get together to meet the baby. On the advice of her doctor, she has had to cancel the last few weeks of appointments she had scheduled with clients to do their hair. Also, she is homeschooling their two oldest with a three year old to care for.

My mom works at Target. She is 77. I told her last week that I didn’t want her to go to work and we actually had words about it. I feel terrible for her because she had real concerns about finances and/or losing her job. I can’t even imagine how many people are in her exact situation right now. I convinced her to stay at home and that she would NOT lose her job under these circumstances, then hung up and thought to myself, will she? I wan’t sure but I didn’t want her to risk getting sick at her age.

Fast forward a few days and a conversation with her HR department, and she will not lose her job but she is extremely stressed about finances.

My dad is a dialysis patient. He just started his 9th year. He is 80 years old. He has been such a good sport about going to dialysis three days a week for the last 9 years. Part of what keeps him positive is making conversation with anyone around him. Visitors are no longer allowed at the dialysis center, which whether it was me or a visitor of another patient to chat with, it broke up the five hours he spends there three days a week. Now they take each patients temperature when they walk in the door, and before they leave.

My in-laws were to take a cruise to Italy in May.

While closures and cancellations were being announced, I felt like we were just going day to day, hour to hour waiting to hear what was next. I guess we still are.

One Friday I’m in the WW Studio no longer shaking hands or hugging my members, telling them that I plan to see them the following Friday. Instead, the following Friday I do see many of them, but it’s in a WW Virtual Workshop sitting in my chair at home doing a Workshop on my computer. Every single WW Workshop went to a Virtual Workshop via Zoom.

This spare bedroom is my Virtual Workshop for now because it has the best light. I am so fortunate to have a job and work for a company that was able to provide a “work from home” option. I am still amazed that WW was able to put this plan into action in a matter of three days! Good lighting and a place for me to be with my members. It was recommended that we face a window for the best lighting. This is working.

Are you a member? I would love to have you join my Workshop via your WW App in Connect.

Since the first large events were cancelled here in the United States (I think it started with the NBA) I’ve truly felt numb. Everything that is happening is so unfamiliar. Trips cancelled, theme parks closed, concerts cancelled, stores closed, schools closed, kids sports cancelled, appointments cancelled, drive thru or take out options only, no gatherings of more than 10 people and practicing social distancing, staying 6′ apart from each other.

Kansas City just announced that as of today, we are under a stay-at-home order, requiring residents to remain at home except for activities essential to the health and safety of themselves, family member or friends. We may only leave for necessities such as going to the grocery store, pharmacy, hardware store, bank, doctors office, liquor store or outside for exercise.

Today I waited in line to shop inside Trader Joe’s. 40 people at a time in the store. One person out, one person in.

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For several days as everything started to unravel, I was eating all of my emotions without even realizing it. Over a week ago, when we were really still uncertain as to what we were safe doing and not doing, we went to a friends house for dinner with a few other couples.

The next day I said something to Mike about not feeling well and he said he wasn’t surprised because he had never seen me stuff my face like I did on Saturday night.

I know. What? Yep. I needed that reality check though. As soon as he said it I came back with, Yeah, I knew I was doing it too. I just couldn’t stop.

That was over a week ago. Over the next few days I realized just how numb I was and that I needed to start dealing with all of the emotions I have surrounding all of this.

Wednesday I went to Walmart for a regular prescription. It wasn’t ready so I shopped for a few things that we needed. It was the first day for me witnessing so many empty shelves. No milk. Little meat.Once I saw just how many empty shelves there were, I started to feel all of those emotions.

I hate what is happening right now and I still feel a little numb with each day, but I had to pull myself together, so I did.

I got myself an accountability partner. I reached out to a fellow WW member and asked her if we could share with each other how each day was going. She agreed.

Now, I’m seeking out all of the good in this as best as I can.

The wedding that Tess was to be in will happen, just later. Bride and Groom, Cara and Jordan, did get married Saturday with just parents and siblings, but will reschedule the Wedding. Tess and Cara almost one year ago at Tess and Manuel’s wedding.

Tess is super crafty and made all of the signage for her own wedding. She made this and shipped it a couple of weeks ago for their wedding. I guess a little part of her was there.

Virtual Happy Hours with friends have been great!

My first Virtual Yoga class yesterday!

Virtual Concerts…..saw a Keith Urban one too!

Lots of phone conversations and group text messages!

A co-worker of mine at one of her neighbors house. Love that people are getting creative to spread some joy!

A friend of mine was taking a walk in our neighborhood today and saw this…..

Mike and I had our first Movie Night in our new space. It was perfect.

I had two projects that I wanted to work on before my first trip in Effie this summer. I needed to fix an unfinished area of the floor, and I wanted to make a new table. I had all sorts of fun ideas for my table, and in the end I made it as simple as could be.

Floor looks much better. I had fun getting the saw out again!

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The dinette area in a travel trailer makes into a bed, but the table that I was using was not the original table and making it into a bed wasn’t working. I’m hoping Mike will camp with me so I wanted to make a table that would serve it’s dual purpose and easily make into a bed.

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I was able to transfer over all of the old hardware from the table that I had been using.

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One of the benefits of Coaching Virtual Workshops? No pants required!

I hope you are all staying safe and taking care of yourself and your loved ones.

I hope you found something here that made you smile or inspired you to try a new virtual experience.

I gotta go grocery shop for Mom now, but I’ll share later today what we’ve been eating here and few things that I plan to make this week.

Hugs to all!

R.I.P. Kenny Rogers. One of my all time favorites.

“Love the life you live, live the life you love”