So. How are you all holding up? California implemented a state-wide “Stay at Home” order on Thursday, and I am really hoping people take it seriously. We’ve been staying in for over a week now, only leaving to go to the grocery store or to walk around our neighborhood. The kids are prepping for distance-learning to start, which is going to be interesting for little ones. Annie is in fourth grade and I anticipate her being fine in an online setting. James, however…I don’t know. He loves school and his teacher is amazing, but he’s also a wiggly first grader so I can’t picture him sitting in front of a computer for hours every day. I’ll probably have to create some kind of “flexible seating” for him. But we’ll make it work – we all will benefit from some sort of routine and the sooner we get started on this new normal, the better.
As for Mike and me…in our relationship, Mike is the worrier and I’m the calm one. Mike has been freaked out about the Coronavirus since the news of it first started trickling out. I’ve been much more relaxed…I took it seriously but also wasn’t panicked. Mike started buying supplies for a quarantine back in February (NOT HOARDING – just adding a few extra canned and boxed items with every regular grocery trip), and every time he’d show me the extra things he’d bought (including all that Diet Coke) I’d say, “did getting all that help you feel calmer?” When it became apparent that the ish was about to hit the fan, I kicked into gear and made prepping my sole focus. And now that the prepping is over…reality is creeping in. It’s scary. I’m scared for so many people. I hope you all have a good support system. So thankful that so far, my family is safe and healthy. I hope you and yours are, too.
My parents drove by yesterday morning to say hi to us from their car – the first time my kids had seen them in over a week).
Around The ‘Net
~One doctor’s view from the frontline of the outbreak
~The Hardest Questions Doctors May Face: Who Will Be Saved? Who Won’t?
~‘A death sentence’: Critically ill patients denied transplants amid coronavirus outbreak
~What It’s Like to Be Part of the First Coronavirus Vaccine Trial
~Calling All People Who Sew And Make: You Can Help Make Masks For 2020 Healthcare Worker PPE Shortage
~Christian Siriano and Dov Charney Are Making Masks and Medical Supplies Now
~Coronavirus Mass Testing Experiment in Italian Town Appears to have Halted COVID-19 Outbreak
~Some grocery stores are offering ‘elderly hours’ to help protect older shoppers
~What Americans Are Doing Now Is Beautiful
~What would a shooting star look like if it was coming straight towards you?
~Fiona Apple’s Art of Radical Sensitivity
Fun Finds
~This is a FREE craft bundle from one of my favorite websites. Besides this particular bundle, they have a TON of other projects and crafts that are free or close to it. I’ve downloaded a LOT of coloring pages to help calm my mind at night.
~If you have a Chrome browser and love movies and miss your friends, I suggest “Netflix Party.” Annie and her friends are watching “Stranger Things” and “Fuller House” together!
~I bought everyone a sketch pad and it’s been nice for me to have something I can doodle in, write down notes/thoughts, and write swear words in really fancy lettering (I bought myself this book and it’s been an excellent distraction).
Happy Sunday, everyone. Please be safe and smart.
twingles says:
Yup last week we were all on the adrenaline of getting ready to hunker down. Now reality sets in. It’s going to be a long few weeks as things get worse first. Hope you all hang in there.
aqua6 says:
We’re up in the Bay Area, so our last day of school was Friday the 13th. We’re adjusting but some days and some hours are better than others.
Best time of the day for my 8 year old is reading to his grandma over FaceTime. She loves it and he does too. They’re reading a chapter book for a few days at a time. Great bonding. Hang in there!
Patrice Mosby says:
Hi Heather – May I suggest you check out Julie Bogart on Instagram and Facebook. She is one of my best friends and home schooled her 5 (!) kids. She’s also very, very popular in the home school field. She has her own home school business (Brave Writer) and recently published a book on homeschooling (The Brave Learner). I think she’d have some great advice for you with both of your kids during this time, and she is offering many free items and ideas right now due to the Coronavirus situation. She has thousands of followers who love her and her ideas. She believes in things like board games can count as math, having tea parties while reading poetry, etc. If you are interested, I’d be happy to send you her book (I know it means you’d have to give me your address, so I understand if you feel odd about that.) Here’s the link to her book on Amazon if you want to check it out:
https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Learner-Everyday-Homeschool-Learning/dp/B07JP1MSF1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QGB9QJ90K5VR&dchild=1&keywords=the+brave+learner&qid=1585177626&sprefix=The+Brave+L%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1
Good luck, stay inside and stay safe.
Patrice