Corona Days

My goodness, what a time to remember. When I watched the news and saw China was infected with the Coronavirus, for some reason it never hit me that this could affect us. Suddenly, we heard that people in the US were sick and testing positive, even dying - the country turned upside down. More and more people were reported to be infected and the death toll was rising very quickly. We couldn't be around anyone for months. Our social distance was six feet. Then we went into a shutdown, where businesses were closing, people were working from home, toilet paper, rubbing alcohol, lysol, hand sanitizer, and wipes were a hot commodity and very difficult to find for those who really needed them. People were stock-piling everything they could as if we were all preparing for the world to end. The grocery stores were crammed packed with panic buyers. I had never seen so many carts piled so high. Then masks and medical gloves came into play when you would leave your house. Now masks are mandatory in our state, thanks to our governor. Without one, they won't let you in the buildings.

Fast food places were running their drive-thrus. Bigger restaurants were taking to-go orders only. Some places shut down permanently. The boys' school days were cut short before their spring break by homeschooling and they ended the year a week earlier. No hair or nail salons were open. Women were worrying about their gray hair growing in. While toilet paper and hand sanitizer were making a slow comeback, stores (online as well) were selling out of things like inflatable pools and bicycles because the summer was upon us and everyone wanted to get outside. I never saw anything like it. Not to mention all of the price gouging. I think a 3 lb. log of hamburger meat was about $18 when it's normally $10 or less. The pools, if you did find one, were going for over $300 (normal cost was $49). During all of this, Aaron and I were (still are) essential so we continued to work while the boys stayed home. It was such a drastic change for everyone. Our normal had been wiped out from under our feet.

Now that things have calmed down a little, things are starting to open back up. We still have to social distance six feet. Masks or face shields are still a must. You can tell people out there were getting antsy and cabin fever was setting in. As soon as the governor opened up the state, all hell broke loose. Our essential trips turned into fighting Christmas traffic all over again. It was crazy! I told Aaron that we will not be the ones going out shopping for unnecessary items. Grocery and maybe a few trips to Home Depot for some quarantine projects was all we were doing. I'm just not ready for leisure shopping or mingling with others right now and absolutely NO traveling. More because my live-in mother has multiple autoimmune deficiencies. If she gets the coronavirus, it will or could be fatal. At least that's what they're saying.

Liam is probably the one that has taken this the hardest. It's all about playing with friends in his spare time. He was struggling with homeschooling since some changes he can't handle. I wasn't his teacher and I didn't teach him the way she did. Suddenly, I was the outsider and I didn't know what I was doing according to him. His teacher warned us, though. She said he would probably say something along those lines. Special needs kiddos are so funny about life and situations that come up. I think we did alright and I'm proud that he hung in there and did the work that needed to be done. Wish me luck if school shuts down completely again. Someone may have to check on me from time to time. It was not easy and I will not be okay.

The kids are ready to go back to school. Our school district is calling to open school in our county, August 12th instead of July 29th. No major changes have been made to our school calendar as of yet, other than making up two weeks worth of the delay throughout the year. The plan is to have students go one week of spring break and one week of fall break (they get two of each normally). Students do, however, have the option of staying home to do virtual learning full time. Grades 7-12 are doing a split schedule with last names. For instance, A-K will be going to school Mondays and Wednesdays while L-Z are going to school Tuesdays and Thursdays. The other days through the week are for virtual learning. I can tell they are doing the best they can given the circumstances. It's tough on everyone and I pray for all of the kids and school staff. We shall see how this goes.

This is right before all the craziness started.