Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Day to day

What does your new normal look like?

Honestly, for me, it's not that different from the Before Time. I know how lucky I am to be able to say that, and how lucky I am to live in a place where I can still get outside, to live with a person who makes me feel safe rather than not, and to have enough food in the house that we don't have to venture out too often. Mario's job has transitioned to working from home, and while there's not a lot happening on Etsy right now, and craft shows have disappeared, I'm continuing to work as if they were ongoing, just to keep myself feeling "normal."

I'm actually being more social than I would normally. I've had many (distant, shouted) conversations with neighbors. I've checked in by text and phone and DM with friends, especially the ones who tend not to reach out on their own. I remind Mario consistently to call his mom, who's in a nursing home in NJ and locked down to visitors. They've recently instituted a video call program, so it's been good that he's been able to see her, and vice versa.

Beyond that, I'm writing, when I have the focus. Loss of focus does seem to be one of the markers of this strange time we're living in, but I'm not beating myself up if I'm not productive. It's a pandemic, not a vacation. If I don't produce a new novel by the end of shelter-in-place, who's going to judge me - besides possibly me? No one.

The front garden is looking good, but I'm waiting on vegetable starts for the back yard. I have started some seeds in the cold frame, but other than radishes (which I don't like - growing for a neighbor) and lettuces, not much is happening. I have a new cherry tree to put in out front, just haven't decided where yet. It's a dwarf size, topping out at 8 feet, so it won't take over. But it's a cherry tree. I wouldn't mind if it did.

What about you? How has your life changed? Are you feeling okay? Need a virtual hug?

4 comments:

Catherine said...

My life hasn't changed much. I'm an essential worker, in a pharmacy, so have been employed. My husband, a teacher, has been off a month and will probably be off the remainder of the school year. Keeping him from going stir crazy and grocery shopping are my biggest challenges. Food shelves are still being picked bare here. I deal with so many sick people, I live in fear of catching this and transmitting it to my husband or son. I can't bear the thought of them being so ill because of me.

Nancy Ambrose said...

I appreciate your comment about the loss of focus because I struggle with that too. The practical side of my nature insists that I should be spending this time in a frenzy of productivity. And normally I would be working in earnest in a home improvement or sewing project but this feels much different and it's hard to maintain focus.

Karen said...

Oh, Catherine, I'm sorry you're going out and facing this every day, but I'm proud of you for doing it. "Essential" has come to mean a very different thing from what we've thought before - it's another thing that I hope changes once this has passed, people's perceptions of what is and is not an important job. Best to you and your family.

Nancy, I think the best we can do right now is give ourselves permission NOT to be hyper-productive or focused. Even if we're not out facing it every day, it's crept into our brains and has taken up residence. There's only room for so much.

Marjie said...

Make radish soup. Seriously. I don't like them either, but I found a recipe, and it was quite good.