The Corona Diaries Week 6 - Forgetfulness

My sister Jen died on April 17, 2008. April 17 is a tough day and the beginning of April is usually filled with dreadful anticipation. Often the anticipation is worse than the actual day.

This year I 100% forgot.

I was talking to my niece (Jen's daughter) and she mentioned going to the cemetery and then it clicked. Wow. I was really stunned at how I totally didn't remember. And some might say "Maybe of all the days, that one is okay to forget." Yes, but. It's a significant day in my life, in all my family's lives. Astonishing to forget.

These are fucked up times. There. I said it.

Sorry Jen. It's not like I forgot you. I think of you all the time.

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Do you have zoom fatique? I do. And I don't even have a job that I need zoom for. But then someone emails and asks for a virtual group get together and I can't say no. All my college housemates? Hell yes. We did that yesterday and it was really nice. LA, Northern California, Portland and Philly were represented. It's amazing how we could have done this years ago, but didn't. Maybe this is a silver lining? Seeing old friends, if only online? It was good.

And yet. How insane that all my self-consciousness, dare I say my self-loathing bubbled up. They must be judging me, how I look, how I am, stupid stuff I say. Are they? Of course they aren't. They are some of the kindest, funniest, most generous people I know. I should take a lesson from them and turn it inward.

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It was hot this week in LA, in the 80's. Time for blow up pool afternoons. And popsicles.

Our friend Tom dropped off rocket pop molds for us on Friday night and Kurt and Harper went right to work freezing up some juice.

We bought these Melona bars right before the lock down at Mitsuwa. Thank goodness because they are YUMMY. Look for them if you go to Costco.

We had other food fun this week too. Baked more cookies:

Then baked THE BEST MUFFINS EVER! These are "donut muffins" from the King Arthur Flour website. They taste like cake donuts! They are so tasty and fulfill any donut craving you might have. I'm going to have to not make these every day week.

Serving suggestion:

Kurt made his bomb-ass grilled cheese sammiches again.

Harper has gotten to the Wine-Glass-As-Juice-Cup stage in life.

Some mornings her hot chocolate game is lit.

Before the heat wave we had an indoor dinner picnic. I absolutely have no recollection what we ate (see forgetfulness above). But there were paper plates. (Using them up is nice.)

I am working on eating healthy sometimes.

Speaking of healthy OMG I DID YOGA FOUR TIMES LAST WEEK! I took the one hour online class through the studio I had been going to earlier in the year. I'm so glad I restarted and will make it happen some more this week. Biscuit joined one day. And one other day I was logging in and Harper was with me. The teacher said, "Hi! Who is that?" I said, "My daughter Harper." "Oh hi! Are you going to join us for yoga, Harper?" I said, "NOOOOOOO THIS IS MY TIME!" (but much nicer).

I saw an idea online for a sidewalk physical fun course so I made one for Harper. The funnest thing for me is seeing random people in our neighborhood doing it too!

I happened to be out watering plants when a mom and son came by, hopping. She had on the BEST (non pandemic related) t-shirt I've seen in a while. She said it was for her 40th birthday.

We work in some art every week and our favorites are nature related. Someone cut this tree down in our neighborhood and Harper and I walked to it to take pictures and then her assignment was to draw it. I think she nailed it!

And we keep busy in random ways. I marched two blocks down to sit with a friend in their front yard. Brought my own chair, snack and cocktail. It was really nice and felt refreshing to speak to someone IN REAL LIFE.

We packed up our 2nd car and stowed it under a shiny cover. "Planned Non-Operation" indeed.

I was tidying up my desk area/office and these are on my window sill. I've never smoked but always love old ashtrays. You know the Hana Maui one is old because it says "Hawaiian Islands". I found that one at a swap meat years ago. The La Concha one I swiped when we stayed there once in the late 80s or very early 90s. It was a dump but oh the architecture out front. It no longer exists.

I worked on my masks. Finally got some new fabric I ordered a while back. Trying new styles and types. Got new supplies as well. The better sewing machine is working out great so far. (fingers crossed.)

We are supporting the US post office by buying lots of stamps and they had these puzzles there too, so boom! New puzzles to do.

The ever popular Uno. Harper gets to do math, so it's educational to boot.

Making bird feeders.

Speaking of bird feeders - we put up two outside our office window (Harper and I share an office now) and the squirrels are bamboozled. It's fun.

The cats are doing fine. Willoughby enjoyed fresh dug dirt time and Biscuit learned about bubbles. (Biscuit isn't allowed outside yet, still too young and dumb.)

Finally last night, Harper wanted to camp in the living room. She's wanted to for weeks. So Kurt dragged out two twin mattresses and we watched Tangled and ate popcorn, etc. Time to sleep and I was out like a light (it's my super power). Harper couldn't sleep and wanted to go back to her room, so we undid it all and all slept in our own beds. But the moving watching part was fun.

The Corona Diaries Week 5 - The End Of The Beginning

I made a joke a few years ago about Harper going to college. The joke being along the lines of "if there even is such a thing as college by then." Well. This pandemic is making that joke real. More immedately for college aged kids now, but after the fallout of this virus, what will college look like in ten years? What will everything look like in ten years?

Luckily I'm still a great sleeper so these thoughts don't keep me up at night. But I think about them a lot. I also think about even just the coming school year. If there is no vaccine for another year or two and there are also no solid treatments for Covid-19, do we send Harper back to school in the fall? Doubtful. But we don't have to think about that now.

This past week was a busy one with a heavier school load. But not so heavy that we couldn't easily manage without anyone going nuts. Also there were two assignments that got skipped. Oh well!

I continued my sewing project but made an important discovery. You get what you pay for. I thought a nice inexpensive sewing machine would be fine for sewing masks. Masks are so simple. Alas, the cheap machine couldn't keep up. So it took a while to find a better machine that a) is affordable and b) in stock. I had a great chat on the phone with a dude from a SoCal sewing store and within 24 hours the new machine arrived! So I'm back to sewing for us and for a friend who works in a medical office and the admin staff needs masks.

Food in many shapes and types and sizes keeps us busy. I planted a garden and am now regrowing stuff on our window sill. I'm going to plant the celery in the garden today (this was from last weekend and it's already gotten much bigger.) The lettuce and green onion will stay on the sill.

What? It was a steal.

Harper and I made cookies. We have a bunch of leftover dough, so we'll make more.

Harper's breakfast one morning. I don't think she noticed what the mug actually says. LOL

We picked up dinner from one of our favorite restaurants on Friday night. Nickel Diner in downtown LA. It was nice to drive a bit and see the city from afar and then have yummy dinner.

Last night I baked a spur of the minute cake! But my cocoa powder might have been off or did I forget the sugar? It tasted not great. Sad face.

We bought some sprinkles.

Mr. Biscuit is getting a LOT of attention. Plus he's just getting longer.

SO patient.

Harper had a party.

Harper also tried filters on my phone/camera. I kinda dig what she did with the cats.

This is what our last week's shopping list looked like.

Kurt is teaching Harper how to play volleyball. She likes it a lot.

She also enjoys her journal and writes in it a couple times a week. I promise not to pry, but love seeing what she writes. And she often shares.

Here's to another week of staying safe and feeling lucky for all we have.

 

 

Corona Diaires - Easter Fun During A Pandemic

Easter is not a big tradition other than egg hunting in our house. I can't tell you what we did last year. Mabye we hid eggs? Maybe we had brunch at a friend's house? Not a big holiday...

But this year, I was lucky in that I had gone to Target in early March for stuff and decided to load up on Easter supplies (because I didn't realize Easter was in mid April!) I had bought Harper an easter basket with candy and toys and such. Plus egg dying kits and plastic eggs, etc etc. So we were ready for this.

Then Kurt added a round two of hunting with clues to other clues to other clues to finally the easter basket. It was a fun morning.

The Corona Diaries Week 4 - Let's Start Counting Weeks

I fell off the blogging wagon last week because let's be honest: The novelty has worn off. The novelty of staying in to avoid this novel corona virus has gotten old. And now the really hard part begins - continuing to shelter at home for a long, long time.

I find I'm really really scatterbrained. Then I get tense because I'm scatterbrained. Then I say, I'll just sit down and make a list, that always calms me down. But before I can do that I'm putting clothes in the dryer, or taking them out of the dryer, but not folding them. I'm tidying up the living room on my way to clean the cat boxes. Then take out all the trash and wash my hands again. Then sit down to make a list of things to do and it turns out it's really not that long. Sign tax docs, catch up on banking, pay bills, list of new craft ideas I saw online. That's about it. But damn it feels hard to even just do that.

Last week was spring break so things were a bit loosey-goosey. That probably added to my tension. I also haven't been exercising regularly. Not good at all. Usually I can make time for a 30 minute walk, but somehow last week I only managed it twice. I tried an online yoga class and liked it, want to do more. But haven't yet.

Then last week our internet started going downhill. Got very spotty and slow and intermittent. *Fuck* I called Spectrum on Thursday, tried some stuff over the phone, nothing. She scheduled me an appointment and confirmed a technician would come with gloves and a mask. Fine. Ugh, another thing to be tense about - someone I don't know coming into the house. He came, had a mask on, put on fresh gloves at the door and came in and did his work, finished up quick and left. I let Harper out of her bedroom after I sanitized all over. But what if I didn't sanitize enough? Can't think about that now. Turns out the internet went right back to not working. Called again, tried stuff over the phone again, nothing. Signal is correct. Saturday I masked up and went to Spectrum to switch out modems just in case. Even bought a new router from Best Buy and tried that. NOTHING. Ran back to Spectrum to get one of their routers, got on the phone with a very helpful support person who helped us out and now it seems it might just be one of the cables screwing everything up. A technician has been scheduled for Monday (today as I'm writing this) at 5pm. Great. (half sincere, half sarcastic) I'll do my best to sanitize better. Luckily, our internet works on her computer and mine and our phones. But Kurt needs a new cable, probably and we have to make sure there isn't anything else screwing it up.

THE INTERNET CANNOT GO DOWN IN A PANDEMIC.

All that was very annoying and frustrating and hard. I felt it was not good for Harper to see us be so stressed about that particular thing. I tried to be relaxed about her missing some zoom school on Monday. But still. So Sunday I focused on being super available to her and we did lots of fun easter stuff (see a later post).

I know Harper pays attention because she said to me last week, "Mama, you should take three naps a day. Or at least rest three times a day."

She's not wrong. But I don't have time to rest. Do I? Of course I do. I just need to make it happen. Great. Another thing on my short but stressful to-do list.

But with all that, I'm also being very very easy on myself. This whole covid-19/quarantine/shelter in place thing is weird and hard and challenging and NOT NORMAL. So there is a lot to get used to, even after four weeks. And I'm being oh so very diligent about wearing my night guard so I don't crack my teeth while I sleep. And some good news - I haven't gained any weight! Startling actually, but good.

I've been reading good things that keep me feeling better, or at least keep me feeling seen and met. Things like:

-- My friend Melissa's blog in which she also talks about how hard this is and what comforts her. And yes, I did buy 14 bars of fruit nut chocolate, so what?

--She also linked to this article by Mark Manson about Surviving the Looming Mental Health Crisis. Good read. Funny and true and important.

--There is this article too about routines that keep us sane. I've read half of it. I'll get back to it.

--The simplicity of a buttery baked onion. I am going to try this this week. Or whenever I get some bouillon. {adds bouillon to amazon cart}

So I'll blog more weekly. Scatter pics here and there. It's a record for me in the future, and Harper too.

UPDATE - I started writing this on Saturday April 11. Tried to finish/publish it on Monday April 13 but due to internet problems, it didn't happen. Trying again now, Tuesday April 14. Ugh. Also - formatting is out the window as somehow it's super challenging even to upload pics. Just keep scrolling! Double Ugh.

Pics or it didn't happen:

Bought a sewing machine. Teaching myself to sew masks. So far so good. They won't win me Project Runway, but they will help protect us.

There were various meals made. Some good, some average, some just to keep us alive.

There was more easter related fun. (New pajamas! Thanks Gammo!)

We do get outdoors - planting our victory garden. Victory over boredom I guess.

(Computer won't let me turn this image. Good times.)

I like catching her reading.

Masks before the sewing machine.

Harper had big feelings about something - I think I told her she couldn't eat lunch in her bedroom. So she stomped outside.

I had a rare rare rare treat last week - staying in bed, drinking coffee and watching it rain. Kurt got up early for a work thing and Harper was watching tv (spring break) and I just to chill with the cats and read with the windows wide open. It was so wonderful.

But overall, lately this is how I really feel. I'm working on only feeling this way sometimes because it's okay to feel this way sometimes. It's a crazy world out there / in here now.

The Corona Diaries Days 22 and 23 - Weekend Warriors

Our yard crew came to remove a giant stump in our back yard. We had the tree taken down about three years ago and left the stump. But with some possible construction to come this year, the stump had to go.

So while that was happening, our hedge also got a major haircut. Being stuck in the house, I really wanted to be able to see out to the street better. And fortunately, it's hard to see into the house with the windows we have and the screens so we are not open to the public!

Mostly though, Mr. Biscuit enjoyed the show.

While all that went on outside, we had some easter decorations going on inside.

Plus watching some tv and eating nachos.

We hung up a new bird feeder outside the office I now share with Harper (when there is school) with it's own squirrel abatement system. I didn't see but I did hear a squirrel fall off of it so I think it works!

And lastly a bit of batting practice to round out the day.

We had a lovely dinner then watched another movie as a family and all was right - if not with the world, then at least with our own little one for now. We are doing the best we can, one day, on step at a time.

 

The Corona Diaries Days 20 and 21 - Field Trip And Animation

Thursday was adventure day. Safe, social distancing adventure day.

Long drive on non busy freeways up through Santa Clarita out to the poppy reserve.

I know, I know, best to stay home.

Well.

We are rebels. Safe, social distancing rebels.

God it was nice to get out of the house. And in the hour or more we were there, we maybe saw 7 people total. From a more than required distance. It was sunny and chilly and W I N D Y.

We also took advantage of drive through with much sanitizing. Mmmmm cheeseburgers.

So yes, I am restarting my 14 day clock as of Thursday. We still take temperatures every day. Do I encourage or recommend this? No, but damn it was nice.

We got home from our adventure and just flopped on couches and beds. Somehow that adventure sapped our energy. Clearly we need more PE and exercise every day.

Friday was the first official day of Spring Break and we celebrated with a zoom picnic for Harper. She set up her whole place on her own - Harry Potter themed.

Later she hauled out her stop motion animation kit and made some mini movies. It was fun to watch her have at it.

Then we had a lovely fishcake dinner and started to watch School of Rock, but Harper couldn't deal with Jack Black being so out there. She was so uncomfortable, just like she was watching Elf. Sure both would be getting in trouble or going to jail. So those will have to wait a few years until her sweet tender heart can handle it!

After she went to bed we watched Top Chef then I went to bed.

Another day of being grateful for all the amazing things we have.

 

The Corona Diaries Days 17, 18, 19 - Zoom School

This week started online school. When they announced two weeks in March Kurt and I figured months, then as the days went on, we knew it would be the rest of the school year. We planned accordingly. And now it officially is online school for the rest of the year. This will be fascinating in such a meta way. How will this school age generation evolve?

Monday was fun math puzzles, then math class on zoom. Nice to see the other kids, honestly.

Very fancy lunch.

I went on my first outing in weeks - to the garden store to buy some dirt and veggies to plant in our veggie garden over spring break (next week). It was nice to be out, kept my mask on, kept my distance, washed well when I got home.

Tuesday was school work, bit of math, bit of language arts and reading. Then some outside garden time. Found some monarch caterpillars and rehomed them to a better spot.

Poppies are blooming! Really grateful we have yard and garden to play in.

We found some blank wall to decorate for all the people walking by.

Kurt stood in line at Trader Joe's and came home with many staples. Some more important than others.

Mr. Biscuit also enjoys shopping day.

Wednesday was full of more online class, with Kurt as proctor, as I was on the phone with our tax guy getting our taxes done.Harper presented her animal diorama. (Without the turban.)

Then we all had fabulous cheese sammiches made by Kurt. We dined in the salon.

There was more garden/chalk/cover the walls fun.

We also made bee watering troughs to keep our bee friends healthy.

Then I relaxed and read for a bit with Mr. Biscuit. Heaven. I feel like I've been so busy making sure Harper gets her school work done and has something to do other than watch TV, I haven't given myself a break much. So this was lovely. Oh, on Monday I was going to go for my exercise walk and Harper said, "I want to come with you!" and I was like "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" But inside my head. I got my solo walk in and that was also very good.

I baked banana bread (yum) and had a cocktail while Harper and Kurt played a video game after dinner.

Harper impressed me by doing all her Weds and Thursday school work yesterday so she's fully free for the rest of the week and next week - spring break. It will be nice not having school work but then there will be more time to fill. But we have some plans...

Cheers to you and yours, we hope you are well and safe and staying home!