TGIF, remember when that meant something?
A piece of wall art in our temporary home. Now’s the time to give alllll the hoots.
We’re all in this together, but the strength of our relationships will be tested. And I’m already losing track of days.
I’ve technically been on “vacation” since January 29th which is 52 days. I’ve worked along the way here and there but I’ve essentially been traveling non-stop up until we got to Atlanta on March 9th. We were full on gypsies for most of it, living out of our car and bouncing between friends and hotels along our road trip. While we weren’t reporting into work on specific days we were traveling from place to place, and I had packed a full agenda of locations to be and new places to see.
These days now seem to jumble together. With no structure, no schedule and no idea when any daily infrastructure will resume. Our stint in Atlanta has provided the most normalcy in terms of our comfort, but has coincided with the most chaotic time for the word around us. I go back and forth between still feeling like I’m on vacation (because the plan was always to be here around this time to visit with them, though we’ve extended it), feeling like the world is crumbling (because it is), and feeling like this really hasn’t fully set in (because we’re still on the road and not holed up in our tiny house on MV).
I can’t help but worry about the families that will break under this. The families that don’t have the money to miss work, the kids that don’t have meals unless they get them at school. The spouses that desperately look forward to leaving the house each day to escape the nightmare they live at home. And I worry about the mental health of all of us.
I keep going back to how lucky I am. Lucky that this timing worked out and we have a place to stay. Lucky to have money saved to ride out the financial uncertainty of this (to some extent…). Lucky to have a healthy, happy family that live comfortably and love one another. Lucky that I have my niece and nephew to break up the days, keep me off the internet, give me extra laughs and exercise, and shower me with daily hugs. I’ve actually found myself daydreaming of all of the ridiculously deep hugs I will give the rest of my beloved once this lets up. Watch out people!
Tonight we had a sleepover with the kids at “our house.” We got a night a full night of fun with them and their parents got just shy of 24 hours to hopefully catch up, relax, and enjoy one another. I introduced Jack and Fiona to Drop Dead Fred one of my favorite childhood movies about an imaginary friend that returns to a woman in her 20s (Phoebe Cats) when she’s going through tough times. They freaking loved it and I loved sharing it. *Definitely put it on your watch list if you haven’t.
As a kid I had an imaginary friend named Erica who was my personification of a Norman Rockwell painting that my parent’s had on the mantle. I couldn’t help but wonder if she’ll come back to me in all of this?
Today’s Headlines: First Corona Related Death in Massachusetts, New York Orders all Beauty Shops to Close, Steamship Authority Reduces Ferries to Martha’s Vineyard
Today’s Silver Lining: Finally catching up on all those feel good films from my childhood.
Something that made me smile: I talked to my grandmother today, who’s on full lockdown at an independent living facility and can’t leave my apartment. She recently tried CBD edibles to help relive her back pain and she asked me if I had heard about “the marijuana”
Best thing I watched: A video of my two-year old nephew Mason using his words and asking for more purple carrots. Basically every day I see a video of him and every day it’s the best thing I’ve ever watched. Also this amazing Coronavirus dance video his mom sent me and Jimmy Fallon attempting to host the Tonight Show from home.
Best thing I heard: Jack singing “Twinkle, Twinkle” to Fiona to help her fall asleep.