I love to cook but cooking has been a drag lately. I see many of your posts and you are making actual meals. I am making whatever can be thrown together and still resemble a meal. One night we had steak which was great. Another night, toast.
Right Now:
I’m being told that it should be warming up soon. It’s been cold for us here in Southern California. I would gladly welcome a warm day or two. It would lift the spirits.
In a little bit, my high school group is meeting via Zoom.
This Week:
Work. Work. Work. Even though I am working from home, the workload has been steady and just keeps coming. You’d think this would make the day pass quickly but no. It’s just a long slog. Plus, I don’t have my fancy ergonomic office chair and this dining room chair has done a number on my back. My left arm is perpetually numb.
Reading:
I just finished The Woman in the Dark and hope to have the review up soon.
I need to read Just Mercy for my book discussion next month but I’d like to fit someone else in before I jump into that one. I need a quick, page turner. Something really good to take my mind off of all this.
Watching:
Still watching The Crown.
The finale of The Walking Dead won’t air now until fall because they could not complete the post production work. We still have an episode or two to watch before that but waiting until fall for the last show will be strange.
Unable to watch any movies. Cannot concentrate for that long.
New Things I’ve Tried:
Long before any of this hit the fan, I made a grocery run for staples and picked up these oatmeal cups at Walmart, of all places. These Earnest oatmeal cups are like a buck a piece and have 16+ grams of protein AND are gluten free. They are super filling and healthy with very low sugar. I picked up a half a dozen and now I wish I had gotten more.
Grateful for:
- Wi-Fi. Can you imagine doing this without it?
- All the streaming concerts and theatrical productions.
- That my son is still doing okay on campus
The one thing I try to remind myself of, is that for some, nothing has changed. I look at the birds outside and they are happy as can be. It’s like that Bible verse about how the birds don’t worry so why should we? These are strange times but clearly, we put too much emphasis on some things. I mean, I wanted to clear my schedule so badly and guess what? My calendar ruled me for so long and now I am left feeling the withdrawals of that. It’s a good thing. At least that part is good.
What good thing can you take away from all of this?
Book Chatter 
I didn’t realize your son stayed on campus, how did that happen? I am glad I’ve got my daughter home, especially since her college is in NY and they aren’t doing so well right now.
Cal Poly let them stay even though all of next quarter will be online. He wanted to stay to see if his jobs opened back up again but after this past weekend and nearly everyone deciding to leave, he will leave as well and be home by this Friday.
I didn’t realize any students were on college campuses right now. I hope your son continues to stay safe.
We’re cooking more than normal but they’re simple meals. Because the store’s closed, we’re not as active as we usually are and don’t need to eat as much.
I listened to Just Mercy and thought it was excellent. I still think about that book and the work Stevenson is doing.
Cal Poly is allowing the students to stay but after nearly everyone in his building left this past weekend he will be coming home this week too. My university still has students in housing as well. A lot of these students don’t have home to go home to so I am glad they are at least giving them the option.
Surprised to hear your son is still on campus. All of my relatives and friend’s kids have been asked to leave. My daughters from NYC have been here over 2 weeks, thankfully before things got really bad there. Looks like they’ll both be staying indefinitely. I haven’t been able to read much, but am listening while I walk. Cooking has actually become my therapy. I loved Just Mercy on audio. Hope it’s not too heavy for you to read right now. Hope you and your family continue to stay well!
Yes, Cal Poly allowed the students to stay even though all of next quarter will be online but after nearly everyone leaving this weekend my son has decided to head home. He should be home by Friday. He really wanted to stay to see if the jobs he has would open up again but he got sick over the weekend (food poisoning) and I think he realized how alone he was. I will feel better once he is home.
I remember you posting that your son was staying on campus and that a few others were too. How are they doing? Are there any adults there too?
I haven’t been anywhere other than work for over two weeks. I started ordering groceries from Publix and having it delivered. Last night for supper I ate popcorn 🙂
My son wasn’t doing all that great, actually. He wanted to stay because he wanted to be around if jobs opened up again but several in his building ended up leaving over the weekend and he had a nasty bout of food poisoning which he had to manage on his own and I think that was the tipping point. He will be headed home some time this week. His classes for next quarter begin next week and they will be online for the entire quarter so he may be home through summer.
Wow, sorry to hear that he had food poisoning, my bff had that and it is rough. Glad he’s going home soon.
Sorry your workload has been so heavy and wish you could get a more comfortable chair or way of working. Glad you found an oatmeal cup you loved. And I agree about the Bible verse and the birds. Regardless, He’s watching over us and will work through this situation too. It’s a promise.
Yes, this forced quarantine is really bringing things to light. Not a coincidence I’m sure.
My husband pretty much throws whatever together for dinner too. We probably should do more planning, but neither of us really has the energy. I am really grateful for WiFi too. It means my husband can work from home and be with our daughter–and me at least part of the week. I hope you stay safe and well.
You are still required to report for work?
Yep. My agency provides a critical service to the community and certain aspects of the job require us to be in the office or in the field. We’ve got it down to the bare minimum staff in office at any given time, which helps with social distancing.
Just to check in to let you know thinking of you and your family. Sending good thoughts.
After a bout of food poisoning and everyone in his building leaving campus, my son decided to head home too so he should be home by Friday. I think that will be a better situation for all of us although he doesn’t think so.
Jim went into the office today to meet with a coworker, so now I have to worry about exposure. The sad part is that it has been relatively nice because I don’t have to listen to him on his constant teleconferences. Plus, the sun is out today. Maybe this is a much-needed change in weather.
The exposure thing is a real concern but all you can do is take precautions. I’ve actually had a pain in my one lung for four days. Nothing else. No cough. No fever. I went to the market on 3/19 which would put me at 7 days after exposure if this pain is actually anything. Also, update… my son is coming home this week. Everyone in his building pretty much left.
Cooking IS overrated! I made loads of cheese and jalapeno quesadillas this weekend and refrigerated them in batches, and I’ve been nibbling on those ever since. It was well worth the effort of spending the time on the weekend to have a bunch of easy weeknight meals to eat (I’ve been eating them with guacamole, heaven).
I am SO with you on not watching movies. I watched one at the end of the week last week, and it felt like a superhuman effort to focus for the entire two hours. How does anyone do this?
I’m glad your son is coming home & your family is safe. I’d like to read Just Mercy too … sometime in the next couple months. I’ve just been reading light reads so I don’t have to concentrate hard. I’m trying to think of something good that’s come out of this … and perhaps it’s that my husband is helping with the meals & food more. We seem to have an overabundance from online grocery shopping.
I’ve had no luck with online grocery shopping. My cart just keeps emptying out before I can checkout. The good for us is that my daughter got the break she needed. She was way over scheduled. She is thriving with this online learning format. And yes, my son just got home last night so I had the best night of sleep last night. I didn’t realize how on edge I was with him being so far away.
Work is steady here too. But it does seem like the day never ends. I think part of it is that my work is more disjointed with having to answer school questions and help. It breaks up my work concentration. I want to keep engaged with her and help her because this is all strange for someone who just turned 9 this past month. She misses her friends terribly.
Oddly enough, for my 16 year old, she is in heaven. PJs and yoga pants, video chats, online dance classes and even voice lessons. She is embracing this. But you know how busy she was. For your daughter, I imagine 9 would be a tough age to be for this situation we are in now. Plus she is normally so active with her swimming.