Missives from quarantine: Week 3
A little family goes a little nutty
We went into self-quarantine on March 14, 2020. No one knew how long it would last, or how intense it would be. We just knew we had to lock it down and wait. Throughout our quarantine, we kept track of our day to day—what else was there to do? Here’s our family log of our first 60 days in lockdown, with pictures and the occasional audio interview.
Day 15
A blur. Did get to enjoy friends who have also crossed the 14-day mark. And, like us, are otherwise self-quarantined.
Camille was upset at one point but recovered after swing time.
Es showed a passing interest in recording things.
More yardwork. So much yardwork. May we all have the survival skills, instincts, and drive of honeysuckle.
Grateful for: Everything is blooming and the weather is perfect.
At 2am I did a self-interview. I don’t sound…so…great.
Day 16
The unbelievably beautiful spring weather almost feels ominous in a way. Like a deceptive calm.
And that is how dark my brain has become.
We did end up spending a lot of time outside. Yardwork, saying hello to a few friends with a healthy social distance in place, and the kids got really into the idea of making a fort in the yard somewhere. They started pillaging my scrap wood pile(s)... hilarious and adorable to see them having to work together to move pieces of wood.
Es continued her creative world-building by setting up (yet another?) art space in the basement playroom clubhouse.
Also moved Camille into her own room because the two of them keep each other up all the time and screw around instead of sleep, and the parents are sick of it. Results: mixed.
Day 17
The new not-school term begins today. It's a bumpy start. Many fits to start the day. Much grumpiness in the afternoon and evening. And the moms and dads are not getting as much done at work as they wished.
But Camille's adorable class adorably Zooms each day now, and it's adorable. Essie's class did, too. They were happy to see teachers and buddies.
Late afternoon we managed to drag ourselves outside. Camille hit the swing. Es scaled the tree and was kind of grumpy in it. There was a discussion about building a clubhouse that somehow ended in tears.
Also many sobs and yells from both of the little monsters at bedtime. So.
Day 18
Day 17, copy/paste, pretty much.
Except for a much-needed social-distanced happy hour. #Bros
Also I found the queen honeysuckle plant. My hand for scale.
Day 19
A gumbo of working, kids needing things, yelling, trying to work, failing to work, feeling bad about not meeting needs, taking every possible phone call and meeting outside, etc.
Leen had the bright idea to get sidewalk chalk and painter's tape to create cool geometric designs. This is the girls scrawling messages of love on the school sidewalk.
Day 20
Was on two simultaneous Zoom calls at one point. Achievement unlocked I guess?
Spent most of the day with between 2-4 of us on video chats at any given time.
One of those calls was a 7-way FaceTime call with my whole family, wishing Grandma Esther a happy 95th birthday. (Yes, it was as chaotic as you think it was. No, singing "Happy Birthday" with the lag of 7 different devices did not work.)
Day 21
'Twas cold and wet.
No outdoors for any one.
Friday. Exhausted.
