April 13: First positive case announced
April 10: 69 tests administered, 62 negatives, 7 pending results
April 9: 59 tests, 50 negatives, 9 pending
April 8: 55 tests, 48 negatives, 7 pending
April 7: 49 tests, 42 negatives, 7 pending
April 6: 47 tests, 42 negatives, 5 pending
April 3: 42 tests, 40 negatives, 2 pending
April 2: 41 tests, 38 negatives, 3 pending
April 1: 38 tests, 35 negatives, 3 pending
March 31: 35 tests, 34 negatives, 1 pending
March 25: 20 tests, 20 negatives

It's here............

Good Afternoon Everyone

Great you have worked out a better shredding solution Tatoulia!
At home shredders were never meant to regularly do more than a few personal papers.


Hi CriticalMass

"I think we all have to find the sweet spot during these times. Motivation but not slavedriving ourselves, and flexibility as we try different methods and schedules and make tweaks based on what works best. It's a process of discovery."

This, what you wrote is so true and exactly how we need to proceed.
We, the human race have never been through a time like this before.
It's all a new learning experience.
Most of all is to realize that mentally and emotionally we need to be extra kind and forgiving with ourselves and others.
We are all being pushed to our limits but with compassion we WILL come through this.
(((((HUGS)))))

I bet scooter was super cute! Growing up, I lived in suburbs and so our cats would go outside. I loved seeing the cat out in the yard, all ears and tail!

I started to shred the work papers and it's too much. The shredder isn't meant for this volume and it overheated. . So I contacted the one person in my department who goes into the office for two hours each week. He's a very nice man and so I was very clear that if it's a hassle, to tell me. He said it sounded reasonable to him. I have a perfect mailing bag that I'm filling as we speak. Sometimes if I order something from Talbots, the bags are reusable. Just turn them inside out and there's a seal and everything to just package for a second use. So I'm filling it up now and I'll take to the PO in Thursday. I feel better already. And I can expense the postage.

Cm I hope your roommate is holding up okay.

Definitely hope no storm glitches for everybody. We had those winds and cold temps on Saturday but looks like things are leveling out.

My roommate left for the funeral 9:30-10:00 - it should be underway as I type this, start time was 1:00. I hope she is doing okay. She'll have her siblings. Two brothers in law are ministers and will help with the service.

I'm doing better than yesterday. Was afraid I was sliding into depression. Grumpy and judgmental of stupid little things, and feeling like the hoarding problem is just too overwhelming to deal with and there is not much hope of getting past it. Didn't even feel like eating really, so had no lunch, but did make dinner later in the day.

Today, I am having some soup, chicken with egg noodles. I'm also going to be sure I remember my supplements that keep my brain less squirrelly. I will take them before dessert.

I'm doing two loads of laundry and casting a replacement hand for a Teen Skipper doll I got from the thrift store sometime before quarantine. I feel good that I'm following through on a project. So often I get art and craft supplies then run out of steam or get sidetracked and they just sit.

There are other, less fun and more complicated, projects waiting. Dealing with the papers, which so often needs me to be on the computer typing info off scrawled notes and such. The papers I got rid of awhile back didn't always need that and could go straight to the shredder. I would like to come up with a plan to spend X amount of time per day X number of times a week at the computer dealing with the more tedious papers. With quarantine this is doable provided I keep my spirits and stamina up.

I think we all have to find the sweet spot during these times. Motivation but not slavedriving ourselves, and flexibility as we try different methods and schedules and make tweaks based on what works best. It's a process of discovery.

Good Morning Everybody

Glad that storm wasn't too bad where you are Tatoulia.
Too bad you missed the trash pick up and now have the company of that bag to enjoy till Thursday. ;p

Is it possible to have a box of shredding sent to the office?
That would be great to be able to just send it all away and not have to deal with it.

Happy you also have something you enjoy watching.
It helps fill in some of the time in a pleasant way.

WAY TO GO! for keeping up with dishes and making your bed!
It's important we continue to do routine things not just because they need doing but to keep us centered and grounded.


Frigidly cold here.
Sun is shining but way too cold to go outside and play.
Have no plans yet.

All day yesterday Scooter played hunt, stalk and attack with me.
He would crouch down behind things and swiftly jump out and touch me as I walked past.
Was cute to see just his ears and eyes peeking up from hiding places.

Good morning! Storm was scary but not terrible. I didn't take my garbage out because it was so windy. I got up early to do and I'd missed it. So I have a giant bag of garbage here til Thursday night. I just couldn't risk having it tossed around.

Cm I know you are striving for normalcy and I admire your efforts! I'm keeping up with dishes and having my bed made and not much else. Cleaners come tomorrow.

SubC you are doing great!!!

Tillie I will continue to chip away today. I have a lot of work shredding to do. I'd like to box it up and send to office to go in the shredder. It's so much work and very time consuming. I did make sure the office knows that this printer is leaving as soon as this madness is over.

Tillie there's a show I like that I watch through Hulu. It's what We Do In The Shadows. I really like it.

I have only vague memories of Dark Shadows. Glad you can watch it!

Hey Tatoulia
Hope that storm isn't hitting you too hard.
That you are warm and dry and have electricity and internet.
((((HUGS))))

Hi Subclinical
Sounds like today was a much better day for you. :)

WTG! for all you accomplished!

YEA!!! that all your new clothes fit!
The book skirt sounds very cute.

That's great that you have learned something new to do online to help with the classes.

I really hope the kid's parents help them gather the ingredients and utensils so they can make ice cream.
That would be such a fun project to do while stuck at home.

I think it is good that the students can see and hear you even if it is on video.
To have their teacher teaching them even during this time is familiar and a part of the way things were before and that can be very comforting and reassuring.


Discovered that Tubi has added all episodes of
"Dark Shadows".
I remember watching it after school almost every weekday and find it hard to believe that was 53 years ago!
:O

CM - Maybe start a load of laundry and then just pick up the papers one at a time until it's time to switch it over? You might be surprised how many you get done.

Tatoulia, I'm glad you had a nice time with BF.

Today I made ice cream mix - I will chill it overnight and put it in the ice cream maker in the morning. Dh can close his door and wear his headphones. I timed myself and wrote down everything I used including the spoon rest so that I can demonstrate for one of my classes on Friday. I wanted to make ice cream together the last day of school - but that is not going to happen. So each Friday class will get an ice cream recipe and a demonstration. But I have to do it on different days and match it with a second activity, because normally at the end of class they would eat and evaluate and I would wash up for the next group.

I was complaining to a coteacher friend this morning (I called her) about having to do demonstrations instead of doing this stuff with the kids and I asked "how is that better than YouTube?" And she said "it isn't." Which somehow made me feel better. Not about what I can offer the kids, but about the fact that I am not crazy to be critical of it.

We also discussed the almost complete lack of communication or support from the administration since school closed.

I disbudded the other two baby goats.

And I took my new pretty dress and skirts out of quarantine and tried them on for Dh. They all fit and he liked them, so I washed them and hung them up in my closet. He especially liked the skirt I was afraid would be too short - it only goes to my knees, but he says it looks good. It is printed all over with books.

I emailed my last two missing kids and copied my administration, and got back an "oops, sorry, one of those kids left the program." (Again, support. if you are going to ask us to contact kids who are absent twice in a row, maybe update our class list by the start of the third week?)

I worked on my lesson plans and I just have a few more small things to do this evening to be caught up for tomorrow.

I learned how to do a new thing on line to make one of my online classes work better.

And I emptied the dishwasher.

It was too wet to plant, but the sun came out a bit.

Hello CriticalMass

What is the one task that is bugging you the most?
The one that will give you the biggest bang for your buck?

OK, laundry done would really make a difference.

Is there one area/spot that is a constant annoyance?
Get Badger to help you start chipping away at the edges.
Just grab one item and decide keep/toss/recycle or relocate to another area.

You want to do papers?
So just grab one paper and deal with it.

Maybe sew one new mask.

These little quick tasks are the best way to find some motivation to carry on doing just one more.

Try hard not to think about all and everything that needs to get done, that's just too overwhelming and demotivating.
Just see one tiny area.

Try to relax. Make sure to eat and drink enough and sleep when you need to.
Breathe.
Hard to go from full throttle down to 0.

Sorry this is belated:

HAPPY EASTER, FRIENDS!!

I consider this a winding down and transitional day. Yesterday was as well, and I took a nap. Today I sort of want another nap but am going to resist.

It's been a lot of adjustments lately with the two funerals I recently went to, some of the stressful times I had with various glitches, dog drama, kitty drama (turns out it was girl kitty who was bleeding because there were spots on the pillow she lies on - roommate checked her but couldn't find the wound so we'll just have to be aware and watch her).

The church services were nice. Though I'm still processing that Easter really happened... and tomorrow my roommate goes to her mom's funeral. I need to ask her if she's taking the dog or leaving him here. If the latter, it'll be okay, but I'm not going to take him walking in this neighborhood - he can do his business in the fenced yard.

I haven't been to a store with the one-way setup yet, and I really hope I can avoid that one way or another. But if I go to a store without it, people best be doing the social distancing correctly! We have a Walmart Market - had several of them but most closed. The one about a mile away I went to a couple weeks ago and people were NOT being careful.

Also I need to get my good masks sewn. I'm low on energy and motivation. I hope when she goes to the funeral and comes back there will be more of a sense of routine - though for me, there still needs to be more. That indecision regarding what needs to be done first is so hard to get past, especially when so many things need to be done.

I'm going to try tomorrow to get some laundry going once she leaves; it's in the way, and that's an easy task that should be contained in the timeframe I'm here by myself uninterrupted. Our weather is not so great this week so I don't plan to attempt the storage unit just yet. Really want to get some papers gone through and gone, but finding it hard to start. May need Badger.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi CriticalMass

Hi Subclinical
Very sorry you are having a rough patch (((HUG)))

WTG! for getting out before the rain and doing some disbudding and planting some peas!

It is expected that teachers will be behind on setting up lessons and evaluations, etc. right now.
You all are doing the best you can and you all have other important things to tend to in your lives.
Plus we are all under a great strain coping with what is going on in the entire world.
You are a GREAT Teacher, Mother, Daughter, Farmer and Wife.

Very sorry your DH is in a bad place right now and argumentative.
This makes it harder on you (((HUG)))

Relieved your little stores have inventory.
Mine did too last time I went.
Right now all the people who didn't get to buy necessities due to the ruthless hoarders are now buying their necessary items as soon as they are restocked.
The supply chain is still strong and truckers are slowly bringing in the supplies.
Stores are making policies to keep people from buying more than one or two of an item to leave some for others.
Soon it should all level out.
Our governments know that we are only a few days without food for anarchy to rear it's head and that is why the national guard along with others are working to help keep the stores and food banks stocked.

I'm glad you took stock of your pantry inventory.
Now you can make sure to get in the foods you need to keep on hand. :)

Wednesday your DD will drive out and get the things she needs too.

We may not find exactly what we want but there are other choices/substitutions, different new products to try to fill in the gaps.

I'm hoping your other DD does come home and quarantine with you.
It would be good for both of you. :)



Hi Tatoulia
YEA! for getting all dolled up and enjoying a nice dinner with BF! :D

I read a report where some scientists took samples of the sewer water from a location in Massachusetts and found high levels of covid19 in it.
So they say virus is shed through feces and we should wash our hands and avoid public restrooms if at all possible.
Hope that answers your question. ?

Have a wonderful day today at work! :D

Yes, the pork chops are delicious. ;p

Have towels and wash cloths to hang out.
Windy today but sunny and dry.

SubC I am so sorry. I hope with the fresh day you realize you aren't bad at anything. This is a terrible situation and it's awful for everybody. It's easy to snap and be snapped at and it's easy to be depressed, down and hopeless. I love the idea of swimming on your birthday!

I am hoping that by September things have normalized. This is just so odd. And the weather is pretty crappy today with howling winds expected.

We had a very nice Easter yesterday. I showered and put on a dress and nylons and a bracelet and a necklace and my watch! I also wore a ring. We sat six feet apart (like much more) at BF's dining room table and ate our food. It was very nice. We played classical music then watched the national news together. We called his neighbors and waved from the car. I didn't use the bathroom at his house because I didn't want to soul it. It's just so hard to know what is and isn't transmitting.

So I'm pretty focused at work today so let me get back at it.

Tillie the pork chops sound delicious!

I was so sad yesterday.

My Dd called and said she couldn't get half the things on her grocery list. She asked if I could give them some stuff to help them get through the week. My first response was "of course" but then I looked in my pantry. Dh has been cooking for over a year. Things have expired because he just grabs whatever is in front or stops at the store for new stuff without looking. Things are not there because I still do most of the shopping and he doesn't tell me when he takes the last thing out, just when he needs more now.

She is going to drive out to our grocery store for a pick up on Wednesday because it is away from the city and seems to have more available. I am sad that I can't help her.

I have always had a pantry that would get me through a month of anything. Not now. I mean, we wouldn't go hungry, but food would get pretty repetitive and nutritionally weak. I think we could eat oatmeal with honey, milk, and eggs for two or three months. I have sugar, so the milk and eggs give me ice cream. And I think I have enough vinegar to add cheese if we don't use it for cleaning. So now I am also concerned about what if the shortages expand to our little stores. Dd can't be the only one who will drive out for food.

And I feel like Dd should always drive out for food. Because there are people in the city who can't.

And my other Dd is bored and lonely and I won't let her come home until she has stopped seeing people for 14 days, so she is counting from breaking up with her boyfriend. And I told her if she goes to see her best friend here in person she has to go back to her own apartment. Her friend does in home childcare for healthcare workers. And if she does get sick, far away in her apartment, how am I going to take care of her?

And Dh and I are fighting and I don't know why. He is taking everything I say as a criticism of him. I am not allowed to be frustrated or sad about anything in the yard or house or food related. Only school. And when I talk about school he gets exasperated and just tells me I'm doing fine and to stop worrying about it and that nobody expects much.

I expect much. But I didn't get to working on my lesson plans yesterday and I didn't send out follow up notes to my Friday kids yet, and my "classroom" is still a wreck.

And I worked in the garden beds but all I got planted was peas and I only got two of the four goat kids disbudded before the rain started and the barn needs to be cleaned out again. And I am going to run out of tetanus vaccine.

And my mother sent me a religious Easter ecard. I left the religion in which I was raised and I know that hurts her.

So yesterday, I was a bad mom and a bad wife and a bad daughter and a bad teacher and a bad farmer.

Good Afternoon

High thin cloud cover, no wind, 70 degrees.

Oven baked my pork chops.
Had one with smashed potatoes and mixed veggies.
Thinned down a can of condensed cream of celery soup to the consistency of gravy for the smashed taters.

Been watching movies and Youtube videos to keep my mind from thinking.

Now, since I ate a proper meal I can spend the rest of this day eating candy. ;D

Good Morning Everyone
HAPPY EASTER

Hi Subclinical
That must have been so eerie being in a familiar place that is usually so full of people, light and noise.

So sorry the grocery store experience was not up to virus prevention status.
Very glad you were able to find so many of your favorites though.

Happy you were able to chat a little when doing the exchange with Dd and her Dh.
It is wonderful that in this day & age you can do facetime chat.

Sounds like your favorite pizza place will survive since they are redoing the diningroom, YEA!

Wishing you enough break in the rain to get in your planting today. ;)


Well, he has left the premises again. >:(

Wish his "friends" weren't all in denial too.
Probably won't sink in until someone close to home is hospitalized or dies.

Been seriously thinking of locking him out of the house.

Good morning, Happy Easter, and a happy belated birthday to CM,

I hope you enjoyed your cupcakes.

My birthday is in October. It will be a Tuesday. For my birthday I want to teach classes in person safely and swim. But I will settle for being able to see my grandson in person.

Tatoulia, I also think it would be ok to put your comforter away for a while without cleaning it.

I went to school to pack supply bags yesterday. It was really strange. The lilacs were blooming on the lawn and it smelled wonderful. The kale in our garden has gone to seed. The empty building feels lonely.

I saw one of the preschool teachers - we were actually both in the gym at the same time for a couple of minutes. That felt very strange as well. The administration had turned on half the hall lights for us on Thursday and will turn them off tomorrow, so that we only have to touch light switches in our own rooms. The interior fire and security doors that are usually closed when the kids are not there were propped open.

I stopped at the grocery store where I buy treats on the way home. I stood in line in the parking lot for about 50 minutes before getting in. The x's were more like 3-4 ft apart, so we were all standing every other x. I got a lot of nuts and chocolate and cookies and the packaged ravioli I like, along with bread, bananas, Dh favorite juice, and some wine. Some people were not wearing masks, which annoyed me, The masks mostly protect other people. And I felt very uncomfortable at checkout because it wasn't possible to stay even 4 feet away from the checker and bagger. They were wearing masks though. I don't think I will go back on the 27th (Next supply day). I just don't need juice or chocolates enough to go through that again.

Before I did the other things, I took eggs and a box dd's friend had shipped to my house to dd's house (it's baby goodies, but I didn't get to see inside. Another day I will FaceTime her and she can show me.) Her Dh gave me a loaf of sourdough bread. He came down the steps and laid the bread (in a container) on the sidewalk and then went back up the steps. Then I put the box and eggs down and took the bread, and then he came back down and took the box and eggs inside. After that Dd came out too and we all stood on their lawn far apart and talked for a while.

Dh played golf yesterday and got a takeout pizza from our usual every-other-Thursday-night place on his way home. He said they are doing a lot of business and working on fixing up the dining room while it is empty. (Fresh paint, minor repairs and upgrades) so, that is good. It is an important place to us. Dd and dsil had their rehearsal dinner there. He got a large pizza instead of our usual medium, so we can have pizza again tonight. (Small feeds one person, medium feeds two, large feeds four.)

Maybe on the 27th I will get another pizza. Between now and then I will need to go to the feed store again. And Dh will probably have to do another grocery pick up.

Dh thinks he will go back to the office in May. I hope he doesn't.

It is supposed to rain all day today, but I am going to try to sneak in a little planting if I get a window.

Good Evening Everyone

Was a really nice day, a little too warm after all the months of being so cold.

Took a shower.
Almost 9pm.
I'm not sleepy.

Hi Tatoulia

Your Mom is going to be so tickled with the flowers, buns and Easter basket. :D

WAY TO GO! Shredding!!!
One of these days you will only have that days papers to shred.

I have a pink salt lamp in the diningroom area and love having that turned on when it's dark.
So warm and cozy.

That is upsetting how many people just won't get with the program.
Now that we all know what invisible threat is around every corner.
Deniers are keeping this spreading farther than need be.

All we can do since we are not allowed to kill them is to keep doing everything to protect ourselves.

Wind is picking up. Inside thermometer says it's 76 degrees in here.
Had to change into a Summertime blouse and remove my shoes & socks. ;)

I bought mom's groceries, wiped them down here, then dropped them off. I bought some pretty paper napkins and some roses for her-white, pink and red. Really a pretty bouquet. I also got her hot cross buns and dropped off her Easter basket.

I stopped to see BF for a minute and ran into a co-worker, which was great. We also ran into her and her husband last week. She said she saw me in the call yesterday. She also liked the photo I submitted to the "meet the coworkers" contest. My cat, my supervisor.

I've been shredding a lot of papers today. Still lots more to go. But I found my motivation and just started.

I'm doing a load of laundry now. Nothing is as soothing to me. Another soothing thing is having the lamp on in my kitchen. The lamp, not the overhead lights.

My walk today was good but 50% aren't wearing masks. Pretty upsetting. Pretty stupid.

Good Afternoon Everyone.

Happy Boy Cat accepted the treat from you. :)
Hoping it's just his ego that was hurting.
You know how cats are professionals when it comes to pouting.

Hi Tatoulia
High anxiety is very tiring and draining.
This is why all of us need to make the effort to get good solid sleep every 24 hours.

Just put the comforter in a bag and shelve it for now.
The laundry will reopen some day and you can get it cleaned then.

My comforter is too hot when I first get to bed but I still need it after 2 or 3 AM.

Have a wonderful walk as you run errands. :D


The Lilac bushes are loaded with flower buds.
Fingers crossed we don't get a deep freeze to kill them all off.
Have the big doors open and screen doors closed.
Windows all open too.
Warm, sunny and there is a pleasant breeze.

The Yellow Jacket wasps are out in force.
Snakes and Lizards should come out any time now.

I forgot to mention boy kitty hissed and spat vehemently at me this morning when I went into roommate's room to get one of the food bowls from there. But just a little while ago he strolled out, and was willing to accept a treat from me. It will be a two person job to check him for wounds. But at least he seems calmer. Roommate is on the road home as of noon.

Happy Birthday, Cm!! 🎂 🍰 🧁 Enjoy those cupcakes!

I'll go out now to do some shopping for mom. I just want to lay around and sleep. Not good.

SubC you are doing great on your classes! Very proud of you!

Sunny and extremely windy here. I don't know if I can come up with any pants that would fit.

I want to put away my comforter and duvet but the laundry is closed. I have them fluff and fold my comforter. I can wash the duvet here.

It's too hot for the duvet and too cold without it. I have a different thin layer I can put on. I haven't used it in a while and I'll give it a shot.

Good Morning Everyone

Hi Tatoulia

Lots of sleep AND a salad!
That's great social distancing. ;D

I know it hurts to not be able to see your Mom and baby Sister.
But if they let people in it would not be good (((HUG)))

I always make sure to wash my hands before I pet Jack or Sweetie Cowgirl and wash them again afterward.
But they insist that I pet them. They want pettings more than the food I put down.

Wishing you a day of actually doing stuff and having fun at it too.


Hi Subclinical
Your plans for organizing things for the weeks sound good and solid.

I remember what it was like for us kids when JFK was shot.
Everything in our worlds was upended. No school, no cartoons on tv, no playing outside with all our friends, no outings/parties.
All grown ups too concerned with grown up stuff to help us cope.
This must be even worse for the children because not just a president died but they know they may lose their loved ones.

Wishing your Mom great success doing her Swedish cleaning.
And many long side trips through memory lane while she sorts out her memorabilia. ;)

Hi CriticalMass
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D
Enjoy those cupcakes!

Go drag boy cat out from hiding and check on him.
If he was the one who was bleeding he may be hiding because he is hurt.
If he did get tagged you need to watch out for an abscess.

I know this time is even harder for you not being able to attend services.
Just remember that your God wants you all to be smart and stay safe and that he is with you where ever you are. (((((HUGS)))))



Clear bright blue skies, not a cloud on the horizon.
Will get up to 70 degrees today.

County hospital has been doing testing and as of yet no positives reported.
Most people avoid that place because they tend to kill too many people and so drive all the way to Reno for medical treatment when it's not urgent.
So hoping they are the negatives Reno is reporting.

Today my plan so far is to get dressed...

Quick post

Tatoulia, as a person who has anxiety and hates it, I want to wish you healing from BOTH depression and anxiety! Neither are preferable. May you have calm energy instead. {{{HUGS}}}

SubC, sounds like you have a good plan for the classes. I'm praying of course for all those who have the virus or know someone with it. And I should add in some prayers for students and their families. This is a crazy, confusing, time for them. Especially for those in milestone years such as graduation, etc.

Tillie, I pray nice Steven stays that way. If he can just keep from getting antsy, which is probably when his mind is vulnerable to things like denial or conspiracy theories, I would guess.

Today is the strangest birthday/Holy Saturday combo I'm likely to face. I hope so, anyway. My roommate is heading back in awhile and I need to prepare - shoo out the men and clean up the booze bottles, pizza boxes, cigarette butts - LOL! Y'all know I'm joking. But I do have some picking up to do.

Tillie, I will see if catmint would help. We also have catnip. As long as neither of them is a mean drunk. We did buy one package of nip that was a blend designed to relax. Need to dig that out.

At least they have calmed down from Thursday night's murderous insanity. Maybe they were stressed from her hurried packing and departure. Boy didn't come sleep with me last night, and I still haven't seen him out and about in the house much.

I had bought Hostess strawberry cupcakes for my birthday. Going to get them out of the freezer. Okay, if I don't get back here before, Happy Easter everybody. Tillie enjoy the malted milk eggs. I gave a bag of those for opening tomorrow too. I'll try not to eat too many in one sitting! ;)

Cm,

I have no ideas for your cats, but I am sorry for your roomate. You gave both had so much sadness thus spring. And I know it is hard to face separated from your community.

Tatoulia,

I also love your company.

It's good that your depression has lifted. Anxiety is no fun either, but I think it is going to be the new normal for a lot of people for a while.

And I am pleased by the improved Steven, however temporary at least someone is doing a few good things for our Tillie!

I made it through another week of online school. Two down, six to go, so I am 1/4 of the way through. This weekend I am going to put together a solid, detailed plan for the Friday classes so I can manage supply lists. I think I will have one more pick up for them.

Today I unload my car (the feed has been in there for ten days) and go to school to pack up pottery supplies for a limited number of students. - individual projects needing extra time and a few special request for supplies. Getting those sent home will make the 27th a bit easier.

My students seem to be handling this pretty well. One complains of boredom, another is deeply disappointed by the cancellation of 4H and the loss of his summer job, but they are young and adaptable. The littles mostly wanted to talk about the giant storm we had this week.

We did have a student (not in my classes) whose mom was taken to the hospital with covid this week. We found out because he sent one of our directors a note asking for guidance on how to handle his classes because he might not be able to log on due to the resulting disruption of his life.

My mom is Swedish cleaning. She keeps telling me where things are. And that she isn't ready to get rid of this or that, so she's sorry but I'll just have to deal with it, but I can get rid of it if I want to. And then I say "you can help decided when I come for the packing party to move you here."

She is determined that she will never move, and I am determined that she is never going to die. I just hope she is also wrong. It's not that I want her to lose her independence, it's just that I know who her friends are. And I want her to live so long that they won't be there anymore (because most of them are already in poor health) and she won't be able to drive. And then I want her to move here, not hire help and be all alone.

She also sent me an article from her local hospital telling residents what they have done to get ready. It sounds like a good plan. I'm not sure it will be enough, but if everybody stays home like they are supposed to, it might be. They have just gotten into the hundreds of cases in their service area, so the hospitalizations are about to start for real.

I told mom to stay home until she has all the family photos and letters and other memorabilia she is working on completely organized. She said my grandson will be 4.

325 AM. YIKES

I like that Steven's showing a less selfish side.

I just slept and slept and slept. It was good to have a salad today. It tasted really good. I'm so used to my salads on work days.

I have errands to run tomorrow. Stuff for mom, mainly. I miss her so much! And don't even bring up that precious little one at her house.

Tigger is doing well. He had some salad with us today. BF is encouraging people not to let him. He's old and susceptible.

Okay I want to actually do stuff tomorrow. I've been lazy all day.

My garden has a LOT of catmint (catnip) growing in it.
There are even fresh green leaves under the fallen tree leaves and/or snow all through Winter.
So I always have fresh catmint.

I use the catmint to soothe the savage beasts.
Some cats get a bit aggressively playful so I never mint them near each other.
Separate corners of the room.

Out in the garden deep in the catmint cats look at other cats, they watch the pretty birds but they are too stoned and mellowed out to do anything about it but just continue to love on the plants, drool and roll in the dirt.

CriticalMass
I suggest you give the cats some catnip.
It helps get the feistiness, orneriness and excess energy out of them.
It makes them Rastafarian.

My sympathies to Roommate (((HUG)))


Hi Tatoulia
Sounds like you had a nice day with happy hour and lunch with BF. :D

Relieved to hear you are feeling good (((HUG)))
Anything is better than overwhelming unrelenting depression.

Cats and I went out a couple of times today and soaked up lots of vitamin D.
I picked a few very small weeds.

Steven was going to the drug store and asked if I wanted/needed anything and I asked for a chocolate bunny.
He brought me a chocolate bunny and some Russell Stover cream eggs too.

Have pork chops thawing in the fridge and plan to have those & smashed potatoes and mixed veggies on Sunday.

I believe we ALL need to celebrate in some way.
It is important for our well being. ;)

I'm sorry about the roommate's mother. I do dread the day I lose my mom.

I have zero advice on the cats getting all along. I had that problem when mom's first cat stayed here. My cat was (obviously) an absolute angel but her cat was an aggressive 4.5 pounds of pure tiger. I was allergic to that pheromones dispenser. So I just tried to tell my cat that things would get better.

Tillie today I showered and did my hair and makeup and put on a pretty pink blouse for my video time. Happy hour was moved to 1 and then the office closed at 2. It was really nice. I then ordered lunch and BF and I had lunch together. I'm home and about yo enjoy some tv time.

I will make good progress this weekend. I feel better today. About everything. I think I mentioned that my depression is at the best point it's been in decades. Anxiety those is pretty high and staying high. It's a change. And somewhat preferable to depression (for me)

Our friends received their Easter box and one of the kids announced it on her school soon call today.

Just an update...

My roommate's mother died at 3:15 a.m. The siblings had funeral preplanned so not as much for them to do. It will be back in the small town where they grew up. So my roommate is going to come home tomorrow then go to the small town on Tuesday.

So I guess I won't drag out any big projects. It's okay; I've got my church livestreams to occupy my time and of course the animals. Kitties had two terrible brawls last night, and today I found some dried drops of blood where they had fought.

I checked the girl and couldn't find any wounds, though she wouldn't let me really look thoroughly. The boy keeps hiding out in the daytime so I wonder if he got bitten or scratched by her. He did sleep with me last night though, so maybe tonight I can sneak and check him under the guise of petting.

When things settle down after the funeral, and in whatever ways possible until then, I think we need to do more hunting play with these cats, among possibly other strategies. The squirrels and birds are visible through the front window, and that may be ramping up their prey drives, which may lead to their attacking each other. And, of course, we've had lots of stress and they probably are picking up on that too.

Any tips on getting the little stinkers to get along would be welcome. We are already using pheromone spray, and brushing them with the same brush. Food rewards for good behavior are hard to administer, since the boy sometimes hides if you approach him too directly, and the girl has a dainty appetite and isn't food motivated.

Good Morning Everybody

Hi Tatoulia
Well, at least you were half dressed. ;)
WTG! getting the trash out and getting in a little walking too.

Great plan to clear away "work" after you finish today.

Have fun planning your easter festivities. :D


9:20am here and the fog has just finished clearing out.
Bright sunshine for the moment but solid gray clouds on the horizon.
So happy that it rained so nicely here, finally.
"April showers bring May weeds"

Last time I was at the grocery store I picked up a bag of Whoppers pastel colored malted milk balls.
I get to eat them on Sunday. ;D

Washed my 2 warmest coats and will stow them away now.
Still need the Winter blanket and comforter because over night it still dips down so cold.
This time of year is when I switch some Winter stuff out with some Spring/Summer stuff and I always feel that I have too much stuff to shuffle around.
But it all is needed in the proper seasons.

The sleeplessness is awful these days. I can commiserate, Tillie.

Our rain has passed and it's bright, sunny, and extremely windy today. I'll be working in the dining area on paperwork. Work paperwork.

I did take my garbage and recycling out last night and there was a brief lull in the rain so I walked a bit. I had pants, shoes, vest, coat and a pj top. So half dressed. I came home and showered and washed my hair.

My company is doing a lot for us right now. I'm so grateful. They sent an email a few days ago telling us to breathe and take a pause. They've been doing a lot to keep us together and healthy. Today there's some essay from one of the members of our board of directors but I haven't read it yet. In our photo contest last week I submitted a picture of my supervisor Miss Kitty. Other people had kids, dogs, cats and it was great fun.

My goal today is to work, then put the computer away at the end of the day. Clear all the work paperwork off of my table and shred the stuff that I have scanned and sent in for further processing. I need to make it less work-y in here. Plus I have come up with a way to celebrate Easter do I need my house looking better.

I have told my cleaning ladies they can come if healthy and if they can't make it for any reason, I will still pay them. I need them to know they can stay home.

Ok let's do our best today!!!

woke up at 3am.
now it's 4am and I am still awake.

The rain stopped about midnight and thick fog rolled in.
It's very foggy out there now.

Will try to sleep some more.

Sleep well Subclinical
Sleet! interesting Spring we are having this year.
So nice of you to make yourself available for Mr. Kitty to dry himself on. ;)


Been gently raining here for several hours now.
Garden is getting a good deep soaking. :D

Heading to bed in a minute, but just wanted to let you know that we have sleet. And mr. kitty just came in and used me for a towel.

So nice to catch up with you Tatoulia :)

Happy hour online!
Cheers! :D
LOL a naked man in the background HAHAHAHAHA ;D

Don't know what company but I LOVE them.
They are so wonderful.

Happy the cleaning Fairies are still able to come.
The maids are really suffering through this.
Some are afraid to travel on busses & trains to get to work and many clients are not using the services at this time.
Hoping they can easily get the financial aid and free food to help them through all this mess.

When Doug, the Veterinarian, noticed just how allergic I am to cats he asked me why do I have a cat?
I said life without a cat is just not worth living. ;p
Lucy the Vet tech agreed with me wholeheartedly.

Hello Everybody
Welcome to our new thread. :)

So Tatoulia
Did you ever get dressed today?
Did you get the trash out before sundown?
;)

Hi CriticalMass
You not being a dog person, I think you would be annoyed by the dog even if he were a one pound yappy chihuahua, LOL ;D

I'm glad Roommate will be in a nice area and can have her beloved dog with her.

You need to make a more solid plan as to how you will spend this alone time.
Don't stay up all night and be draggy all day.
Don't forget to eat properly and stay hydrated.
Don't make too big of a plan. Keep them simple and doable.
Spend time in the company of the Furbabies, they sense all our stress and worry.

Hi Subclinical
I just started the new thread and it was at the top so I thought it was visible. LOL ;)

I am very grateful your DH has work and heartbroken for him knowing so many others there don't.

Yes, maybe overcompensating by giving out more assignments is making the kids stressed.
Needs to be more balanced.
School, recess/exercise, free play without them falling too far behind in lessons?
This is all so new for all you who are Teachers.

I think just being online with you gives the children great comfort (((HUG)))


Made a short list of chores I should do today and managed to do them all.
Vacuumed, washed dishes, did some laundry and some other random type stuff.
Been dark and cloudy all day, no rain here.
Maybe it will rain later?
Think I have seen every movie on Netflix by now except kid & chick flicks.

Everybody keep doing what you have been doing to stay safe and healthy.
Remember that we are all here for each other and understand the emotional ups and downs.
Sometimes we need to rage against the world for a moment in order to regain our inner peace.
(((HUG)))

I went back and read the cross posts. Tillie I love cats too. They make such a difference in my life. Dogs and other animals too. I'm just a cat person through and through.

I know mom is grateful for her kitty right now. I miss her so much! Mom says she waits by the door for me, starting around 7 PM.

I am so thankful for my job. My company has set aside $500,000 for grants/donations to the fight against COVID19 and another $500,000 for employee-directed donations. They've also been sponsoring meals for health care workers. They match our charitable donations up to $1000 and I think they've increased it for any COVID19 related donations. For now I'm sticking with my shelter/soup kitchen. And sent a check today. I also ordered some supplies my animal rescue league put on their amazon wish list. Right now I'm not sure I'll be taking any of the extra charity time. But I'll keep my eyes open for opportunities. They also will give any employee under financial strain $5000-so if a spouse is out of work or a tenant stopped paying rent and the mortgage is due, those types of situations.

We now have Happy Hours on Fridays, which is nice. They've staggered who is on video camera and who is listening in and watching. Tmr is my video day. Last week someone had a very large piece of artwork that was a large painting of a very naked man. I will stage my background differently.

I know I am fortunate. I have been very glad to work for this company. It was a significant pay cut when I took this job (almost 50%) but i wanted a more stable life and I've gotten it.

Praying for the world. You all mean so much to me.

Hello everyone! I did laugh a bit when you said about husband now having two jobs. But that's very real to him and you. That's sweet that the kids wanted to stay with you!

I was better focused at work today. I've had a problem working. Each day feels ridiculous.

Garbage and recycling are out!!!

CM I bet there is a lot of compromising when you have a roommate. I've never had one, if you can believe it. Since leaving my house (at 23, so admittedly later than most-I had just completed my associates degree at night), I have lived alone. I have worked really hard to live alone. It suits me. And during this terrible time, I am grateful for it. That said, if they shut the whole city down, I'll move in with BF for a few weeks. But just to keep myself from going crazy.

I will hopefully see him tomorrow.

I will call mom now.

Tillie I love your rag idea. My cleaners use rags and there's something comforting about it. Right now they use only paper towels that I supply. They are cleaning all of their equipment before coming over and they put on fresh gloves while here. They will be here next Wednesday, God willing.

I don't know what we will do for Easter.

I didn't see this! Did you tell us about it?

CM, good luck on your alone time and I hope you feel spiritually renewed by the holidays.

Tatoulia, glad to know you are ok.

I survived another day of online school. Some classes were cancelled and some teachers couldn't show up because of the power outages. Apparently over 50,000 customers in our service area lost power. I only had a couple of kids out.

Two of my kids showed up early and when I told them we might cancel class if no one else showed up, they panicked. I told them I would be happy to stay with them and we could play the game from last week, or talk about anything they liked - even the book, but we weren't going to move forward with most of the class gone. Then I think they were a little dissapointed when the rest of the class showed up.

The kids are telling me we are giving them too much work. We are so concerned that they will fall behind, we may be overcompensating. I'm trying to find ways to ease off on mine.

Dh department went from 140 to 60 today. He still has a job. In fact, he now has two jobs.

Okay, so Tillie and I just cross posted on Phase 12, and not to be outdone, Tatoulia cross posted with both of us here!

I had been wondering if we were due for a new thread, and whether Tatoulia was okay.

Tillie, re your last post on Phase 12, I am so sorry things are rough. Wish he would stay home AND out of your hair, go sort his hoard if that's what floats his boat...

The "God won't give you more" idea is one lots of people struggle with; I have myself at times. Mother Teresa was quoted as saying she wished He didn't trust her so much! Relatable to me...

I'm glad roommate will be in a nice neighborhood where she's going, and can walk her dog without the unpredictability we have here. And without me bitching, LOL. I think I just need a break from the dog.

To be fair, he goes in her room and sleeps most of the days now that he's well past the crazy puppy stage. But he's just so huge in a small space when he does come out. (He was supposedly full grown at 41 lbs. 3-1/2" years ago; now he's 65 lbs and not fat just big.) And I wish she would make him go lie down at mealtimes instead of standing 6" from her creepy staring while she eats and constantly has to tell him No. To me it would be better to train a dog to respect human boundaries and then give him his own food after. But we're never going to see eye to eye on that.

Oh well. Enjoying it being just the cats, bunnies, and aquatic critters. And I can cook what I want, stay up, sleep on the comfy couch maybe, set my own schedule. And just chill.

Tulips and Hyacinths, how lovely and cheerful.

Your friend's kids will really enjoy your gift.

Make sure to get the garbage out before dark.

Glad you are rotating and washing your masks between uses.
That's the right way to do this.


Since I don't have many paper towels (stole them from Steven's garage) I have been using washcloth rags to wipe off/disinfect areas and wash them in hot water.
Have a load of them soaking right now.

Phase 14!!! Sorry I didn't notice this earlier. I am doing well! Bored but well. And frankly, if I'm bored it's my own fault!

I haven't gotten dressed today. Very rainy and raw. I bought tulips and hyacinths yesterday. I also mailed an Easter package to some friends' kids. I completely disinfected everything then wrapped in new plastic bag then sealed it up with instructions to the parents. Got it to the mailbox.

I have a few things to mail today but haven't gone out. I don't know why I'm so excited about getting my garbage out tonight but I am.

I am rotating my cloth masks and washing in between.

I am praying for peace and healing.

Good Morning

Beautiful sunny warm day.
No clouds last night to filter the moonlight.
Woke up at 3:30am and couldn't fall back to sleep so got to enjoy the big moon a long time.

Keep checking the county page and so far the local county hospital has only had negative test results.
Except for groceries, pharmacies, necessary jobs and limited doctor appointments people are isolated at home.
Except for Steven who goes out and visits and generally screws around because he believes it's all a farce.

Hello anybody

Got all the little ceiling dust bunnies all swept down.
Make microwave baked potato again.

Good Morning Everyone
"Clink!"

Hello Tatoulia
You are always in my thoughts and prayers (((HUG)))

Hello CriticalMass
Hope you are feeling at peace today (((HUG)))

Hello Subclinical
Best wishes for a glitch free school day (((HUG)))

Hello World, stay well :D

Gently rained a little over night again.
Going to sweep the ceilings with the rag covered broom today.
Then see what else I may do.

Hey

Lately some of the sentences were incomplete and then visible and so forth and so on.
Decided to try a new thread to see if that fixes it.

To not offend anybody with Triskaidekaphobia I made this phase 14.

See you soon ;)