Life on Lockdown Part 3...

I may try to do this weekly since it seems we're stuck here for a bit.
Hell this virus curtailed my Artists Way - so fuck you COVID-19 I'm still gonna write!

Here's the depressing statistics as of today:

Worldwide:
  Cases - 1,849,549
  Deaths - 114,055

US:
  Cases - 558,523
  Deaths - 21,993

OC:
Cases - 1,277
Deaths - 19


This week when I went into the office on Tuesday we got an email from our president at Chapman saying that's it.  No one (except like a barely few) can come on campus until at least April 21st.  Buildings will be locked down so you can't get in so basically come grab your shit by 2pm.  Not that we're allowed to take any of our equipment home so that doesn't help me at all.  So...Tuesday was a mad dash and a party of phone calls scrambling to figure out what the hell to do.  At least it was the most interesting work day I've had in a while.  Our EVP was like "Welp - checks are just gonna have to wait."  I almost fell over in shock, but I guess that's the state of things right now.  So I'm now a permanent work from home gal until this shit lets up or some of us can go back on campus.

I've been having a hell of a time trying to work from home since I don't really have a set up, but one of my supervisors ordered me a laptop stand and remote keyboard.  Along with the office chair I purchased I think I can make do a little better.

It ain't no office with my two monitors, printer and scanner but it'll have to do

It seems they're cracking down on mask wear too.  Some cities (LA, San Bernandino) are starting to fine people for not wearing masks.  We got the - you should wear a mask "only if you feel comfortable" notice but it seems more people are thinking you should wear them.  Pat and I are at the point where we'll wear them to the store but not on walks/or bike rides.  Although I don't know how long it will last until we may have to wear the all the time.  So - I went and picked up my masks that Lori made for me. (Thank you Lori!!!)  We did a drive by pick up.  They came out like this trying to make me laugh...

They were being cute but sadly we still had to talk through the window of my car and not hug WHICH I HATE

Masks for me, Pat and Elise

Pat and I ventured out to a couple of stores and now look like this:

Not a fan

I realized while walking through the store everytime I smiled at someone they didn't know I was smiling at them.  This sucks.

It seems to just keep getting worse every week.  I have heard that our peak is supposed to be happening in the next few weeks, so that's going to be scary as hell but does mean we'll hopefully start coming down and hopefully moving back towards normalcy.

Pat did sign up for this Farm Fresh thing, so we should be getting some good fruits/veggies weekly I think.

Got us some lettuce, carrots and some fruits!

I wanted to touch a little here on the weird as hell feelings that seem to be surging through everyone.  It's like this worldwide sadness/stress/anxiety/depression.  We're all living through this fucking crisis together.  Like all of us.  Yes - of course count your damn blessings and I try to every day.  I'm healthy.  My loved ones are healthy.  We have the internet and resources and all kinds of shit that are helping us get through this.  But we've all never been trapped at home.  Not allowed to go out except for walks or to the grocery store or the essential workers still going to work kind of thing.  We can't touch our loved ones.  Parents are having to work from home now and get their kids to do schoolwork online.  Let's just say it's been challenging as HELL in this household.  I mean so many people are coming up with creative ways to weather this.  Lots of great community support.  People trying to help where they can but damn.  It's hard.  It seems it's getting harder and harder.  We have projects, but we're not motivated. One of my dear friends said - it's depression.  We're all going through a trauma.  We are.  The places we go for comfort and help are shut down.  We can't be with our people.  We can't get our chiropractor or PT appointments.  We can't do retail therapy (although AE was having a 60% off thing and I may have ordered myself a couple of cuter T-Shirts to quarantine in).  We can't go to the gym.  We have to FaceTime our therapist.  It's just hard.  Yet - we do it.  We survive and adapt.  So that's good right?  But there's just this odd heavy sadness.  I'd say I'm not sure how to explain this - but any of you reading this get it.  We're all in this together.  I hate that so many lives are being lost.  I hate the impact it's having on our economy.  So many people losing jobs.  So many people struggling.  I read it.  I feel it.  I see it.  That stress.  That worry.  That sadness.  It weighs so heavily.  Plus it's been raining all damn week so that's not helping.  Ugh.  Some are handling it better than others but it affects every single one of us.  It's just so strange.

But - we weather on right?

Still trying to support local businesses by getting take out a couple times a week.  Dragonfly Shop is selling these little DIY kits.  They're trying to come up with new ones each week.  You order online then pick up curbside.  So I got me a couple of Himeli Kits and a Dreamcatcher Kit!

DIY fun!

Mom gave us another puzzle.  I haven't done much with it but Pat seems to have found a hidden love.

Another 500 piece challenge

I rained all week with only one day of sunshine.  It was pretty friggin miserable and being cooped up as it is, is really taking it's toll.

Rainy Days that never end

Pat and I did attempt something different for date night this week.  Our little Adventure Challenge Book does have a couple of things you can do without leaving your house (just a couple though dammit).  This week we were to draw our relationship into a 6 panel comic strip.  It was really cute!

Pat drawing out our relationship

The story of us!

 Saturday brought some sunshine - Thank GAWD - although it was gone by Sunday but we did get out and enjoy it while we had it.

Early evening cocktail time!

Easter is today - which is even weirder - so we dyed Easter Eggs on Saturday.

Our finished product

This tye-dye one is bunk

Pat's mom came by and we had the "social distancing" way of visiting.  It's great to see people in person, but this just feels so odd and unnatural to me.  But I get it.

The best Social Distancer

Hi Jeanne!

She brought Elise a Peep Decorating Kit so that was our next project.

The Peep Princess

Then today has probably been the crappiest Easter of my entire life.  Mom of course usually has her big Easter party that everyone looks forward too, but of course that can't happen.  The weather sucks and it's just this almost strange feeling of not even wanting to acknowledge the holiday or celebrate during these awful times.  We did watch Andrea Boccelli do his Easter Concert.  It was a live stream from a beautiful church in Milan.  His last song - Amazing Grace - he came out and sang in empty courtyard.  During the concert they were showing shots all of the world of the empty quiet streets.  So sad and so haunting. 

Magic

The LA stay at home order has been extended to May 15th.  This wasn't unexpected but was hard to hear.  As I mentioned earlier, we're supposed to be peaking in the next few weeks.  I honestly don't even know how we're supposed to go back to normal after this.  I mean we won't totally ever - but what happens next?  It hit me that it actually hasn't even been a month.  I want to say the shit really started hitting the fan after St. Patrick's Day.  And now we have at least - the very least - another month.  My sanity is struggling.  I know everyone else's is as well.  I need to find ways to get through this but it's hard you guys.  It's really fucking hard. 

There's beautiful gestures coming from the community and I know valuable lessons are going to be learned from this. 

Hang in there my friends.

Life on Lockdown Part Two...

Here we are about 20 or so days into my 1st blog writing about this COVID-19 and what the hell?!

Since it looks like we may be in this for another couple of months I decided to start trying to document as much as I can.

So here we are - probably into I want to say the 3rd week of having to stay home and everything being shut down.  You really easily lose track of what day it is in this situation.

We're still on the same rules (stay the fuck home unless your job is essential and you have to go in (I'm still one day a week), everything is shut down except Grocery Stores, Pharmacies and Banks and practice social distancing)

It sucks.

The cases/deaths are skyrocking.  Here is what we're at as of today:

Worldwide:
1,292,564 Cases
70,798 Deaths
US:
387,384 Cases
10,282 Deaths
OC:
834 Cases
14 Deaths

I'm dreading what the next couple of weeks are going to bring because from what we've been hearing we're going to be "Peaking" soon.

 A notice now has been put out to wear masks when out in public "if you feel comfortable doing so".  So it's not forced but people are acting like it is.  At the moment I'm not wearing a mask when we go on walks or bike rides, but I guess we should start wearing them now when we go to the store.  I wore my makeshift mask when I picked up our Asian Star dinner last night.

Found a no sew tutorial on how to fold your bandana and use some hair-tyes to make a mask

My stepmom said she'd make a few for us though, so hopefully those will be coming soon.

I'm still scared, having lots of anxiety, not sleeping well but again - so grateful I still have a job, my loved ones are healthy and I have a nice place to hole up in.  It's been hard of course.  Being trapped inside a house with people can grate on each other's nerves but we're doing our best.  We're finding ways to entertain ourselves, getting creative in the kitchen, getting out on walks and bike rides (Although it's raining again this week dammit).

Here's my latest photo collage:

Learning technology has helped alot.  More Facetimes - I even Facetimed with my therapist last week.  Was a bit weird but that's how we have to do it right now, and I certainly need it.  Also me and the girls have started a Sunday Eve Happy Hour:

Love these girls so much!

Remember that puzzle I mentioned in the last blog?  We finished!
We got so obsessed, especially Pat, and a week later we did it.  There was a missing piece at the end but we found it under a piece of something.  So rad.  We may actually grab another one.  This coming from the puzzle haters!

When I saw this I was like IT'S GO TIME!

Stopped by mom's house to do the weird exchange of things.  We give each other our stuff then stand apart and talk.  It's so unnatural and I hate it but it's what we have to do right now.  She gave me a beautiful bouquet from her garden!

 Still walking as much as we can and whipped out our bikes!  We found a neighborhood above us that isn't hilly!  Yay!

Felt so great to be on my bike again!  It's been ages!

Possible spot for a geocache

Enjoying the Chalk Art on the Sidewalk!

Cooking and baking a bunch!

Pat was extremely proud of his "Quarantine Crunch" he made up.  Similar to a Dairy Queen Blizzard!

I remembered I used to love to make these treats!

Finding ways to pass the time

Elise and I were playing with the games from Jackie Lawson that mom sent us

I'm trying to remember to capture just weird stuff as well...

This is a daily update we see now on our local paper

Pat trying on the mask his mom sent him

The line to get into the grocery store

At the beginning of our trails across the street

It's really weird and scary times right now.

I've heard we're probably in it at least through the end of May which I can't imagine but at the same time am starting too...

Trying to stay positive.

Stay Safe my friends!