Sunday, May 10, 2020

Life on Lockdown Part 7

OMFG you guys.
We're still here!
WHY THE F CAN'T THEY GET THIS DAMN THING UNDER CONTROL?!?!?

People are losing it.  I mean it's been since March 19th I believe was the official Stay at Home Order issued by our Governor and many other states across the US.

Over 30 million - 30 MILLION YOU GUYS - have filed for unemployment.  Basically anything that draws crowds - festivals, concerts, sporting events, fairs have all been cancelled for the whole year.  Amusement Parks are still shut down and who knows when they will re-open - and what will that be like?

We've started apparently phase 2 of re-opening which is total bullshit if you ask me.  It's not re-opening at all.  Retail, toy, sporting good shops can re-open but only for curbside or delivery.  Basically what restaurants have been doing.  Why they couldn't do that before is beyond me but they weren't considered essential.  Parks and Beaches are re-open but you can't chill there.  You can walk or swim but that's it.  No laying out, no hanging in groups.  We're all still to "Social Distance".  So no - we're not re-opening really at all.  Again - I get it - I do - but damn if this doesn't suck.  There is literally no hope on the horizon of them finding a vaccine for this fucking thing or getting enough tests or anything.  So it's still Stay the fuck home unless you HAVE to do something.  Well people are doing shit.  There was actually traffic when I went into my once a week office trip.  Not a lot but def more people out on the road.  Around my neighborhood we're always seeing BBQ's and gatherings.  They do seem to be social distancing though.  And you know what?  Why not.  I want to do that more too.  I hate the no touching no hugging shit, but at least seeing each other is something.  I hate this so much. Sometimes I feel like a privileged whiny bitch because I'm healthy.  I still have a job.  My loved ones are healthy.  I'm in a nice home.  But you guys - it really is taking a mental toll.  It's so odd.  Going to the grocery store masked up is stressful.  I wanted to run to Home Depot last weekend to get some garden stuff but the thought of masking up and shopping for non essential items made me re-think it and I didn't go.  There's nothing to look forward to because we can't plan any trips or outings.  I'm trying so hard to break up the mundane routines here at the homestead but it's so fucking challenging because it's not a normal boredom.  It's like this trapped feeling.  This - is it ever going to end feeling?  This constant state of anxiety - even subconscious.  UGH!

The shitty stats:

Worldwide:
Cases - 4,181,021
Deaths - 283,868

US:
Cases -64,561
Deaths - 2,678

OC:
Cases -3,380
Deaths - 74

Sad isn't it?  Not getting better is it?  Conspiracy Theories are flying.  Our country is so divided and screwy I have no idea how this is going to ever end.  I'm so friggin tired of people arguing over whose "quarantining" better than the other person.  Some people got so miffed that some people saw their moms on Mother's Day yesterday.  I'm sorry but what I saw was the people who did (myself included) kept the social distance.  So piss off!  Don't make those of us feel bad that we need to see our fucking moms.  I didn't hug her.  We sat apart and visited.  Bite me.  And why are you more right?  No one knows for sure is one of the biggest problems!  Masks or no masks?  Jobs or no jobs?  Essential or non essential?  Honestly there's no clear line and that's one of the biggest issues.  I'm doing my best.  I try to follow the CDC and WHO guidelines because you know - THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.  All these damn peeps on social media yapping like they are more careful then the next person can just shut up.  Yes, there's jackasses out there who really don't give a shit and they suck.  But they exist so the rest of us need to just try harder and practice kindness and do what we fucking can do to the best of our abilities.  GAWD this is just a damn mess.  It's like the worlds worst shit show.  Oh and FYI...there's now Murder Hornets...that's a thing.  I mean.  WTF 2020!?!?  What the actual Fuck?!?!? 

Not much to report on this week, as you can see by my AAAACCCKKKKK FUCK THIS I'M SO OVER IT ranting this time around.  It's been a week.  Not as much crying but more UGH!  I try to stay humorous.  I try to stay positive.  I try.  That's all I can do.  But seriously - FUCK THIS.

I digress...

One thing that's really great to come out of this BS actually is I've started taking a morning power walk.  Every morning (Except the Wednesdays I go in the office) I roll out of bed and power walk for about 30 min.  We have some hills around here so I get my blood pumping and it really does feel great.  I won't be able to do this when we return to work because I get up too early but I'm certainly taking advantage now.

The sun rises when I'm behind houses/hills...but I caught a glimpse

I power walk up that bitch

That's Robber's Peak.  It's a bitch but we conquer it sometimes.  Pretty in the mornings though!

Speaking of walking...we're still hiking and cruising the neighborhoods because what else are ya gonna do.  We see some cool shit.  Some weird shit.

Like seriously tho...are kids drawing these?!

Where's it lead to?


This weirded me out.  Pat said it's probably a shadow drawing..but still...weird
Seymore is really getting attached to me.  He actually dragged his blanket and bed over to my "office" chair the other day.

S'up?

He knew I was having a rough day
I'm finding I love the way BevMo has their online order then curbside pick up set up.  I mean...let's be honest.  How many of us are drinking a hell of alot more?  Yeah...alot of us.  Like so much more.  Because...what else are you gonna fucking do right?!  I'm enjoying ordering random wines I haven't tried before and plan to make notes of the ones I really dig.  If they suck - White White Spritzer!!!

Essentials
Friday nights are supposed to be Pat and my "Date Nights".  Well...we still try.  But sometimes it's hard to come up with stuff to do when we can't really go anywhere.  Well a few weeks back I had ordered these little Himeli succulent DIY things so we made them Friday night to throw some kinda change in our lockdown.


Here we go!

Look what we made!

Found the perfect home for them
We're still cooking alot...like alot...like to the point where the other night Pat said "I'm actually sick of cooking."  I get you.  But I did make an Avocado Cilantro Lime Hummus and it was fucking delicious!!  I have already pinned a few more hummus recipes because - YUM!
Like. So good.
Still trying to capture the weird strange times we're in moments and it seems a lot of places are requiring people to actually mask up now.  We have been already when we go into places but this was the 1st time I saw a sign about it.
I'm really starting to think the social distance visits need to happen more often.  One of my besties Taylor hates FaceTime as much as I do so I was like  - fuck it - let's just have lunch in your backyard...I'll come in through the gate, we won't hug and we'll sit across from each other and eat and visit and of course drink.  And we did and it was glorious.  Pat and I also Mother's Day hopped today for Mother's Day.  We picked up donuts and flowers (Pickins were slim) and headed to Jeanne's.  We came into the backyard, sat apart and had a lovely visit.  We then did the same for my mom but picked up In & Out lunch per her request and had a lovely visit on the patio.  I didn't get photos today but it was really nice.

Bestie
So here we are.
Another week in.

So many more weeks to come it seems.
I think within the next few weeks we can at least hug our people if we keep our social contact small.  I don't fucking know.  No one does.  There's no answers.  Right now just fear, frustration and impatience.

We're trying my friends. 
We are.
We'll get through this.
Love to you all!




Sunday, May 3, 2020

Life on Lockdown part 6...

Nothing really has changed on the homefront here.
We're still on the Stay at Home order.
I go into the office on Wednesdays only.
Nothing has changed.
Nothing is better.
There's talk of re-opening but nothing is happening.
Our Governor had to shut down the beaches in OC because last week people flocked to them and infuriated everyone.  I'm sure most people had the intention of "Social Distancing" but it's pretty impossible with those kinds of crowds.
Now people are protesting the Stay at Home orders.  Friday a shit ton of people showed up at the Huntington Beach Pier protesting.  Mostly Trumpers.
It's a fucking mess.

People are going stir crazy.  I get it, but I also get why we're on the order.  This goddamn virus needs to be contained and it's fucking not!  I honestly don't understand why and don't understand how we're still sitting here, waiting.  We're in May now.  Here we are today:

Today's Stats:

Worldwide:
Cases - 3,559,342
Deaths - 247,979

US:
Cases -52,197
Deaths - 2,172

OC:
Cases -2,743
Deaths - 52

It's just climbing and climbing.  Seems some countries are doing a way better job than we are.  Shocking.

I just want it to be over.  I'm so tired of not being able to hug my friends/family.  I'm so tired of having to mask up everytime we run an errand.  My heart is constantly just breaking for those losing loved ones, those losing jobs.  It's just not getting better.  I don't know what do think anymore.  It's just this odd new normal and I hate it.

But - as always - we make do.  We do our best.  We look for the good.  So here's last weeks good:

We got our bed!  It's huge!  And I really really hope it works out.  Pat and I both have so much more space and I think it's going to be awesome.  It came to us in boxes.  It was so weird!  Tuesday eve we broke apart our Queen and assembled our new king.  Then unwrapped our mattress which burst out and there ya go!

A King Size Bed lives in there

Construction time

Our new big bed!!

We take lots of walks and see some cool/random stuff.

Our neighbors Chalk the Walk

Apparently someone built they're own basketball hoop

Man these are getting good!


Someone had a box of free succulents out for the taking!

The School down the street from us


WTF
Pat and I both took a vacation day on Friday.  We had planned to hike with Mandy and her boys.  No hugging of course.  As slightly awkward as it was to not embrace and try to keep our distance from each other it was really nice.  The hike was brutal - it's one of the hardest in OC - but felt great.  It's just off Green River Road off the 91 fwy.  It was foggy and humid and we were all quite sweaty afterwards but such a great workout and great to see friends.  It's still really beautiful too!  We're starting to get hot again, but it seems the flowers and the green are still hanging on!

Pretty Purple and Yellow!

Foggy!

High above the clouds!

Taking a break

Saw lots of cool webs

Love all the flowers


Pat and Vince always way ahead of us




Social Distance Hiking
Pat has set us up to get our weekly Farm Fresh to You Delivery but we found ourselves with an apple overload - so what's that mean?  Home made applesauce!!
You all about to be sauce!
My therapist encouraged me to do more "social distance" visits and I agree.  Like I mentioned in the last blog, it sucks but it's less weird than I felt at 1st.  And I do need to see my people.  Like need it.

So - mom came by for a backyard visit and to give me some gardening advice.

Love my mama!!
!
Speaking of gardening...

We have found ourselves sitting outside a lot more and I love our peaceful little patio.  There's a garden out here, but it hasn't been kept up.  We don't really want to do a whole lot since this is just a rental - but I needed to tackle it.  So after mom's helpful advice (My family has green thumbs but it skipped me and Pat said he's no better - LOL!) I cleaned up and trimmed the friends that live in our garden.  Got a hula hoe from mom (and of course an adorable gift basket) and tackled it on Sat.  Hopefully with a little TLC we can get this thing looking pretty!

An Egret visits us sometimes

Hoping for a lovely garden!

Thanks mom!
The City of Orange - namely the Orange Home Grown folks did a fundraiser.  You bought this wooden Orange and write on it what you like!  I never got around to getting one because I suck, but my mom did!

We're still doing pretty damn good on Quarantine Cooking!

These were friggin bomb!!!!

My boyfriend - the BBQ King

We attempted Frisco Burgers!
I took a lovely solo hike on Sunday morning.  It was overcast but muggy.  Lots of people out and about though.  You can so feel the people getting restless.

Today Pat and Elise's Adventure Princess Group sent out supplies to make kites!

I also decided to try to mail out a little joy this weekend.  Trying to support small businesses/artists so I found some little notecards - quarantine themed.  Thanks Kristina for the idea!!



That's about it to report this week.

I hear a rumor Parks may open up this week.  People seem to be starting to gather more.  I see our neighbors having lots of gatherings/BBQ's but they do seem to be keeping their distance.  Pat is heading off to a Dad's Happy Hour - social distance style this evening.  The order hasn't been lifted yet and it doesn't seem like we're really "flattened the curve" so I don't know how to feel.  It's been tough and I think it's just getting to be too much for people.  I was reading that some businesses are opening up even though they haven't got the go ahead.  These people are afraid of going under so I can't get mad right?  People have to survive.  I don't know you guys - what's right?  What's wrong?  Is there even a right or wrong?  I think one of the scariest things is that there is just no real clear answer.

Hang in there my friends!
I really hope my Lockdown Life Blogs aren't too much longer...although I have really enjoyed telling our story!

Love you guys!