hnhland

[hnhland]

Singleton Quarantine / Day 1 of 180 - Back to School

Months ago, I wrote a blog, inspired by the lyrics of a self directed mantra, “I will step out, take a risk; move by faith and follow after…”  The words, written by Scott D., a retired minister from the Church of the Brethren.  The song is loved and appreciated by a vast many individuals within the Brethren circle.  

As I shared earlier, I personally hum or reiterate the lyrics when faced with uncomfortable life situations or choices.  In our congregation, Scott was known for pushing people to step out of their comfort zone.  He pushed members to organize and fund mission trips (myself included) to Tijuana, Mexico.  He pushed congregants into leadership and found different avenues of services or “gifts”.  The lyrics of “I Will Step Out” take on a deeper meaning when you are uncomfortable, taking a risk.  

The precipice many teachers are standing on currently, is the cliff of virtual learning.  Our risk is the unknown; the unknown of conducting classes in a virtual format, managing multiple technology platforms, building relationships that don’t begin with that warm smile and teachers saying, “welcome back.”  

A global pandemic has pushed and challenged our educational system into taking risks.  With these risks are plenty of fears.  Fear of failure, fear of not reaching every student, fear of angry parents, fear of doing too much and overwhelming, fear of not doing enough.  We fear our technology will fail or our navigational skills will fail.  We fear the inability to balance everything and give it our best.  We fear the thought of our most at-risk and vulnerable learners will fall further behind.  We fear our advanced students will lose out.  We fear the isolation that virtual learning presents, we fear communication demands.  We fear for our families who lack resources, who will be juggling “classroom management” at the kitchen table.  We fear for students who are burdened with life responsibilities. We fear for our littlest learners missing out on Kindergarten, and for our graduating seniors. 

Fear is scary, however it pushes us into taking risks.  

Teachers are stepping up to the edge of this cliff.  There are many of us who are scared, staring down into the risk of virtual learning …   But the great things about teachers, we all have a love of learning.  A deep seated love to learn, to problem solve, to find ways to teach.  It’s what we do best.  More importantly, we are not doing this alone. Teachers have met, organized, learned, taught each other, learned new tricks, revamped old tricks, reorganized, retaught each other, continue to ask questions, continue to follow through, continue to make plans and change those plans … We problem solve. We evaluate and reevaluate what will work best for our families, our virtual classrooms, and most importantly our students. 

Tomorrow, my school system steps out into virtual learning.  All of our teachers, office staff, administration, and instructional assistants are stepping out together.  Learning virtually is a huge risk.  We are moving with the faith of our learning, our teacher skills, our best practices, our ability to be flexible and pivot.  When I find myself frustrated, overwhelmed, and my heart is racing… I am thankful to know all my teacher friends and colleagues are stepping out together with me. Our teachers will still greet their students with warm smiles and “welcome back to school, I’m so excited to meet you…” It will just be through a computer screen. 

[hnhland]

Singleton Quarantine / Day 32 Ode to the Library

As of yesterday, I was one of the 64 part time employees terminated by the local city government, due to Covid-19.  Granted, I am a teacher by passion and profession, but I loved my library job. 

As true with all jobs, there were positives and negatives.  Hired in September 2002, I worked the evening 5pm-9pm shift.  It was a supplemental income to my other job as an instructional assistant.  When I accepted a full time teaching job, I stayed on as a substitute.  For 18 years, the supplemental income has paid for grad school and additional certification classes, it financed fun vacations, a cross country driving trip, and international mission trips.  It has paid for car and house repairs.  It has paid for several dental procedures and vet visits for the felines.  It helped me out of financial debt.  It has paid for fancy shoes, pedicures, massages, make-up and perfumey products.  It has occasionally financed a few nights out at happy hour and snow day snacks.  More importantly, the library has left me a lifetime of customer service skills, some great laughs, random nerdy book knowledge, an arsenal of stories, and some wonderful friendships.  Working at the library is as much part of my identity as being a teacher. 

I love books, I love the smell of new books, the creakiness of old books, and the soft smooth pages.  Working at the library, the accessibility to new authors and much loved old authors.  I have always found comfort in reading; the excitement of a new book or rereading old favorites.  In conversations, patrons always suggested titles or authors, sometimes I read them and sometimes I didn’t.  Needless to say, I rarely left work empty handed.   One of my favorite library memories, was a young adolescent literally running into the library and asking for his hold.  When I retrieved it and handed it to him to check out, he hugged the book and declared, “I’ve waited so long for this!  I can’t wait to start reading it.”  It was endearing to see people excited to read or finding the obscure book title they were searching for.  I loved talking to patrons about Newsies when it was checked out or chatting about people their movie selections.

The physical building itself was always a comfort.  A strong, welcoming building sitting on the corner, 1 Churchville Avenue.  It welcomed locals and newcomers into Staunton.  A library is accessible to anyone: travelers, families, singletons, children, the vagabonds and free spirited, the sick, the destitute, older citizens, our richest and our poorest in the community… and even a volunteer feline greeter.  It is a warm place in the winter and cool place in the summer.  And the bathroom is always open.   

Working there, you learn to welcome and help everyone with a smile. With the regular patrons, you become attuned to their personalities and intricacies.  In my 18 years, several patrons have lived and passed; but their names and personalities are still a part of me… Greek George, John T, Wendy, Yah-Yah, Valeria …  Greek George was hard of hearing, but he always stopped in to read the paper after a morning coffee at Blue Mountain. Sometimes the patron's demands, excuses, or questions were borderline irrational or life saving.  Asking for obscure mailing addresses to west coast Congressman or the final score to a 1998 championship basketball game, or the when the sun will set in Waynesboro.  I always appreciated the 70 year old grandmother who loved kung-fu movies or our patron who has literally read everything in our western fiction section. Over time, workers can identify certain callers by the time of day and their phone number prefix.  You meet people from all walks of life, listening to their stories, or just knowing their presence at the library is important. Occasionally, our patrons give lessons in history or science, or offer political views.  We learn new vocabulary for everyday office supplies, i.e. a stapler is called a cruncher.  Our resident artists hung on the walls, as well as worked there.  And as of late, people found community in taking time to piece together puzzles. Internet access is essential for individuals who lack that service.  People connect to job searches, educational classes, social media, research, music, political or religious sites.  Families travel to research their genealogy and family history.   Many patrons complained about getting lost in the library, not knowing where to find items.  Given all the resources the library has access to, I always found it a place, not be lost in, rather a place to be found in.

As a substitute, I had the ability to work with many co-workers.  I always enjoyed seeing my co-workers work with patrons that showed a sense of caring and passion for their job and interactions.  We gossiped and shared stories, we developed friendships.  Some co-workers have worked together for decades, others have been mere months.  In a typical month, I might only work once or twice. In the summer or on holiday breaks, I filled in gaps, as needed for our regular staff.  I always enjoyed asking for updates or what was new in library land, when I worked.  Inevitably, there was some new procedure or practice I need to employ. In my 18 years, I have worked with and met a variety of individuals, most importantly I’ve learned something from all of them.  If you ever found yourself bored at the library or had some down time, there was always shelf reading. 

The library is a safe place, and under current circumstances, that safe place has been taken away; for our patrons and employees.  It was a place for readers and thinkers.  It was a place for our lonelys to find companionship.  For planners to find organization and ideas.  The library is a place to find books, visual media, audio, support, ideas, conversation, help, and happiness.  The systematic order of the Dewey decimal system and alphabetizing the author's last name structured my somewhat chaotic world.  

Fortunately, all terminated employees will have the opportunity to be rehired when the self isolation / quarantine directive ends.  I know the termination was circumstantial, but it still is an emotional blow to our current reality.  I also know, the library will once again reopen its doors to the public.  To welcome in our patrons.  As highlighted in the building’s window, on paper … STAUNTON, WE MISS YOU.  Simply put, we miss the library too.  

[hnhland]

Singleton Quarantine / Day 17 Joey’s Birthday ... Her Top 5

Today is Joey’s birthday, she is 17 years old.  That is a crotchety old lady age in feline years, she is in her early eighties!  Joey’s mother, Blizzy, was a left behind stray from a family that was evicted from their property.  I am 99% sure, Joey’s feline father was the feral cat living in the woods, left by the same family.  Blizzy had taken up residence in our garage, much to my own father’s anti-cat chagrin.  I, however, could not let a cat go cold and hungry in the middle of winter.

Joey and her siblings were born on a cold March night.  Earlier that afternoon, I watched Blizzy prance up the driveway, noticing her profile was much slimmer.  Putting two and two together, I observed her a little bit more and she twisted herself into the middle of a huge brush pile in the field.  I walked down there and listened intently, I heard kitten mewlings.  Knowing the temperature was supposed to drop below freezing, the great-kitten rescue commenced.  

Calling on our family friend, the late Betty Jo Hamilton, I knew her intrepid farming skills would come in handy.  Betty Jo rolled up in her farm truck with tools, and we dug into that brush pile.  We cut into the very center of that pile, through bramble, limbs, vines, etc and rescued 5 kittens nested in a pile of leaves.  Taking the kittens up to the house, with Blizzy yowling behind us, we placed them in a high walled recycling bin padded with towels.  There was a “runt” who did not survive the night, but Blizzy nursed and mother the remaining four kittens.  All kittens were fuzzy black with white markings.  

The plan was to get rid of all the kittens, Betty Jo agreed to take Blizzy to lead the life of a farm cat once the kittens were old enough to be alone.  On a side note, Blizzy lived about a year on the farm, then struck out on her own.  Last time we saw her, with her tail high, she was headed west through a Brookside corn field.  As the kittens grew, my mother made an effort to advertise at the local vet office, “FREE KITTENS.”   Several families contacted us and drove out to look and choose the kitten that fit their family best.  Oddly, enough, there was one kitten that always nipped, jumped, hissed or fought when picked up.  She was the kitten that no one wanted.  

Joey demonstrated an independent streak early in life.  She was the first to climb and escape the recycling bin wall.  In the house, was a large olive green hassock.  All you heard was nails scratching and clawing.  In ten minutes, you saw a fuzzy black and white face peeking over the edge, but you dare not help her the rest of the way.  She nipped her teeth at anyone reaching for her, until she made it all the way herself.  Joey stalked dust steaks, hid and attacked from chair legs or planters.  Joey climbed anything, never going around it … she was going over it.  Her strong personality and funny antics were so reminiscent of Betty Jo, I named her Joey, in honor of her rescuer.  

Betty Jo had many theories about human life and animal life.  One she passed onto us, was the theory of the Great Cat Cosmos.  You do not choose the cat, the cat chooses you.  I chose Joey’s name, but in reality Joey chose me, the Great Cat Cosmos at work.  I kept the cat that no one wanted and for 17 years of my life she has made life her own with antics, the beggar and thief of food, and her love of popcorn… My 3rd generation welfare cat from a brush pile.

Joey’s Top Five Moments

STUCK  - When Joey was a few months old, she tested her climbing ability.  Understand, I lived in the county with my parent’s prior to moving that summer.  At that time, Joey had inside and outside privileges.  However, one night, she never showed up.  I walked all over, calling her, and she was a no-show.  My parents got involved, in the dark we walked down the driveway, up the driveway, into the woods, down by the chicken house.  Every now and then, we would hear a faint meow and rustling, but nothing definitive.  We kept calling.  Finally, we triangulated the meowing and looked up.  She was about 15 - 20 feet up in a somewhat limbless pine tree. She was stuck.  With flashlights trained on her and coaxing, she inched down to about 10 feet.  Finally, my dad (the guy who hates cats) got his ladder out and rescued a kitten  stuck up in a tree.  Thus beginning her love of heights.  

THE DOG - Joey liked to spend time at what I called her Country Spa.  I lived in a cute, but small apartment in town.  Every now and then, I would take Joey to my parents home, so she could run around  and enjoy the outdoors.  On one of these visits, Betty Jo was visiting my parents with a small dog named Luke.  Luke did not belong to Betty Joe, but she was dog-sitting for her friends.  Luke was a friendly, people dog; he was not a friendly, cat dog.  Imagine at my parents home, the front of the house is two stories high, with a deck along one length.  We were enjoying the warm weather outside, with Joey rolling around in the grass.  Luke comes around the corner of the house and spies Joey, Joey sees Luke, and takes off.  Luke pursues Joey down the deck, Joey leaps, twists, lands, and starts to CLIMB.  Joey climbed up the side of the house.  Imagine, a two-story house, Joey is about 3 feet from the roof line, about 3 feet in from the edge, claws dug deep, clinging and hissing.  Refusing to let go.  Luke is barking furiously.  Mom and Betty Jo are laughing hysterically, I’m screaming at the cat.  Dad is drinking a beer.  Another cat rescue… from the height of a two story house.  

THE BAT - As I mentioned before, my apartment was small.  A cute adorable three room apartment.  It was on the 3rd floor.  My bedroom was on the street side with two windows facing front.  One night during the school year, Joey was just frantic, amped up over something. Chasing back and forth, acting strange.  This behavior continued into the evening, into the night, even as I was in bed.  It was almost like she was tracking or chasing something that I couldn’t see.  At some point during the night, she chased into my bedroom.  She clamored over the desks, knocking papers and pencils off.  She leapt and tore down a curtain, jumped on and over me. Destroyed the room!  I was furious, and I locked her out of the room.  She sat outside the door the entire night, restless and meowing.  

The next morning, I was getting ready for work, Joey chased into the room and shoved herself up into the open window.  I investigated, and saw a small bat shivering with fear, huddled just out of reach of Joey’s claws.  Immediately, I shut the window, called work saying I would be late, and called the building manager.  She came up, we decided to release the screen and hoped the bat would fly out.  I shoved Joey out of the bedroom, we counted down, and I released the screen.  The bat needed some encouragement to fly free.  Unbeknownst to us, Joey had opened the bedroom door.  As the building manager prodded the bat to take flight, Joey at a full run, leapt and jumped OUT the window to catch the bat.  Did I mention, I lived on the 3rd floor.  I lost my hold of the screen, and mid-air caught Joey flying out the window after the damn bat.  

THE ATTACK - Joey liked to play, she liked to play “rough.”  She used her teeth and claws, but she was never hateful.  One of her signature, “wake up and feed me” moves was a claw hooked on my nose.  But she always seemed to know the limit.  In the apartment, one day, I was sitting on the floor sorting papers.  She was beside me, rolling around.  I had my arm on her stomach, her legs were wrapped around my arm.  Unknowingly, I flipped her and she landed hard on her side. The thud was hard, it stunned her.  Immediately, she looked at me HARD and stalked off to a corner.  I apologized and tried to pet her, but she ignored my words, hissed and sulked in the corner, her back to me. I returned to sorting papers.  Next thing I know, with a war cry, I see a black blur leaping at me from the table and lands on my back.  Her claws are dug deep in my skin and she bites my shoulders.  I struggle to get her off, papers are a mess, I’m bleeding and she continued her attack.  She released her grip on me after a minute or so.  I’m certain that was her way of saying “F@*K YOU!!”        

HIGH PLACES - Joey loves watching, observing life around her and she always chooses the highest place.  When Joey was nowhere to be found, I learned to look up.  In the apartment, Joey often would sit on top of the fridge and watch.  This did not bother me.  However, it scared the crap out of me in the middle of the night getting something from the fridge.  A black cat during the night is hard to see, and when she swatted your head with her claws …   I dropped many things that way.  At my parent’s home, she would disappear for hours, only to find her stalking you from the rafters in the garage when I would collect her and take her home.  Certain, she was cat laughing at me saying, “stupid human.”  In my current home, Joey lurks at the top of stairs peeking around the corner, always watching.  I have found her in the top of closets, on top of bookshelves or dressers.  Currently, in her old lady age, her favorite high spot is on top of the couch cushion.  She still maintains her look of disdain, observing life around her.  

I hope Joey lives to be a hundred, but I know she won’t.  Most likely, she will live well into her twenties and force me to buy prescription cat food for the rest of her life…  Just to spite me and be a pain in ass.  I write to say Happy Birthday, to the best worst cat…  We, Luna and I, celebrate her today in quarantine with naps, cat food cake and popcorn laced with catnip (popcorn is her favorite snack).

[hnhland]

Singleton Quarantine / Day 15 Saving Each Other

Saving the essential personnel …  

In our current circumstances of quarantine and self-isolation, I realized we all need a little saving each day.  Depending on who we are, it looks different for each person.  

Early this morning, I saved an “essential worker” in helping her get to work.  The essential worker was my sister, she works at UVA hospital as a Clinical Nurse Specialist.  A little back history on my sister, she is 18 months older than myself, and paved the way for me growing up.  My sister and I have different approaches in handling life situations.  She is more emotional, I am more Viking.  She likes to play a “Russian Roulette” approach, I like to have a plan.  In high school and college, she was the one with the car and chauffeured me around.  Granted the shared car was a ‘81 Volvo station wagon, my sister didn’t mind when the gas tank ran low and she pushed the limits. Throughout her adult life, she continued this mentality of “I have enough gas…” and as the true little sister, I always reminded her, “when you run out of gas, I’m NOT going to come save you…” 

Well, today was the day, March 30, 2020, in the midst of a pandemic.  She ran out of gas, in her DRIVEWAY.  Nor did she have extra gas, in her lawnmower gas jug.  Who did she call (not Ghostbusters…)???  She texted me, and sheepishly wrote, “well, it finally happened.  I ran out of gas,” and my half awake-half asleep response was, and “what do you expect me to do?”  Needless, to say, I rolled myself out of bed, dressed, fetched my lawn mower gas jug (which was full) and drove to her house.  My greeting was, “I’m not sure I should laugh or tell you ‘told you so’ or just recognize the mistake and leave it be… Either way, I’m not helping you.” 

I helped her just a smidge. 

Returning home, I reflected on all the “help” we are giving each other; enough to save each other, just a smidge, each day.  As we fall into our new normal, I find I am grateful for my friends and family.  

Over the past two weeks, my school system has been on an extended Spring Break.  My anxiety started last night, worrying about the first day of distance learning. It was reminiscent of the night before the first day of school.  I was in panic mode, trying to navigate all the emails, trying to comprehend the emails. My coworkers saved me, logically helping me understand and explain how they interpreted messages.  Over the last several weeks, my family has saved me with funny, serious, or inane texts.  FaceTiming with them is an interesting experience.  My friends and coworkers check in with each other, church members make calls.  We are all making an effort to save each other and ourselves while in our self-isolating, new normal.   Facebook Nation keeps much of us connected with humorous memes and thoughtful (or unthoughtful) brain wanderings.  I stay connected physically with virtual workouts, walks in the park, and friends who like to hit things (boxing).   Sharing a cup of coffee or a glass of wine virtually, saves us.  

Yesterday, our staff received an email of a video mashup, of our school’s student band playing “Don’t worry, Be happy.”  Technology saves us by letting us stay connected during this time of self-isolation.  I was saved from a small bit of my loneliness when I watched it, I cried seeing students working together, producing a piece of music.  

We all need to take time to save each other, each day.  That small text, or quick phone call, or the small, kind action saves us.  Keep saving each other, keep saving me.  

[hnhland]

I Will Step Out  Singleton / Quarantine Day 10

“I will step out, take a risk; move by faith and follow after…”  These lyrics, composed by Scott Duffey have lent itself toward a self directed mantra for perhaps the past six or seven years.  Scott, a retired minister from the Church of the Brethren, composed and performed this song, along with Bittersweet Gospel Band.  It is loved and appreciated by a vast many individuals.  

Personally, I sing or repeat the lyrics when faced with uncomfortable life situations or choices.  In our congregation, Scott was known for pushing people to step out of their comfort zone.  He pushed members to organize and fund mission trips (myself included) to Tijuana, Mexico.  He pushed congregants into leadership and found different avenues of services or “gifts”.  The lyrics of “I Will Step Out” take on a deeper meaning when you are taking a risk.  

In our current, unprecedented Covid-19 world, I will step out, take a risk to stay in, to self-isolate.  The opening stanza of the song reminds the listener of isolation … 

Alone in the darkness

I feel lost and afraid

Not knowing where I’m going 

On this sea of restless waves

Staying home is hard.  For many parents, families, and individuals there is a feeling of loss.  Some adults have lost income and are struggling, parents are at loss at managing homeschooling and teleworking.  Sadly, some families have lost loved ones.  We are very much in unknown circumstances, having to make intentional choices to separate or not be physically present.  There are social distancing guidelines, government mandates to follow. These are our restless waves, getting bounced and pushed in directions we never thought we would have to face.  In the song, the lyrics remind us eventually we will see the light.  The sea of restless waves will end, but we have to trust and believe in the light.    

When the clouds start to part 

and I can see the sun is shining.

Can I trust his hand will save me? 

Dare I let him shine the way?

Jesus, Jesus

Your hands are full of power

Your touch alone can heal

Your voice calls me to follow

Bid me come and see

As believers, we know Jesus has the power to heal, however, in this era of Covid-19, people are asking not to touch and wash those hands.  I remind you to think of Jesus’s healing and guiding us emotionally though these times.

The strength of the song:

I will step out, take a risk.

Move by faith and follow after,

You the Lord of heaven and earth

The one who calms the seas.

I will reach out, take your hand.

And be pulled from these waters

By the one with whom my God is always pleased

I Will step out

In the world of social distancing and self isolation,  “I will step out, take a risk” can be rewritten with “I will step away, take a risk … to be uncomfortable in my house.”  To face physical loneliness, to be away from my work places, to be away from social gatherings, to be away from my gyms, to be away from my students, to have limited contact with friends and family, to converse at a distance …  This is my challenge, not to step out, but to stay inside.  I will step out to stay inside, to be out of my normal, so not to put others at risk.  

Our uncomfortableness at staying inside and away from others, to self-isolate, helps our medical professionals, helps our essential community personnel, and helps keep everyone a bit healthier.  It’s okay to take the risk and be uncomfortable.  Just trust. 

Copyright to lyrics belong to Scott Duffey… 

[hnhland]

CLOSED - Singleton Quarantine / Day 8 & 9

Admittedly, yesterday I was to sad and stunned to write.  Per our governor’s decree, all schools were to remained closed for the rest of the academic 2019-2020 school year.  I am a special education teacher.  To be completely dramatic, my job is my life.  For 180 days of the year, I am completely wrapped up in the emotional and academic learning of many kids.  As of yesterday, three fourths of our year was completed and abruptly stopped.  For our middle-schoolers, our fourth quarter is spent with transition plans and SOL prep, being excited about our end, as much as the new beginnings for the student’s transition in high school.  

Yesterday announcement has a sense of surrealism, like it is some great joke...  Next someone will pop out and yell, “JUST KIDDING, APRIL FOOLS!!!”  I gratefully take into account the blessings I have in my current situation - a home, a current paycheck, transportation, food, health, family and friends who check in, access to technology, books, and outside.  I know there are many families and students who lack several of the listed above things.  School for many students, is an emotional safe space.  Home for many is a stressful environment, for different factors; now compounded with self or family isolation and fear.  I think often of those students. I hope they are okay and well, and safe.  I miss our daily interactions, their questions and their 8th grade remarks.  I know eventually we will connect electronically, see each other virtually; but I miss them.  

Now, onto lighter quarantine life ...  My self set goals, yea that didn’t happen.  My motivation is considerably lacking.  However, I was able to schedule a last minute haircut, which was nice.  In past spring breaks, I have always treated myself to “beautifying” moments - pedicure, a facial or massage, etc.  But again, per the governor’s decree those businesses are not seen to be essential nor guarantee social distancing practices.  I hope the 30 day ban is not detrimental to them.  Tomorrow, I plan to start my at-home workouts via my gym connection, rescue my two plants from school, and see what the day of self-isolation brings.   I am fairly certain my cats were having faculty meetings throughout the day, probably about the state of the kitchen... 

[hnhland]

Happy Birthday, Mom ... Singleton Quarantine / Weekend Update

Today is my mother’s birthday.  As her family, we forbade her from celebrating with a friend, much to her dismay.  In a effort, to give some levity to the day, our immediate family attempted to group FaceTime each other.  After multiple failures and technical glitches, 3 out of our 5 pictures displayed. However, we all had audio.  Corona-virus social distancing lesson, teaching two individuals how to FaceTime via text and screen shots...  interesting!  Jokes aside, we all sung Happy Birthday to a parental unit and enjoyed a shared conversation via technology.  

In the daily monotony of today’s events ...  Benny Street life proceeded under the new normal.  Luckily today offered multiple bright spots: FaceTime coffee hour with two co-workers, virtual church service, and the birthday calls.  I appreciate all the continual check-ins with peers and text messages between friends.  In lieu of keeping the television on, I completed regular chores of laundry and cleaning.  I made some beef stew and attempted to make popovers, however, there was no POP in the popovers.  Fairly certain, this is mental reflection current state of mind.  BLAHHHH...  

Throughout the day, I continued the enjoy the company of the felines with snuggles and photo shots.  At the end of this, pets (cuteness and antics) will be one of the most photograph things.  In the life of singleton living, the cats are my physical company.  Little furry beings that don’t understand why I am home ALL THE TIME NOW!!!

[hnhland]

Singleton Quarantine / 1st Weekend

How do you enjoy the weekend, when you have been on hiatus the entire week?  At this point, I am exploring the world of “blogging” ... to interact with the greater digital world.  This past week, I have facebooked updates of Benny St activities, why not level up to blogging.  The Gen-Xer in me just gagged a little bit, writing that. However, outside of self directed house projects: cleaning, upcoming yardwork, baking, reading, etc ... I literally have nothing else to do.  Both of my jobs are on hiatus, I am not sick, however, in an effort to prevent spreading or being infected with CV-19, I am practicing social distancing, sadly, this is somewhat of difficulty for me...  because I enjoy working, I enjoy going places and being involved, being around people.  As much as I enjoy the occasional couch and pajama day, this is extreme.  

We will see where this new venture takes me ...  

Already completed today ...  laundry, youngling kitten entertainment, eating a huge bowl of cinnamon sugar cereal, and catching up on current social media sites...   Still to do - clean the fridge out (homeschooling science projects??) and cat ownership duties ...  That is my day, what’s your self isolation weekend plan?