After months of shut downs and quarantine this spring, this family was finally getting back into the swing of things around here. Otto was finally not throwing a fit about going to daycare in the morning, Joe and I were able to get work done again at the office, things just seemed to be plugging along.
As case counts in Michigan continue to rise we knew it was a matter of time before things were upended again. Sure enough Thursday afternoon when I picked up Otto from daycare his bag was full of all his stuff and I knew we were going to be taking a break from daycare. Sure enough, closed until November 9 for cleaning and quarantining some of the classes. Luckily Otto’s was not affected but I appreciate all of the precautions and safety steps his daycare is taking. Honestly their precautions are the only reason we felt comfortable sending Otto back. (well that and the approval from his cardiologist).
So here we are making it work once again. Otto wakes up every morning now thinking he won the lottery and is getting away with skipping school. Joe and I have found that it’s easier for us to each get half days in the office and work from home the other half that way we are not overwhelmed with a full day of working from home…with a toddler. Joe takes the morning shift and we swap out at lunch time. So far this week it’s working well.
I’m not sure what our plan is for after November 9. Case counts are rising and hospitals are filling up around here. I was talking to a friend of mine in nursing and she sees firsthand the Covid cases coming in to the hospital. We always said we were going to base our decisions on hospital capacity and case counts and right now, they’re not looking good.
I feel a bit more settled about the pandemic wave this time around than I did back in the spring. Although in the spring we had the promise of outdoor activities in the summer..the winter looks a little bleak. I’m trying to remain hopeful that we can get this back under control and continue to enjoy some of the normal activities of life. I’m trying to remain optimistic but I’m also full of worry. I have faith that we will make it through this but I feel like we are playing dodgeball with coronavirus. The constant dodging and navigating business and life through this creates a lot of stress.
I know though, that this is not forever and we just have to pick up the pieces and salvage what we can of 2020. It hasn’t been a total bust and that’s what I keep reminding myself. I have a been saving certain things for this winter to look forward to. Things like planning out the garden, ordering seeds, painting the lounge, hanging some pictures etc. These things may sound small and honestly not take a lot of time but things to look forward to none the less.
What are your plans for this winter season? Have you been saving special projects to pass the time? What is your family most looking forward to?
Thanks Ashley for taking our family photos
Sorry to hear that you and Joe and Otto are having to deal with covid so close to home. We just returned from a 14 day road trip through Asheville, Hilton head Island, and Charleston, and Gatlinburg. I never felt uncomfortable the whole time and we were careful. But I needed to get away so bad after the summer we had with my husbands surgery and then the healing and dealing with all the nurses and doctors and appoontments. So we are home and just after a few days dealing with Ohio weather this year makes me want to be a snow bird and take flight for a few months. That is whats on my mind. Stay safe and healthy. Love your post and blog Abbey
Abby, I have been so careful for several months as an essential employee…. well on 10/1/20, my significant other went into the hospital here in Fla….. I went for my test and it was negative, but a few days later, I tested positive for Covid-19…. I was home alone for 3 weeks…. I had fever, headache, cough, I still cannot taste, or smell……what a roller coaster …
I just saw my SO today … he is back here where we live in a rehab hospital…. he went from here to Tampa, to a facility that took Covid patients……the virus is real…
our governor wants cruise ships back up and running and everything is open again… he is crazy…… ❤️Your stories about Otto and the kitties and your life..
Stay safe and hope all is well…. like to watch your antique stories…
Patty
I can’t imagine covid at home with toddlers(my 4 kids are 18 months apart-but thankfully I survived or I should say they survived toddlerhood haha). My youngest is 16 in high school and my oldest just graduated from college. I absolutely loved having everyone home for the lockdown(not everyone in my house was as thrilled as me to be living like we were on Christmas break for 4+ months). All my kids were home finishing their schooling online from March to June. We lived in our pjs 24/7. We played games, drank gallons of coffee, setup a couple of desks/study stations so everyone could have their own “hole to go to” –to escape. We took bike rides at 2am to the gas station to buy Hostess cupcakes! To top it off, we put up the Christmas tree(it was a bit ridiculous but hey, you only live once). Even though our vacation got cancelled-devastated-we found simple ways to make the best of a unusual time.
My sweet father went on hospice & died in the midst of all the craziness of daily life that we were juggling. I think it made us all realize how each day(even if the day isn’t what we expected)is a gift to treasure or waste. We never know what may happen tomorrow, but we can make the best of what we do have —which is today.
Your blog is so refreshing! I always come away from your webpage finding new ways to be excited about the simplest of life’s delights.
I feel grateful we can work from home unlike so many others in economic distress. This keeps us healthier than essential workers who don’t have that option. We are most grateful for that. Our kids are grown so we don’t have childcare or teaching from home issues. My daughter the kindergarten teacher is teaching from her kitchen and is grateful to have a job while most of the San Francisco business economy has scaled back dramatically. This also keeps our family bubble healthy: more gratitude. Wear a mask, follow the science, volunteer in your community where it’s safe, do your part. We’ll get through this!