Tales from the Pandemic 1

I didn't miss writing my blog.  For the past 3 months, I rarely gave it a passing thought and felt good in my decision to move on.  While I love the idea of keeping a journal online, I figured the kids are older and in a very different place than they were 5 or 10 years ago.  There definitely is not as much to document or keep record of.  Our life was full of activities, classes, school, friends, and we had a tight schedule going from Point A to B to C to D, etc.  

This life of ours came to a sudden, abrupt stop on March 13th.  For at 5:00am, we get the notification from FCPS that school has been cancelled for today.   We knew a few days prior that Monday, March 16th was going to be a teacher work day, so that distance learning could be figured out.  However, everything changed overnight and school was out for good.  News of the Coronavirus had been steadily coming closer to us as we heard of China, Italy, Korea all dealing with an outbreak, crippling their country.  Our teachers never made it to the school on 16th.  Quickly FCPS cancelled everything.  All activities, schools, events, and sports was done until April 14th.  One week later, Dr. Braband, FCPS Superintendent, announced school would be closed through the remainder of the year.  

The news was overtaken with stories of Coronavirus and how each state was starting to see a rise in the number of cases. Our lives were becoming so very different of anything anyone had ever experienced.  It took until our 3rd week of being quarantined that I realized I want to document all of this.  This is history being made.  Our world has turned upside down.  And so I turn back to blogging to capture all of this.

The summary below was going around on FB.  I love how it quickly captures what is happening.  All of this came to be in just the last 3 weeks.  Yowzer!

Just so I NEVER forget..... April 2, 2020

Gas price a mile from home was $1.59
School cancelled - yes, cancelled from March 13 to the end of the school year in June.

Self-distancing measures on the rise.

"Social distancing" a term that is used more than any other.

Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.
Limited number of people inside stores, therefore, line ups outside the store doors.

Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.

Restaurants no longer allowed to have dine-in.  Only take out offered.  Curbside delivery to your car so you didn't have to get out.

Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
No masses, churches are closed.
No funerals.
No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 10 or less.
Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
We are to distance from each other.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels, no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer.
Shelves are bare.  It's hit or miss if the item you need is going to be in stock.   Chicken, toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies are the hardest to come by.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE (personal protection equipment).
Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
Fines are established for breaking the rules.
Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.

Press conferences daily from the President. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.

Watching the numbers in each state on the amount diagnosed and the number of deaths

Government incentives to stay home.

Everyone non essential ordered to work from home.

School districts trying to figure out how to do distance learning.

Barely anyone on the roads.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
Told to wash our hands non-stop.  Wash them for 20 seconds and whatever you do, don't touch your face.

The NE Patriots flew their own airplane to China to gather medical masks and supplies for MA after hearing the pleas of the governor. 

This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11, 2020

Governor of Virginia announces everyone to "Stay At Home" until June 10th

Why, you ask, do I write this status?

One day it will show up in my memory feed, and it will be a yearly reminder that life is precious and not to take the things we dearly love for granted.

We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone.

We are all one! ❤️