Like many across the country, our home is practicing social distancing and being quarantined at home. I thought I’d share our situation and perhaps you might share yours in the comments below.
Normally I am on the road working disaster response and recovery at the location of the event, but not this time. Last Wednesday I was informed that I would be separated from the Hurricane Maria and Earthquake disasters I was working in Puerto Rico (and where I was supposed to be returning to this past Monday) and would instead be virtually deployed to the COVID-19 disaster declaration that was granted to New Jersey. I began working remotely from home on Thursday. We are currently working 10 hours a day 7 days a week. I am pretty much glued to my work laptop and work phone.
Currently, I am sequestered in the front family room with all my equipment set up. Amber, who is also required to work from home, is set up in her bedroom. Abby, who is required to do virtual schooling, is set up either in her bedroom or sometimes the living room.
Cindy is the one working the hardest of all of us. She does the shopping, runs the errands, prepares the meals (Amber and I have lunch at different times, so she even makes us separate lunches), oversees Abby’s schooling, still creates products for her business and delivers them to nearby customers and, when she has a few minutes to catch her breath, sits quietly in the family room where I am to read or take care of online contacts, just so we can see a little bit of each other throughout the day.
We try to have dinner together once I get off work, around 6pm, and watch a movie (last night it was the first Avengers movie, so that was fun) or if they want to watch one of their chick flicks (I AM outnumbered here) then I leave them to the living room and go read or write like I’m doing now in the family room or our bedroom. Sunday I was exhausted and didn’t even eat dinner; I just shut down my work laptop and went to bed. I needed the rest.
For me, this is VERY different. After 13 years, I’ve grown used to working alone in a hotel room when it was needed, doing what I want after work and enjoying the quiet. Social distancing was pretty normal for my everyday life. But I’ve had to make adjustments to being in a houseful of other folks, even ones I love.
How is it for you while being quarantined at home? Are you making adjustments to this new normal? Or has your day to day living situation not really changed that much?
Jeff we got hit with a double whammy. We traveled to Pennsylvania so Judy could get 6 weeks of treatments, All was fine for one week. Then hotel abruptly stopped the morning buffet breakfast and the Mon-Tue-Wed social hours. Then they closed the spa and gym. We’re at a one bedroom Staybridge Suites with a full kitchen so it could be worse. We are managing with the only trips out for pharmacy or food. I do that since Judy is compromised. Her Doc decided that he could no longer continue the treatments, which is understandable so now we head home next week after one more treatment. It’s been a struggle. Thankfully we have strong WIFI for our tablets and laptop. We don’t watch TV except for one hour in the evenings to catch the virus update. Cooking on two burners with limited cookware is a real juggle of pans and such. I had lots of practice with two burners and a small galley when I lived on my boat. I’m glad to be going home early although Florida may not let us back in because our rental van has New York Plates. 🙂
If I ever had thoughts of moving back North these cold, dreary days killed those thoughts forever.
Stay well and do your usual great job for FEMA.
Gene, you did indeed get the double whammy sir. Wishing the best for you and Judy and safe travels back to The Sunshine State.
Not much has really changed here for us. Heather is still virtual schooling. Mikey has started distance learning in the mornings and works on packets in the evening. He’s got some added duties at home to fulfill the ‘work’ requirement, but overall he’s happy with it. I am still at my ‘essential’ job thankfully, as many people I am helping are trying to fax or scan documents for unemployment or state assistance. It’s going to be a lonely Easter though!!