Self-Isolating, Self-or Advised Quarantine: Our New Ways of Living and Coping

Today? I was able to get outside for some sunshine this afternoon ~ after waking up to rain... I cleaned out and reinforced two old bluebird houses and hung a new third one as I have been hearing them sing. I cleaned out the birdfeeders - washed and refilled with seeds and suet. Spring is a hard time for birds because winter stores have been consumed and fresh new supplies are subject to the weather vagaries. Their cheerful songs and squabbles and courtships are fun to watch and take you out of yourself for a bit. I wanted to mow the overgrowth a bit.. but it is all still too wet. Planted another batch of lettuce...I like to sow every two weeks so as to keep a supply going... tomorrow I plant to clear the spot for the tomatoes if the weather permits. I noticed a bumper crop of chickweed and dead nettle and am looking up recipes to utilize the fresh greens as I have not left the house since Saturday when I last worked. These 2 weeks of shelter in place will give me a chance to catch up on household chores , Spring cleaning and some yard work.

I am staying in touch with family and friends through Facebook, text, Facetime.

I haven't had much of an appetite but have been making nourishing soups to eat and taking care of myself and enjoying my critters and home. I have always worked and as a single mom.. downtime was rare and treasured... I still find myself appreciating it.. even as I worry about my son (he had to go get care again this am - hopefully he'll turn the corner soon - this day 4.5 since getting sick) They treated him and sent him home with meds this time...rather than just labs and a shot on premises.

I am thankful for my blessings and praying and meditating for all us facing this challenge over the next few months.

I just heard from my brother who lives in Bolivia...he married a Bolivian woman about 15 years ago and moved there from New York. A world away for an old Southern boy.  They are going on lockdown - everyone to stay in homes completely until the 23rd.. the hospitals are full and they are not admitting how many cases they have he says.Starting tomorrow after 5pm the entire nation of Bolivia will be on lockdown ...and heavily fined it caught out.. only basic necessities will be open and store hours only 6 hours tomorrow to give the people time to get ready with supplies. He says not to worry.. they are well prepared (he and his family)  Covid -19 is changing the face if the world as we know it.

@journeywithme2

We are doing a lot of the same! Loved the catch up news on your son. He's in my thoughts and prayers!

Just found out that a member of my family had someone in a training group pass out. He had a fever so paramedics were called. Paramedics loaded him up in the ambulance and brought him in for testing at that point.

Same family member was insisting they cancel all classes yesterday and was over ruled by superiors. Suspect that  things will change now! Many many people from around the state (now potentially at least) exposed.

Our family is getting potential exposure one by one. He was the only one not exposed by bringing his kids to a school room like the other 7. One more in a work setting.

Birds,  bird houses and feeders here as well.  Vegetable gardening mostly by my husband. I'm bringing out old chairs and tables to the back deck and watching our rooster and newest cat discover that they were standing side by side both watching me.

Then they discovered each other and screeched and shot off like cannon balls out of a cannon in separate directions!I laughed so hard! And had to calm them both down.

We have had chickens for decades and I said that's it. Too much work and expense for feed and not enough eggs! They age out and stop producing and I go on strike if anyone talks about loving chicken--baked, fried, grilled or as chicken nuggets! 

Absolutely not as long as I'm around. I love my chickens! They have names and occasionally sit on my lap or let me carry them around. 

PS my daughter cooks nettles with potatoes and loves making them into allergy tonics or in fresh in salads.

Thanks for joining me in my "Escape Room" ?

My daughter and I went on a walk with our dog.  She voted by dropping off her ballot, not many there and she walked right up to the box.  My husband is still working, that is a fluid situation right now. You don't hear much about other countries anymore .  I am sorry to hear .  YEs this virus is changing the world, and there will be lasting effects

@michele-b

Maybe you can forage some wild greens to supplement your stores and give you some nutritious and tasty greenage!  https://learningherbs.com/remedies-recipes/chickweed-recipes/

https://recipesfromthewild.wordpress.com/chickweed/    chickweed pesto is yummy!

Since Spring is springing around here and fresh greens are hard to find.. I am enjoying the ones in my yard!

My favorite site for wild edibles and their uses : https://www.growforagecookferment.com/chickweed-pesto/

My violets have started blooming.. violet syrup and violet vinegar making tomorrow!

@journeywithme2

Excellent ideas! My oldest daughter is a certified medical herbalist. Took courses for her own betterment and education.

She is that part of me that is like you!  Godwink!

But I love your foraging as well finding and creating and not just trying to buy food!!

Before I proceed, is this the space to vent? I really need to vent. COVID related, but not about actual illness or quarantine...

I will always listen to anyone who needs to vent :)

@laura-f

Vent away! Whether we realize why we need to vent or where it's coming from all of our emotions are related!

A lot of us are feeling like spouting whales over anything or everything!

I got upset that my husband opened a knock at the front door as we are sheltered in and our family knows that!

It was a neighbor wanting to borrow our chain saw. He borrows instead of buys. Haha.

I was fussing like an old wet hen!

OK - two rants for the price of one:

1. NoLa JazzFest - we bought VIP tickets to go this year, and bring our family to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. They took forever to announce postponement despite other fests like Coachella getting in done a couple of weeks ago. They finally announce yesterday BUT no dates for Fall, just a general "we'll do it in the Fall" AND zero mention of refunds. I don't want to go this year at all, and want our money back ($4000), as we're going to need it because the world economy has ground to a halt and my husband (in software sales) will not be getting any commissions this year at all most likely.  The ONE TIME we splurged to treat ourselves!!! AAAGGGHH!

2. Nobody does their g-dam job - I had to hire new landscapers because my old guy got to busy with his real job. It's expensive here, and a 12 month gig. I bid out to a few places, and went with the most reasonable bid. I'm VERY particular - no chemicals, pull weeds by hand or whack, mind the edible wild stuff (nasturtiums, fennel), don't touch my palm trees, don't touch anything in a pot or behind little flower bed barriers. The boss even took pics to show his crew. Crew arrived yesterday, I reiterated everything, pointing stuff out as we went. No language barrier, and the head guy said "Ok, got it, no worries we won't touch ___."  I don't follow people around when they're working on my property, especially not now. When I went out to check the work at the end, holy crap. They touched EVERY SINGLE THING I told them not to. My king palm - not only did they pull off the bottom most fronds, they chopped the remaining fronds in half. So now I have no shade or pretty palms in one corner of my yard. They pulled EVERY nasturtium, my just-returning basil and oregano, my chili peppers. I took pics and sent a polite but stern email to the boss/owner. He said he'd send his guys back, and I just replied to say "For what? They already decimated everything." I'm asking him to bring me new plants of basil and oregano, and some packs of nasturtium seeds, and to leave them on my front stoop. I have my own chili pepper seeds. Even so, especially given the current situation, this makes me so angry I could spit!!! And this keeps happening, no matter who the landscaper is. Every year. Are they all sociopaths???? AAAGGGHHHH!!!

I couldn't even sleep last night thanks to both this things. At 1am I got up and watched some really bad, guilty pleasure, reality TV and I took some cannabis tincture to calm down.  I did get to sleep, and today's another rainy day here in sunny SoCal, so after I do some house cleaning, I can nap...

Thanks for "listening" y'all, much appreciated. I think a mimosa with lunch will be in order...

@laura-f

HA I vented under the Trump unraveling thread today too. Had a T supporting family member rile me up last night, so there's "something in the air" as they say.

I would have been upset too about the landscaper. Once you pull the plants you can't put them back unless they get you ones to replant. We had a similar thing happen with a painter who painted the wrong room! I feel your pain Laura! Wish I could invite you over for a glass of wine and laugh about it all after we rant together. 

Sending some light your way! HUGS!!

@laura-f

ThIs is absolutely incredible but not unexpected.  I'm finding non stop human errors as well as app orders going massively awry!

It's in the air indeed as @lovendures said.

But good grief! I am so truly sorry this all happened. I hope you get everything repaired best they can  and/or a big discount on their bill!

Wow!!

Hey y'all.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep up with posts the last day or so.  I appreciate you all so much.  Today I am vibrating from all the energy in the air, all the energy from the collective.  I'm not upset or anxious, but it's hard to concentrate because I feel it in my body as a physical vibration (it's not caffeine).  I wonder if you are feeling it, too.   

@laura-f

Do not laugh.  I can't find your tincture dosage and don't have your email address, so might you tell me again?

@bluebelle

I am finding myself to have "adult attention deficit disorder" and am finding a morbid fascination with all of the media coverage and infighting. Our local news last night stated that only 200 tests done a day in our state... that the tests are here... and there are staff to do them.. but no payments from insurance or government they are not running them. Atlanta admitted that less than 50,000 tests have been performed the whole way from start to present... that previously CDC was having to run two to 4 tests per patient - they expect the numbers dramatically as more tests will be getting done... My son is a presumptive case...no tests.. they said he has it and quarantined him... so .. many numbers are not being counted.. currently there are 102 cases in the local hospital only 16 are confirmed in my small semi-rural county.... so many? have not even been tested.

Posted by: @bluebelle

@laura-f

Do not laugh.  I can't find your tincture dosage and don't have your email address, so might you tell me again?

 

Too late, I'm already giggling. I have 3 tinctures with CBD:THC ratios as follows:

2:1
4:1
18:1

I don't know what the miligrams per dropper/mL are.

Last night was a 2:1 situation, for physical pain I use 4:1 and for migraines the 18:1. If you need the actual milligrams, let me know and I'll go find my magnifying glass to read the tiny print.

posted by @bluebelle:

I'm not upset or anxious, but it's hard to concentrate because I feel it in my body as a physical vibration (it's not caffeine).  I wonder if you are feeling it, too.   

Oh dear God, yes.  

@laura-f

Thank you! 

@bluebelle

Yes I feel like i drank multiple cups of coffee today and yesterday. But only drank 1/2 cup in the am. It's the vibration of the collective and the fear, nervous energy I think.

I told Laura F that we need a glass of wine together and a rant/chuckle. Wish we could do that with you too! (of course 10 feet away from one another lol) ☕ ? 

@triciact 

When all of this is over, our community may need to have a gathering, in person in regions or online via zoom, complete with wine!