Last week, the inevitable happened. The schools shut down, much of my city shut down, and my company issued a work-from-home mandate. I can’t say I was surprised, however I took the news with mixed emotions. Sunday night, as we read email after email about closures, the whole pandemic hit home and live became surreal. But I went to bed that night thinking “It will be kinda nice to work from home.”
Monday came and went. Working from home was, in fact, ‘kinda nice’. I got through a fair amount of what I term “busy work” . . . the little things that need to get done, but other priorities tend to push to back burner.
Tuesday came and went. Not only was our puppers, Mochi, a bit confused as to why all of us were home, The Boo also gave me an odd look every time I went downstairs to make coffee.
Wednesday came . . . and the anxiety hit. The walls were closing in, I couldn’t get comfortable, I couldn’t relax. If I sat here for one more minute, I’d go mad. So instead of Mochi begging me for walkies, I leashed her up and drug her out. She didn’t mind.
Thursday came and went much better. No feelings of impending doom, no walls closing in. Just the stink eye from The Boo. “Why are you here, and why aren’t you giving me snacks?”
Friday. Yay Friday! At least, I think it was Friday. As I logged into work that morning, it occurred to me that every day had felt like a Saturday. Although I set my alarm to wake me at 7AM during the week, the routine wasn’t there. Sure, I fed The Boo (lest she plot my demise later). Sure, I walked The Moche. But other than that, I didn’t leave the house.
I felt like I was reliving Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. The same thing, day in and day out. Although Mr. Nenshi hadn’t ordered the city to stay indoors, it was strongly encouraged. “Treat everyone you meet as if they have COVID-19,” the news tells us. Soon, the walks meant we crossed the street to avoid anyone and everyone.
I felt so isolated. I felt so alone.
I need a hobby.
My go-to has always been nail art. It’s the one thing that got me through my first diagnosis of Panic Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. But, let’s face it, we only have so many fingers and toes. I painted them all.
I still need another hobby.
A bout of spring cleaning not too long ago turned up my old lock box. Inside it, my aged deck of the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg.
I had read tarot over a decade ago and it took a few test spreads for it to start coming back to me. As the days wore on, I kept at my tarot cards until I became comfortable enough to read again.
It used to freak me out when the Death card appeared in my readings, but in general the card means transformation, and a time of change and new beginnings, but usually in an unexpected and shocking way. Yeah, no kidding. Thanks, COVID-19.
So, with Week 1 down and a new hobby under my belt, I look forward to the challenges Week 2 will bring. This week we’ve seen all socially active places shut down, a total stop to international travel, the border between us and our Yankee neighbours to the south closed, and an alarming shortage of toilet paper.
Things were getting sketchy at home in the T.P. department until a hot tip led us to one particular grocery store.
For next week, I’m wondering if the strongly encouraged advice to stay indoors will switch to mandatory isolation. I’m expecting this week to be the bare minimum of isolation time, since the virus takes 14 days to show its ugly face. In all honesty, I’m still expecting at least two more additional weeks of isolation.
The bright spot it that this week we’ve learned the epicentre of the virus, Wuhan, is getting back on its feet and its industry slowly restarting. Makes me hopeful for us over here that June is our target date for surviving this.
Who would have ever thought that a modern day plague could hit?
But hey, they say Shakespeare wrote King Lear while in isolation from the Black Plague. I’m eyeing my fourth book with those very same aspirations.
Until next week!
– Rissa
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