Q-Time Update

No, Rosie the Robot did not overthrow our house, in case you're wondering.  I just took some days away from the regular interwebs.

The Stay Home order was due to be lifted next Tuesday but now it's been postponed, most likely until into the month of June.  I waver between I Am Never Leaving The House Again in a sad way and I Am Never Leaving The House Again in a contented sigh way.

I've noticed a pattern of one difficult day every week or so and I have just leaned into it.  I tried the whole keep a schedule, try to work, etc. but nothing was working so I decided to listen to the universe.  Tagging into Swistle's post, I too have had weird dreams and sleep patterns lately. 

On these nothing days - as I have taken to calling them - I take my coffee, my blankie, and Lucy and bunker down on the couch. One of my BFF's has me addicted to watching Home Town on HGTV and I've found that's a nice way to while away time.  I just try not to make it a habit because that would be So Easy for me.

I've seen the Quarantine status update passing through my timeline that says "I'm posing this so I don't forget."  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  I mean, I think it would be upsetting to have something like that pop on your timeline if you end up losing someone. I understand it's meant to remind us once we are out of the End Times but I am unsure if that will be appreciated by our future selves.

Instead, I'll just mark my time and thoughts here. Meanwhile an update on stuff and things:

I have a different mask that I bought from Etsy.  It doesn't bother me as much as the scarf but it is still, of course, not my favorite.  Also, it fogs my glasses so that is neat. I keep looking at cute masks on Etsy but haven't bought one. I have to think that I will only need the one I have. Right? Help a girl out here.

The grocery store that I actually go into had that sticky wax paper/wrap over it's card terminals. It can just  be peeled off after someone uses it.  I thought was kind of ingenious, providing that it works as an actual barrier.  I wondered how we could do that here at home with the parents but I haven't gotten past the wondering part.

The in-laws seem to have relaxed into staying home.  I think part of it was just realizing that the only thing really missing is going to the grocery store.  We don't do family dinners, they didn't go visit friends and family before this. It's not like they had a busy social schedule anymore.  The limiting of not watching news all day has improved their moods as well.

Kevin's work has been busier than he has ever seen it in over twenty years.  Even though construction has been limited, the excavation and compost business is booming.  He attributes it to a lot of home improvement projects and landscaping.  And this is with No Contact limitations in place.  (meaning they have to phone ahead, be buzzed through a gate, etc.)

My work is going fine.  I try to work in the mornings but I've found that working little pockets of time throughout the day seems to work better for me.  I have so far avoided the dreaded zoom meetings, but the clock is ticking on that for sure. I remain ambivalent about working from home versus returning to my office in the Fall.  Some days I think it will be good to go back and other days I think I want to do this forever.

We have all found ways to adapt to this strange new work world.  I've met one coworker in a baseball field parking lot and another coworker at our office. It was nice to just connect for a few minutes in person.  Text replies in memes and gifs are the new love language.

I have found that it helps if I make a to-do list every day.  Instead of getting spun out on Not Wanting to do anything or getting hyperfocused on work etc. I can refer to that list and remind myself that there are, indeed, things to do.  OR the reverse, if I start feeling listless I can look at the list and tell myself "No, look: you did these things today."  Even if it was just "Laundry".

This is where I say Thank You Dear Swistle for the Drops in the Bucket theory.  It has saved me many, many times.

I tackled the garden over the past two weekends.  I miss not going to buy plants and I think I'm going to just set that as a goal for next week. It will be my one thing that I do other than picking up groceries. Also, I removed a viney plant that just never thrived but did grow moss beautifully last weekend.  Now I need to replant something in it's place. 

I am back to considering painting our bedroom again. I was planning on using the mocha color that I is in the laundry nook and one wall in the living room.  I like the color and I have it so that's convenient.  Then Kevin declared that "boring" and me "chicken".  Gah. (He's available for motivational speaking, if you're interested)  So now I'm considering a greige or super super light greenish.  And yes, Kevin's comments automatically mean that he's helping paint.

So...sigh...that is what is happening here in Surely's world.  Probably very similar to everyone's world right now. 

How's your Q-time going?  (I read someone refer to the quarantine as that and it felt more friendly than scary)