Today

It’s almost 4 pm, and I just finished reading the morning paper. Started the day with a “town hall” meeting led by the President of Coldwell Banker Gundaker. That led to starting to check my emails; which led to watching several webnars on new tools for working virtually that we were referred to during the morning meeting. Then it was answering the phone call from the Doctor’s office, asking if I wanted next Monday’s appt rescheduled, moved to telehealth or to a phone call. Then I had to set up an account with the mail order pharmacy in case we can’t get to Scott AFB’s pharmacy with the normal hassles involved in starting up a new account and not being able to find the “right” ID number they wanted. Then back to the Doctor’s office to tell them where to send the prescription they are re-writing.  In between, being inundated with emails on both the work account and on the home account. Most I’ve reached the point of just deleting, not bothering with anything but who is sending it and the subject line. Really, how many CEO’s need to tell me what “their company” is doing about COVID 19? Or what their “new hours are”, or wouldn’t I like to buy a gift card and hope they are still in business when this is over to use it.

Getting overwhelmed with the news “updates” about COVID19 where the only thing that really changes is the numbers and the names of the latest person they assume I have heard of who has it. Trying desperately to find the work related emails that I need to deal with. Finding that the COVID19 related emails are obviously pregnant bunnies who multiply before I even get through them all, causing my inbox to fill faster than I can empty it. 

In between all the emails, dealing with calls and texts from clients who need information about how their closings will be handled or on how I’m going to market their homes and help them find a new home in the middle of all this. In addition, I’m trying to spend a bit of time each day going through the contacts list on my cell phone – editing and removing people who are deceased and military and business contacts where I know they moved on to different bases and jobs long ago, sending notes to friends and clients asking how they are doing if I haven’t heard from them in awhile (or ones where I know they have medical or other issues going on and need someone checking in on them).

Somewhere in that, I washed the dishes (since my dishwasher decided to start leaking all over my hardwood floors a few days ago and while the repairman came out, he had to order parts) and read a few pages of the paper and ??  what was it that I did??  Oh yes, I checked the mail and started and switched the laundry and sorted more things to get rid of. wooooooooooo.  Finally took a “break” and finished the paper. At least its leftovers tonight, so I don’t have to worry about figuring out dinner, though I did inform my husband last night that the Berry –Rhubarb Chocolate Crumble I had made was a fruit side dish not a dessert, so even if he has given up desserts for Lent, he would eat my creation.

Is it any wonder that we’re all overwhelmed?  And I don’t have children at home to be home schooling and taking care of through all this! I admire the people who always work from home and have figured out how to balance their time doing it, obviously, it’s NOT me.

As I sit at the kitchen table trying to deal with everything going on around me, I keep an eye out for my neighbor to appear on her driveway, then I bound to the door, to talk between my deck and her driveway, the yard between us over a 6 ft distance.  A REAL LIVE PERSON!!!  Where I’m on a REAL LIVE CONVERSATION WITH HER!! Not on a virtual platform or over a telephone line or via a text!

The news is joking that in 9 months there will be corona babies, other reports say that statistics show that the babies show up 9 months AFTER things end (or 9 months after stress levels are finally lowered), others point out that in China the divorce lines are extremely long at the moment. I can understand as my husband is has been grating on my nerves recently.  Last night, he asked me if I know how a dog must feel when the front door is opened and the dog escapes from the house. When I didn’t get it, he had to point out that being cooped up inside due to the virus is like a dog being cooped up in the house, wanting any chance to escape and say HI to others or explore the wonderful scents outside.

The scents and colors and sounds outside – I know I need to work, but they are so tempting. The yellow daffodils and yellow and purple crocus are about gone, now I have white and yellow narcissus and wild purple violets and the first of the dark purple iris have buds on them. The Forsythia is still blooming with its long waving yellow arms, while my neighbors white and pink tulip magnolias are starting to lose their petals in the wind and come drifting over to my yard. The redbuds are out in all their glory, while the dogwoods have gone from the creamy yellow unopened buds to white flowers and my lilac bush is filled with bright green leaves waiting for the light purple buds to form and open. Mike is already pointing out that he’s going to have to mow the yard soon and the neighbor behind us has already been out on his riding mower.  Meanwhile the birds congregate on my deck, delighting in the seed I put out for them and scolding me when the feeders are empty. Already checking out the bird houses, as potential new homes for their coming families.  My senses love the Spring weather we’ve been having, all but the senses affected by my allergies that hate the spring pollens and the mold spores that all the rains are bringing to life, but the first outweighs the second and I rejoice in the Spring beauty around me. I am so grateful to be able to enjoy it.

I keep telling myself, later I will go for a walk outside and occasionally I make it, but most days, by the time I get done with work related things, and then whatever personal project I am trying to accomplish that day (generally cleaning out areas of the house and piling up things to donate away)–Mike has already called to say he’s on the way home.  For while I toil at home each day, he heads to the family farm in Jefferson County, where he’s isolated from the rest of humanity and spends his days putting in new fence posts and taking care of needed projects there that have been ignored far too long. As I’ve sat here writing this (and sending out docusign docs to get them signed on one contract and scheduling a closing and getting another cup of tea and answering back a few necessary emails), the time has slipped away and now at 6:30, Mike has called to say he’s on the way home, so I have 45 minutes to clear my work stuff off the kitchen table, set it for dinner and figure out what I need to fix to go with the leftover roast Mike fixed a couple days ago.

Chuck it, I’m going to end this and go sit on the deck for a bit in the sun and warmth before it starts getting cooler.  Tomorrow will be another day and I will once more put on my “big girl panties” and get through it and maybe, just maybe, I’ll get a bit more done tomorrow then I got done today. But in any case, we’ll be one day closer to this being over and one day closer to figuring out what the next new normal will be.  Till Tomorrow, Be Safe, Keep Washing Your Hands (sing Happy Birthday to yourself 2 times as you wash), and practicing safe distancing!