End of May?

Where did April go? Where did May go? We’re in one of those weird time-space loop thingies, I just know it. You know, the ones where a day lasts a month and a week lasts a minute and a month lasts a day? Yeah. I swear it was the beginning of May yesterday. End of May. Huh. Go figure.

Looking back at some of my 2020 blog posts I found one from the beginning of March, back with this whole pandemic thing was getting off the ground. 3-4 weeks. That’s what they were saying back then. Stay home for 3-4 weeks.

We thought we’d be getting a 3 week spring break and that the kids might have to stay a week late in July, or that they’d cancel a few inservice days. Nope.

3 weeks quickly became 6 and now we’re at 10+ and counting. Here, schools are shut to regular classes for the school year (opening only for summer day programs like camps and community programs). We’re only just opening “non-essential” services now. Our social bubbles can now include 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors – just no hugs or handshakes or sharing water bottles.

But everyone knows all that. It’s all the news talks about these days.

I’m on week 9, give or take a half week. My kids are mostly into a routine of school work, online classes, screen time, and outdoor time. Chores are mostly getting done. Renovations are slow but steady. I’m managing a few hours of creative time each week.

Tensions are high and tempers are thin. It’s getting harder to deal with the other adults I’m quarantined with. We’re all looking for freedom and space and normalcy, but for us, that won’t be coming any time soon. Living with extended family means all sorts of compromise and this living arrangement could stick around until December. Hopefully the house we’re moving out of is sold by then.

We’ve all got our stories, our troubles, our stresses right now. Stupid people at the stores. Tech issues. Children underfoot. Annoying work habits our spouses display.

This too shall pass.

Maybe.

Eventually.

Sigh.