Weird World, Weird Times

I am not normally a fearful person.  Yes, this coronavirus is a scary thing, but I'm relatively healthy and still active.  I (try to) take good care of my self and my health; I slip up when it comes to eating, we could all do better in that area, I'm sure.  So while I'm trying to be smart about keeping a good social distance, washing my hands often, and trying to remember not to touch my face, I realize that there is a risk in doing anything more than sheltering in place. 

Most times, it doesn't bother me.

I do, however, tend to let worries get the best of me when I can't sleep at night.  Take last night, for instance.  I fell asleep and laid on my arm in one position for too long and woke up with it feeling a little achy - probably because I sleep on my side and tend to curl my arms in odd positions.  I also woke up with a dry mouth. 

And then the worries start.  Is it just a dry mouth?  Or wait .... is that also the beginning of a sore throat?  Why does my arm hurt?  Does anything else hurt?   Which makes me chuckle in the light of day ... of course other things hurt!  I'm over 60 and that's just what happens!

So yes, it was difficult to go back to sleep.  I got up, stretched my legs and arms to make sure they're all in working order, grab a fresh bottle of water and drink about half of it and my mouth felt better, and the "sore throat" feeling went away.  Yep.  Just another case of dry mouth.  (Maybe I was snoring with my mouth open...?)  But I still didn't fall right back to sleep until I took my temperature.  Below the normal mark, so *whew* I guess I'm OK and can stop the panic-worry.

This isn't normal behavior for me.  But then again, coronavirus isn't normal, and neither is weird shopping hours at the local stores, schools and parks closed, events cancelled.  The only part I like about all this is the lack of traffic when I drive to work in the morning!

I did head out to the local park that has a trail, but there were SO many people that I didn't stay more than 15 minutes.  No sense in being out among strangers!

Stay calm, be reasonable, use care and caution,
and wash your hands!

Turmoil

The constant turmoil that we're living under is a huge burden for most of us.

I like to joke that my own life hasn't changed much with the self-quarantine orders because as a retail worker, my job is essential.  I go to work each day as normal, and life at home hasn't changed either.  The only thing I avoid is extra shopping on my day off.  Which means that I shop for one thing or another on my way out the door from work, but that's OK.  It works.  For now.

Days off can be long, however.  What to do when there are hours to fill, and no place that we should be going?  I'm itching to get out and take photos, but being 60, I don't need to expose myself unnecessarily, either. 

My thoughts are constantly on a replay loop of whatever news I've gotten recently along with my conversations with my mother about how this is such a crazy mess.  It makes me wonder just how long this is going to last?  California just announced that schools remain closed until May 1. Ouch!

In the past, how many of us wished day in and day out for a few days' rest at home as we dragged our way to our jobs each morning?  Now that we have it, are we going stir crazy?  Or as we used to say, getting cabin fever?   For me, the one thing I decided to do with the enforced time home is roll a few gallons of paint and update my home.  What better way to stay off the couch and make things nice at the same time? 

These are uncertain times, and we all have
uncertain thoughts as we try to get through
each day safe and healthy.

The best thing each of us can do is to stay
at home and avoid contact until more is known.

Be safe out there!