I wake up everyday, like any other day, at the same time. At 5:30 a.m., I am wide awake and ready to get out of the bed. I get up, fix my pre-work out energy drink and wait for it to kick in. This part of my schedule is like the movie “Groundhog Day”. It seldom changes. Regardless of the day of the week, time of the month or season of the year. The movie for me ends there. At 6:30 a.m., a new reality hits. I open my dining room blinds and the view is the same. The same houses are there, the driveways have the same cars and there are people out walking the neighborhood. Nothing LOOKS different. But by then its time for my 16 year old son to get up and get ready for school. Only there’s no school. At least none we can get in the car and drive to. It has been replaced with a school day at home, fighting to figure out what projects are assigned, what assignments are due and how I can keep my child with ADHD focused and productive. A brand new appreciation for his school teachers emerge and I miss them.
We are lucky. Greg is a network analyst for AT&T and is set up to work from home. No change in his routine or workload. He is needed in his position and at this time there is no worry that his situation will change and no worry that his paychecks will end. I am a residential real estate appraiser and I am still getting orders. The interest rates have dropped and although I haven’t seen any refinances just yet, I am still getting new assignments for purchase appraisals. Right now, Ultimate Appraisal is considered an essential business as appraisals are a cog in the wheel of the finance and banking department. I do not know how long this will last as the “Shelter-in-place” goes on longer and longer. The longer people aren’t able to work, the worse the real estate market will get and if it continues, another real estate collapse is inevitable. But this does not scare me. We’ve been through it before and have come out better than before.
I’m not afraid of getting Covid-19 and I have doubts of ever contracting the virus. If I do, I will survive and if I do and don’t survive, well then it was my time to go. I do fear a loved one getting sick and I am doing my part by washing my hands, wearing a mask when needed and trying to stay six feet apart. The uncertainty of the future and how it will change, is also scary. The things I will miss. The things I already miss. Like Jasmine Rice. And the tanning salon. Big things like planning our next vacation and little things like how to celebrate a holiday without the whole family around. What scares me is the people who are hoarding the toilet paper. Why, why, why toilet paper? It will NOT protect you from the virus. I have had toilet paper on my Alexa shopping list for 22 days and have yet to buy any. Jasmine Rice has also been on my list for 22 days. Will this insanity ever end? Even when the threat of this virus is gone, will we ever truly feel like we can be safe? What will we be doing to take precautions for the next life altering event that we have zero control over?
I do enjoy the extra time at home. Knicknaques Vintage Boutique hasn’t had a store customer in 3 weeks and I don’t see a need to spend the entire weekend at the store. My online sales have been steady, but my bread and butter is the market shows I have been doing 4 times a year. Vintage Market Days in Perry was postponed until August and it’s very possible that the one in June may also be postponed. I am using the time to work on projects that I can sell, once we are all able to get out and enjoy life again. I have been enjoying the fact that I can guiltlessly spend time painting furniture.
I love FaceTiming with my parents in Florida and the increased contact I have with friends from near and far. I try to find the humor in social media and the memes about homeschooling are my favorite. I have seriously considered trying the chloroform experiment with my son and I am totally guilty of drinking during school hours. I try to stay away from watching ANY news. I have peace of mind when I focus on controlling my own life and not worrying about the rest of the world. Saving them starts and ends with me doing my part. Period.
It’s 7:31 a.m., the sun is coming out after a night of thunderstorms and I am going to go for my run. I am thankful for the fact that everyone I know and everyone they know are safe and healthy right now. And toilet paper. I am thankful for toilet paper. I will pray for this nation and the world to get through this. And Jasmine Rice. I will pray for a damn bag of Jasmine Rice.
Stay safe and healthy out there and do your part to keep everyone else safe!
Jayme