Author: thoughtsfromareillygirl

I am digging dip here for motivation and inspiration to get this blog written tonight.  The pandemic is causing statistics like we’ve never seen before, yet we are continuously being reassured by both the Governor’s of New York and New Jersey that we are fighting the fight.  At this afternoon’s press conference, Governor Cuomo spoke to an audience primarily made up of of The National Guard.  He spoke of getting a plan in place for the military medical ship that is arriving into New York harbor on Monday.  When I saw all these brave individuals sitting 6 feet apart in their camouflage uniforms, I was filled with pride.  This is not the fight they imagined they would be fighting when they joined the National Guard, yet here they were and they are going to fight like we are at war.  It really does seem like a war against this virus.  I could almost hear my Pop’s voice, a USMC Korean war veteran who was a MARINE until his last breath – “send in my Marine’s” they will fix this.   How I wish that were true right now.

All of our family seems to be handling the isolation differently.  We have figured out that getting outside as much as possible is the key to making it through these long days.   Fortunately most days have cooperated and we have had decent weather – had this pandemic arrived in the cold dark days of winter we’d be in trouble.   Or maybe it would help if its was freezing cold, as it seems SO many people in our community are breaking the rules and going out in large groups,  letting their kids gather in clusters and socialize,  and there are even people having company over to their homes.  The total disregard of the town/county/state guidelines are  forcing the MOST public of places to close completely.    We cannot enjoy the parks, the reserves or the nature centers, and our limitations are increasing due to the ignorance and selfishness of these residents.  STAY HOME – it’s what we have been instructed to do.  It is infuriating to see the complete and total disrespect for our community.   We need to flatten the curve.

On a lighter note, Day 5 of virtual yoga had a special guest today.  Kooper decided to observe, and then he decided to participate.  It’s fun trying to share your yoga mat with 85-lbs of German Shepherd.  Love his face in the pics – confusion and wondering where those voices were coming from? He misses our ‘people’ too.

FaceTime is still the most powerful tool to this isolation – catching up with family and friends ‘in person’ is incredibly helpful to the loneliness.  I am counting the minutes until I can be with my family again.  A few packages arrived from some late night online shopping, and even though no one will see my new kicks or fun jogger sweatpants, it served as a mood lifter nonetheless.

Since the beginning of the year, Brian and I have been making plans for May.   We have known for some time that May of 2020 was going to be a busy and important one for our family.  Within a 3 week period we would have a Sweet 16, a 21st birthday, our son’s college graduation, and it would cap off with my 50th. He would joke how he was dreading the month of celebrations and parties, as everyone wanted their own shindig (ME included!).   Those conversations seem like they happened months and months ago – so much has changed.  We can’t make any plans, and the ones we did make have had to be canceled.   I am incredibly hopeful we will be on the road to normal by then – our family will be grateful to just get together and BE, that is all the celebration necessary.  It is what it is…

As we keep all the healthcare professionals, essential hospital employees, EMS, NYPD and NYFD in your prayers, can you say a special prayer tonight for Danny Ribaudo – a special relative/friend of ours.  As Director of emergency services at New York Presbyterian/Cornell Weill Medical Center in NYC – he is in the midst of the hot zone on the frontlines, yet largely behind the scenes like so many heroes in this fight.

Stay safe,

XO, KB

To be honest, I just couldn’t bring myself to write anything last night.  I was in a terrible mood and my mind just wasn’t able to focus.  I didn’t think it was a big deal to skip, it is a hobby, I am not a professional or skilled writer, it is purely working as therapy for me during this time of quarantine.  Yet I woke up to texts and direct messages on facebook asking me if I was okay? Someone said she looks forward to reading it every night, and was worried I had gotten ill.   Well let me tell you, my heart just about exploded.   The best part, my mom (who will be 84 in April), calls it my “column”….  God I love her.   So thank you for all of that – I am fine, just wasn’t feeling it.

Today, my two fellow Yogi’s (we had a new addition after day 1) did our fourth virtual yoga class while on FaceTime – Yoga by Adrienne’s 30 day program has been such a great find!  Not only are we trying out Yoga, it puts something on the schedule, and we catch up during and after our class.  Seeing my friends in “person” is so awesome.  It’s really a win win.  Looking forward to seeing how “bendy” we all are by day 30.

Despite the vast amount of food I have in the house, and how much I have been cooking and baking, we are continuing our efforts to support local businesses.  Today we decided to call in our lunch order to the Wyckoff Deli.  When I went to pick it up, they have a table outside where someone is waiting to take orders or to hand over phone orders.  There is virtually NO contact, and all the people who were waiting like me, all kept a good 6-8 feet away from one another.  It was crazy busy at the deli, and I was thrilled to see them hustling around filling orders, working non-stop.   When I got to talking to the other customers who were waiting, all strangers, I started to realize how much I miss the face to face communication that we experience on a normal day!  Talking to these people whom I had never met before, waiting 6-8 feet apart in the parking lot of our favorite deli, and just comparing stories?  It was fabulous – way nicer than you’d think.  One man actually said when it came time to pick up he and his wife’s lunch order they both raced to grab their keys, fighting over who got to leave and get the break from the kids.   I think everyone in the community is feeling a little caged in – but it’s what we need to do to flatten this curve…

At one point today, I remarked to Brian that I was just feeling bored.  That the thought of another day doing the same thing was weighing heavy on my mind.  He quickly said to me, “You need to manufacture your motivation Kel.”  (Hmmmm…. that could be the Brian quote of our isolation period!).  But after a minute or two, I realized he was right.  Plan the day, get outside, do something different and fun, and keep news watching to a minimum.  My internal gloom didn’t last very long –  I had to quickly remind myself how lucky we are.  We are home, in a safe place filled with things to do, and most of all, we are all healthy.  We are not going to work in a hospital, we are not on the frontlines fighting this pandemic like so many of our friends and relatives.  I pray all the time for all the medical professionals that have given endlessly to this fight.  It is an inconvenience, and a challenging time for our country – but we will make it through.   I am already planning my day tomorrow – manufacturing my motivation.

Having the kids home has brought back all sorts of bad habits I thought the kids had outgrown.  Tomorrow, we are having a refresher course – on the agenda?  1) Why and How to use a CHIP CLIP to close a bag of chips/cookies/crackers,  2) How to put opened blocks of cheese away in a ziplock bag and 3) How to bring dishes that aren’t supposed to be in your bedroom downstairs to the sink/dishwasher.   We will see how they do, I am expecting great things from my cherubs.

I am hoping we have a beautiful day tomorrow, as I am so engrossed in a new non-fiction book that I would love to read on the deck.  Written by a neurosurgeon, he shares how he combines his faith with his medical skills. So far, I can’t put it down.  I am sure there are thousands of nurses, doctors, and other necessary medical personal that are doing the same during this frightening time.  If you are looking for a great fiction read,  I finished ‘The Neighborhood’ and was shocked at the ending – it was SO good I had to re-read the last chapter to make sure I understood the conclusion properly.  It was that enjoyable.

Let’s hope we wake up to sunny skies, and good attitudes, and frankly a miracle.  It is what it is.

xo KB

Day 11…yikes.

When I woke up this morning, without even looking at the weather, I knew it was going to be a beautiful day.  Two years ago today, the Reilly girls lost our beautiful friend, Peggy.   “Peggy Sun”, as she was known,  radiated sunshine.   She would walk into a room and bring a smile to the saddest soul and she brought laughter and happiness to anyone lucky enough to know her.  It is difficult to put into words how much I loved her, how we all loved her, and how incredibly blessed we felt to be in her world.   I know she is near, and I can hear her laughter as I get into all sorts of predicaments.   Most of all, I know she is with my Pop, which is the greatest blessing of all.  Her love and friendship was a treasure.

We needed the weather to cooperate today for more than one reason.  During this time of quarantine and emergency lockdown, we had a plumber in a HAZMAT SUIT & MASK arrive at our home at 8:30am this morning.   The plumbing situation that occurred in my master bathroom two days ago, required emergency service.   So on top of our social isolation conundrum, my family room ceiling had to be cut open to replace a pipe.  Fortunately we were all able to disperse, get outside with our books and coffee, walk the dogs, and leave plenty of room for Julio to work and get the job done, in ‘isolation’… Needless to say, it will be the last time I try and fix a drain myself.

Brian and I were in the car before (when did simple rides in the car become an excursion?!), on our way to pick up takeout for dinner, when he got all serious and I knew a question was about to be asked.  (He had be remarkably calm earlier when I paid the plumber, so I was hoping we had moved past that!). His ‘serious’ question?  “Kel, do you know what I think we should do?   I think we should decide at night who gets up with the dogs in the morning, that way one us can sleep in.”   This was the big topic to discuss – my how our days have changed since we have been home.

Now that family dinners have become a daily habit again, so has the request for dessert.  My usually non-sweet eater asked me last night if I would make banana bread today, so I grabbed a favorite recipe and got that in the oven about 1/2 hour ago.   The recipe comes from one of those school fundraiser cookbooks from years ago.   I find the best recipes come from friends and family who have contributed to these books.  This one in particular warms my heart, as it is from our dear friends The Landel Family & and their late son Ben. It was no coincidence that I picked his recipe from that book today.

So as my family gathers for game night on day 11, I am so blessed.  I am grateful  for the warm aromas of Ben’s banana bread wafting through my home, the sunshine of a beautiful day, a newly replaced pipe & patched ceiling, and the distant sound of Peggy’s laughter in my mind.

Stay safe and let’s hope for some good news in the morning.  It is what it is.

xo KB

Goat Yoga

Goat Yoga

Goat Yoga

Covid 19 Yoga

Covid 19 Yoga

Waking up to snow this morning, and a houseful of kids + a husband, reminded me of snow days in years past.  Everyone got to sleep in, stay in pajamas, snow “snack” all day, and we would always bake something yummy.   Brian would ALWAYS take them sleigh riding, no matter how cold it was outside.  Today’s snow turned to a little hail, and then quickly to heavy rain.  It’s a wet cold miserable March day and even though I did bake peanut butter brownies,  it’s no snow day, it’s just day 10 of our COVID 19 quarantine.

Brian and I have remarked many times during this strange period of time, that we are so lucky that our children are the ages they are.   I am watching on social media all our friends with “littles” who now require hands on parenting & homeschooling all day long. My friends, I am exhausted for you!  I know this is taxing on your physical and mental health, and I truly wish there was a way I could help.  (Take the kids for a day, hand over a college kid, give you a break, anything).   Your creativity and imagination is astounding, and I commend you all for doing such a damn good job.  (Luke, Jack, Summer and Maggie – Aunt Kelli misses you so much!!!)

Today’s ‘get moving’ exercise was a new one, with our social restrictions.  A few weeks ago my friend and I signed up for a “Goat Yoga” class that was being offered as a fundraiser.  We are not “yogis” but we are definitely fans of goats!!!!   It couldn’t have been more fun-  the goats were interactive, entertaining, and we actually enjoyed the yoga.   We signed up right away for a yoga class, but due to the quarantine, we are unable to start our class.   This morning we did the next best thing – we signed up for a 30 day online yoga class, and had each other on FaceTime during the 30 minute workout.   I CANNOT tell you how much fun it was – between the dogs climbing on us and getting in the way, to our laughter, to the various family members walking in and just shaking their heads, and the fact that Kim has now created a new word, BENDY.   I am in such a good place from this 45-minutes together “virtually”- this will truly be a game changer over the next weeks at home!

With the 3 of our kids home now 24/7, there is usually someone looking blankly into the refrigerator/freezer all day long.   I’ll look up, and one of them will be staring in, and I know any minute THE question and THE statement will be coming.. “Mom, what’s for lunch?” and “Mom, there is NOTHING to eat”.  So now, after breakfast, I do a quick inventory and I post a list on the door of the fridge –  Lunch options for the day!   I may be adding a new one too, that will list every single snack we have in the house – as that is also becoming an issue.  Clears up all the confusion and no one starves.

I am grateful for the Wyckoff Mom’s Facebook group for the daily support and information during this time – we are literally all in the same boat, and I for one would not have gotten through Hurricane Sandy or this pandemic without them.  It’s a safe place for us to vent, share, seek information, and support one another in our community.   Ladies, I will host the party when this is all over and we can go out again – we most certainly will deserve it!

Let’s hope Tuesday brings the arrival of much needed medical supplies, military support, back up staff for the healthcare workers, and people coming to their senses to STAY HOME.   Social distance/isolation/self quarantine, taking precautionary safety measures, and following the guidelines given to us by the government will flatten the curve.  This is all temporary if we abide by the rules, and not make up our own….

It is what it is,

xo KB

Well, here we are, on Sunday night, our 9th day of social isolation… I have to say, the days have been so busy that the time is moving by fairly quickly.  There are endless amounts of projects to tackle, minor plumbing issues to attend too (I broke our shower in the master bath…it’s just a mess), laundry, and meal planning, etc.   It is still strange to NOT set an alarm for the morning,  and not have anything on the schedule, with the exception of walking the dogs.  I wish I could say I aim catching up on my sleep, but it’s been the opposite.  My insomnia has returned, laden with a level of anxiety that just lingers all the time.  I miss my weekly acupuncture that helps tremendously with my sleep issues, and I cannot wait until I can return to my sessions with Dr. Kim….

Brian and I have a few hours in the morning to have our coffee and breakfast together before the kids get up for the day.  It is astounding how much they can sleep – and NOTHING wakes them up, nothing.  It is a good time for us to wrap our heads around the situation that is continuously unfolding with the pandemic.   I need to greet them with a clear head, and a positive attitude – I don’t want them to have any extra worry over what is going on.  Years from now I want them to say, ‘Wow, my mom and dad were great during that time, they kept us safe and calm, and we got through it as a family unit’.  I have to remind myself of this 10x a day, and sometimes if I have to escape to my room for a few minutes to get myself together, than so be it.  They are my top priority, and if they don’t understand all the restrictions we have put on them now, maybe they will someday in the future.  It’s a scary world right now for all of us…

Today’s music discovery was a great rendition of a very special song in our family.  Neil Diamond changed a few of the lyrics to “Sweet Caroline” and it is SO GREAT.  Give it a listen and I am sure you will smile as much as I did. https://twitter.com/NeilDiamond/status/1241584423927074818?s=20

The very BEST part of my day, just a few minutes ago, was the first Reilly Girl FaceTime.  The five of us and my mom,  with a few guest appearances of nieces and nephews, pets, and brother in laws, and it even included a squawking parrot in the backround.   It was so good to see everyones faces and catch up on all that is going on.  Just like every other crisis, we will get through this together, as my pop always taught us to do.

I hope tomorrow brings us some positive news,  people following the restrictions and guidelines that have been put in place, manufacturers cranking out all the necessary medical supplies, and God’s grace on all our healthcare workers.   This is the time to support and love one another, and remember as awful as this is, it is all temporary – we will persevere and we will win.  It is what it is.

Be safe,

xo KB

I didn’t sleep well last night, and had to have a mid-morning nap with Kooper to get myself moving.  So many emotions swirling in my head kept me up late last night thinking.  Having never been in a situation such as this, the unknown and ‘what if’s’ have really done a number on my anxiety level.   Brian is my voice of reason, the level headed thinker in our marriage, he is the one who makes things calm, yet realistic.  This morning he said to me, that about two times a day he pauses, and asks himself “is this real?  is this really happening to us?”  I couldn’t have been more taken aback.  Oh no, Brian, don’t you fall victim to the panic of the media and our community of toilet paper hoarders, not you, no way!!!   I need him to stay the calm, cool, and collected guy that he has always been.  If not, well, I might fall apart.

We all had individual tasks to keep us occupied throughout the day, and I decided to take one last run to Shoprite in a neighboring town, and Michael’s Arts and Crafts.   I had my wipes, my surgical gloves on, and just my credit card in my pocket, as I raced through Michaels grabbing art projects and crafts for me and the girls.  Just things to pass the time and keep us busy, as we head deeper into the lockdown stage of COVID 19 isolation.   Shoprite was an entirely different ballgame – it was PACKED and no one (the shoppers) seemed to have any social awareness of what was going on.   I even noticed some Shoprite employees in little “huddles” discussing protocol.  I really wanted to scream at them “SOCIAL DISTANCE PEOPLE” as the #1 protocol, but I was in too much of a rush to even address it.   As I did at Michael’s, I raced through grabbing things we might need if the world shuts down, and raced out as fast as I could.  It was the first time I felt a sense of urgency and panic in our community.     Once I returned home, I decided that was it – I am home now 24/7 unless it is a dire emergency.

We had decided earlier in the day that we would be ordering in from our friends Mexican restaurant in town, and the biggest perk of the day?  A quart of Margarita’s on the rocks TO GO….  Let me tell you, it hit the spot – especially after dinner as I polished off the last of it by the fire pit with Brian and the kids.  This is a very unsettling time – there is so much worry, so much heartache and concern for our community, that these simple moments sitting around the fire as a family reignite hope.

Each day brings new statistics and updates that are getting worse by the minute, the news and social media is overwhelming, yet we are glued to it.  I can only pray that we figure this out, meet the supply & demand of the hospitals & medical professionals, and as a country climb back to the top.  I came across the following on another blog this morning, its a tiny bit of positivity that has come to the countries that are recovering from this… I hope we are saying the same about the United States sooner than later.

Since the lockdown: Venice’s canals have become crystal clear. Italy’s coasts have dolphins coming nearer and nearer. Japan now has deer roaming free in the streets, and Thailand the same with monkeys. China has record-breaking pollution cuts. The Earth has already begun showing signs of amazing things that are happening from the absence of human pollution. What if – and hear me out – what if the entire human population used this as an opportunity to restart society on a greener, more environmentally conscious foot. What we’re seeing in the span of a couple of days is amazing. A pipe dream.
Gina Mayer

Stay safe, just BE, and remember my dad’s words, It is what it is….

xo KB

Day 7 – hard to believe we have been in our home together, all five of us, for SEVEN days already.   It seems like we have a good number of days ahead of us, with our limitations increasing by the hour, and I am hopeful we can all keep our wits about us as the days go by.  The statistics are frightening, and very close to home.

While having my first cup of coffee this morning and checking all my social media pages, I came across a video on Twitter that brought an instant smile (& also a tear!) to my face.  Andrew Lloyd Weber playing “All I Ask of You” on his piano in his apartment during self isolation.  It was so beautiful, and he even apologized for not being able to play it in a certain key due to his arthritis in his hands, yet you would never know.  It was just so special.  There are many musicians sharing on social media, and it is definitely worth taking time to listen.   A welcome change from the news. https://twitter.com/OfficialALW/status/1240670207930249216?s=20

Last night our family had a successful game night – we played “Smart Ass” twice, and we laughed and had genuine fun.  There was no fighting, and no one cried – which I thought was a home run.   To support a local business in town, Tons of Toys, I sent the owner an email this morning to see if they could deliver some new board games to our home.   Within a few hours, our requested games arrived – I paid over the phone, and they dropped the bag off.  No human to human contact, and we have a nice pile to choose from for tonight & moving forward.   Thank you Ken, for offering this service to our community!  I can imagine the stress the local businesses are feeling as they are being forced to close to the public during this pandemic.

Another small business that was forced to close, and who is just KILLING IT with support and options, is our gym, JNA Fitness.  They are offering virtual workouts, online workouts, workout regimens being sent via text/facetime/facebook, cooking demonstrations, games & challenges, and tonight there was a happy hour for members using ZOOM.  I can’t tell you the amount of time Joe, Alina, Tara, Kristen & Alex are putting into this.  They are going above and beyond, and still holding their members accountable during this time.  Joe asked me what equipment I had at home, I sent him a list, and I got a workout customized to me and Brian.  Although, when it came time to exercise, Brian was asleep (see picture #2 above!), so I went at it alone on the deck.  It was a beautiful day, and despite my internal conflict of not WANTING to work out, I did, and it felt great.  Our gym community really relies on one another for daily support and encouragement, and we are all good friends.  It was nice to see everyones face tonight on the virtual happy hour – and my ice cold Stella tasted so good.   So thank you to our team at JNA…  If you are looking for a unique gym, give them a try – http://www.jnafitness.com.

My kitchen project for the day was baking bread from scratch – it took about five hours with time allotted for rising, but it was SO worth it.  The house smelled like a bakery, and I have two loafs of fresh bread just waiting to be consumed.   It’s actually quite simple, and I will defiantly explore this avenue of baking some more. (My sister Heidi and I grew up watching ‘Little House on the Prairie’, and I swear all I remember Mrs. Ingalls kneading bread!!!)   I have NO idea what I will make tomorrow, but it is a huge stress reliever for me to be in the kitchen.   With everyone home, there are plenty of willing taste testers, and there hasn’t been a leftover since Tyler arrived home from Fordham.   It really is a joy to have them all home, just not under these circumstances.

To cap off day 7, our Kody turned 5 – our beautiful girl celebrated her fifth birthday with a deli turkey cake & a number ‘5’ candle.   We love her to pieces….

Stay safe, and lets see what tomorrow brings…It is what it is…

xo KB

So here we are on day 6, and The Benedik’s are muddling through.  Woke up this morning to news that was still unsettling, and the reports from family in the medical field on the ‘front lines’ was disturbing to say the least.   The unknown and confusion that this pandemic is causing seems to be the core of everyone’s concern.  It is really tough not knowing the how/what/when of something.  It is also extremely frustrating witnessing people in the community who are blatantly ignoring the guidelines.

I also woke up to that damn chocolate cake I baked yesterday, knowing that it was going to haunt me all day, I decided to share.  I sliced it up, plated it on paper plates w/plastic forks, and waited for our garbage collectors to come.   We had so much trash with all our clean outs, the pile was a little embarrassing to say the least.  They arrived in two trucks, and boy were they happy!!!!  They smiled and thanked me over and over, and it gave me such a good feeling.   It lasted (the good feeling) most of the day, until the bickering began again.   I am going to try and do a random act of kindness daily, as best as I can within our home.

The girls kept busy most of the day with online classes and assignments, and at one point the ENTIRE household was napping.  It is certainly a strange time to be a family in the midst of a pandemic.  It will get more intense as the days go by, so I hope we figure out the emotional and physical tools we need to handle things with ease.   It is what it is…

xo KB

Well, it’s about 8:00pm on day 5 of the COVID 19 ‘situation’ (?) and the Benedik family has dispersed to separate locations within our home.   Brian and I are doing our best to keep morale high, and moods in a good place, but it seems like we are failing.  Our college kids are especially unhappy being displaced.  Tyler’s senior year of college came to a screeching halt with a lot of unknowns,  online classes until the end of the semester, and senior week and commencement ceremonies remain in question.  He is our first to graduate college, and it hurts to think that he might not walk in cap and gown to receive his diploma.   Caroline is in the same boat with online classes, suspended sorority roles & functions, and she is really missing her social life.  Neither one of them were ever good at sitting still, since nursery school they have had to keep moving at all times.  Nothing has changed… except now we have them isolated at home, and their freedom is challenged to say the least.

We did not tackle a family project today, it seemed everyone had enough to keep them busy with school work, and Netflix, and chores.  We came together at meals, some as a group, some individually and I cleaned the kitchen at least 10x.   Does anyone know what the dishwasher is for????  In my mind, it’s really not bad – we have everything we need, we are in our beautiful home, and we have been gifted time.  I baked a chocolate cake from scratch, but we have been eating so much no one has any room for dessert, and the cake sits alone on the kitchen table just waiting.  There seems to be a lot of waiting, just wondering what comes next in this time of uncertainty.

We had family happy hour on the deck tonight, and Caroline made a kick ass cheese & meat board.  We are so lucky that we are having decent weather so we can enjoy the fresh air while we pass the time.  It was too early in the day for Brian to have his dancing shoes on, so maybe we’ll get him to do an encore video tomorrow.  Unfortunately we did not do ANY exercise at all today.  Not a good habit to get into – but we will make a much better effort to get moving daily  – we have plenty of time to do so, that’s a given.

It seems there are a lot of families like ours getting used to this, we are sharing tales on social media, texts, and face-time, and trying to keep it together.   Some are frantic with worry, some are calm and patient, some are following the CDC & government guidelines as closely as possible.  I am not sure what category we fall into, but keeping our family safe and healthy is our main concern.  I am grateful for the Reilly girls group chat, and the ongoing humor between my mom and my sisters.  We are incredibly blessed that my Mom is being taken care of 24/7 and kept safe and healthy at my sister Donna’s…but how much fun it would be if we were all there!

I am hopeful we have more information and direction from the authorities when we wake up in the morning, and more people continue to “hunker down” like we are to avoid the spread of the virus.  Let’s continue to just BE.  It is what it is…

xo KB

So, it’s just about dinner time at the Benedik household, and everyone is speaking.  I am taking that as a good sign for day 4!  We are “lucky” enough to still be able to run out to get groceries if needed (we don’t), go to the drive-through line at Chick-fil-A (the kid’s did), and make a quick trip to Barnes & Nobles to stock up for the next few weeks (me…sometimes I just want actual books instead of my kindle, it was a deserted ghost town of a store, and actually felt creepy).  Using lots of hand sanitizer, wearing surgical gloves in public, not touching anything with bare hands, staying 4-6 feet from anyone in public, and washing hands like crazy is our new normal.   As more and more stores and public attractions close, I sense the day is coming when we are required to quarantine 100%, with the exception of our homes & property.   It is what it is.

While the 5 of us are home, Brian has mandated a rule that 90 minutes a day will be “family project time”.   Anyone who knows Brian shouldn’t be surprised at this.  He gets his cheery, smirky face on and makes his big proclamation of what today’s project will be.   I have to admit, amongst the grumbling and moaning from the kids, I was doing the same.  I just didn’t feel like doing anymore chores or housework, I wanted to be “snow storm lazy” and just be a couch potato with my new books.  I had to quickly remind myself to be a good example and jump into the task.  As you can see from the pictures above, we worked in the attic today.  Not a fun place to hang out in and dig through.   The attic is dark and dusty and Brian kept smacking his head on the rafters.  (I swear I was not laughing!) Our chain gang made countless trips to the garage with a crazy amount of stuff to donate and throw away.  I must admit it was a good feeling, but when I would  peek into the bins of baby clothes and memorabilia from the kids, I could have sat for hours and looked at every single thing I have saved.  Not with my peppy spouse leading the pack though – work work work, there is no time for memory lane when Brian is project director.

Our kids still think we are the ONLY family hunkering down and following the guidelines  being given to us by the CDC, government agencies, and local media.  They are convinced we are over-reacting, and not being realistic.  I am hoping that they come to the realization (SOON) that we are doing what we can to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy.   It’s really just beginning… we need to just BE.

Stay safe, listen to the authorities, and social distance. It’s all temporary, and we are not the ones in charge.  Praying for our community, our medical professionals, and our government agencies…  xo KB