Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Stockpiling The Love


There are my boys that I hung out with today. They are so easy that it's hardly accurate to call what I do with them baby-sitting. I simply and actually hang out and am there if problems arise or if books need reading or snacks need making or a diaper needs changing. I took a bag of books from here for us to read. Old favorites and a few we've never read before. We probably spent at least two hours or more reading. I love to discuss the pictures with August and Levon, too. They point out to me which of the characters is them, which is me. Which might be Owen or Maggie or Boppy. We study the illustrations closely for further illumination of the stories. We discuss the meanings of words that some of us may not have encountered before. We do in-depth readings of our books. And it is my true joy.

Vergil came up from his lair in the basement where he works to fix his lunch and got Levon down for a nap. I had tried but I don't have the technique. When he woke up, I gave the boys a delicious snack of graham crackers and soy milk. They dip the crackers into the milk and are happy little guys although they both look a bit stunned in these pictures.



Jessie isn't doing work with patients yet, but has been in a classroom. She feels confident that she isn't being exposed to anything. Of course one never knows but if one weighs one's options carefully and pragmatically, a certain amount of confidence can be had. And she washed and changed clothes before she did anything when she got in. 
As we do now. 

It's so funny. On the outside I think I appear to be as calm and rational as anyone could be. I listened to some of today's update from the Not Great Pretender and his panel of experts and I have to say that for having lost so much time and opportunity at the beginning of this whole thing, they seem to be trying to catch up now. It will never be what it could have been if Trump hadn't gotten rid of the pandemic team, had been able to let that team go to work on this issue back in January (or before) and also accepted tests and supplies from other sources outside the US. There is no doubt about any of that. But I swear to you- I think they're playing catch-up as fast as they can and it all seems a bit more in place than it was a week ago. 
So yes, I am trying to contain anxiety, to remember that the worldwide death rate is not hugely alarming at this point, to be calm and accepting and sensible. 
On the other hand, I am constantly scratching at some damn hivey place on my body. It's intense and impossible not to give in to at least some scratching. I'm using Benadryl cream on the areas affected and that does help but it doesn't magically make it all go away and my body is so clever that it changes the itchy, red, swollen places day-by-day, even hour-by-hour. 
La-di-dah. 

And on we go in this different reality. I am constantly being thankful that we do have our services, the electricity, the water. There is gas to buy and food, too, although I hear that people are starting to stockpile that more seriously. I am more grateful than ever for the life I have here with my husband, my chickens, my garden, my flowering trees and bushes, the sweet smell of the tea olive, the song of the birds, the view I have of trees and sky, the graceful walls and sturdy floors of this old house which has seen so much and sheltered so many through more changes than I can imagine. 
I'm trying not to worry. 

Time for me to go make up a loaf of Irish soda bread for our supper and put the cabbage and carrots and potatoes in with the corned beef. I'm pretty excited about that. 
As always, in normal days and in strange days, in normal ways and in unusual ways, it is the little things. 
And little people we love who distract us from checking the news every five minutes. 
It is what it is. We change and we adapt or we risk so very much. 

All things must pass. All things must pass away. 

Love...Ms. Moon


16 comments:

  1. Well, I hope neither you nor I pass away soon and not from this. I'm going to ask if my stores deliver and do that for the duration. I went out to day and was so anxious that I could hardly stand it. Those boys of yours are adorable.

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    1. I think that's a great idea. Get deliveries!

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  2. I went to the store today for paper towels. I wound up with those, a badly needed bundt pan and a quart of milk for cornbread. No buttermilk, so I got milk and added vinegar. I still remember how to make damn good cornbread. They had paper towels, but no toilet paper or kleenex. Or napkins. It's so quiet here, I may stand on my porch and holler.

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    1. People sure are worried about wiping their butts, aren't they? Funny how as a nation we've fixated on that.
      I love that you badly needed a bundt pan.

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  3. No toilet paper here either, but I do have hives. Flaming red and itchy as hell. I wish I could slip into a self-induced coma and wake up when it's all over.

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    1. Me too. And just think- we would need neither food nor toilet paper.

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  4. I just love hearing about your sweet grands. I wish I had a little one to read to. I still love children's books.

    I thought I was dealing with all this until today when it caught up with me. I had just mixed up some cornbread batter and was about to pour it in the pan when I dropped the glass bowl and suddenly had batter and glass shards all over the kitchen. That did it. I just started crying over everything. Plus, I had really wanted cornbread tonight and that was the last of the cornmeal. You know some of us can deal with a national disaster but break a bowl of batter and lose it all.

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    1. That is exactly how it happens sometimes. We hold it together until something happens and we fall apart. That last little straw.

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  5. Yesterday I went to the grocers for a few things and this morning to the chemist and to buy bread and milk.I have just received a dressing down from my daughter for going out. Now I feel guilty and upset. I have cleared it with my boss that I don't have to go to work- what's another few months on a temporary job that's taken 4 years! Only more guilt on my part.And my husband has chosen now to get a cold and a cough.The book club ladies still want to have a book club meeting and guess who has to make the call?I guess it will have to be no after my lecture today! South Africa now has (officially)85 cases and growing rapidly,but they are only testing people coming from overseas. Schools closed today and many businesses are allowing their staff to work from home-I don't know how the poor people are going to cope with this.

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    1. I would say no to the book club. Not a true necessity.
      Until all of us start doing more testing we're not really going to know what's going on and that's just a fact.
      I hope your husband is okay. I'm sure he is.
      Keep us updated on how things are going in South Africa.

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  6. All this news! Morning till night. Every waking hour. It could drive us mad. I am going to try very consciously to reduce my news consumption even though I am quite addicted. It must be nice to reside in Levon or August's head - rather oblivious to this pandemic nightmare.

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    1. As my husband would no doubt say about something driving me mad- "Very short drive."
      He's right. I do believe I'm there.
      I think that even little kids know that there's something going on. Why does Mer have to wash her hands before she touches them?

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  7. Love in the time of Corona. Moon version. Hugs.

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  8. Elastic stretchy boys!! Getting so tall!

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  9. Stockpiling Love is indeed the very best way to go about things now. I do think even the Children notice the changes and wonder, I am glad that the Grandchild we're raising is old enough to fully understand though since she is Medically fragile so I want her to remain vigilant and safe. May we all remain vigilant and safe.

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  10. It will probably take a couple of months. China reported a day with no new cases. two weeks of no new cases and they can announce it's over.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.