I had planned to check in last weekend but everything is topsy-turvy right now and I am just reaching a place where I can catch my breath for a second. Everyone at my house so far is healthy.
The mall where James works closed Thursday and since he can’t do eye exams and fit people for glasses from home, he is at loose ends. As a result he has lots of time to cook! For dinner we’ve had golden coconut lentil soup and a made from scratch pizza (including the sauce). So very delicious. He made cinnamon rolls too for a special treat for breakfast.
All the classes at the university where I work have been moved online through the end of the semester. Campus, however, is not closed. The law library is open and we have turned a number of our student study rooms into “zoom rooms” for faculty to use. That way they are in a central location so if they need help they are easily got to. Students have been using the other study rooms, mostly alone, to attend their classes. It’s nice that we can be open for students who might not have wifi at home or have kids at home and need someplace quiet to be for awhile.
No one is checking out books right now, though they can. I have gotten emails from faculty and a few students asking for PDFs of chapters from books that are assigned reading. Part of my job has also become walking around the library with a cart every few hours and cleaning tables and door handles and light switches. The best parts of my day lately have been that moment I have just scrubbed my hands and I don’t have to worry about touching my face. I can rub my allergy eyes, adjust my glasses, scratch my chin! For a few glorious minutes I get a break from being so vigilant about everything. Three weeks ago I would never have dreamed that this would mean so much.
Of course my work situation will likely change soon. The governor will probably be issuing a shelter at home order in the coming week, which means I will work from home. Electronic lending only. I’ve been hoarding projects I can do from home that will get me through, I hope, a month if need be.
In the midst of all of this Dickens, who had been feeling unwell for a couple of days, suddenly starting acting strange. He would wander around in circles, only right turning circles, and if his circle bumped him into a wall or furniture, he would stand there, confused. This is the cat who has figured out how to open all the doors and drawers and locked storage bins in the house, so something was very wrong. We feared he had had a stroke. The vet did tests and it turns out he is diabetic. He is already eating high protein food, so now we have to give him insulin injections twice a day. It was a bit of a challenge finding the right insulin since everyone is stocking up on their medications right now.
The good news is, that after a week, Dickens is doing much better and almost back to his old self. He sees the vet again next week to check his blood sugar levels and determine if we need to make any dosage adjustments.
The public libraries here are all closed. I have a few books I had borrowed just before the doors closed so I am good for a couple weeks. Then, if the situation has not yet changed, I will have to start dipping into all of the unread books I actually own. My retirement account! I can still borrow audiobooks and e-books but everyone else is borrowing, or trying to borrow, those and the waitlists are long. While others are hoarding toilet paper, I have been hoarding books. I should be ok.
Spring officially arrived with the equinox this week, and the weather in Minneapolis is almost about three weeks ahead of normal. This means my maple tree is starting to bloom, my apple trees all have swelling buds, and my rhubarb is poking up from the ground. Too early! Too early! I tell them. But they won’t listen. I hope we have no “normal” cold snaps or my eager growers might get hurt.
With the uncertainty of the pandemic, the Friends School has cancelled its annual plant sale. This is the one James and I have been attending every year for the past 20 years on Mother’s Day weekend. They are trying to figure out if they can hold a greatly reduced sale, since it is a fundraiser for the school, in which we can order plants online and then pick them up. We are hoping they do, both for the school’s sake and the growers they purchase all their plants from. If the sale doesn’t happen, I am fine for plants for the garden. I just won’t get any herbs, annuals, or any new or different “let’s see if we can grow” plants this year.
It is too early to plant outdoors yet, but since James is home with me on weekends now, and the weather Sunday is supposed to be nice, we will be out in the garden doing some tree and shrub pruning. The Dashwoods also have the run of the garden at the moment. They are completely oblivious to the dire news reports and any changes of routine. They sail around the garden, fat and happy, scratching for seeds and bugs without a care in the world. Something I really envy right now.
Be well and stay safe everyone!
The mall where James works closed Thursday and since he can’t do eye exams and fit people for glasses from home, he is at loose ends. As a result he has lots of time to cook! For dinner we’ve had golden coconut lentil soup and a made from scratch pizza (including the sauce). So very delicious. He made cinnamon rolls too for a special treat for breakfast.
All the classes at the university where I work have been moved online through the end of the semester. Campus, however, is not closed. The law library is open and we have turned a number of our student study rooms into “zoom rooms” for faculty to use. That way they are in a central location so if they need help they are easily got to. Students have been using the other study rooms, mostly alone, to attend their classes. It’s nice that we can be open for students who might not have wifi at home or have kids at home and need someplace quiet to be for awhile.
No one is checking out books right now, though they can. I have gotten emails from faculty and a few students asking for PDFs of chapters from books that are assigned reading. Part of my job has also become walking around the library with a cart every few hours and cleaning tables and door handles and light switches. The best parts of my day lately have been that moment I have just scrubbed my hands and I don’t have to worry about touching my face. I can rub my allergy eyes, adjust my glasses, scratch my chin! For a few glorious minutes I get a break from being so vigilant about everything. Three weeks ago I would never have dreamed that this would mean so much.
Of course my work situation will likely change soon. The governor will probably be issuing a shelter at home order in the coming week, which means I will work from home. Electronic lending only. I’ve been hoarding projects I can do from home that will get me through, I hope, a month if need be.
In the midst of all of this Dickens, who had been feeling unwell for a couple of days, suddenly starting acting strange. He would wander around in circles, only right turning circles, and if his circle bumped him into a wall or furniture, he would stand there, confused. This is the cat who has figured out how to open all the doors and drawers and locked storage bins in the house, so something was very wrong. We feared he had had a stroke. The vet did tests and it turns out he is diabetic. He is already eating high protein food, so now we have to give him insulin injections twice a day. It was a bit of a challenge finding the right insulin since everyone is stocking up on their medications right now.
The good news is, that after a week, Dickens is doing much better and almost back to his old self. He sees the vet again next week to check his blood sugar levels and determine if we need to make any dosage adjustments.
The public libraries here are all closed. I have a few books I had borrowed just before the doors closed so I am good for a couple weeks. Then, if the situation has not yet changed, I will have to start dipping into all of the unread books I actually own. My retirement account! I can still borrow audiobooks and e-books but everyone else is borrowing, or trying to borrow, those and the waitlists are long. While others are hoarding toilet paper, I have been hoarding books. I should be ok.
Spring officially arrived with the equinox this week, and the weather in Minneapolis is almost about three weeks ahead of normal. This means my maple tree is starting to bloom, my apple trees all have swelling buds, and my rhubarb is poking up from the ground. Too early! Too early! I tell them. But they won’t listen. I hope we have no “normal” cold snaps or my eager growers might get hurt.
With the uncertainty of the pandemic, the Friends School has cancelled its annual plant sale. This is the one James and I have been attending every year for the past 20 years on Mother’s Day weekend. They are trying to figure out if they can hold a greatly reduced sale, since it is a fundraiser for the school, in which we can order plants online and then pick them up. We are hoping they do, both for the school’s sake and the growers they purchase all their plants from. If the sale doesn’t happen, I am fine for plants for the garden. I just won’t get any herbs, annuals, or any new or different “let’s see if we can grow” plants this year.
It is too early to plant outdoors yet, but since James is home with me on weekends now, and the weather Sunday is supposed to be nice, we will be out in the garden doing some tree and shrub pruning. The Dashwoods also have the run of the garden at the moment. They are completely oblivious to the dire news reports and any changes of routine. They sail around the garden, fat and happy, scratching for seeds and bugs without a care in the world. Something I really envy right now.
Be well and stay safe everyone!
Everything has been closed and cancelled here, optimistic people think it’ll be like this until June, others say September and some say it’ll be a whole year! But some people just aren’t taking it seriously and are behaving like this is holiday time, the coastal resorts are apparently full of people. A lot of people have taken their campervans up to the Scottish Highlands thinking they will be safer in a remote area. I bet they’ve taken the virus with them and the hospital up there will be overwhelmed. I hope you both keep well. I worked out I have about five years worth of books to read at home so I’m okay!
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Stefanie, Very happy to read that you and your hubby are doing well. Glad to hear about your kitty, too. I live outside St Louis, and so far MO has fewer cases than our eastern neighbor, IL state. However as tests increase, the numbers are going up.. I retired Sept 2018 and am a year into my retirement reading. My hubby is not working, nor eligible for unemployment. We are both on Social Security and Medicare so we will be fine without his income. Life has sure changed this last week. Texting with my kids and grandkids. Baking homemade bread every couple of days. Self isolating and practicing social distancing when we are grocery shopping. And a week’s worth of washing my hands and using hand sanitizer. My paws are dry! I too would prefer being a Dashwood right now! I pray that you and yours and all of your readers continue in good health. Thanks for your positive posts. Remember that we the collective planet earth are all in this together.
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It is good to hear you are doing well. We are ready to hunker down here, too. Our libraries, schools and most of the businesses are closed- I just turned in my last books before the library shut but that’s fine I have so many unread of my own at home. My plants are busting out buds early in the yard, too- the one I’m most afraid to loose if we have a cold snap is the camellia- it’s opening flowers for the first time this spring! I threw some sheets over it last night when temps dipped to just above freezing, just in case. I’ve planted out collard greens, some asian greens and kale, will set out my lettuces and leaf beet chard next week, and have lots more plants growing up indoors, with forays out to the greenhouse or coldframe during the day. Am more anxious than usual to expand the garden and grow practical things this year. If things get bad and we really are shut in for a long time, at least my garden will supplement our diet with a bit of fresh produce.
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Everyone here in Ohio is working from home, even (finally) my husband as of Friday. I was so anxious about my daughter in NC I drove out to see how she is and if she wanted to come back with me. She’s okay and has not wanted to come back, although as someone said above, we don’t know how long all this will last, so I brought her some things to make it easier if she has to make the trip. The highways were emptier than I’ve ever seen them. I got back on Saturday, a day before the deadline most colleges have set for picking up students and stuff, so after this I imagine they’ll be even emptier. Everyone practiced good social distance at rest stops, so that was good to see.
The worrying thing I did see is people getting fast food or paying tolls and not wiping or washing their hands after getting change. Money carries germs, people.
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Thanks for the update! Golden coconut lentil soup sounds delicious. What makes it golden? Yellow lentils and turmeric? Spring is very early in my area too. The last time this happened, we had a cold snap, resulting in a spring without magnolias. This year, many of the magnolias have already bloomed, but I’m still worried we’ll get snow before this month ends. The warmer weather has made being at home 24/7 more bearable. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t spend time in the garden.
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thanks for the post! Over here we’re locked down for more than a week, with more restrictions added every few days as some people were not taking it seriously enough. Honestly it could be worse. I don’t have a garden but at least we have a house and both boys have their own rooms so at least we can have some little time alone.
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I’m glad you and your clan are okay. How about those stress-reducing pets?! They always seem to get sick at the worst times, thus reducing your stress! I’m so glad Dickens’ problem is treatable and that he’s doing better.
Stay safe.
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What a great update! The only silver lining in all this for me has been that this week — my first full week under “stay at home” ruling — I’m making a conscious effort to reconnect with the book blogging community after months and years of devoting time to other stuff, mostly time wasters!
I’ve been digging out the cookbooks this month, (with all outside activities canceled, at least we can still cook with what we have on hand!) and just made a Thai fish soup with coconut milk and cilantro. I’m craving coconut, dates, and other tropical flavors!
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>>The best parts of my day lately have been that moment I have just scrubbed my hands and I don’t have to worry about touching my face. I can rub my allergy eyes, adjust my glasses, scratch my chin! For a few glorious minutes I get a break from being so vigilant about everything.
BOY this is a mood.
>>Then, if the situation has not yet changed, I will have to start dipping into all of the unread books I actually own. My retirement account!
THIS TOO. “My retirement account!” made me laugh out loud. I came up with a plan today — I too have some library books still checked out, but not a huge amount — to do like, pretend library trips to my own TBR shelf and pretend that I am checking out some small amount of books from myself that I have to read in the upcoming week. I think it will make it feel fun to read my own books! But we’ll see.
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Glad to hear that you are all OK! We are OK here too, both working from home (which we are both used to, although Keith recently switched back to working at his offce — now he’s back at home!), and Oregon is under ‘stay at home’ restrictions. I sadly did not foresee the library closures but am working my way through the books I do have — thankfully I decided this was The Year Of The Long Book so I have quite a few to tide me over, plus some other fun ones that I’ve been sort of saving for emergencies. I think this counts! I’m hoping that i can get some garden dirt for the two new beds I put up; our garden center is doing call-ahead and car-load services so I’m crossing fingers. Otherwise, eh, it can wait. I’m actually quite busy with work so don’t have all that much extra time — much less than usual, actually, but that might be a good thing. In other delicious home-cooked news, I decided to start up the ol’ sourdough starter again! Looking forward to bread (I do have flour!) and pancakes and such on the weekends. We’ll get through this!
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Take care and stay safe. I’m sure the Dashwoods enjoy more of your presence now. And… happy reading! Time to attack those piles of TBR books collected through the years. 🙂
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I hope you guys are doing well and hope Dickens is definitely much better now. These are such strange times aren’t they? Have you started working from home yet? My husband and I are working from home and I’m so thankful we are both able to. Take care and look forward to hearing of any new recipes you guys might have to share with all the extra cooking you are doing.
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