Up to March 25, 2020

This should have started sooner; however, it has just taken time to get into a rhythm of grasping that each day is just another in the progression of an unseen menace. It is time to put down some thoughts so that future self can look back on the times and find out what it was like during the winter and spring of 2020. Three months ago we were celebrating Christmas on a sunny cold day. Today is also sunny and it is equally as quiet. On December 25, I htink we heard more airline traffic than we do today. Ghost flights are still running but clearly less than two weeks ago. Two weeks ago children were about to have two days off for Parent Teacher Conferences. Ours was on Wednesday, March 11. Elsa was lookng forward to a few days off as was I. Little did we know the next day, the governor of New Mexico would announce that all NM schools were clossng the following Monday until April 6. Just like that, things changed. That Thursday I took Mady and Elsa to Starbucks for their off school treat. That would the last time for a long time we would do thnigs normally. That Thursday I started to have the strong feeling that it was time to think about the items we need most. Since Elsa driinks more milk than theh average person, I knew I needed to get the "right" kind. I left the girls at home playing their games and focused on getting the Trader Joes items that we use all the time, but also realizied the frozen aiisle wouldd be a good idea as well. Little did I know others were also feeliign that ominous feeling. The store was packed: I got the last frozen organic broccoli, my important half and half, a few wine bottles, chocolate caramels, milk, and arugula. That seemed to satisfy me and gave control. Meanwhile we were in the midddle of purchasing a home. We were about to close on March 17 but the radon report came back very high - over twice the allowed EPA limit. Given that the order to social distance had been given, this was also a blow since we were hoping to move into larger living quarters. A radon mitigation system had to be installed and still we wait hoping for these numbers to go down. At this point Pat was stiil going to the office at Sandia. Most were making plans to work from home the 11 or 12th of March. He had just started so there was more involved in getting the allowance for telework. That would come by Wendesday 3/18 thankfully. The first weekend we did what we normally do except I decided to do extra shopping so there would not be the daly or bidaily trip to the store. i knew wee would want some nice meats and headed to Keller's. When Ii got there they were on number 52. I had 86. I did not want to hoard or seem too overzealous, but the longer I waited, the more i thoought I needed to get more than usual. When the man walked through the store with one of those scary looking ventilator masks, I thought time to get more supplies. Happy to ssay we had a fabulous steak dinner that nigth wiith my mom and da bottle of the fancy wine I usually hold out having for a special occasoin. Riddeau Sieempre. On Sunday we all woke up thinking donuts from Rebel. But then the feelign passed. Two ddays later they closed for the dduratiion. I wish I had had a triple chocolate that day. Moving along, the work/school week March 16-March 20 whiich included the firrst day of sprnig. i set up a scheudle with Elsa's iinput and dwe did pretty well since she has so many resources from her GT teacher, Mrs. Warrier. At that point standardized testing was still on, soo we diid a science practiice test and some math. There was also a lot of online chat, Roblox and assorted other thnigs wiith Mady and Amelia. The second weekend things seemed more stressful. II had not lef tthe house siince the previious Saturday (3/14). We were getting a it low on things so I decided to do a grocery run at Smiiths. I took two santizing wipes (I'm sorry), and used them to pick up the fruits and vegetables we needed. After they got too used, II took the produce bags and usedd as gloves. It took forever to get everything siince I usually shop at Sprouts. In any case, i made it home. I washed every iitem that I could and washed my hands, cleaned the car and doors. Lockdown again. By Monday, TJs announced a senior hour. The numer of cases was rising quickly on Sunday and the announcement that TJs was going to have thiis one hour 9-10 to allow older people to shop in a safeer environment was welcome. While i did not sue the senior line, I got there right when they opened too ensure I got the items I really did want, need. They let in 50 people at once with a cart ssantizer giving the carts to the seniors. When one person came out, they let another in. They let in 3 seniors to one non senior. as a result it took 30 minutes to get insiide. When inside it was pleasant with not many people in one place. They even had toiilet paper but only one per person. I used a glove to help protect myself there too even though everyone was wearing gloves and the stores was very sanitized. After that i decided Kellers needed some more buisiness and I would need more chicken as it was becomiing clear that more would be done to shut things down. Later that afternoon the governor ordered all non-essential businesses wuld close by 8:00 Tuesday, March 24. I knew I made the right call but everytime I go out I wonder if I brought it back. In the meanwhile we were taking our temperaturres 2X a day even though many people do not even show signs of a fever who ohave COVID-19. Also, I developedd a low grade toothache that I suspected was due to sinuses; howeverm in these uncertain times, I thought if I did not find a dentist to check, I could be in for a big problem. Luckily Dr. Ross' office had an opening for emergencies only *(this was not an emergency) for Tuesday at 9:30 3/24. i went, had x-rays and luckily it was iiindeed my sinuses. I left thankful and noticed no one in the office I can in contact with except for the dr. That brings me to a few select observations. -- Gen Zoom - Elsa rehearsed for her play Robin Hood with New Mexico Young Actors using Zoom; Mrs. Warrier tried it and making it regular M/W/F thing as well as Mrs. Brunton -- You can sit outside with people at least six feet apart -- Cooking is becoming a good pasttime and you find yourself using even old lettuce -- UALR retrenchment stinks -- packing is not that fun -- frozen baklava was a really good idea when purchased in November --