Is This Thing On?
So, hey, it's me. I'm still here. A quick scan shows it's been exactly 9.5 years since I've written here. Wow. Do people still blog? I don't know. I'm sure there's some other, more hip platform all the kids are using these days, but I'm woefully un-hip.
Well, Mel, then why are you here? Funny you ask. I jokingly said last night that I felt like I should be keeping a diary for my grandchildren as we face the uncharted waters of COVID-19. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it might be a good idea. I read somewhere that most of the "what life was really like" history came from women's journals and letters. I'd love to write this by hand, but that's probably less likely to actually happen, so instead of just writing in a document that may or may not ever see the light of day, I thought I'd dust off this blog.
I'm a little bummed that I haven't kept up with this site, as writing has always been a great way to process what it is going on in my life. So, let me give you the super high level summary of what changes the last 9+ years have brought.
- I changed jobs. Then I got a different job, and now I do something else.
- I had a kid! All by myself. (With some help from science ;) )
- Momming. It's the best, hardest thing I've ever done. This kid is pretty awesome. She'll be known here as the Monkey. Or Monk. (she started climbing things before she could walk, and hasn't stopped since) She just turned 4.
- Moved house. Once the Monk learned how to walk, we needed some space. We found the perfect, open house with a yard for Josie dog. And we're just down the street from my sister! I'm super thankful for all that space now that we're going to be spending sooo much time in it.
- Celebrated lucky 13 years cancer free. It's hard to believe it's been that long, and I am grateful every day that I wake up and get to live this crazy, imperfect life.
Now that the viewers at home are up to speed, why am I writing again? I keep a One-Line-a-Day journal for the Monkey, but that's just not enough to capture the current state of our world.
- One week ago (March 11, 2020) the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic.
- The first case was diagnosed in the United States in Washington state on January 21, 2020. Yesterday, the CDC reports 3,487 cases and 68 deaths.
- Virginia (our home state) diagnosed its first case on March 7. Yesterday, we had 51 cases in Virginia.
- There is not nearly enough testing being done across the country, so numbers are likely to increase as testing finally becomes available.
- Countries around the globe are dealing with this new virus, and health care systems are becoming overwhelmed as the disease spreads so quickly. Italy has essentially closed off the entire country, and doctors there are having to make unfathomable choices.
- Effective last week, our public schools and colleges have closed, gone to online learning, and are uncertain when they may reopen.
- Our preschool is closed for at least the next two weeks, but I suspect it will end up being longer than that.
- I've gone to full time telework. With a four year-old as my trusty assistant.
- People are panic buying groceries and toilet paper.
We're committed to staying home and enforcing as much social distance as possible the next few weeks to help flatten the curve. I'm going to try to stay away from any political commentary here and just focus on the chaos that is the life of a single mother by choice, working full time, while trapped at home with a four year-old. Because it's a hoot in the best of times; God only knows what is in store for us over the next few weeks and months.
I've got a couple of other things I want to write to catch everyone up, like what exactly it means to be a single mom by choice, or solo parent, but I'll save that for some more free time.
A couple of links, for posterity:
And it looks like I have some cleanup to do around the blog, so hang tight. Technology has changed a little bit in the 9 years since I first put this up!
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