Rosie the Riveter

Make no mistake, this outbreak, how we react, how we treat others, how we weather this storm will be a defining moment in our lives. It’s our JFK assassination, 9-11, the 2008 financial collapse, or Pearl Harbour.

What we do matters.

Will we be like our grandparents or great-grandparents who sacrificed in WW2 or the Great Depression?

Will we give into panic or become our better selves?

The book is being written as we speak.

For us, it was another day indoors, though it was wonderful outside and we could have mowed the lawn, dug some holes or weeded some weeds. However, the chief slave-driver wasn’t able to drive the slaves.

Instead, he, that is to say, ME, had to be quarantined within the quarantine.

See, I got sicker. Not in a super bad way, but like I caught a head-cold or something. All sniffles and snot. But it could be something else, and that COULD drive a lot of what we do, now. So I cleaned and sanitized everything I touched in the last days then locked myself in the TV room to binge watch Outlander and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Not a bad gig, really. The-Prettiest-Girl-in-the-World made food for me, brought me water, cut up watermelon chunks for me, and looked after the boys, all while staying at least 10’ from me.

Our dog, Vegas did not like the closing of the borders. Dogs are uber social creatures and she hated that she couldn’t just go from family member to family member and sniff their crotch.

For The-Oldest, too, it was a hard day. Today they canceled school, which means they canceled the grad ceremonies, the Little Mermaid musical he’d worked so hard on, and what was going to be ‘the best year ever.’ I hate that it had to happen, that he has to go through this, but I suspect all parents in all the great world-wide crises hated this to happen.

For The-Youngest, he’s oddly not been in touch with his friends. He’s played a lot of on-line games, but against unknown players, not his friends. With luck, he’ll connect with them tomorrow. However, he wasn’t too upset to hear about the closing of the schools. He might be upset when he learns he still has to learn and I’ll be the one cracking the whip.

Outside of our house, the BC government declared a state of emergency, though to be honest, I’m not sure what that means. Now we panic? Now, they, ah, start to take this seriously?

As well, the province has also launched a dedicated coronavirus information line.

1-888-COVID19.

I haven’t tried it yet, and don’t want to phone up only to ask “Is this thing working?” Certainly, the 811 was a good idea, but when people are unable to reach it, it becomes a little like Heaven – You know you want to get there, but most of us can’t.

Oh, and there’s a new self-assessment tool! https://covid19.thrive.health/  Check it out.

Anyway, as promised, I’m going to look into my crystal ball and make a few predictions, though one I stole from The-Prettiest-Girl-in-the-World. Here are my top 5.

• Men will be a lot more comfortable using hand lotion. It’ll become a thing. Heck, my hands are so raw from washing over and over and over, that they feel like the surface of mars (or at least what I imagine the surface to be since Elon Musk hasn’t let me go to Mars yet.)
• We will all gain a lot of weight and, by ‘we’, I mean me. So much for my new diet, there’s simply too much stress eating (and for some reason, it’s easy to get a bag of chocolates and not so easy to get an order of bananas.)
• We’ll find out what everyone’s hair color is. Mine won’t change, but can this be said of everyone? (Mine went completely grey after The-Youngest’s first game as a goalie.)
• Social distancing will become a forever thing. Like flip flops.
• Forget toilet paper, I’m betting the currency will be feminine hygiene products. I should stock up, but I’m super embarrassed to get a cart full of extraflow, super heavy duty, maxi pads.

Let this be OUR finest hour

And that’s it.

Please, everyone, be safe, send some love to someone by phone or the internet, and remember this may be our finest hour.