Life With CoVid-19 Take - 2

So, end of November 2019 it seems, a new unidentifiable flu strain comes out of the province of Wuhan, China. It very rapidly spreads and China, as near as any one can tell (it is China after all, how forthcoming are they really?) shuts down all travel into and out of Wuhan. Soon thereafter many other provinces in China are forced to follow suit. Many nations around the world begin a shut-down of all air travel from China. By January South Korea and Iran are hard hit with what is now identified as Corona Virus 2019. South Korea and Iran quickly follow a lockdown/quarantine procedure. There are many, many more in China who acquire the virus and deaths are becoming extremely numerous.

End of January, early February, Italy becomes the epicenter for the virus in Europe and the dead are so many that burials are banned. All residents must stay indoors. As of mid-April, Italy has 51 medical doctors dead. An aged population, lack of physicians, ventilators, and hospital beds are all too common in many countries as the virus is declared a global pandemic.

Here in Germany all non-essential businesses, schools, universities, and worship are closed (essential being gas stations, grocery, apothecary, and home repair like Toom). Restaurants may only offer delivery or pick up, until 1800 hrs. Emily, a HS senior at the DoDEA school Ramstein, has just found out all her choral concerts and drama productions have been cancelled, as have all sporting events.

March 12, 5 of us depart Luxembourg to Scotland. Thank goodness we flew from Lux because Great Britain has banned all flights from Germany. We hear, 2 hours into our journey, that DoD is restricting all travel from Germany for all DoD, active duty, civilian, and dependents. We stay in Scotland for our mad cap adventures, meeting 7 others flying in from all over the US.

We are all a bit anxious as we keep up with reports of continued deteriorating travel. By March 16, as we are flying back to Lux, we know that the German border is closed to all but citizens, those with worker visas, and DoD with SOFA stamps. We are paused at the border but continue home. We all “self-quarantine” for the recommended 14 day period. All 12 of us arrive safely back to our places of residence. After our quarantine period we are all 12 of us healthy.

Meanwhile, DoD schools are closed beginning that Monday, March 16 through the end of the school year. Thursday the parents become teachers as on-line distance learning is the “new normal”. Parents are highly frustrated, teachers are ill-equipped to “teach” via internet, zoom, or google classroom. All are struggling as teachers miss their students, kids miss their teachers and peers, and parents try to navigate fifth grade math. 10 days later I hear Virginia has followed suit as school moves to online learning. myRiley Roo is heart crushed. Her senior prom was to be that Friday. Her choir, drama, even walking for a graduation ceremony are all finished. 

CoVid-19 (officially now called SARS 2 Corona Virus-2019) has forced the entire world into a “new normal”. Terms like Social Distancing, Covidiots, Quarantine, and Self-Isolate are common language use now. The DoD has mandated that all persons entering the base must wear masks, not for our protection but for community protection, in case we are infected and don’t know we are. We cannot meet in groups of more than 2 and we must maintain 6 ft. separation. If that is unavoidable then we must wear a mask. Tedley works as a team of two, even days (the silver team) that they alternate on so no more than one is in the office on any given day. He teleworks the other days. We zoom our bible study on Tuesday mornings and livestream church. I haven’t been on base except for one time since returning from Scotland. I am not enjoying the “new normal”.

 

I am keeping busy with the Bible study, bible journaling the Lenten Scripture passages, a 25 Daily Drawing Challenge, and #DrawWithRob. I play XBox, and games on my phone. I am very bored. We did FaceTime the kids and play Clue on Saturday evening (afternoon).

 

There is some good from this. Pollution is way down in the countries where smog was the highest. The hole in the ozone is gradually getting smaller. Climates seem to be readjusting to prior green house effect years. People are cooking at home more, coming up with creative activities to do with their children, eating at the dinner table. Small gifts are being left at door stoops. In Italy, folks are singing together from their balconies. 

There is some bad as well. Hoarding of cleansers and disinfectant materials as well as toilet paper (of all things). Crime is rising as police departments are hit with the virus and deaths from the virus. Medical professionals are exhausted and stretched way too thin. Economies world wide are impacted as many have to draw unemployment. And cases continue to spread, deaths continue to increase, and there seems to be end in sight.

 

 

 

I am pretty sure the world will never be the same again.

The “new normal” will become the “norm”. 

Life will go on, but in a much different way.

Trish...

...

This may hurt, but know that I speak out of love ❤️  and to cause you to reflect 🧐.
These words come from a place of what I have experienced of you.

Have you ever completed something you began, or told me you began? Aside from OxyPlayers.
1) When I first moved here (to Germany), after Pastor Debbie first took over, she offered distance Bible Study so I could participate. You told me you wanted to participate because you could not attend physically due to work. But you did not complete that. 2) You told me God was calling you to Lay Speaking, or beyond, and yet have you completed any further Lay Speaking courses? 3) You had wanted to be a USDA Volunteer, early on, or even help Jack and George with the Car Care but you were never able to make it, even on Fridays or Saturdays that you were off or when you were unemployed. And now, 4) You seemed upset that I had invited Jack alone to participate in the drawing challenge. Honestly it was because I believed he alone would commit to the challenge. Robin has surprised me. 😲

I honestly did expect you to quit because that has been my experience of you. Say “yes” but not complete. And I know Jack didn’t draw every single day. I know he draws for 4 or 5 days at a time and then uploads them each day. That’s fine. I knew Jack would complete the challenge if he accepted it. And I knew you would not. Jack, unlike me, learns nothing from the act of drawing. Jack just loves the opportunity to draw. He is good and he enjoys it. But at least it causes him pause and reflect, “hm Day 20-Someone I Love ... well that’s easy, the grandkids”. “Day 15-A Silly Monster ... I’m going to draw Big Foot relaxing on a beach in the sun with a foofie umbrella drink”. He may have had no thought beyond that but to me it screamed Jack needs some down time to just relax, maybe down in Florida because he misses it. But you didn’t get that far. You got to Day 9-My Favourite Candy. That is telling as well. Easy to draw because you are busy. Individually wrapped for convenience, because you don’t manage your time well. Dark chocolate with a burst of mint that lingers in your mouth long after. After tastes are always interesting experiences. It is the after taste of you not getting beyond day 9 that has led me to write this very long, verbose ponderism.

And I know you never want to hear the words unreliable because you believe yourself to be totally dependable. “Monica, look at work! I busted my butt there!” “Geesh Monica, what about my commitment to Danny?” “I was there through thick and thin at all the drama rehearsals and performances!” “I alone am still there with and for Suanne.”

Ok, I hear you.

Working 14 hours a day/7 days a week is taxing, draining, plain exhausting. You had no time for anything else at all when you worked O’Reilley’s. Not even for yourself.
And we have discussed that Danny relationship ad nauseum, I won’t go there.
And Suanne? Honestly, you are right, I did quit the “support group mentality”. She seems always to be in a pitiful state, Penny and Michael, her Mom and Grandmother are always getting to her. The girls as well. And she never takes any advice to heart. She does nothing to improve her situation, her emotional state, her mental state. I determined she enjoys the drama and I could not stay in that relationship for my own mental and emotional health. I can set boundaries and draw lines. Good on you to be empathetic enough to sit in the deep pit of wallow with her. I tried but I kept looking up at the blue sky with white puffy clouds that looked like dolphins playing happily in the ocean or pups chasing butterflies. It wasn’t for me. The dark, dank pit of misery and despair may fit Suanne but not me. And that you remain in that pit beside her, well ... that is telling.

If, IF you complete this journal book thing you began, I will take all these words and swallow them. But honestly, I don’t believe I will have to.

Prove me wrong. Or not. Really you have nothing to prove to me, only to yourself and God.

BUT you need to commit to something, Trish. You cannot be grey, you cannot sit on the fence. You can’t be both a sheep 🐑  and a goat 🐐 . You have to develop a passion for something. Heck even Suanne has a passion for something - herself and drama - but you? It was O’Reilley’s I suppose, sad as that is. Regain that passion for God that you once had. Take those Lay Speaking Courses. Earn that License and then get that Certification. You were called, called.by.God! Remember? And when you ignore a God call, well, life gets immeasurably more difficult.

Again, commit to anything, follow through, complete ... something.

Go ahead. Prove me wrong.

You can’t.

Extroverted Introversion

This is the time of the Sars-Corona Virus-2 2019 (CoVid-19). I write this just as a document of what is going on in the world - yes the world. 🌎 You see this is a pandemic, a global pandemic. As of today there are now 208 countries affected by this virus which causes pneumonia that leads to death in those who are aged and immuno-compromised.

The illness began in Wuhan, China (or believed to, how transparent China has really been is yet to be determined) the end of November or beginning of December. It rapidly spread from there though China took almost immediate actions to restrict movement. South Korea and Iran were the next two countries that were hit hard but both had counter measures in place. Poor Italy, with an aged population and little in the way of medical equipment and staffing (or so it seems) has been overwhelmed. They have the most deaths per capita and have lost 51 doctors throughout the months of February and March. Germany has the fewest deaths per capita at this moment with the US just a few numbers above us. The US could have been sitting pretty if the democrats had stopped fighting President Trump every step of the way since early January.

So Germany closed every non-essential business, travel, schools, and events early March. The US has just, this last 14 days, followed suit. Some states have closed borders. New York seems to be the epicentre now though Washington state was in late February. My niece, Riley, has missed out on everything “senior” at HS from prom to her choir and drama, senior trip, spring break in New York, off-broadway at Chrysler Hall. And she won’t get to walk for graduation. It is simply heart crushing.

I am an extrovert. Extrovert forced into the life of an introvert. No church. No Bible Study (we get to zoom which is absolutely terrific!), RE (we got to hold a zoom class for the first time Palm Sunday), no ROSC activities, no Bazaar meetings, Tres Dias met via zoom as well (thank God for the internet). No Bunko, no interactions closer than 6 feet with persons who do not live in my household, it’s hard.

I repeat ...

It’s hard!!!

So, life will continue. We are living a “new norm”, those who aren’t “covidiots” that is.

There are bonuses - the earth is recovering. Greenhouse gases are falling, pollution has reduced dramatically in places where it was the worst, like China. Climate Change has taken a slight reversal and weather patterns are somewhat normalising. People are praying more, they are eating at the table and they are cooking as a family. Parents are spending time with children, forced to since all schools are closed. There is creativity abounding as parents come up with new and inventive ways to entertain and educate.

How long this will last is anybody’s guess. Chancellor Merkel has suggested the end of April but the Passion Play has been postponed til 2022! The Olympics, which were supposed to be in Japan in July, are postponed until 2021.

I do believe God’s hand is at work, taking what has been meant for harm and using it for good.

I am drawing every day, and bible journaling. I have joined an online paint party that meets twice a week. We played Clue via FaceTime with the kids. Life is slower. It’s good. I will get by.

I will survive.

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No Stranger

I heard the ancient voice say, you are no stranger to me, for I knew you when you took your first breath. I knew you as a child, when you wobble walked across the floor, and finally ran for the sheer joy of knowing how to run. I saw you through your early fears and kept you close in your sorrows. I grew with you, from year to year, by your side in triumph and loss, learning what you learned, loving as you loved. You are no stranger and never shall be, until we draw the stars to sleep, and rest together in the eternal rest of knowing.

Image above (and on front-page mastheads): Red Earth by Sarah Rehfeldt.

Words above by Steven Charleston.

Wicked

                                                  Wicked!

DrawSomething 2 word that I got when I was to draw for Pat. I love Wicked so of course the musical,is the very first thing I thought of to draw. I bought a t-shirt the last showing of the musical that I saw so I used it as my reference. I used the spray can for the black, white and Glenda's flesh tone, a crayon for Elphaba's face tone, and the pen for the detail work on the faces and hand. And of course the blinged out finishing touches were done with the glitter pen.

You in me as I in you

Untitled

iHeart It.

God by and other name ...

... is still God.

too adorable

Washington D.C.

Washington D.C.

Wow, traffic was wonderful getting to D.C. THAT is amazing in itself. BB, the navigation on the car, missed the correct exit to get to the hotel and ended up taking us through Ronald Regan to get back to the Pentagon where the Ritz Carlton is (well a block away actually). But because myTed is so smart we got there with little hassle.

We arrive at the Ritz Carlton where there is valet parking and consierge service. We walk through the door way which is decorated to look like a gingerbread house. Smelled yummy!

We checked in and we were informed that we had been upgraded to a suite and what a suite it was!

After dropping off our luggage we headed out to Union Station. Needed a lesson on Metro usage again (it's been a while since I was in D.C.). There was a totally kewl Christmas Village set up on the second level of the station.

Norwegian Gnomes!  Way  kewl.          

 I love these gnomes. I have a couple that I acquired at Disney World from Norway at Epcot Center. Musicians, of course.

Tuesday was spent on the Washington Mall. I spent almost the entire day at the National Museum of the American Indian which features peoples from North America, Central America and South America. But I did also go into the Castle and wander through the sculpture garden. We didn't leave there until dusk so I snapped some shots of the Capitol and the Monument.

 yes Crystal, THIS is artwork!

 it was incredibly cold! 

We hung out at the Crystal City Mall until about 8:00ish and then hit the road (we avoided traffic that way). The drive home was easy peasie and we arrived home about 10:30. 

It was a great weekend, albeit way WAY too short. I could have stayed there another three days, at least!