They cancelled all NC public schools yesterday, the governor made a speech announcing it. A's preschool (a private school run from a church) followed suit, cancelling school through March 30. Today when I've driven through the neighborhood the kids are everywhere--playing sports activities and having little adventures outside, jumping off the hills of mulch on the nature trail behind Enka Village.
A couple of weeks ago Max and I were bummed out about not being able to watch a movie on our first date in 3 months. Tonight that seems silly. That was when we felt okay having my mom out to cover us for an evening. Now we hesitate, because of her age, to risk her health. And we are afraid for ourselves, for either of us to get sick.
It was our first day with a quarantine schedule--I stayed home in the morning/early-afternoon to give Max time to catch up on work, tried to work a little myself on my borrowed work computer. Took Atticus to a carwash and let him sit on my lap in the drivers' seat. He hid his head and covered his ears through most of it but in the end said it was fun! We also went to the post office--maybe a mistake--to mail a package to cousin Julia. I went to the office later and worked in a completely empty Zageir Hall. The roads looked normal--people were out in good number like it was any old day, but tonight when I drove back from taking A. to the doctor (again) for ear infection, the roads were kind of bare. Bare as the good-foods sections of the grocery store aisles when Max went shopping at 8 p.m. tonight.
It was only our first day of half-quarantine, but it felt long, and by the end I was despondent thinking of all the things I can't do anymore (eat at restaurants, grab a pizza from Little Caesars on the way home with A. from the doctor; coffee shops and the gym, bluegrass jam, contra dance, dream group, visits with family and friends).
In the day I can kind of keep up some cheer and try to lead Atticus through this time, but by night I feel lost.
There are many more countries than what I'm putting on this list. There are places on this map that have no red dot (indicating sickness) at all, but may just not have reporters or people to tell what's going on there.
Things that Changed Today
- Atticus's pediatrician office is cancelling their 8 a.m. clinic. The building is deep-cleaned overnight so they're reserving the mornings appointments for well children, and scheduling sick children in the afternoons.
- There was no bread in the bread parts of Ingles grocery store.
- At work, even though there's no one else around the air feels too close, and poisoned somehow. The only air that feels safe to breathe is air at home, or anytime I'm outside.
- First case related to my county (Buncombe County). A man from New York spent 5 days here last week, got sick and got tested here, then went to quarantine in Macon, NC.
- Governor Cooper's executive order limits restaurants to takeout and delivery only (March 17)
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