Touching Base and #Update

/ Marcia

Some of you already know this from various posts around social media, but I am officially under “house arrest” for the next few weeks. Because I’m in a high risk group for Covid-19, due to my age, and have three additional strikes against me due to some health issues, I have been advised to stay at home. Period. I’m taking the advice very seriously. I have grandkids I’d like to see grow up, books to write, and friends to enjoy, so I’ve cancelled my local presentations until further notice, and am NOT leaving the house or yard any time soon.

Now, I’ve become more and more of a hermit over the years, even though I’m not particularly introverted. (Some would say not at all introverted.) I stay at home for days and days at a time, never going past the mailbox, and am fine with it, but it’s my own choice. Knowing I have to stay here is a whole ‘nuther kettle o’ fish. However, I’ve made up my mind that this can have benefits in addition to decreasing my risk of getting sick. If you checked out Don Massenzio’s post I shared earlier, you’ll understand what I mean.

I’m actually looking forward to some uninterrupted writing and blogging time again, as soon as I shake this cold I’ve been fighting. (I’m getting better every day, honest.) I also want to catch up with a whole bunch of things around the house and yard that have fallen by the wayside in recent months. So, I’m going to focus on my at home time as a chance to do all of the above. Naturally, I would have preferred to find a way to make that chance come about without the current wretched crisis we are all trying to cope with, but that’s out of our hands, and we just have to make the best of it.

I’m going to miss getting out to talk about Florida wildlife with audiences that have become friends to me, but many of these wonderful folks are seniors, too, and do not need to be attending events where there are mixed audiences around them. No one wants to expose another person to illness, nor be exposed themselves, so cancelling these events is the right thing to do. If you were planning to attend any of the next few, just know that we will be reassessing in a few weeks, and as soon as it’s safe, we will resume our usual schedule. 

I will also be resuming my regular blog features here in another week or so, as soon as my energy level picks up a bit more.

In the meantime, please folks–take this threat seriously and do everything you can to stay safe yourself and to avoid exposing others to this dangerous illness. When we’ve reached the other side of all this, I don’t want to discover there are any faces missing from my my circle of online friends or the audience at my next event!! (Not even MINE!! 😉 )

Stay safe, stay informed, stay WELL! And I promise to try my best to do the same. 

50 thoughts on “Touching Base and #Update”

  1. I am confined due to Cyberspous’s health and becoming a carer when we got him out of hospital last week. I certainly wouldn’t wish the virus business on anybody, but it is strange that it coincides and Everyone else is confined! Friends can come round so I can get out to the shops or have some company – some can’t as they are confined. My daughter was a great help during the medical dramas and stayed here with her little boys. She got home just in time to be confined as her teacher husband came home with symptoms.

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    • I’m sorry for all that’s going on with your family, Janet, but glad you are staying safe. Hope your husband is doing well, and that you remember to take some time for yourself, too. And I’m sorry to hear about your SIL. My thoughts and prayers are with you all, and hoping for a speedy recovery for him. Schools throughout the U. S. are pretty much closed for the foreseeable future, so I don’t have to worry TOO much about my grands being endangered. Fingers crossed that we ALL do well as we wait for this to be over. 🙂 ❤

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      • Thanks Marcia, our two grandchildren in Las Vegas are already out of school – they should be finishing the USschool year before heading back permanently to England in June – if there are any planes flying! Now all the English schools are closing down by Friday, so it’s becoming very real now.

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  2. Here in Spain, we are not allowed out by Royal Decree. We can walk the dog around the neighborhood, but just one of us so we take turns and one of us can go to the grocery store. It is being policed. Serious stuff but necessary. I am taking advantage as well, working on the next book, digging into the TBR pile and I even wrote a poem today! Go figure. Please take care of yourself, although it looks like you’ve got this. ❤💖

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    • Thanks, Darlene. I’m doing my best to follow guidelines and stay safe. And honestly, I’m glad to hear you guys are being quarantined, period. When I see what’s happened in Italy, it just breaks my heart, so hopefully, this decisive action in Spain will save many lives! You take very good care of yourself!! 🙂 ❤

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    • Thanks, Priscilla. I had a few days of feeling pretty down, but I’m looking at things differently now. If you didn’t get a chance to read my reblogged post from Don Massenzio, I hope you will find a minute to do so. I was feeling better this morning, but honestly, after reading that, my spirits were vastly improved. 🙂

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  4. Like Darlene, I’m in Spain, so I feel your pain. My mother is in a group of risk, so I hope this will go some way to preventing its spread, but we’re far from having seen the worst of it, and the same is true for many countries. Take lots of care, Marcia.

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    • I think it will be with us for some weeks, and probably months, to come, Olga. It’s pretty scary, but I’m hoping it won’t live up to our very worst fears. Stay inside, and stay safe! 🙂

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    • I will feel good about the overdue chores and I will enjoy the writing, for sure, but I won’t have too much trouble with stir-crazy. The first thing I ask myself each morning when I wake up is, “Do I have to go anywhere today?” and I’m always happiest when the answer’s no. Of course, now that I know I’m not allowed that might be different. 😀 Stay safe, Jeanne. It’s scary out there! 🙂 ❤

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    • Thanks, D. I realized moaning and groaning wasn’t changing a thing, except my mood. For the worse. So, that’s done with, now. Yes, I’m scared, because it’s a damn scary situation. But I’m doing what I supposed to do, and sending my love and prayers out for those who are in jeopardy elsewhere. After that, it’s just a day by day thing. 🙂 YOU take care and stay well, too! 🙂 ❤

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  8. Well, you already know I’m working from home for the foreseeable future. Busier than ever but we’re being careful. Hubs works at a private school. He’s still on the job but of course, there are no kids there at this time.

    You take care of yourself!

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    • I’m glad you are working from home, Joan, even though that presents its own problems. Still, it’s a much safer place for you to be for now. My husband is still working, too, and that part definitely concerns me, but then again, if he weren’t working, we’d be in a different kind of trouble, so what’re ya gonna do? My whole house smells of bleach right now, as I’ve been wiping down stuff every day before he gets home and after he leaves in the morning. But if it helps in even a small way, why not? I’ll take care of myself, and you do the same over there in Texas! This, too, shall pass. 🙂 ❤

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  9. Wise words, my lovely friend. There are definite silver linings to be found in the self-isolation clouds and it makes sense for those of us in the vulnerable category not to put further strain on the health system by taking unnecessary risks. I’m hoping to ease the pressure that’s been building up in my Kindle recently and write a few words of my own. Keep safe, keep happy ❤ 🙂 ❤

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    • I like your plan, Trish. In fact, I may implement some elements of that, myself. I can’t do chores and write EVERY minute, after all! Must find time for more reading! And when a situation is beyond your control, then you need to put it aside and work on the things you can actually change, yourself. So I’m right there with you on that. You take good care of yourself, and I’ll do the same! Big Hugs from this side of the Pond! 🙂 ❤

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  11. I’m glad you are taking care of yourself! I have no problem being told to stay home and good thing since our whole state was just told to. I hope to get more work done but I’m distracted. Definitely a good time to read!

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    • I love staying home. I’ve just never been ORDERED to do it before. 😯 But I’ll be just fine here in my library, writing, working on some overdo house projects, and whatever else I want to do. My energy level is even coming back, finally. Maybe this stupid bug is gone! 😀 Stay safe, Denise! We are doing the right thing by complying, and using the time constructively. 🙂 ❤

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      • I’m usually on the rebellious side and don’t like orders. But not this time. And it really doesn’t change my routine too much since I usually do stay home:)

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        • Sounds pretty much like me. It just feels weird to know I really don’t have a choice. At least not a good one. But I’m not worried about it, overall. I’d rather be home than anywhere else, anyway. I do miss giving my local wildlife talks, but that just means it will be even more fun when I’m allowed to do them again! 😀

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  12. Strange times indeed. The schools have been closed all week here, although families come by and pick up food and schoolwork at the school. The governor of California just declared a shelter in place beginning tonight. I’m glad to hear that you are being smart and taking precautions. It feels like we’ve got a long road ahead.

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    • I think you’re right, and our schools have been closed for a bit now. I don’t expect them to open again this year, honestly. But if it keeps the kids safe (and their parents are smart enough to keep them off the public beaches), it will have been worth it. Yep. I’m a lot of things, some good, some not so much so, but I’m not STOOPIT! 😀 I know I’m at risk and I’m fine staying put for now. I’ll come out of my burrow when the danger has passed. You stay safe, too, Pete!! 🙂

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  13. I have to self-isolate because of asthma, and I’m having a bad patch with the breathing at the moment. Hubby is supposed to self-isolate with me to help keep me safe, BUT: he’s self-employed, which means no work is no pay. Added to that, because of everyone panic buying, we can’t provide for ourselves. So, hubby has to go out foraging early tomorrow morning in the hopes of obtaining some basic supplies. Who knows what all else he will bring home? Of course, we will take precautions, but none of them can be as failsafe as not going out in the first place.

    I’m like you, Marcia, I’m a hermit by choice, but not being able to leave the house at all sucks. Even worse to feel so helpless regarding getting basic food and supplies and not knowing what’s coming into the house I’m stuck in.

    Continue to feel better, honey, and hopefully we’ll all make it out the other side 🙂

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    • I have great faith that we will come through this. I do see some truly stupid things going on that make me wonder about whether some others will or not, but I’ll stay home. I’m ordering everything I can online, even though one or two things will take an extra week to get here. But between Walmart (nearby), Publix, and Amazon, I’m able to keep Mark’s supermarket trips down to a short list. I despair at the stupidity of some of this folks and the selfishness of these hoarders who act like there’s never going to be another roll of toilet paper manufactured again. But overall, I’m in good spirits here, especially this morning, since I feel like I’m much better than yesterday!

      Please take very good care of yourself, Harmony. Asthma is a difficult thing to cope with under the best of circumstances, so I can only imagine how worrisome it is right now. Stay home and stay SAFE! 🙂 ❤

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    • Sorry to hear about your situation, Harmony. As the main danger involves droplets or hand to face transmission you’ll know to keep away if hubby develops a cough and to hand wash like a neurotic Lady Macbeth. I have COPD and asthma but am retired and so can self-isolate. I do worry about the self-employed and those on zero hour contracts, and it’s hard to get in sufficient supplies (were they available!) if you don’t have the reserves of cash to do so.
      Try not to let this drag you down. Add to your impressive list of published work and enjoy some guilt-free reading, too.
      Thinking of you and sending prayers your way xx

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  14. In Canada, there is no decree forcing us to self-isolate but both the federal and provincial governments are strongly recommending that we do. Most people are respecting this. As Day 7 of “social distancing” begins, I have to say I never thought I would find it so hard! I’m an introvert who needs some alone time but working from home full-time and not venturing out for anything else is more than I need. But as a social media post I have seen going around says so well: Your grandparents were called to go to war. You are being called to sit on the couch. You can do this! Wishing you and the blogging community continued wellness.

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    • I’m fine staying home and doing my own thing, now that I’m slowly getting over my cold. It’s easier when I don’t have to do it, but we ARE at war against this disease, and I’m happy to be part of NOT spreading it around. I’m not actually sitting on the couch, of course. I have a computer connecting me to the rest of the planet and books to write, so I’ll stay here where I’m not getting or giving Covid-19 to anyone. You stay safe, too, Inkplume! When we get to the other side, we’ll celebrate! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

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    • Thanks, Tessa! Yep, it’s always easier when we at least think it’s our own idea! 😀 But in the long run, this is an easy task for me. I’m just writing and sending prayers and healing thoughts out to the rest of the world. 😀 Stay safe!!! 🙂 ❤

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  18. Glad you are feeling better Marcia… we are self-isolating except for one of us going for fresh vegetables once a week. To be honest it is something we are used with us having both worked from home for the last twenty years. We live in a rural spot and that helps with distancing and I see that one of our supermarkets has now put plexiglass up in front of their cashiers which is a very good idea. Stay safe and we can all keep in touch online and make sure we all stay safe over the next few weeks..♥

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    • Glad to know you are being so careful, Sally, even if it’s a typical routine for you. Still, I’m sure you made exceptions now and then that you’ll probably skip in the weeks ahead. Plus all the hand-washing and what-have-you. Whatever it takes to stay safe and get through this! I will definitely be keeping in touch online, if “the bridge don’t go, an’ the creek don’t rise,” as they say. (Not sure who “they” is, but I’ve always liked that expression. 😀 ) Stay well!! 🙂 ❤

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  19. I’m with you on it all Marsh. You and me are no introverts, lol. Even though I do have stage fright. 🙂 I’m in more than I should be anyway but don’t like my wings clipped. Stay in, and stay safe ❤ xx

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    • Thanks, Deb! I say stay safe, stay well, stay home! For me, being in a “triple high” group means I’m way too vulnerable to risk getting this one, so I’m doing as asked. On the plus side, this is a great time (historically) to be housebound, what with being able to stay in touch virtually with family, friends, news, ideas, 24-hour-a-day libraries, music, podcasts, streaming video, and so much more. Not to mention a chance to tackle household and garden projects that have been on hold way too long, catch up a bit on my reading, and then, best of all, WRITING uninterrupted for days and days! I’m looking forward to that part! I need to finish the 3rd Emissary story, so I can put the 3 eBooks together and offer the set in print. Sooooo, I’m doing my best to focus on the positive side of being housebound. 🙂 Now if I just had a sterilizing booth for Mark to pass through when he arrives home from work every night, I’d be happy! 😀

      And believe it or not, I do have my introverted moments. If I’m uncomfortable in a given situation or in front of certain people, my mind goes blank and I totally panic. Happily, those occasions get more and more rare with every year. These days, I’m far more comfortable speaking in front of audiences than I ever would have imagined becoming. 😀 When this is all over, I’m really going to enjoy giving my nature talks again, for sure! 🙂 In the meantime, let’s both try to stay safe and stay WELL!! 🙂 ❤

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