1) As mentioned yesterday, my company invoked the essential personnel only at work protocol. Onsite presence has been cut to something between 25 and 45%. We are now meeting twice a week for updates on how to move forward.
Working from home has been an adjustment - the biggest, oddly, is learning to separate working and being at home. Turns out I spend a lot of time working and it is very hard to separate from it. This is something I will need to work on.
In terms of the ability to work, I am not terribly compromised. Teleconferences have replaced in-person meetings. I can do a great deal of my work on my computer. Perhaps at some point, this becomes a dry run for the future.
2) Colleges officially went on-line this week. Nighean Gheal (Oldest Daughter) finally made it back from Europe this week (this is a story worthy of its own telling as she was going to school in Milan, Ground Zero in Europe. She ended up spending two weeks wandering from European Capital to European Capital as we were afraid if she returned to Milan she would not be able to get out. All of her possessions are still there). Nighean Bhean (Middle Daughter) officially moved out of the dorms last week and is home. For both of them, they will finish out the semester from the comfort of their own home.
3) High school for Nighean Dhonn (Youngest Daughter) was in Spring Break this last weekend but it has been extended for another week (to 03 April). It is unclear what will happen after that.
4) In my area, all non-essential business are closed or are closing by corporate decree. (Small example: We needed to get Nighean Dhonn's phone screen repaired. The Steve Jobs Memorial Store has completely shut down so we had to go to a Big Box authorized retailer to get it fixed.) Restaurants are only doing dine out, as are some stores as well (For example, my beloved used book store is closed but will pull individual books for you).
5) My gym, in a week, went from no restrictions to limited restrictions to closure in 3 days. I am working on a new routine (I might recommend The Art of Manliness' Prisoner Workout).
6) It is impacting volunteer work as well. My Rabbit Shelter is now varying the schedule to make sure that no more than 2-3 volunteers are present in the shelter at a time.
7) In general, I have a lot of time to think. This has been a helpful exercise (and worthy of a different post), but it will shortly be time to move from thinking to action.
8) Fuel prices continue to drop. Last week I paid $1.67 for Unleaded, this week I paid $1.57. A shame that I have nowhere to drive at this point.
9) Grocery stores are still relatively drained at the end of the day. There are some interesting gaps - yeast, for example - that I would not have expected.
Probably a lot of people making their own bread now. I know a few days ago the wally world we were at was out of flour and sugar. Didn't look at yeast and salt as I have never been able to make a decent loaf of bread.
ReplyDeleteAs far as work, I hope it will not be too difficult putting together everything for shifting your many jobs to others.
It was something hubby had planned for almost a year when we decided it was time for him to retire. And they were still calling him 6 months or so after that to ask questions that someone should have already known the answer to.
Glad to hear all daughters are home safely. Did oldest daughter have to quarantine when she returned? Sorry to hear all her things are still there; but hopefully safe until she can reunite with them.
God bless.
Linda, I am truly surprised about the yeast. I had no idea so many people still knew how (mostly, Nighean Bhean -Middle Daughter - was the one doing it).
DeleteI am working on my transition plan now. There is a lot that I have to account for - but hopefully I can make it quick and easy. I am quite ready to be done.
Older daughter did not have not have to quarantine, although she is doing so out of an abundance of caution. I have high hopes that we can still go back and retrieve things.
When I was looking into a home business years ago, the advice was to set up an office space used only for work. Set hours, get dressed in typical work attire, and spend the set hours in the work space. When the time is up, get up, leave and close the office door. Never had a chance to actually try that out and see if it works, but it made sense.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, our grocery stores remained well stocked. Walmart wasn't last week, but it seemed more like deliberate stock-up shopping was going on rather than panic buying. Employees were bringing in more full pallets of food as we wandered around the store.
Having been criticized for being an "isolationist" in the past, all I can say is that our lifestyle has resulted in a status quo at this time. It would be nice to think more folks would learn something from all this and begin to wean themselves from the system, but human memory tends to be pretty short once the sun is shining again.
Leigh, I love that you are an isolationist. We are the same and I love that label!!! :)
DeleteThat is a splendid catch Rain, and I am totally stealing the term.
DeleteThank you for the update, and hope all your family stay well.
ReplyDeleteYou are ever so welcome Vera. Truly, we are blessed and (relatively speaking) have very few issues as a result of developments. We will just stay at home and see what happens next.
DeleteIt's interesting to read about things in other parts of the world. You wouldn't know anything was happening up here in the Laurentians. Honestly. The stores and businesses are pretty much all open. I'm guessing the schools are still closed because I don't see the school bus pass in front of the house at 7:30am, but then there is no school in my village, so otherwise I'd be clueless. I'm still communicating with the realtor, mortgage agent and lawyers re the house...staying at home is a wonderful gift and I'm fortunate I don't have to ever leave the house to survive (well, within limits).
ReplyDeleteRain, that is interesting. I have an ideal this is still very regional. Glad to hear all of this has not mucked up your closing.
DeleteYes, being a homebody has its benefits, especially in situations like this!