Almost normal

My workplace finally reopened this week. Half the staff comes in on alternating days. You're supposed to wear a mask if you can't stay 6 feet apart.

It kinda feels like normal. Then again, five weeks of shutdown following a week and a half of medical leave; I'm not sure I remember how normal feels.

Birthday shmirthday

Last month my son turned 11. We couldn't do anything fun because it was all shut down. Today my daughter turns 5 and we have the same problem.

I like going hiking on my birthday, which is in June. Here's hoping.

Write what you know

They say to write about what you know. Sci-fi aficionados don't write military stories, and jarheads don't write romance novels.

I'm trying to blog on a somewhat regular basis, but the only thing is staying at home. Work is over, school is over, and my sarcasm can only take me so far.

What was normal anyway?

Universal joke

So just about everyone came up with this joke at the same time.

Standing behind my kids when they have online classwork really makes me feel like Billy Madison, though. Mostly because I don't know how to do this new math.

Even longer

Apparently it got worse and we're shut down longer.

I still went in today. Oh I didn't do work, but there are amazing shop tools I can use to finish my home projects.

I mean honestly, so many DIY videos are so oblivious. "Why spend $500 on a workbench when you can make one for $50 in parts? Step 1: turn on your $2,000 table saw"

Essential

While my workplace has been deemed "essential" by whoever is calling the shots, we're still voluntarily closed. So far we're on track to reopen next week Monday, unless things get worse.

But we also have to keep six feet apart. Work stations are right next to each other, and we don't have enough variety in workspace to really manage that. Unless we only take half the staff back.

This is gonna be tricky.

So much I want to say that I'm just not gonna.

Literally everything

I was supposed to go back to work today. After my followup appointment with my doctor last week Tuesday, I was prescribed a week with no physical labor. (I can't even bring a basket of laundry up from the basement without getting winded)

Last week was supposed to be my "relax all day and nap whenever" week to help recover. Instead they closed the schools Monday and I had anxiety riddled youth crawling all over me. I don't blame them, but it certainly wasn't helping. At least I could sit around all day.

Thursday I got notice that my workplace is shutting down for 2 weeks. Not because we were required to (because we weren't - we make parts for military and civilian aircraft and have been deemed essential), but to help the employees. Some of them have kids that aren't in school anymore, and everyone had some level of anxiety about this. It certainly does help slow the spread. I don't want a one sick coworker sending the others to the hospital.

So it's been 12 days since I left work. I'm going stir crazy. I actually *wanted* to go back to work, if only to feel normal for awhile. I can't even focus on my hobbies because my stir crazy, attention hungry kids won't let their mother or I do anything on our own.

It's snowing outside right now and I'm low on butter. This sucks.