Quarantine Chronicles Part 4

This will not quite catch us up to date on my quarantine adventures. I’m writing this a couple of weeks in advance so unless I can see the future, I can only share what’s come to pass by this point in time.

Day 37 of isolation

A day almost like any other. Some animal crossing. Some Avatar.

Today was different because I played in the dirt. Repotted my succulents and aloe. Pulled dead leaves off my greenery. I’m eagerly awaiting flowers on my rose and bush sized impatiens. Both have been pretty heavily trimmed down so it could be awhile. But they both usually bloom for me all through the spring and summer. It was nice to get my hands dirty.

Day 38 of isolation

Time slipped away from me and I had a false memory of already writing this, so I’m a bit late. This is Friday’s record.

Today was the first of many Fancy Fridays. I encouraged those of us living in isolation and depression and fear to break out the special occasion niceties like fancy dresses, grandma’s china, and that bath bomb you’ve been saving and make Friday the special occasion that never comes. All as a means of increasing serotonin production.

I had a handful of participants this week. I’m hoping for even more next week!

Today was Iris’s 21st birthday. We don’t really drink much in my household on account of alcohol being triggering for me. But we did have something put away to celebrate.

Today was also me and my wife’s 17th anniversary, though the first celebrated as a lesbian couple.

There was much to celebrate all around!

Day 39 of isolation

I think I’m writing these early the next day now. Which does allow me to reflect on the entirety of the day in question.

I made blueberry bread today out of what was supposed to be muffin mix. It needed a few more minutes in the oven than what I gave it, but the stick came out clean in the couple of pokes I gave it so I couldn’t have easily known. I did bake it longer than the muffins were supposed to bake. I knew that much. Oh well it was still tasty.

I’m reading a book on BPD as an academic pursuit. I’ve read a lot on BPD in the past, but never a book by psychologists written for other psychologists. I’m on a quest for self-discovery. (I guess I should remind/inform those who don’t know, that I have BPD.) I’m also trying to make up for a lack of ability of going to DBT, which would be helpful right now for reasons beyond the pandemic. The books I’m reading are Marsha Linehan’s books on how to run a DBT program. I’m hoping that by combining my psych degree, the fact that I’ve sat through many DBT programs, and these books I can sort of jog my memory and start applying the skills and such on my own. Either way, this current book I’m on is very insightful in ways I don’t wish to discuss on tumblr. I have a mental health blog elsewhere for that.

The weather was really nice so I dragged an old comforter outside and read under the tree out back while the kids played. It was nice!

Day 40 of Isolation

Fuck.  They say it takes like a month to build a habit.  But we’re over a month in and this is falling apart.

But honestly, it’s not that I’m forgetting.  There are just fewer and fewer unique things to blog about because I’ve already done all the new things.  Day 40 was utterly ununique.

Day 41 of isolation

Why for the love of the gods is my family expecting me to keep track of such stupid things such as how many kickstarts I’ve had today?  I am but a loveable but dumb orange ginger cat.  I can’t be expected to know how to count.  Especially not when the days and kickstarts are running together.

Day 42 of isolation

Found no answers

I was up until almost 6 am last night. Slept until almost 1 pm and not well. Today threatened to be a wash on the productivity front. But I somehow turned into a super adult.

My first bit of money from unemployment hit and it had back pay. So we’re set financially for the next month with more on the way to add to it. We were also able to get some things for the house and for entertainment as the days dragged on. We bought a copy of exploding kittens which will be here Thursday. I’m looking forward to playing that with Sammy.

I also did some super responsible financial-based adulting and earned at least 100 adult points. I’ll spare the details but I made managing my budget 10 times easier in a way that will help my credit score. So that’s good.

I also tried to watch my Netflix DVD of the week but the disk was poorly formatted and I had just about reached the climax when suddenly I couldn’t get it to play the end. A replacement is incoming. I’m feeling emotions about this. Patience isn’t one of them.

Today was overall a success though, I think.

Day 43 of isolation

The game Exploding Kittens will start wars and can heighten the quarantine experience…  I’m not stuck in here with them… they’re stuck in here with me! Adding Unstable Unicorns to the mix very soon. A house simply isn’t a home if it’s not an active war zone.

Day 44 of isolation

I was awake for about 3 hours total.

Day 45 of isolation

Today I became a proper sword lesbian.

Day 46 of isolation

The game Unstable Unicorns delivered. I learned the hard way not to play card games with the 12yo after his meds have worn off. This is not the type of war I signed up for!

Day 47 of isolation

We gave the 8yo a used 3DS and her own copy of Animal Crossing New Leaf earlier this week as a super early birthday present. She turns 9 at the end of the summer, but we need her to be able to entertain herself now. She’s loving Animal Crossing, but one of her favorite things is coming over to visit me on my island.

I of course spent a few hours earlier this week buying her cute clothes and some furniture for her house. I’m rich enough in the game that I can spoil her.

I’ve also started playing scrabble go with my friends. I’m about evenly matched with the bulk of my friends so that’s nice. If anyone wants to play me drop into my messages and I’ll see if I can figure out how to find people.

Day 48 of isolation

After spending a solid year talking about buying a hibiscus bush but always talking myself out of it for reasons that just don’t hold, I finally made the purchase. They aren’t even really expensive. While making said purchase, the wife expressed their lifelong desire for a lilac bush, which also isn’t expensive, so I said fuck it and added it to the order.

I’m also being bought those hanging planters and tomato plants grow for Mather’s Day. Which this year will be celebrated in May so that the tomatoes will have plenty of time to grow and fruit.

The need to garden while in quarantine is real and valid.

Day 49 of isolation

Today I did the lord’s work and picked the best version of Hallelujah out of all the versions I could easily find.  Of course, that meant sifting through 23 songs and narrowing it out down.  But, while 23 contestants stood before me, only one won.

In less controversial news, we finished the 8th disc of Avatar: The Last Airbender.  We have what looks like 2 episodes left, but I’m betting at least one of them is a two-parter.  Hopefully, we’ll finish it tomorrow. 

Day 50 of isolation

Today’s 2 episodes were actually 5 episodes, so that was a thing. But we did actually finish Avatar: the Last Airbender. It was really good. In all my time on tumblr and all the ATLA memes, I only had 1.5 portions of the last 4 episodes spoiled and didn’t at all really know how it ended. So it was all unexpected, beyond simply knowing it’s a happy ending. It was really really good!

Day 51 of isolation

The younger kids saw Grandma for the first time in a couple of months. She had some masks for us that she bought from a coworker. It was I brief visit with limited contact, but her house is a safe zone due to my sister, who is 5 years post liver transplant, living there.

Day 52 of isolation

Finally made myself sit down and finish B99 today. Or at least what we have of it so far.

I also almost finished catching up on Ducktales. I have 2 episodes left. The plan is to watch the rest of that tomorrow.

But honestly, having spent the day watching things, it might be a while before I can do that again.

Day 53 of isolation

I gave my feet a spa day. They make these foot mask things that you wear for like an hour and then toy rub all the gunk in. Your feet think about it for a couple of days and then start peeling like crazy. It’s gross, but the end result is healthy and pretty feet. I’m also bored. So why not.

Robin and I had a fight today. Which is hardly news. But this one might have lasting consequences. I don’t really want to talk about it at all except to those I seek out myself. But I suppose if I’m keeping a quarantine diary, I should mark it down.

Day 54 of isolation

Each day is a week long and yet I accomplish nothing.

I’ve also done something horrible to my sleep schedule. I’m repeatedly seeing dawn most mornings. Either because I was up past it, or up before it. It’s like a cycle between sleeping not at all or too damn much and the sunrise is almost always involved. I need to fix this. Mostly because I’m suffering. Otherwise time is fake.

Day 55 of isolation

Today, with guidance from a friend, I finally fixed my bathtub drain. We’ve been fighting it off and on for the entire 6 years we’ve lived here. Maintenance has snaked that drain so many times, just to partially fix it, and then it stops right back up after a couple of months. But today? Today I may well have fixed it for good!

Also, I’m learning about myself that I have a love of writing and mailing letters. Pretty stationery. Fancy stamps. Wax seals. My heart on paper! I just love it!

Day 56 of isolation

It was a few days late, but I got tomato plants for Mather’s Day (spelled like that intentionally since I’m nonbinary and celebrate birth mothers and fathers day as does my wife). Since I’m allergic to any tomatoes that have been preserved we decided me growing my own was the way to go for sauce and salsa. I’m super excited! I love growing plants! These are my first food-based plants and the first of anything I’ve attempted outside.

I also bought a surprise rose bush, which is honestly not really a surprise to anyone. My wife’s response is that they are surprised I only bought one.

Though to be fair, I have a hibiscus bush and lilac bush that’ll be here any day now.

Day 56 was a good day!

Oh! And I took all 4 kids to the park! We walked a trail away from people and played in the creek! It was a good muddy adventure for all!

Day 57 of isolation

The rose is now in the ground. She has good soil, confirmed worms, and blood meal. She should be happy.

The kids attempted to dig a hole to China but got distracted by worms. Each tomato plant got a worm, the rose was given more worms dir her immediate space. And there are now two worm condos made of Mason jars full of soil and leaf litter, with a worm each.

Scheming for some herbs began. Turns out basil in with the tomatoes will help keep bugs that eat the fruit away. And help attract bees.

I was informed with 4 hours to spare that I was in charge of dinner and panicked due to the fact I can’t cook. When I panic I hit default. Which is exactly why we now have enough chicken noodle soup to feed a village. Soup for days!

Day 58 of isolation

Plonts. Lots of plonts. So many plonts. 2 more plonts coming in the mail soon! The hibiscus and lilac shrubbery I ordered some 2 or 3 weeks ago get here on day 59.

I’m super excited about this situation I’ve found myself in.

Day 59 of isolation

The hibiscus and lilac bushes aren’t here yet.

But

To no one’s real surprise my wife caved, with minimal effort on my part, and let me buy the blueberry bush I’ve been eyeing.

Day 60 of isolation

My bushes may never get here.

Have some blueberry flowers for your troubles.

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