Mockingbird Hill Cottage — Page 498 — Life in our little cottage in the country

Day Three

March 16, 2020 at 11:01 am by Claudia

Greetings from Command Central here at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.

You’ll notice my mug says “Patience.” I have a feeling I’m going to need a lot of it in the coming weeks. This will be a bit harder for Don, who likes to get out at least once or twice a day and is used to doing that. I already had to stop him from going to the grocery store this morning to get some more yogurt. I find myself reading updates to him out loud so that he truly gets it. But, along with that, I am also keeping away from too much information, too much news. We’re self-isolating. We are not having contact with anyone else.

I’ve noticed more and more bookshops closing for the next two weeks. It’s almost impossible to practice ‘social distancing’ in a bookshop. I urge you to help independent bookshops in this time of need. I bought books from both of our local bookshops at the end of last week and I ordered a book online from Oblong Books yesterday. I didn’t especially need that book right now, but I wanted to take some sort of positive action. Modest purchases, but I hope that money helps them out.

Our local schools are now closed for two weeks. The school system is going to feed those families who have children who depend on the schools for a hot meal. They’re also holding a food drive for those in need.

For every fool who thinks this doesn’t apply to him/her and is still congregating with other people, there are far more people who understand the enormity of this and are doing everything they can to protect themselves and others, and are also contributing to the local economy as best they can. We tried to check on our elderly neighbors yesterday, and have been doing so off-and-on since January, but every time we call, we get a fax sound. We think they’re most likely wintering with their children out West.

We’ll take a walk today (Don’s been doing that every day) and since we’re on a country road, social distancing won’t be an issue. Just need to get some exercise! I find my anxiety popping up here and there – it’s no wonder, I guess – but giving myself an activity helps.

Take care of yourselves. Don’t go out. If you are going out and don’t have to, please stop.

Happy Monday.

Day Two

March 15, 2020 at 10:53 am by Claudia

I made sure to buy some tulips during our last trip to the grocery store. I’d prescribe a bouquet of flowers to everyone who is at home, waiting this out. In our area, the landscape is still dull and brown, with tiny bits of green emerging, though not enough to change the view. Flowers help a great deal.

More and more news emerging. Paris! No cafés open, Shakespeare and Company closed; it’s truly hard to imagine. Cafés are such a huge part of the everyday life of Paris; they’re everywhere, they’re open into the wee hours, I simply can’t imagine them empty.

Our library is closing for two weeks as of Monday. Thankfully, they gave us a heads up, allowing time for people to stop by and stock up on books.

Don got an email from his agents yesterday. The woman who heads the agency said that every working client, whether in television, film, or the theater, has been laid off. No one is working. That means the agency is not making any money. So, to remain solvent, she’s had to lay off the other agents for a few weeks and she’ll man the office and also work from home. Every actor, writer, and director either lost their jobs or is being laid off indefinitely. It’s so hard to get a job as an actor. You finally get one and you’re laid off.

I know that we’re not special – this is happening to everyone on some level. But to those who are working and still being paid and can work from home, you’re very fortunate. Actors and dancers and musicians and singers cannot do that. Their work ultimately depends on a live audience. And live audiences are now a health risk.

It was interesting here yesterday. Even though I’m a homebody and can easily spend days at home without going anywhere, I discovered that staying here of my own free will is very different than knowing I have to stay here. Suddenly, I was restless. I know that I’ll get used to it, but it was telling. I want staying home to be my choice. When it’s not, I get a wee bit edgy.

We’re reading, listening to music, Don is practicing his guitar, I’m cleaning and doing laundry and spending too much time online. But I’ve found that Instagram is rather comforting – I really get a sense of camaraderie there – we’re all in this together.

Anyway, my friends, hang in there.

Happy Sunday.

Nesting in Place

March 14, 2020 at 10:57 am by Claudia

We’re ensconced. “Nesting in Place” as I call it.

After a couple of hours of running yet more errands yesterday; stopping at the pharmacy, the art supply shop, the chocolate shop (essential), the bookstore and the supermarket, we were wiped out. The week has been stressful, as you well know, and I think it really hit us. I was out and about more this week than I ever am, getting supplies, then realizing we need more supplies, and then doing it again. Enough, already!

I am not going to read any more reports on the coronavirus this weekend. Nope. We have done all we can – we’ve washed our hands and used hand sanitizer, we’ve cleaned steering wheels and door handles and grocery carts and have stopped shaking hands. Now, we’re in for however long we need to be.

The scene in the grocery store yesterday:

This was the paper products aisle. Completely cleared. Nothing. The lady we spoke to at the checkout said more was coming in on Sunday. I can’t tell you how many conversations we had about these empty shelves with fellow shoppers. It’s the kind of ‘we’re all in this together’ feeling that we get when there’s an impending blizzard.

As you know, I just finished The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford, listened to a podcast about the Mitfords, and now I’m a wee bit obsessed about these six sisters. I’ve read a fair amount about them over the years. I want to read more of Nancy Mitford, but Diana, Deborah, and Jessica were also prolific writers. I ordered a book through Amazon the other day, thinking I would have it in hand before I had to stay home indefinitely. It came yesterday, but I also remembered seeing a book about the Mitfords at a local bookstore earlier in the week. I found it when we were out and about yesterday and was happy to see that it was a different book than the one I had ordered. So I ended up with two books about the Mitford sisters.

I started reading The Sisters last night and I’m thoroughly engrossed. The volume of letters will be next. That book is used so I got it for $8 at the bookstore. The Sisters is written beautifully by Mary Lovell. Given the fact that these women led such unbelievably interesting and sometimes, quite shocking, lives, it reads like a novel.

I’m looking forward to reading even more later today.

I found out that Jane Eyre, which was supposed to have closed its run this Sunday, closed Thursday. Hartford Stage has also cancelled their next, and final, production of the season. I know that they are struggling, as is every regional theater in the country. This could devastate them. I pray it doesn’t.

By the way, we are trying to help our local businesses. They’ve had very little traffic the past few days. Except for the supermarket, which is part of a regional chain, every place in which we made purchases yesterday was a locally owned business. They need our help now.

So much change in a week.

But friends, there’s nothing we can do now but stay home if at all possible and, yes, here it is again:

Nest in Place.

Take care of yourselves.

Happy Saturday.

Nesting in Place

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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