I don’t really know what day it is in the Covid-19 pandemic, but it has been about 105 days since I was sent home from my job of teaching 4th grade. At first I just couldn’t write — the feelings were just too intense. But we are living in extraordinary times, and it should be documented.

It is officially summer now, so my days of online teaching are on pause. We are waiting here in NC for the governor’s decisions about school in the fall. No matter what the initial decision is, this school year is guaranteed to be stressful and challenging. I have a stack of curriculum materials to wade through — all of my curriculum is changing this year, which would be challenging enough, but the idea of teaching children I don’t know and can’t see regularly is daunting. I need the audience to know if my lessons are hitting their target. Distance learning with children I already knew and had relationships with was hard enough.

But for now, my days are slow moving. I am studying French and Spanish on Duolingo, and working on guitar and voice exercises through Yousician — two wonderful apps which I highly recommend. I am also plugging away at my “to be read” book list, which is ridiculously long.

My current TV obsessions are Nurse Jackie (Netflix), which is years and years old, but since I never watched it the first time, I’m enjoying it now. I’m also working through Killing Eve (Hulu), and Ozark (Netflix). I finished Bosch (Amazon)(sad face), and Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu). I am also obsessed with the YouTube channel “Sailing La Vagabonde” — two Australians sailing the world. It is a great distraction from being at home all day, most days.

Goals for today — practice French, Spanish, guitar, and voice, exercise on my indoor bike, clean out Zack’s dresser, take a load to Goodwill, and read at least 3 chapters in the two books I have started. It is Thursday, so dinner is likely Thai takeout from our favorite restaurant. And then an evening of streaming TV. Life isn’t terrible in shut-down mode.