Literally Caught With My Pants Down! Being prepared & COVID

Posted by fiesty76 @fiesty76, May 20, 2020

Only other olde school marms or perfectionists can possibly relate to this….

First day of class with a new crop of students. Dress hurriedly and rush very early to school “to make finishing touches” on classroom before students arrive. Just as I’m completing the day’s Welcome and other chalkboard instructions, I have an accident and am forced to remove my slacks. Students with some parents begin to fill my elementary classroom. Telling one parent, “I’ll “be right back”, I rush out to find principal to have someone “cover” until I can return “fully dressed”. Of course, the principal is MIA. And
I awaken.

Thankfully, I’ve had few remembered dreams/nightmares since the Covid cyclone struck. However, the most novice dream interpreter can connect the analogy of relationships between virus and personal mortifications this nightmare produced.

1st: “First” the descent of the sudden, worldwide-never-before-pandemic no one was adequately prepared for;

2nd: Lack of preparedness and the frantic “rush” to meet the emergency lead to dire and unexpected consequences;

3rd: As unsuspecting students (population at large) and adults (experts) scramble to arrive and meet the new challenges, I along with others “got caught with our pants down”;

4th: There will be no “getting right back” to the way our lives were lived before;

5th: The U.S. has no principal (president) available to guide, “cover” instruct, protect the “classroom” of us until a vaccine can be created and disbursed in time to prevent additional calamities of joblessness, illness and death for masses of still more innocent people;

Awakening unnerved by the nightmare this morning, I realize there is more I can do to better prepare for a possible emergency affecting myself and the lives of my loved ones in the days ahead.

Are others of you also reviewing financial, medical, personal, pet, family care instructions or taking other steps to insure that more of your affairs are in order and up to date? What am I forgetting to consider or actively address?

We will come through this trying time but working together will make us all better prepared. Best to all, Fiesty Grammer

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

zep | @zep | May 20, 2020

What a sensible post this is.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | May 20, 2020

Yes, this is the point that we are at with the current pandemic: Preparing for the new normal with COVID-19.

Here are some related discussions here:
- Life is an Adventure - How to keep it up with Covid-19? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/life-is-an-adventure-how-to-keep-it-up-with-covid-19/
- New Habits from COVID-19 and the New Normal https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/new-habits-ive-learned-from-covid-19/
- COVID-19 and Cancer: How are you preparing for the re-opening? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-and-cancer-1/

The situation continues to change daily. I like the way @fiesty76 is asking, what we can do to prepare for the things you can control and prepare for the unknown. I'm certainly looking at our family financial situation critically. Investing, income and spending has shifted for everyone and I need to adjust. Travel and recreation are also changing for both the short and longer term. We've cancelled our summer trip and now summer vacation will be spent in the back garden. Being so close to my home office, I have to be intentional about be on vacation at home and shut the office. What about Thanksgiving and Christmas? Will we be able to celebrate with extended family?

What preparedness item is top of mind for you and what are you doing about it?

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | May 20, 2020

Exactly my feelings...

This teacher's COVID-19 song made our hosts cry with laughter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f7OwFqTnco

lioness | @lioness | May 20, 2020

I am wondering how this is going to affect us all . One thing for me will be traveling I had planned is over now . Thanksgiving will it just be virtual ? No get togethers as before . Seems like I am glued to my apt. Cant do activities as usual . What a dream @fiesty76

robbie1956 | @robbie1956 | May 21, 2020

In reply to @lioness "I am wondering how this is going to affect us all . One thing for me..." + (show)

@lioness

The same holds true here....a planned trip to Ireland in May was scratched, tentatively rescheduled for September.....but I realistically do not see my wife or myself flying out of the country anytime soon....so like yourself, travel plains are on a ‘wait and see’, ‘hope for the best’....status.

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | May 21, 2020

@sueinmn, Thanks for responding. I can imagine it is much harder to be physically close to those precious grands and not be able to reach out and hug them! So much fun that the gregarious 16 mo old grabs the phone to show intent for “phone time”!

My family are also wonderful about doing the same as yours for staying in touch. We are fortunate to have their care and willingness to share with us.

I am impressed by your quilting accomplishments. My neighbor is a quilter and she says her passion for that is like mine for gardening. The difference is that yours will have lasting beauty while my is season-to-season. Grateful for whatever is constructive now.

Yes and thank you. My best friends and I exchange phone calls daily. She and her guy get on speaker phone so we can at least touch voice-to-voice. Not nearly the same and he & I have to help my friend “complete” many of her attempts to share info. Not sure if she remembers the calls from previous days but for the moment, we are happy for the communication.

@colleenyoung, Thank you and for the links too. Look forward to each of them. I’ll be especially rooting for you as you “intentionally close your home office” in order to get the deserved respite needed on your “backyard vacation days”. Bought a book: “Just Do It”…ahhh, so much easier said/written than done, yes?

@merepreb, Me too! Lol; @lioness and @robbie1956, I agree. I think the postponed travel will be very hard for me to accept gracefully as well. Yes, we can hope!

@johnbishop, This is hilarious!!!! https://youtu.be/1f7OwFqTnco

mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | May 21, 2020

In reply to @robbie1956 "@lioness The same holds true here....a planned trip to Ireland in May was scratched, tentatively rescheduled..." + (show)

@robbie1956.. My daughter and her husband had to cancel their planned trip to Portugal in March. So they took a day off from work at home and had a staycation, they listen to Portuguese music, ate Portuguese food and drank Portuguese wine. They really miss traveling. Don''t think they will be doing that anytime soon.

Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | May 21, 2020

In reply to @fiesty76 "@sueinmn, Thanks for responding. I can imagine it is much harder to be physically close to..." + (show)

@fiesty76- Any plans to see my son in OR have been delayed. I just need a son hug!

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | May 21, 2020

In reply to @merpreb "@fiesty76- Any plans to see my son in OR have been delayed. I just need a..." + (show)

@merepreb, Merry, How well I know that feeling and need! A hug would set the world aright, yes?

lioness | @lioness | May 21, 2020

In reply to @robbie1956 "@lioness The same holds true here....a planned trip to Ireland in May was scratched, tentatively rescheduled..." + (show)

@robbie1956 Im really concerned about this weekend to see what is going to happen with the beaches being open now and businesses being open now . Well I,ll be spending it right here . Robbie since it is hard for me to do my floors I bought a robotic rumba used it yesterday and it seems it will work out for me . Save on my back . Stay safe both of you

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