Coping: Week 6 - it has come to listing the ups and the downs

graphic coping redBy Nicki St George

April 28th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

Nicki St George is the mother of two, lives in Aldershot and teaches at a private school in Oakville. She is also a recovering cancer patient.

WEEK 6 – seriously?
As the days are becoming indistinguishable from one another, here are some ups and downs during my time in self-isolation:

The UPS:
• When a box is delivered, and you cannot remember what it could be because you have ordered so much crap over the last 6 weeks.

St George kids in big bed with cat Apr 27

Clifford the cat and the kids – in their parents bed.

• Clifford the cat – my self-isolation guru.

• When the makers of Candy Crush give the gift of unlimited lives for a whole week!

• Having the time to make homemade hamburger buns and other treats.

• Puzzles – Now that everyone is into doing puzzles, I do not feel like quite as big a nerd.

• No sport on TV = nothing left for my husband and I to fight about.

• Learning a new language while binge watching Money Heist.

• Saying goodbye on Zoom or Houseparty…you just hang up! No more awkward goodbyes at the door.

• Saving money on car insurance because you are no longer driving to work every day.

• Bringing out the patio furniture and setting up the trampoline. It’s starting to feel a little like summer.

• Less laundry…just choose your legging/sweat top combo for the week and you’re good to go.

• The magical hour around 5pm every day when a glass of wine and favourite song provide me with the motivation to dance and cook dinner.

• Discovering a new podcast.

The DOWNS:
• Temperatures in the single digits in April…or worse, snow!

Thank you drawing

Results of a parent led art class

• The annoying soundtrack of Beatrix’s YouTube videos which have become ambient noise in the house.

• My embarrassingly high score on Candy Crush.

• Where do all the charging cables keep disappearing to?

• Making plans for the summer…

• Google classroom on the iPad: why can’t I just write on the document?

• Sad husband because there is no sport on TV.

• Finding out that schools will remain closed until at least May 31st – SERENITY NOW!

• Doing your tax return – the worst part of being an adult.

• Getting the weekly alert telling me what the average daily screen time was last week…gulp.

• The absurd volume of new passwords to remember for accessing homeschool websites.

• Deciding what PPE to don on the weekly trip to the grocery store – how many times can I reuse this same mask?

• At home haircuts…they’re not everyone’s cup of tea.

• Finding the motivation to do at home workouts and complete assignments for grad school.

• Being interrupted by children asking for TV during a work Zoom call -this was not on the list of pre-approved activities.

• Google Play charging $19.95 to RENT Trolls 2 – how dare they?

• Discarded latex gloves left on the ground: so uncool.

Previous columns:

The idea

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 5

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