“Quaranteaming” is my favorite word of the week. The CNN article where it appeared featured a smiling pair of coworkers who moved in together to avoid isolation during this pandemic. I have several family members and friends who are living by themselves and all of them keenly feel the isolation, even though their pets are thrilled.
On the other hand, some of us are spending more time in the same space with our loved ones than we ever imagined. My husband has been retired for several years, so I have already experienced life as I once knew it flutter away. We have already been through the spates of petty irritations togetherness can bring: (“Do you really have to shout when you sneeze?” “How often do you go to that hair salon, anyway?” and so on.) But for people who regularly leave the house for long periods and are used to spending time alone, enduring a lockdown in a confined space with others day in and day out can be a trial. My point? Quaranteaming isn’t easy, either.
This unusual time has spawned all kinds of ways to cope. The internet is full of movies and TV series to stream, DIY mask patterns to sew, tips on the best time to go to the market, etc. Today Bill forwarded to me an article about “How to Dye Your Hair at Home.” Ha ha. (The quick answer: wait for your hairdresser.)
I recommend checking out my friend Robert Hawkins’ blog, Musings, Magic, San Miguel and More. The April 16 edition includes two suggestions I am definitely going to pursue: listening to The Daily’s Sunday Read about Weird Al Yankovic and watching the Joseph L. Mankiewicz movie, A Letter to Three Wives. I may even persuade Bill, my quaranteammate, to join me.
HAVE A GOOD WEEK!
