I like to prepare. My first blog idea, many moons ago, was going to be called Organizing Christmas… all about planning ahead so that when the big event arrived, you could just enjoy it. I had two kids, two cats, a business, and I over volunteered, I did not need a blog.
After 9/11 New Yorkers were scared, there was an inner battle of they are not going to affect my day to day living, and I must prepare and protect my family at all costs. I prepared. Remember those pills in case of a nuclear attack? I can not even remember what they did. We had 5 to start, 1 for each of us and 1 for Simone, our nanny. I mean how embarrassing would it have been if she was at the house and I did not have a pill for her. Then I realized I needed more. What if people were visiting when it happened, so awkward. I think I ended up with ten pills. Ridiculous. I also had water, duct tape, and rolls of plastic. All put to good use over time, thankfully not for the use they were purchased for.
The “wow, now that is prepared award” went to a friend who had tickets to a Broadway show soon after 9/11. She made each person in her family wear a fannypack she created with emergency supplies (flashlight, whistle, water, granola bar)… just in case. Now that is hardcore.
After showing up 30 minutes early to the DMV for my enhanced drivers license (with a prescheduled appointment, five more forms of ID than needed, and extra pens) I saw a news brief on the tv. The WHO and CDC have stated that it is not if the coronavirus covid-19 comes to the US, it is when. Since my appointment took only 10 minutes… I had an hour and 50 minutes before I needed to be back in the office. Joy oh joy… shopping. We now own face masks (yes, I know they are not perfect), crazy amounts of toilet paper, bulk cat food, bleach, hand sanitizer, immune vitamins, bleach wipes, gloves, laundry detergent, and food to prep and fill the freezer. Quarantines? We got this. With one “kid” now living in LA, I have two houses to prepare, so Amazon will deliver their goods by the weekend.
Given this is the first pandemic with our family, I assumed Jacob’s girlfriend might reply to the “watch for these packages” text with confusion. What? You are sending WHAT?
She wrote…
“Thank you so much! I love catastrophizing, Jacob is especially good at it.”
Could the acceptance of my crazy get any better? Well, yes. Olivia burst into the car after work saying she had a present for me…it was 67.6 ounces of hand sanitizer.
And with that, my parenting is done… at least for the moment.
*** in all seriousness, wash your hands, stay home if sick, and be well.
Swooning 