Just what everyone needs are more thoughts on COVID-19.

To begin with I was pretty much indifferent to this infectious disease being passed around in a far away country.

My life has carried on without any disruption, aside from a few internet memes that made me laugh, at myself and others.

I was able to keep my plans and flew to visit family in Minnesota.

My flight was full, I only saw one person with a mask.

I thought it was strange that UMD was closed down when they had no reported cases of the virus in the state.

I was careful not to smooch on my sisters baby, that was my biggest challenge of this ordeal so far.

I got a little worried I wouldn’t be able to fly home, when they started shutting things down.

As soon as the kids walked in the door on Friday my oldest girl called in a rush to tell me school has been closed for six weeks.

I was amazed. And instantly wondered if our spring break travels will have to be cancelled.

She was frantic about not being able to see her friends every day.

‘What am I going to do?!?' It’s going to be so BORING!’

Just another reason kids are the greatest.

I had plenty of time on my shuttle ride and flight home to think about the next six weeks.

And this morning I outlined a schedule and a tentative plan.

What if this is a practice run for something bigger?

What can I learn from being in this situation?

How long will these last two rolls of toilet paper last?

Not long with 11 of us in the house.

But I did receive my monthly order of napkins from Amazon.

And we have plenty of old t-shirts we could cut up.

And what if this is the greatest opportunity ever?

What if I love having the kids home and teaching them myself?

What if the waitress who has no job right now because restaurants are closed, discovers a way to make money online and support herself even better?

What if all we need to know is what our mothers taught us?

‘Wash your hands’

‘Keep your hands to yourself’

‘Don’t pick your nose’

‘Cough in your corner’

‘Eat your greens’

‘Take your vitamins’

‘Drink water’

‘Go to bed’

I think about our grandmothers and great-grandmothers.

No hand sanitizer, no clorox wipes, just a sturdy bar of lye soap.

And I know everything will be just fine.

Everything IS just fine.

I am sorry for anyone who has lost a loved one to the virus.

But then I am sorry for anyone who has lost a loved one for any reason.

It is sad to think of anyone not being able to visit an elderly loved one.

And we can be so thankful we know what we can do to keep them safe and thankful for telephones and paper and pen and all the ways we can show love.

I hope we can all keep our wits through this.

And I would really love to interview someone who thought it was a good idea to hoard toilet paper.

I am so curious about that.

And

Spring is right around the corner.

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