Editor’s note: Karen Harris Tully is a writer who lives in Raymond and has agreed to keep a journal to share with Daily World readers during the odd and uncertain time we’re all navigating. Maybe it will inspire some of you to start one. What a gift it would be to those who come after us, and what a wonderful way for them to know us.
03/19/2020
I’m writing this after a few days that felt much longer, you know? First, news that Covid-19 might keep us “social distancing” for 18 months. I had a quiet freak out while my kids, almost 5 and 7, watched SpongeBob. Day two of homeschooling wasn’t my best, I’ll admit. Homeschooling for 18 months? I’m an author, I have two books to write! Ok, breathe. Drink some tea.
We got through the day, dinner, dishes, and bedtime. And then my husband Mike gave me the second piece of news that threw me for a loop. A National Guard recruiter had come into the school a week ago and met with some of the staff, including Mike. This recruiter was now positive for Covid-19, and we were in self-quarantine for two weeks. Mike couldn’t go to work. The kids couldn’t go to their grandparents’. My mom couldn’t come for our daughter’s fifth birthday next week, and HOW was I supposed to get that special princess birthday cake? Argh!
And then, I thought of my Oma, my mom’s mom. She had three kids under the age of 5 in Germany during World War II. She gave birth to my mom at home, alone, having sent her 5-year-old across town to fetch the midwife — who didn’t come in time. Oma was tough. She would’ve hit me upside the head and said, “YOU are made of sterner stuff.”
So, what would Oma have done? She would have built a Victory Garden.
The next day we began with weeding — horticulture and PE class in one. I was able to order 2×6’s, soil and seeds from Bud’s over the phone. They even offered next day delivery. Pinterest had princess cake designs. I don’t need to be Oma, I just need to be me.
Fast forward one day, and our road twists again. It was all a false alarm. The recruiter’s test actually came back NEGATIVE. Was there a false positive and then a confirmation test? Was it a case of miscommunication? I don’t know, but I’m grateful it was wrong. I’m not mad at the school, I’m relieved. They did their best with information they believed to be true. And if everyone does their best, not just for themselves, but for their community, we’re all gonna be OK.
Karen Harris Tully is a novelist living in Raymond with her husband and two small children. She writes sci-fi / fantasy for teens and adults and can be found at www.karenharristully.com
