Greetings from self containment

Because of the coronavirus, I'm "working from home," but there is no work. Our client downstate is also "working from home," which means they are unlikely to get it together to give us any assignments. Working remotely is simply not their culture. They are a big face-to-face, let's-write-things-on-a-wipe-board kinda crew. Being in different locations will be hard for them.

Oh yeah, and they're ready to sever ties with us anyway.

So I sit at my adorable little gold MacBook Air and compulsively check my work email, because, well, they're paying me. But today I got literally three messages, and all of them were about administrative tasks. No assignments.

So I freaked out.

•  What will happen to my hair if Governor Pritzker follows the lead of Pennsylvania's governor and shuts down salons? I called my stylist and made an appointment for Thursday afternoon at 4:00.

•  What about my cats? They're on a special diet! What if veterinary offices are deemed "not essential?" I played hooky, went to the vet and stocked up. I have now more than a month of their prescription food. The vet tech promised me that I need not worry. She said, "You know me, Gal. I'll look out for your babies." She said, if need be and they're forced to close, we'll meet in the alley and if I pay cash she'll give me the food. I believe her.

•  I stopped at the little local grocery store across from the vet. They had toilet paper! I only bought one roll. I left the four-packs for families. I think I have more than a month's worth on hand. I also bought some chicken salad for dinner. This is a small store, independently owned, and I want to support them. I also hate to cook.

•  I picked up my belt at the local old-school shoe repair. Tony, the 70-something Italian immigrant who owns/runs it, thinks this "whole virus business is crazy." He's been down there in his basement shop for decades, all by himself. I hope he's being careful. He doesn't seem like the hand sanitizer type.

•  This all took an hour. No emails from the office. So I did laundry.

At 4:30, I ate my chicken salad dinner. At 6:30, I took a nap.

I am not happy. I am not relaxed. I am worried.

I have to settle into this.

This is going to go on for quite a while. I think the two weeks of working from home declared by our corporate headquarters may have been optimistic.

I think, when I settle into it, I may enjoy this. I have books to read. I have movies to watch. I have cats to cuddle. My freezer and pantry are stocked. My paycheck is promised on 3/30.

My temperature is 98.3º.

Chill, Gal, chill!