COVID-19 Quarantine Updates (Week 2)

Well we have officially survived (and finished) our first week of lock down.  You can read about it here -- I figured I would go week by week so the posts didn't get too long.  Our first week sure had its ups and downs.  We are still trying to figure out our new normal and it has been challenging and testing everyone which again is completely understandable.  So -- here we go with this week's updates...

March 21, 2020 (Day 8)
Trevor still isn't feeling great so it was another long day for all of us.  Serafina was a little off as well, but more so just tired from her lack of sleep this past week (in case you didn't know, our sweet girl really struggles when things in her life change and it comes out mostly in the form of night terrors -- so we are back to nightly night terrors which is affecting all of us).  She just wanted a lot of snuggles and play time with mom and day which we were more than happy to give her, we all needed it.  A very low key day which was nice.

she wanted to play in the sink, sure why not (yes still wearing pajamas for 2+ days in a row)

I did escape to go to the base to grab some food and a few other things we needed.  I once again was super nervous to leave the house and while I saw plenty of cops on the road, I was never stopped.  I was shocked at how busy the shopping area on base was (the commissary and mini mart).  Not busy like a normal weekend, but for sure more people than in town.  And people not shopping alone, in groups and hugging each other and getting close... It made me quite mad actually.  We are in this lock down to keep ourselves and others safe, the longer people can't follow the rules the longer we will be in this lock down.  So get it together people!

Thankfully still no new restrictions, I think this is three days in a row!  My group chat for Serafina's class was quite optimistic earlier encouraging everyone because we only had one week left... Then finally someone mentioned that in China they were locked down for 58 days before they saw no new cases.  Spain's numbers are still climbing and by A LOT -- almost 5,000 new cases today.  But I know things will eventually start to fall and I know we are doing the right thing by staying home. 

March 22, 2020 (Day 9)
Well, remember when I said Trevor wasn't feeling so great -- he went to the base hospital last night to get tested for COVID.  Thankfully in the end the test came back negative but it was a long 24 hours trying to figure out what it all meant.  There was lots of cleaning and disinfecting -- and sadly Trevor had to be quarantined in a separate room of the house.  Which was insanely hard for Serafina who knew her dad was home but that she couldn't hang out with him... And then SO afraid he got the germs we have been talking about.  It was rough.

So I brought out some creative activities and didn't say no all that much -- which resulted in some fun out on our porch since it was finally sunny, creating an obstacle course inside with her old crib mattress and her favorite way of eating a meal (muffin tin tapas).  Seriously, we eat lunch usually once a week with muffin tins and it is so much fun -- I can usually get her to eat more fruits and veggies and try a new food.  Highly recommend.

Well the numbers still aren't great in Spain, which we did expect knowing that they were doing more testing and at a faster rate in the past days (which is a good thing), but it is still pretty disheartening.  And we learned today that the Spanish government plans to extend our 15 day state of alarm (aka lock down)... which again we expected but is also disheartening.  However, the 8PM applause (Serafina calls it clapping) is seriously the best thing ever and we all love it.  We can see five other houses/porches fairly easily and we all wave and talk and check in on each other and clap for 3-5 minutes and then tell everyone we'll see them tomorrow and back we go inside (all in Spanish by the way).  I can't even begin to describe how uplifting it can be.  A friend posted this article from CNN and it describes how things are going and Andalusia perfectly.

While it is not always easy being locked up and not having interactions with people outside our little family -- the sense of community among everyone is just surreal.  I chat daily (hourly) with my American friends, we all check in on each other, we have video chats, we share recipes and home workouts.  My group chat for Serafina's class is similar -- sharing activities or websites for kids, sending encouragement, one parent who is a personal trainer started sending home workouts for the adults.  We have had friends from all over the world check on us to see how we are holding up and what the lock down is like... Definitely keeps our spirits up!

March 23, 2020 (Day 10)
Today was a much better day, easily our best day of this whole quarantine thing.  We all felt like we were in a groove and got a lot done.  Everyone was happy and no tantrums -- I think we have finally settled into our new normal of this crazy life right now.  Serafina did really well during mom school.  She is a math wizz and I had to re-do my math plans for her over the weekend, I introduced a harder concept today and she totally got it.  The language part of the American math curriculum is hard for her since it is SO different from what she is learning in school, but she still grasps the concepts.  And we lucked out with some sun so we were able to get out onto our patio and carport before the rain + thunder came.

So after 10 days on lock down, we have developed a loose routine.  We wake up slowly (no alarms because there is no point), sometimes Serafina comes and snuggles and we all fall back asleep -- we usually take our mornings slow.  We all eat breakfast and then Serafina and I do mom school and Trevor either does work stuff or some chore around the house.  I then usually workout and Serafina either helps Trevor do whatever he is working on or works out with me.  Then I make us all lunch, do a few chores (clean a room, do some laundry, work on a house project)... Then we head out on our patio if it is sunny or we have dance parties or some hands-on learning activity.  It is usually time to make dinner now so either we all do it or someone entertains Serafina and the other cooks dinner... Serafina usually plays or gets some screen time while Trevor and I clean up from dinner and finish whatever we were working on that day (if needed).  Then its bath time, ready for bed and go outside to clap and cheer with our neighbors before bed for Serafina.  I then stay up way too late usually writing these posts, watching TV and getting some much needed alone time.  Now of course this all sounds perfect and of course some days Serafina gets more TV time than others but its all about balance and survival.  Weekends are much the same except without mom school.  We try and plan out our meals based on what we have in the house to limit our grocery store trips.  Trevor goes to base one day a week for work and he does all the errands on base that day (post office, commissary, etc.).  And then I go to the Spanish grocery store one day a week as well.  It is important to limit our time outside our house area so that is what we do.

While there haven't been any new restrictions (that we know of), we know the Spanish police and military are cracking down on the various restrictions already put in place -- you cannot go far from your house unless going to work, to get needed supplies or to seek medical help (and you need to be able to prove where you are going at at all times).  You cannot be with others, even in cars (obviously there are exceptions if you are traveling with a child or elderly) and there are rules for where a passenger has to sit if you must transport someone.  Gloves and masks are required for everyone at grocery stores in town, cashiers are separated by plexiglass.  It's all very surreal and to be honest, I don't like leaving the house right now.  But let's hope tomorrow is another good day...

March 24, 2020 (Day 11)
I will keep it short and sweet tonight as I am exhausted.  Poor Serafina had a rough night last night (again) and it is catching up with me.  She woke up screaming with nightmares almost every hour so while she may be asleep it is very restless and also thanks to the screaming, I was awake.  Another good day today -- Serafina did great with mom school and Disney+ is finally available in Spain so now we have some solid entertainment for the next few weeks!  Serafina drew pictures and had me scribe letters to some of her friends here, Trevor will mail them when he goes to work later this week.

No new restrictions, but the whole town was sprayed with disinfectant tonight (smelled oddly like chlorine) which was a little scary.  Tractors equipped with sprayers went through the town street by street.  As of now we don't know anyone who has COVID but my Spanish group chat has some people whose family members are sick or being tested currently... We have heard and read that Andalucia has the slowest growth of cases in all of Spain because people here are actually following the state of alarm restrictions, so hopefully it stays this way!

March 25, 2020 (Day 12)

Another good day, until poor Serafina got a fever later in the day -- poor thing didn't feel good and fell asleep so early.  And since I was the only one who went outside for the 8PM applause, our neighbors were quite concerned as to where la niña was -- they were relieved when I told them she was just sleeping!  Because she is the only kid (under the age of 18) on our street, I think they all love her excitement and joy each night!

Serafina did great with mom school today -- reading a few very simple words in English and she is so very proud of herself.  We did an activity her seño (teacher) sent us, making paint with various spices + water to paint like the cavemen (or la prehistoria).  I did a workout on Zoom with my workout buddies from the gym and it was amazing, so good for my mental state!  The streets got sprayed down again, so Serafina enjoyed watching the tractor go by, thinking it was a parade.  And then we just watching Disney+ a lot :)

March 26, 2020 (Day 13)

No pictures and a short post today.  Serafina woke up fever free and is feeling great!  Trevor went into work today so it was just the two of us -- didn't do a whole lot, kept it fairly low key.  Did mom school and played outside in our carport area for a little but.  I did finally finish re-organizing our pantry which I am sure will last all of about 5 seconds :)

The big news for the day wasn't that we officially got extended in quarantine for an addition 15 days (set to end on April 11th) but that COVID has finally come to base -- the first American on base tested positive.  The base has been very forthcoming with information throughout this whole pandemic which has been very helpful to us (keeping us posted with numbers, translating the information put out regarding the state of alarm and more).

Mentally we are all hanging in there, have our good and bad moments (all fluctuates throughout the day).  These past few days have been harder emotionally, watching the numbers just keep climbing.  Everyone going stir crazy -- most of my friends are feeling the same way too.  The support we all give each other throughout the days is just amazing, we all take turns being the positive support and I have never been more thankful for technology!

March 27, 2020 (Day 14)

How have we managed to go another week?  It seems like the longest and also the shortest week of my life... The days are SO long but then the week seemed to fly by, maybe because we are literally doing the same thing day in and day out.  

Today was another low key day and no mom school because none of us were feeling it today and that is okay.  We are all doing hard things and we all need and deserve to take breaks every now and then.  We will try again tomorrow, it isn't like we know the days of the weeks or anything :)  So we kept our Friday night pizza + movie tradition and watched the tractor spray our street and we clapped with our neighbors.

And tomorrow will start our third week of this and tomorrow will be the same as today but also a new day.  And maybe, just maybe the numbers will start to drop.