Sorry kids, no feet.

I have done very little reading this week. Very little reading of books I want to read. I've read plenty of books this week. I think I've made my way through all the Llama Llama books. Lots of Curious George. A smattering of Dr. Seuss. 

I've been entertaining 4 and 5 year old preschool students for the last week. I will probably be entertaining them next week two as their teacher is potentially stuck in Germany for the foreseeable future. I'm exhausted now. I'm become even more exhausted when I think about the possibility of being in preschool for another week. On the bright side, it's a four day work week and those kids still get nap time during the day.

I haven't been out of work for that long. It's only been since last September. However, I've completely forgotten how to be a working mom. I have gotten so use to doing a specific set of chores during the day when my children aren't home. Dishes. Laundry. Grocery shopping. Well I've been gone all week. So guess what hasn't been done? Thankfully the dishes have been done because dishes that pile up on the counter annoy my husband. *It's possible I use that quirk to my advantage on occasion.* 

I had to break down and go grocery shopping last night when my husband got home from work. There are not enough expletives in the world to cover that experience. I stood in line at the grocery story for an hour behind a woman who had FOUR carts full of canned goods and other food. It was the most bonkers thing I have ever seen. That was until I noticed the woman was wearing scrubs and carrying a lanyard with badge from the local hospital. So now I'm thinking to myself, "Does she know something the rest of us don't?" I immediately text my bestie who works for Mayo clinics (THAT Mayo). If anyone knows anything, she does. As it turns out, she's not much help. The previous day she coughed twice during her shift and got sent home. She was told she wasn't allowed to come back to work until she had been tested for COVID-19. 

So now I'm standing in line, scrolling through my news feed. Wisconsin schools are starting to close. Well, Wisconsin is kind of close to Minnesota. Colleges in Minnesota are closing. At least one school district is closing. There is one confirmed case of COVID-19 within 75 miles of where I'm currently standing. I don't want to be one of those worst case scenario people, and I'm not. Even last winter when I was stuck in my house for two straight weeks because of weather, I didn't go out and bulk buy anything. Maybe wine. Probably coffee. Anyway, while I'm thinking about all of this, I turn my grocery cart around without thinking. At this point I'm not worried about needing to quarantine. I've been with preschoolers all week. I more than likely walked out of that room with something. That's just how it is. Instead, at this point I'm thinking, what happens when the governor (has to be local because I have zero faith in federal entities *cough, cough - Cheet-o Man - cough, cough*), decides my children are going to be home with me for the next two - three weeks. Add another jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, the chicken nuggets with the fun shapes. Child lunch essentials. I ended up with more than I came in for. 

I get home. My husband helps me unload my van. He is quick to point out that none of this stuff was on my list. I explain my logic to him. He rolls his eyes. In his defense, he has a job in the auto industry. When the economy does what the economy is doing, things tend to fall apart for the auto-industry. I get it. All of this is going down under the watchful eye of my children. 

After everything is put away, after the twins are in bed, my oldest comes to me with a very serious look on her face. 

"Mom, I'm worried."

"About what?"

"School being cancelled and being stuck at home."

"The weather is getting nicer. It's not like you'll be stuck inside."

"Not that. What happens if I run out of books? Can we go to the library tomorrow after school?"

That child is not going to run out of books. She has shelves full of books she's never read. She has a Kindle with e-books she's never read (and access to the library's e-books). She has a pile of library books from last weekend's trip to the library. She's fine. If nothing else, she's going to have to re-read a few things.  

This was a little bit longer post but thanks for hanging in there. I'm just at the point where I'm trying to find some humor in all of this. I found my daughter's concern to be a little funny. Honestly, if I'm her, I'm making sure my mother has enough coffee (and wine) to get through being stuck at home for two-three weeks.