Remote Office

my office on the move...

safety first

After more than two weeks of working hunched over my tiny laptop in un-ergonomic positions, I finally came to grips with reality:

This COVID stuff is going to last a long time...

:(

and I need workable solutions for navigating COVID-affected life.

One thing that needed to change in order for me to switch from short-term response to long-term survival was my (non)office set up in our apartment. 

As you can see, major upgrades have now taken place.

my new workspace.
I love it so much I told my coworkers to watch out... they might never see me at the office again :)

I am so blessed to have a job I can continue working remotely.

Also, I'm a big fan of working remotely, so I have immensely enjoyed that portion of this season of life.

6 Feet

Since I haven't been anywhere in over two weeks, it felt really strange to venture into the post office earlier this week to mail a package (a necessary package, of course). These days we are encouraged to think of every place as a germ-infested space just waiting for unsuspecting victims who venture too near or linger too long.

In case you are not able to determine what the distance of 6 feet looks like, our miniature post office has priority-mail-taped helpful 6 foot signage to the floor.

Just follow the posted signs, stand on the little taped-to-the-floor-papers, and wash your hands for at least twenty seconds (with soap and warm water) when you get home!

And hopefully you will avoid contamination.

inopportune/opportune

One the one hand, two weeks ago Saturday was a very inopportune time for our dryer to cease operations (a dryer is not really life-sustaining for us). 

On the other hand, since the weather is warming in this region, two weeks ago Saturday was actually an opportune time for our dryer to give up the ghost.

We're thankful to have an old laundry pole just outside our back door.

Gift

Heather gifted me her grandmother's English tea set.

Taxes

:(

'nough said.

Limit

It was a new experience to go shopping last week and find the above sign. I'm not used to being "limited" in any way when grocery shopping, aside from periodic reasonable limits on crazy ridiculous sale prices.

I'm also not used to buying the last regular sized bag of unbleached enriched white flour off the shelf.

The bread, milk, and egg shelves looked as if a blizzard was about to reign down on the region (out here in PA, it's a real thing that people panic before large snow storms, and stores literally run out of bread, milk, and eggs).

Amidst the grocery store pandemonium following the State's announcement to close all K-12 schools for the next couple weeks (which in-turn led to the cancellation of nearly every social event small or large for at least the same period), I stopped to select a little bouquet of daffodils. 

I was the only person in the flower department, although the store was the busiest I've ever experienced.

Somehow buying a mini bouquet in addition to my cart full of flour, oil, pasta, fresh and frozen veggies, cereal, bread, and yoghurt (I confess I put an extra quart in the cart since milk wasn't an option...) felt like a holistically healthy decision.

{and... buying a box of chocolate peanut butter ice cream also seemed like a very wise move :) }

climb inside

I LOVE Microsoft lockscreen photos from around the world.

My favorites are scenery photos (I always provide "not a fan" feedback for photos of city traffic, modern architecture, animals, large groups of people, etc.).

Some of the scenery shots are absolutely stunning, incredible, and amazing:

I want to climb into that jumbo-tron

and be in those places.

I'm reminded of the time Joel Skyped home when our oldest niece was little...

and she asked her dad to help her climb into the screen.

If only we could.