We are slowly but surely losing our minds.

I imagine this is what prisoners feel like. Or perhaps animals put in a zoo.

Stuck, caged, with nowhere to go and nothing to do and no one to interact with.

All I can say is, thank goodness we live in the suburbs, with lots of green space around, so at least it’s easy to take The Kid outside to run and play. And thank goodness we have friends and neighbours nearby to at least see — from a safe distance — and talk to other human beings. People are coming to the realization that what they miss most isn’t shopping, or eating out, or going to Costco. It’s just normal life, and being able to see friends and family.

With school closed, it’s especially hard for the kids. With no prospect of get togethers or playdates anytime soon, the loneliness is really setting in. For all of us. We all miss the routine of normal life. Seeing friends, going to and from school, going to the gym or the library, just the every day things that make life NORMAL. The fear that keeps me up at night is – how long will it be until we feel normal again? How many months can this go on?

People are so scared and paranoid, they won’t even pass each other on the sidewalk, choosing instead to cross the road or walk 10 feet away. Everyone looks at each other with suspicion, like every human out there is potentially a walking bag of viruses. Everyone is scared, all the time. People keep stockpiling at supermarkets. Some are disinfecting groceries when they bring them home. Only one family member is supposed to go shopping, once a week. There are long lines outside the supermarket, with everyone six feet apart, wearing a mask, some people wearing globes. Everyone now knows about the new norm of “social distancing”. There are so many new rules to learn about how to live in a terrifying, unknown covid world.

Amongst all this anxiety and angst, parents still have to do the most important job of all — keeping their kids sane, and somewhat happy. Which is hard to do when literally the entire world is closed, and everyone is hiding indoors.

This is how bored we are — we built a Chipmunk Cafe so that we can watch some living creatures outside the window. We are so desperate for a sign of life. For movement. For something. Anything. Sigh.

We’ve seen a few people from a safe distance – though the news keeps changing its mind about what that safe distance may be. We’ve flown a lot of kites, taken lots of walks, done lots of arts and crafts. And chalked a lot of sidewalks.

I cringe every time people say this is the ‘new normal’. Because if this is how it’s going to be long term, then get me off of this planet.

Stay tuned for…… a whole lot of nothingness, probably!!!