Hertz Donut

Hope you're feeling better by the time you read this Patty. You live in a fantastic part of the country, find joy in the beauty that surrounds you. (Isn't that a song?)

I just wanted to say GAH! GRRRRRR! Five days from settling on the land next door and an OEM hardtop has shown up a couple of hundred miles from here, at a great price, although without genuine hardware. May never see another one in the country. WHY NOW? GAAAAAAHHHHH!

Lainey

This situation with social distancing and not being with family/people is so weird and unnatural, stressful and depressing. Working is a good distraction, but a few folks I know are VERY concerned about having to work right now. People that I know that are working from home feel safe, but still distracted and say not always as productive as they should be. Then you have parents working from home trying to home school their kids. Add not being able to get a break and visit with family and friends or not being able ask Grandma to come and lend a hand, the stress mounts.

Patty, if not seeing your kids is getting you down, can you meet up at some open space and bring picnic lunches and visit while social distancing? That has been a great outlet for me. I know my normal routine is not coming back any time soon, and I hate that. It's not easy. Finding some kind of alternative way to be with people and creating some kind of new routine is helping.

valentine

Depression has become my constant companion. I miss my daughter even though she comes by and we socially distance on the patio or whatever. I just feel a dark heaviness has descended upon us and the lack of leadership and guidance in getting our nation back on a viable track is just pitiful. If my son were not here (and he gets down as well) I think I would have gone stark raving mad. My responsibilities are extreme and Jim's care is made worse by the fact that he is decompensating due to his own fears. We try to stay off any news channels as much as possible with the exception of an occasional local newscast. Seeing countless thousands of Covid-19 refugees from hot states descending upon us is sickening. Our stores were not fully stocked before these people arrived and now -- shopping is a nightmare. Thankfully I'd stocked up on many things before these jerks came flying down here, I cannnot even list the things that are troubling me and I feel I sound ungrateful since I can shop from home, I have a nice home, my lawn is lovely but somehow I feel choked by being unable to hop in my car and go to the grocery store or drug store or wherever. I'm just horribly sad and I sit down every single freaking day and cry. MsP has been a great outlet and wonderful friend -- never judgey, but listens to my whining and offers encouragement. Eventually I'll find a telehealth counselor I suppose, but right now there are none in my area except one who is a right wing college grad -- no thank you.

Scooterboy

There is not much more I can say other than hang in there Val. You are carrying a large burden that many can't understand. Talking to MsP is a good thing. Having someone to talk to helps more than you might know. Again, hang in there!

boltonblue

Val, thank you, that made me smile.
I am sure that a 20-something has enough life experience to be able to understand all of your issues in life and tell you how to straighten your life right out.

Boy, don't you just miss the unbridled confidence of youth. Life was so easy then.

tof

Depression may be one of the most serious effects of the COVID pandemic and the resulting restrictions on our normal lives. Val, it sounds like your life was already challenging, caring for a loved one who requires so much of your physical and emotional resources. Now they have gone and taken away the rose blossoms and you have been left with the thorns. I don't know if this is any help but I think your Vintage friends deeply admire your ability to continue putting one foot in front of the other and overcoming the challenges you face each day. I'm so glad you have someone like Deb to give you some emotional support. Funny how a owning a little car ended up providing such a powerful lifeline.

valentine

Damn, my dear friend, I miss my relatively care-free 60s!!! Life was so much easier then. Counselors feel the need to tell me how much I need to socialize with others, do things for myself, blah blah blah. Same ole, same ole all the time. It is however interesting to chat with one about my life's burdens all the while knowing they have absolutely zero experience in the arena in which I'm waging my battles. They all must study from the same books, have professors who spew the same "words of wisdom" hence they all say the same thing. I do feel I need to talk things out with someone and since MsP's fees are wayyyy too high (LOL), I'll find someone before I become even more unhinged. I do feel I made the right decision in keeping Jim in the home instead of placing him in a care home. It was easier when I had housekeepers coming in and his therapists coming in as it gave me time to dash out for a bit. For the past four months I've been on my own with the exception of my son. He's been great and he makes certain Jim gets outside every day and they have their little chats and discussion about gaming, etc. He also loves (yes -- he loves) vacuuming, so I don't have to do that. Hey, I feel a little better already. Thanks Scoots, Tof and Bolt. Yall are the best.

tof

If I might be so bold as to offer a suggestion, I hope you are checking out the Joke of the Day thread regularly. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine and some of our vintage friends post some real doozies.

boltonblue

As I said to my life yesterday, " sometimes the weight of the world gets pretty heavy on your shoulders"
I probably whine a lot but it is what it is. if whining gets yah through it, whine away.
just no diff whine, that's just more to fix!

Lainey

Hugs, Darlene. You are carrying heavy weight on your shoulders for those you love. Hang in there.

I saw news clips of masses of people in various places this weekend. Really leaves me scratching my head. Perhaps the outbreak of Covid19 was minimal in their state, but you have to be living under a rock to not hear how deadly the virus can be. I guess we wait and see how those areas fare from the activities of the weekend.