Nothing Thursday turned out the way I’d planned. One by one, the time blocks on my calendar fell away, canceled. No field trip. No meeting with the CIO. No Scouts. And, it was fine. I was relieved. It wasn’t because I don’t enjoy doing those things- I just love found time.
Then Friday came the official word we’d been expecting: all client travel suspended, a work-from-home policy put in place, and the biggie, school cancelled. SCHOOL IS CANCELLED.
Starting Monday, Marin, Baya, and Linc will be home through April 14th. We can all agree that’s, like, forever. Forget every cliché, wistful thing I’ve said about them growing up so fast. It’s like time just slammed on the breaks to avoid a wreck. We’re in that quiet moment looking around the car realizing we’re all okay and wondering what happens next.
The challenge is fortunately, (and I really mean that) Brian and I will still be working full-time. Full-time conference calling doesn’t mesh well with meeting the full-time demands for entertainment and snacks while answering Linc’s unending stream of questions on quarterbacks, cement mixers, and when we’re going to the playground.
This is going to require an adjustment- not like the screen time restrictions we halfheartedly enforce on a snow day. This requires a full-on, new world order in the Camarote house.
It’ll require structure. It’ll require coordination. It’ll require a damn plan printed-out poster-sized in large font.
Luckily, I do these things for a living. I just appointed myself the Program Manager. Coincidentally, Brian does these things for work too. Unfortunately for him, he’s still asleep and missed out on the accelerated application process. He can be Deputy.
Anyway, it’s now Saturday so it’s technically the weekend. These artificial designations will soon feel meaningless, I’m sure. I’m giving myself two days to get our plan together. I’m filling in my normal meal spreadsheet. I’m also putting together a “draft” work/school-day schedule that I’ll run by the stakeholders later to give them the illusion of input. (It’s actually final.)
We’ll get the extra laptops set up today in their “cubes” with gmail and their itty-bitty contact lists.
The school is providing lesson plans for Marin and Baya. Thanks to the awesome teacher-mom network on Facebook, we have some other, age-appropriate resources for Linc. My fellow planner friend Sarah shared this helpful collection of ideas for downtime.
Then, the list-making.
I have grand visions for the stuff we’ll get done: massive closet decluttering, training our puppy, mending all the tears and snags created by that same puppy, baking bread, spring yard clean-up, seed starting, etc.
If this reads a bit like Laura Ingalls Wilder, that feels about right. We’re going way, way back to basics.
And this is all somehow going to happen while keeping the rest of our very 21st century, virtual responsibilities up. I’m determined. At least, right now I am. We’re only a couple hours in and I’ve had 3 cups of coffee.
Stay tuned. I hope to keep the blog updated with our progress.
If you don’t hear anything, there’s been a coup. You can find me in the back of my messy closet with a family-sized pack of Oreos and a glass of Chardonnay.
Let’s do this!