Post by covergirl82 on Mar 24, 2020 9:28:08 GMT -5
If you could've seen into the future and known that this was coming, and you could only get one thing to prepare/make things better right now, what would you get?
Post by covergirl82 on Mar 24, 2020 9:37:46 GMT -5
I'm torn between having a better office set-up (larger desk or 2 desks (one for me, one for DH), and already have the VGA-to-HDMI adapter) or getting a dog. It would be great to have lots of time at home to help the dog adjust, and it would give the kids time to bond with and play with/take care of the dog, and let's be honest, it would be good therapy to just have a dog to snuggle right now.
I would not have torn out my kitchen. Work is continuing, but the governor just shut down all nonessential businesses. So while the tradesmen working on this and stores like Home Depot are considered essential, the granite/quartz yard where our countertops reside are not. So no counters for the foreseeable future.
Other than some kind of still available childcare/a live-in nanny, I can’t think of much that would make this easier, and it’s still so hard.
We’re lucky to have two good office set-ups for both DH and me, and my parents here. And DH had us stock up on stuff in advance (like toilet paper) so we’re fine there.
Maybe a peloton bike?
ETA - DH had a freezer delivered for our garage on 3/7 and we stocked it during the following week. So that ended up being good timing.
A MUCH better office set up. My little desk and chair are killing my back. I can't decide if being able to use a second monitor is worth it and have strongly considered retreating to my bed to see if laying down more helps. I so desperately need a chiropractor to work their magic on me.
Post by AdaraMarie on Mar 24, 2020 11:01:55 GMT -5
Maybe an extra freezer that already had food in it or a printer so I could download activities for my kids. A new bike for my 7 year old that I was putting off until summer.
I would not have booked a trip as to add to extra hassle of getting a refund, however it may come. I also would have followed up on our complaining on how our ATT service sucks and made someone come out and do something about our sluggish internet.
An actual desk and office chair for a WFH set-up. We have always worked at the dining room table because it wasn't long chunks of time. This has been tough on by back and arse.
sdlaura, our neighbors have a springless trampoline. It's supposed to eliminate 90% of injuries, but it is a little pricier. Their kids are on that thing for HOURS a day. And have been since we moved in 2 years ago. We don't know the family or the kids, but they love that thing.
I have no idea. I think even if I had a perfect home office set up, a gazillion activities for the kids, and all the toilet paper in the world, I'd still feel woefully unprepared and finding things to complain about.
TP-wise, we're doing fine. One of my biggest fears is running out of toilet paper, so we are typically decently stocked, but the time will come in a few weeks that we'll need more. I also used to have half a year's worth of tampons stockpiled just in case. I don't miss that.
I agree k3am, there is no real preparing for this. I tear up when I pass empty school building etc, today I had to walk past a playground that says closed for Co-vid. It's 2 houses away from our house and my kids can't go there. I never got a backyard play thing because we have the parks, and now we just don't....
An actual home office set up, I am working at the dining room table while trying to manage the kids. On the plus side, my noise cancelling headphones came to day, which are great for when they are just so loud chatting with each other or having their hour of screen time. ( mellym, yes it is hard on my butt and back as well)
I wouldn't have booked our 10 year anniversary trip to the Caribbean this summer....fairly bummed about that.
Post by mustardseed2007 on Mar 24, 2020 14:22:42 GMT -5
I don't know.
I do know that I'm furious at my tri club at being the only thing that won't put my membership on hold. Contractually they don't have to, but it makes me very angry.
Also I wish our BI insurance covered pandemics. Of course then insurance companies would be going bankrupt. So. Meh.
phdmomma, are you able to cancel your trip with a refund?
We booked our first big family vacation ever for this summer in August. We have until June to cancel with a full refund. We haven't pulled the trigger on it yet because we're secretly hopefully, but I'm not planning on actually going.
I wish we hadn’t booked a huge trip to Japan. It’s at the end of May. I’m waiting as long as I can to cancel it because it is just going to be a huge blow to my psyche. Traveling is my jam, it’s the thing I love most in the world.
k3am, We can cancel between now and June 8th to get 85% of our money back. The trip is at the end of July, so we are waiting until the end of May to decide what to do.
Same waverly, that's why I'm looking into a trampoline for the yard. The elementary school outdoor space/playgrounds on our street are still open, but we don't feel comfortable letting the kids use them.
Post by librarychica on Mar 24, 2020 16:11:13 GMT -5
Today was very hard. It was the hardest day the kids and I have had. The 5yo is basically feral and the 8yo had a spectacular meltdown in frustration and I screamed at her. Helpful! I wish I had laid in a 6 month supply of wine.
I always stock myself up in January before I get into the thick of tax season because shopping is the last thing I want to do after working a long day. So I'm good on TP, the freezer is stock and so is the pantry. I do need to make my normal monthly grocery run soon but have been avoiding the stores.
If I could go back in time I would have enrolled DD in online school for the school year so having her with me all day wouldn't be a new thing and life wouldn't seem so topsy-turvy right. But on the other hand DD loves her 3rd grade teacher and they have the cutest email conversation going on right now. The #1 reason I didn't put her in online school was because I didn't feel like I could do tax season and be mom and teacher too, haha to me.
Hair stylist sharp scissors. DS needed a haircut months ago....now it is absurd. I plan on watching YouTube videos to make it happen but Amazon is saying 3 weeks before they can deliver sharp scissors......
Post by erinshelley21 on Mar 25, 2020 9:29:38 GMT -5
mae0111 is it possible to put some plywood on top of your cabinets where you could use a surface the most? Wood is fairly cheap and might be worth it to make things a little easier.
erinshelley21 - I think we will do that, but unfortunately we can’t install so many things until the counters are in. The cooktop sits on the counter. The sink is an under mount. I have 2 cabinets that can’t go in until they can sit on the counter.
I’m hoping they can get my ovens in before the counters come in, maybe even the dishwasher??? But I doubt it... oh well. It’s not as bad as I would have thought. I’ve made some nice meals in the instant pot over the past few days, so it’s been fun to experiment!
mae0111- you could also get a little burner that plugs in the wall. Not sure what to do about the sink though. I’m sorry this is happening to you.
I do have that! I’m cooking here and there in the dining room with the hot plate, microwave, toaster oven, and instant pot.
Dishes are killing me though. We are doing them in a basement sink... which would be ok... but the laundry also empties into that sink... and *someone* who was trying to *help* by doing dishes after I cooked *plugged the sink* so the basement flooded this morning... soaking all of the kitchen stuff that is stored down there... full circle.
erinshelley21 - I think we will do that, but unfortunately we can’t install so many things until the counters are in. The cooktop sits on the counter. The sink is an under mount. I have 2 cabinets that can’t go in until they can sit on the counter.
I’m hoping they can get my ovens in before the counters come in, maybe even the dishwasher??? But I doubt it... oh well. It’s not as bad as I would have thought. I’ve made some nice meals in the instant pot over the past few days, so it’s been fun to experiment!
They probably could get the dishwasher in. They do get attached to the counter with a screw, but one of the screws for ours on our old house came out alllll the time. So, I dont think being unattached for a short period of time would be a huge deal.