The Unexpected Housewife

When the cornoavirus first took hold this spring, my mom purchased masks for us.  I was skeptical of their use, and someplace inside I felt resistant.   I couldn't put my finger on why, but seeing masks on the children felt so odd.   When we learned the rationale for why we should have masks and the need to wear them, we did, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it felt uncomfortable.  I'm not sure why, but one morning, while eating breakfast at the counter with the family, it hit me in the gut why I hated the look of the masks on the children. When I was in grade school, I was a very sick little girl.  I was on tons of medication and spent much time, including birthdays and holidays, in the hospital.  Not a great time, and now that I am grown I have only admiration for how my parents navigated that time and cared for my brother and me.  This went on for many years. As a child,  I often found myself in operating rooms.  My parents were not able to be in those rooms, and ev

We are all hitting our limit. And why not?  We have been scared and worried since at least mid March.  We are uncertain what the right choices are.  We are tired.  Very tired. Some of us are worried about family, near and far, young and old.  Some of us are concerned for the friend who is ill, the neighbor who can’t get out any more, kids that are no longer in school and having a very strange summer. My house is no different.  We are blessed that we are healthy, we are employed and we can feed our kids.  I know so many people that can’t say that-who could say that just days ago.  It feels like at any moment the rug that is just barely under us is going to shift and then everything will fall.  It’s just inches away. And while my family does love each other, the stress of the situation is showing through arguments, tears, long walks with Hattie, and exhaustion.  Sometimes the house feels charged with this odd energy that isn’t right, and I know it’s not right because it lacks pe