Quarantine 2020: How are you doing?
We’re all in this together!
I can’t ever remember a time when the entire world was facing a crisis all at once. We are living in surreal times, that’s for sure!
Here’s an update from my little corner of the world. And how about you? How are you faring in these strange times? Comment below and let me know.
Talk About Weird Timing!
Strangely, the outbreak of coronavirus / COVID-19 corresponded with the publication of a plague-themed anthology that eight other historical fiction authors and I put out into the world. I promise we did not make this up! You can learn more about our book, WE ALL FALL DOWN, here.
Are you currently quarantined? Drop a comment below and let me know what’s happening in your neck of the woods!
And… While we’re all staying home, we might as well read!
Thank you,Laura.
I’m writing from B.C. We are all isolating here. Kamloops is like a ghost town. This is the third week
for my husband and I because we are seniors. The numbers of people who are infected are starting to level off. The next few days will tell the story. Our health minister and our Prime Minister have been very proactive in their fight against this pandemic. Social distancing when out for essentials, no gathering, rest homes locked down and all businesses and services closed. Airports are instructing Canadians to self isolate for two weeks on arrival home.
My husband and I are spring cleaning, pruning trees, and trying to keep busy. We are keeping in touch with others, trying to make each other laugh. My daughter from Northern Alberta sends us photos that remind us of happy times. We are all doing what we can to stay calm and connected and I pray you and your family will be safe.
Thank you for sharing your personal situation in this difficult period facing the world today. I, too, am housebound in Mumbai, India. I had to tell you how much I had enjoyed reading The Gondola Maker. And I look forward to reading more of your forthcoming novels. Historical novels is one of my favourite genres.
Good luck!
Laura, thank you for your message it is lovely to learn a little about your private life, you are a very busy girl. Here in Sydney Australia, we are in lockdown it doesn’t affect me much as I am nearing 90 and am content to be at home with the family bringing me what I need but it must be very difficult for people with young children. Though I am getting on a bit normally I am quite active I havea bigGerman Shepherd and of course she requires exercise so I manage to take her to the park every day easy to stay the required distance from other people. Stay well, I intend getting one of your books to read while I am housebound. All the best Jo
Stay well during these trying times. Your books are most enjoyable!
Hello Laura,
We are in the front seat of history unfolding itself as we witness the well-armed, science-backed, technology-boosted human civilization being confronted by a virus, so small but elusive. . . I am in the Philippines, in a town 450 kilometers south of Manila. Under community quarantine, I am always inside the house with my laptop trying to get updated with current events. I write and editor on online news, BICOLTODAY.com at Facebook. Our website is temporarily not functioning because of recent hacking incidents. My Facebook account can be viewed.
I am here in Indiana near Purdue University. The county I live in has shut down all non essential business and folks have been told to shelter at home. I think yesterday, there were 7 cases of the virus in this county. I work for an essential company (we monitor security systems for residential and commercial, including those hospitals, fires stations, police force working on the front lines in battling the virus. At work, they’ve asked most of the employees to work from home, especially those with children. There are a few still in the office, including me. Our central station, of course, is still fully employed.
Two weeks ago at the suggestion of our son and daughter-in-law, we quickly packed up our cat and left our Over 55 home in southeast PA and came to their new home on an island off the Georgia coast. Except for being confined pretty much in their lovely home, it has seemed a bit like a vacation. We are enjoying spending time with the grandkids and it is an excuse for me to bury myself in the historical novels I so much enjoy. Also with the easy communication of e-mail, texting, etc. it has been a good time to catch up with distant friends and checking on how they are doing. I enjoy your books, and your e-mails. Thank you.
Hi Laura, I’m in Perth Western Australia. We are all in lock down here. I met my friend yesterday at the park.We took
Our own coffee and sat in a small patio in the park and spaced ourselves. It all seems so unreal. We do a lot of phoning and on our iPads. My husband and I are retired so we are home doing gardening and cooking and just
Enjoying life as it is. I do feel very blessed living here. It could be a lot worse than it is here. I pray to God it goes
As fast as it came. I will try and get some of your books to read while we are on lock down. Stay safe, and thank you for all your very interesting emails. God bless you.
I am in southeast Florida and am quaranteening with my daughter, who is taking online college classes. I never expected anything like this scenario in my lifetime, but I adjusted. I was an only child and during long Northern winters, I learned to be self- reliant. I am grateful that I have food, shelter and the ever elusive toilet paper. No, I am not hoarding, just prepared not to be down to the last square! I used to think King Henry VIII was paranoid about self isolating in remote castles when plagues hit. Now I realize that he was a smart man. Stay safe and well, you all.
Auguri, Laura.
Same for us, as an artist am used to isolation, but it is just me and my missus, so it is pretty quiet.
We worry about our friends and family though, but so far they are all well.
Currently imbibbing a big book about the three Wyaths and enjoying it so much.
Stay safe.
Best regards.
Alex
What is title if the Wyeths book? Are you enjoying it? All there photos of their paintings?
What an interesting time in history! We actually are witnessing the drama unfold of pandemic COVID-19. Having read the history of the Plaque, Spanish Flu, I wondered what I would have done had I lived during that time. Well, now I know. 17 March I was on a return flight from Yakutat, Alaska to Anchorage with two of my grandchildren. At the terminal, once we cleared security, we filled our water bottles, sanitized our hands and put on masks. I sanitized our row before being seated. Out of approximately 20 passengers, three were coughing directly behind our row. That flight originated in Seattle. One other passenger wore a mask.
Because of diabetes, I checked in with my primary care physician once at home. I was instructed to stay at home, wear a mask and gloves when going for a walk, sanitize everything within the home, sanitize door handles, keep a distance of 6’. I live in a four story secure building with a service elevator directly across from my apartment.
To celebrate my birthday on Saturday, my children had a “surprise party” in the carport of my building. Two daughters with their families, one on each side, socially distanced, sang Happy Birthday. Because I wore a mask I pretended to blow out the imaginary candles. Food, flowers and gifts were loaded up into sanitized carts. That evening, all my children conferenced called to visit. This was not the milestone party but one we will not forget!
There was one brief moment when I realized I would not be in physical contact with my children or grandchildren for an indefinite period of time. Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, msg and email keep us in contact. My daily walks are via FaceTime with one daughter. Another daughter has created a playlist of tunes to listen or dance to. We stay connected daily. I send a group message to the children to check in. Each day is a rotation of phone calls to check on others.
Emotionally, I’m good. My home is comfy. Out the living room window I watch the snow melt while the leaves bud.
Stay safe, Find the joy in each day.
Hello Laura,
Thank you for sharing your personal situation. I am hunkered down in Chester springs PA. I live alone so it’s challenging on rainy days like today. I am making lots of phone calls, taking virtual yoga classes and reading. On nice days, I go out and take long walks. I downloaded on Nook your short story, The Tapestry, but was unable to find Little Bird. I enjoy all your books!
Stay well and safe,
Jean
i live alone i have health problems so i see no one unless i have a DR or LAB appointment or need groceries. i spend my time on my computer or tablet with email,youtube and books.
Thanks for sharing. We too live on the GA coast and are grateful for our beautiful surroundings during this time. We are older so we rely on the kindness of the younger generation to meet our needs. I’ve enjoyed your books and look forward to the upcoming ones. Stay well! Mary Lou
Hi Laura I live in Auckland, New Zealand and our whole country is quarantined and will be for at least 3 weeks but probably longer. We have a very wise Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, who is taking excellent steps to keep us all as safe as possible. Living as we do at the bottom of the world we are a nation who travel often and widely so we don’t yet have all our people who want to return home back in the country which is troubling. One initiative that is worth sharing is the Bear Hunt. People are putting teddy bears in their windows and dropping pins on a centralised map so that when parents take children on local, socially distanced walks, the children can look for the teddy bears in windows. Love your books and all things Venetian and Italian. Stay well and enjoy time with your family
From sunny Southern California where some cities are on lock down, others suggesting only going out in public for groceries or pharmacy. I’m filling the time with work in my cheerful garden and dealing with a new outbreak of whitefly in the hibiscus. Lots of texting with friends, Zoom get together with our book club. Drove to local beach (Huntington) but no walks as all the parking has been closed, although the surfers and hang gliders are still out enjoying the waves, sunshine and breezes. Thankful for all the medical and law enforcement personnel, truck drivers and grocery clerks who are keeping us safe and fed.
Hello Laura, best regards from a medical doctor here in Buenos Aires…in quarantine yes , when at home, but assisting hospital on weekdays, pleased to be helpful..
We don’t have yet an alarming number of Covid cases, but we are expecting them, getting ready !
Some teaching continues online.
The rest of the time I clean the house, assist gym classes online, read a lot
and enjoy Laura Morelli’s works and posts !
leo from italy
The situation in italy is very hard. We don t see yet and end and every day many people are dying. politicians are trying to face it and in other hand there is an hard situation coming from economy resources that are starting to increase the drama. is like to live in a not real world. is it true or i am dreaming?
good luck to everyone
leo
Good to hear you and your family are safe and healthy! Here in Michigan, spring is just starting, with my crocus just beginning to bloom, which really cheers me up. I am staying home, with my collage student daughter having moved in with me and going out to get groceries and prescriptions. I have severe asthma and allergies, but can’t get my allergy shots, which is not helpful. I am now settled into working from home, and been busy crocheting, quilting and making surgical masks to donate to hospitals. Making the best of these strange times!
Greetings from Gualdo Tadino,Italy. Thank you for letting me watched your lovely,and historical Etruscan video. I’ve learned so much about the Etruscan Women. You’re a woman of substance!
We are on lockdown at the moment, just allowed to buy the essentials, see Drs.,and our Pharmacists.
Once the quarantine is over,I’m gonna look for your books. I love visiting Bookshops.
Take care and God bless us all.
Love,
Baby Violeta Chua
All is well.. I host veterans art and take classes with them also, but all is closed down. I have a studio space in downtown Mesa, AZ but have only been out there afew times I take classes at the art center and playwrighting .. that is closed, I teach ceramics and supervise the wood shop at the community where I live,, both are closed.So I am updating my kitchen and bathrooms. I ghost write for others and have caught up on that. Looking around the internet and trying to learn and share. All the people I know are well.. So that is of the most importance. blessing all. be well.
I live in Bracebridge, two hours north of Toronto Ontario. Retired from the local hospital lab last May I continue to work on a casual basis in the lab, more so now as COVID increases our workload At home I have been helping my daughter build a cupboard unit got her house and creating some hand stitched leather items
Thank you Laura for your update and keeping us connected during our time of being home. I am writing from Cape Cod and even though it is spring, the weather here hasn’t caught on. I try to take walks when it isn’t raining and found some youtube exercise instruction that help. Trying new recipes, a little cleaning, staying connected to friends and family and finding little things that make us laugh. It is surreal to think that we are world wide in this together. I do believe that I will be changed when it is safe to resume our lives. Sending “stay well” wishes to all.
Hello Laura from Andalucia, Spain. Locked down for a while now with my daughter Abigail and 2 grandchildren Lucy and Sarah.
We expect it to go on for a while. Daddy is stranded in the UK with his very ancient mother having exited South Africa on the last plane out. I help with chores and the two dogs, clean the pellet burner and then have an hour or two to write before I prep for lunch. Had a magic time in Siena, Florence and Montepulciano with my brother and his extended (to America) family last June. 50 years since I was last there and had forgotten how beautiful Tuscany is. Hope you remain fit and well. I’m going to try one of your books soon. Richard