St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo by Danny Fulgencio
Dallas’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade is cancelled due to COVID-19. The NBA season is postponed. Houston’s Livestock Show and Rodeo has been nixed. South by Southwest is a no-go. This global pandemic has become a real bummer. Medical experts are now advising the public to avoid large gatherings to slow the spread of the virus and keep the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed. So what will you do if you’re stuck at home for a couple of weeks – or longer?
Lake Highlands neighbor Christine Scott posed the question to friends on Facebook and shared her own plans – she’ll learn Spanish online. Christie Myers said she’d look up flights to cool places and try to find a deal while everyone else is staying home. Sandy Kubelka joked she’d “bake like a fiend to be sure my family members don’t destroy one another. They are wild creatures and cannot be contained for long.”
Lots of folks predicted they’d use the time away from work to finish home improvement projects, including Blythe Layne who’ll organize her garage and Amy Thompson who’ll clean out her closets. Others weren’t as industrious. David Hardt said he’d “buy a six pack of Corona and sit out by the pool.”
With many students being sent home by their universities to finish the semester online, some parents were unexpectedly including young people in their plans. After weathering the recent Nashville tornado, Linda Eggert’s son Preston will be home from Belmont College. Monette Irwin said she’d try to convince her kids to turn off electronics when their homework is done and play old-fashioned board games with her.
Plenty of people said they’d turn on streaming television, including Paige Fugate who said she’d watch all the movies nominated for Academy Awards this year. Others, like Celia Weitzel, said they’d load books onto their e-readers and enjoy some time outside. Reba Johnson is eyeing patterns to crochet a sweater, and Caren Bright plans to finish writing her second book, The Engagement. Kristen Harris will keep the economy strong with her online shopping, and Anna Brindley, wife of Lake Highlands High School men’s soccer coach Hanes, is stocking up on paper for watercolor painting.
Teachers, including LHHS history teacher Casey Boland, said they were working to figure out how to virtually educate kids for 2 weeks. LHHS grad Kitty Davis Johnson’s mission will be especially tough. She’s the children’s choir director at Highland Park Presbyterian Church, and they’re preparing for the big Easter musical.
If the coronavirus spreads widely, many people expect to work from home, but that could be a mixed blessing. Kelley Huebner joked she’ll “try to stay sane since my husband will be working from home.”
Of course, not all tasks can be done from one’s house. Mark Duval leads the volunteers of Box 4 Firebuffs, who provide relief for firefighters and policemen during fires and other disasters. He said he’ll continue to answer calls, no matter how bad the outbreak becomes.
“Our first responders will need all the support they can get,” Duval said.
