Classes began on Wed. It's now Saturday and I am coughing. I don't feel sick but this is obviously a phlegm buildup in my lungs. I am hoping it is the horrible dusty air causing the cough and the fact that I spent the last 3 days talking, and not the virus. It's almost 12PM on Sat. and I have spent the entire day sleeping. My only waking hours were from 2 to 5 pm. I guess I needed the sleep.

Any testing there before returning people back to work/school?

@Thread
In this strange, weird new world, I have... the opposite problem others in this thread have. Instead of loneliness, I am dealing with a lack of space and privacy, when I used to have as much space and privacy as I want.

Here follows my rant: feel free to skip.

My wife and I have become the primary caregiver three of our parents. I love my family, and I am able and willing to help take care of them in these tough times. But we have never all lived together before.

And I know we are among the fortunate ones, both my job and my wife fairly easily moved to work-from-home, we still get a steady paycheck.

The previously easy to maintain "truce" on religion and politics is falling apart now that we are on top of each other 24/7. It was easy to keep my mouth shut for the once weekly dinners, even if the conversation strayed into more sensitive subjects, both my wife and I could take the high road and simply change the subject, or even on occasion let them do their spiel, thank them for their insight, then it was time for them to head home.

I was able to at first make a deal with our parents to stay in strict quarantine, and told them what they wanted to hear on the religious subjects in effort to keep the peace. Now increasingly all 3 have decided, (and one of them was never very religious,) that they have special protection from "god" or their genes or their "constitution" (It varies from day to day,) they feel my strict quarantine efforts are overbearing and too restrictive. And naturally parents chafe that the thought of having to accept rules of their kids, especially if they disagree with the rule.

They know I wont kick them out, they are family and these are special times, so increasingly it has been a pitched battle to keep these medically vulnerable (one of them VERY vulnerable,) to stick to quarantine. When the inevitable argument comes, (and in these stressful times, everyone is much quicker to anger,) the arguments inevitably boil down to they feel they have little to fear from the virus, "it is for the sinners!" and my wife and I are being "paranoid."

Worse still since my wife and I are still working, and we do not have kids, they want us to support all their friends and other family members that have lost their jobs. We help where we can, but we simply cannot afford to help everyone. And any donation dollars are much better spent helping food banks then sending money to family members and friends so they can buy groceries.

Both our jobs are taking up to 60+ hours a week now, while our parents languish around the house bored out of their minds and restless. They mostly just talk about the virus.

One of our parents is fairly disabled and requires a lot of extra care. I have gone from having dozens of hours a week to myself, to working 60+ hour weeks, with the rest of the waking hours spent taking care of the household. Im exhausted, so is my wife, and they are bored and restless, and want to rationalize why they can go out. All 3 have teamed up against my wife and myself at times.

Last night I finally lost my cool, exhaustion and tons of stress can do that to even the most patient person. I slipped, told them their arguments were invalid because they were based on fantasy instead of reality. There is no god that is going to magically protect them and only them from this very contagious and deadly virus.

Now we are not on speaking terms, and I am now taking the rare break to.. vent here.

Thanks if you read this rant. Input, advice etc is always welcome.

I know just about everyone has it far worse then me. But, the loss of free time and privacy is actually fairly profound for me, an introvert that likes control, (I do not control my wife, impossible to do! but I do trust her in any and all situations.)

Update!

I have now won 230 million at 5 card stud.....have qualified to drive 3 types of British Steam Engine, two Diesel and one Electric.

On my 5th restoration this week of 1950's die cast cars, have learnt 750 words in Gaelic and wrestled my brain into understanding why the singular would be car, but the the plural is càraichean.

Urge to spiflicate, murderate or merely silence SWMBO has moderated to a dull "yes dear". Have picked up a nasty eye infection....bugger, but had 20 bottles of wine delivered so hey ho!

Weather is grand, cool mornings and in the 30's every day. So my bi sin die perambulation of the streets can continue in comfort, even sans dog.

I am also talking a lot with African christian sites...nutso lot, steeped in incorrect evangelistic jargon and so little common sense. Had a short, but violent disagreement with a missionary lol....I am destined for the deepest pits of hell....

So that's my lock down diary! How about you Cranky,Whitefire and all the others? Keeping sane?

Busy with puzzles, cooking (I love it), teaching ...daily stuff. Had one kids B,day (jokingly gave him a roll of TP with a bow on top) ... waiting for snow to melt - I get spring fever but have to wait till after May long weekend to plant any thing.

Thinking of installing new flooring ... maybe next month (me and the boys)...

Oh, and my oldest is getting a new electric guitar s/b in next week. He can play some song, I can’t remember which that requires 2 guitarists by himself (he said Jimmy could do 4?!!! I don’t know)