COVID-19 Quarantine Updates (Week 6)

Starting our sixth week of government enforced and controlled lock down to stop the spread of COVID.  And no, I do not think this is too much and I am not mad at the Spanish government for implementing this lock down over six weeks ago.  In fact, I applaud them -- I am happy to be in a country that is taking this virus seriously and keeping its citizens (and visitors safe).

But if you need a refresher on our past weeks -- week one here and week two here and week three here and week four here and week five here.

April 18, 2020 (Day 36)
This will be a quick update since we are doing a Zoom chat with our friends.  Today was a good day -- Serafina had a virtual playdate with her cousin who is lives here in Spain (but of course we can't go over and hang out) and the girls chatted for easily almost four hours.  It was awesome because Trevor and I got so much cleaning done!  We also made s'mores on the BBQ which was pretty fun.  Serafina loved roasting the marshmallows but wasn't totally sure about the actual s'more :)

April 19, 2020 (Day 37)
I wanted to write so much more last night but we had a Zoom chat with our friends and that was more important and also SO MUCH FUN...

But first a little about our day.  We had another great day.  Serafina actually slept in which was so nice since Trevor and I stayed up way too late chatting with friends.  We had a slow start to the morning -- our neighbors dropped off flowers for la niña, she was so excited.  And then Serafina got the bright idea to create a donut stand (like a lemonade stand but with donuts) and wanted to sell them to the neighbors. She made a sign, got out a table, taped up the sign.... we just needed donuts.  So she and I made some baked chocolate cake donuts (with sprinkles on top of course).  And her stand was ready!  She sold donuts to me and Trevor (3€ per donut, she is a smart kid).  Then we asked her if she wanted to share some with our some of our neighbors and she was SO excited to share her treats -- and also insanely nervous to be leaving our house (first time stepping outside our gates since March 13th).  She asked for a mask and held Trevor's hand the whole time. It was so sweet and so sad.  I know we broke all the rules but we were safe and kept our distance from our neighbors (and Serafina walked maximum 10 feet outside our gates).  Our sweet neighbor across the street made a point to say that she wished she could give la niña a hug and a kiss but that it is not safe right now.  Again, so sweet and so sad.

So now onto ALL the things I wanted to mention last night but didn't have time... So yesterday evening our phones were constantly going off with text messages because there has been ACTUAL reports from the Spanish president that starting April 27th we will be able to GO ON WALKS.  While the Spanish have graciously accepted the importance of the lock down and all that comes with it, many have been upset that children are not allowed outside for walks, especially for those that live in apartments.  There have been articles in the NY Times and another on NPR about the restrictions in Spain keeping children confined inside.  The president officially announced yesterday to extending the lock down but loosening up on some restrictions, such as letting children out for walks and allowing people to exercise outside (read more here).  AND there's even been a spreadsheet of sorts floating around outlining the next phases of releasing us and returning to "normal" life but that it may be different in each region because each area has been affected differently by the virus.  The document is all in Spanish so actually the first hour of our Zoom chat last night we spent translating it all together.  There are six stages in all (we are currently in the first stage and it is set to end on April 26th) and takes us all the way to October, slowly and safely returning to "normal" life.  AND the leader of the government in Andalucía announced today that he will be requesting that our region be the first to ease up on restrictions because of our low infection rate.  All of this information gave us all so much hope.  We should know more when the cabinet votes on Wednesday, but keep your fingers crossed for us.

(Just a few funny translation notes on the spreadsheet type document which is actually insanely detailed.  So for the 5th phase with is July through September it states "this will be the strangest summer in recent history."  It also states that schools will hopefully open in September to "liberate the parents" which could not feel more true right now.  And one of my favorite parts, it says even through the summer "hugs and kisses" are not allowed.  The Spanish are VERY touchy/feely and will greet everyone with a hug + dos besos (two kisses).  It has been a HUGE deal for them to stay 6+ feet apart from others and not hug + kiss everyone -- so every single thing that has been put out about the restrictions has made sure to mention NO hugs + kisses.)

April 20, 2020 (Day 38)
A low key day -- most of my day was spent figuring out ALL the messages that came in from Serafina's school group chat.  Now that we has officially entered the third trimester of the school year, the school + teachers are going to start asking for parents to turn in various assignments to be graded (which I agree with) but it adds a slight challenge for us since everything is in Spanish and then trying to teach Serafina in Spanish...  I emailed her wonderful teacher and told her what Serafina has been doing in English and that we will do our best with the Spanish assignments.  We will be using a combination of WhatsApp, email + Google Classroom to turn in assignments, allowing families to use what works for them.

Serafina did great with mom school and then we just kind of hung out all day.  She did not sleep well last night so we are all pretty tired (poor thing screamed in her sleep early this morning, woke herself up and then never went back to sleep).  Serafina did help Trevor make dinner which is probably one of her most favorite things (she loves cooking and baking)!

April 21, 2019 (Day 39)
I didn't want to write tonight.  Still don't want to write.  Mid-afternoon we got word from an El País article and then had it confirmed in our daily update from the captain of the base that the loosening of restrictions will not exactly be what we expected.  And to say we are disappointed, mad, upset, sad (and many other choice words), is a slight understatement... I just feel defeated.  We have been in full lock down with insanely strict government restrictions for 39 days.  THIRTY NINE days.  And there seems to be no end in sight which is really rough to deal with...

So if you read the article you learned that originally everyone expected that children would be allowed to go on short walks and escape from the house -- something which none of us have been able to do since this started.  However, this was backtracked earlier today with stating that children would be allowed out only to accompany one parent out to do essential tasks, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy.  WHAT?!  As you can imagine, this led to some uproar across the country and in our community.  Obviously these lawmakers have never gone to the grocery store with children -- they touch EVERYTHING.  And we are required to wear a mask + gloves in a grocery store.  I know Serafina would NOT wear those willingly and also never the entire time.  So somehow an enclosed space is safer than the open and fresh air -- makes no sense.  And because I am not about to subject my child to the stresses of grocery shopping in this time nor subject the other shoppers to her unsafe (but very normal childhood) behaviors, we will continue as if no changes were made to the lock down...  (I should note that this (taking children to the grocery store) was already allowed if there was no options for someone to watch the children.)

UPDATE: even later tonight, we got word from yet another article that the government did a big U-turn and will allow children to go on walks starting April 26th -- we should know more tomorrow after their official vote.  I don't really know what to think... at this point, I am just going to wait until we get official word.

April 22, 2020 (Day 40)
Forty freaking days. WOW.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be in full lock down for this long, but I also understand why we are.... I have also gotten so many questions about how we are doing it -- no walks, can't really leave the house, and more... And to be honest, I don't know.  I really don't know how we are doing it.  We wake up each morning and we do it again (and again and again).  And as I have said before 8PM just keeps us going many days, just get to 8PM.  And I write here so the days don't all blend together, even though they do.

Today was a big day for us -- first up, Serafina finally got diagnosed with mild asthma (over the phone of course).  We all think (the doctor too) it was a long time coming, but luckily it is mild.  She had a huge issue with coughing and breathing back in early March that resulted in an ER trip and sadly it never really went away (didn't ever get bad to warrant a trip back to the ER).  And the good news is that the doctor is confident it isn't COVID or anything serious.  So she was quite excited to get some medicine to help with her cough and to help her breathe.

BUT in even BIGGER news.  THERE WERE NO NEW CASES IN OUR SMALL PROVINCE OF CADIZ TODAY.  I REPEAT, NO NEW CASES IN CADIZ.  This is huge, it won't end our lock down but it is a huge step in the right direction.  And the Spanish government officially voted to ALLOW children to go on walks starting next Monday.  They will work out the details (times, duration, etc.) over the coming days. 

And honestly that was pretty much our day.  I ran all the errands in the morning (took me forever which is the norm now) -- commissary, Spanish grocery store, post office...  Trevor did some dad school with Serafina and we hung out (oh and Serafina let me braid her hair again)!

April 23, 2020 (Day 41)
Another uneventful day around here -- we were all just kind of blah today.  The weather was nice but insanely windy making it hard to be outside.  Serafina has been waking up SO early making us all just a little tired.... We did mom school + some homework from her religion teacher.  We also learned that children will be able to go outside of their houses/properties for one hour each day starting April 26 (there are quite a few rules -- can only be with one adult, must practice social distancing, don't have to wear a mask, can ride bikes and play but cannot go to playgrounds, can only go within 1km of where you live....).  We are just excited to be able to get out for a bit each day!

watching her religion teacher and eating some apples

April 24, 2020 (Day 42)
And here we are, the end of yet another week...  And another good day around here.  Trevor had to go into the office to do his weekly tour of his job sites.  So it was just Serafina and I for most of the day.  She did NOT sleep well last night, so I snagged a little extra sleep while she seemed content to play by herself.  And she made me a worksheet to do for Serie school which was pretty much the cutest thing ever.  So for mom school today, she did a lot of the "teaching" which was really great for me to see how much she has learned (a lot).  We also did another assignment for her Spanish school which is always fun for both of us.  We made a cake and since apparently you can't have cake unless it is someone's birthday, Serafina decided it was Trevor's birthday (it is not his birthday) so we sang and had candles -- the works.

AND for the first time since all of this began in Spain, in the last 24 hours there were more reported recoveries from COVID than new cases!  AND the last 24 hours saw the lowest deaths since March 21 -- this is all such good and positive news!  The Spanish have also started conducting antibody tests showing many people were asymptomatic but had COVID.  We hope this all means that we will slowly be released from our lock down, although we all know it'll take months (years...ugh) to go back to any sort of normal we had before March 2020. 

But we survived another week and will keep at it -- and I hope these updates aren't boring or ridiculous.  I don't think I ever thought I would still be doing them 6+ weeks later....