Yes, six weeks ago the thought never ever crossed our mind, but yes: we are now in self-quarantine. We thought it would be great to document this so you can see for yourself that we mean business :-). We’ve archived this post under ‘Everyday life’; eventually we’ll see if that was overly optimistic.
Stay safe out there – put a coat on if it’s cold, or take off your coat if it’s warm. Be blessed anyway and check back here to see the updates to this little story.
Day one
All is well – the food is good, being back home is still fresh, and we’ve made some plans. Where we live, being in quarantine means it’s possible to go outside (however, where we live the temperature is such that we need a bunch of clothes to keep warm).
Day two
All is still well. Fries, chicken, salat: nam! Things start to take shape, such as nobody putting away their stuff from travelling, leaving the dishes for others to clean, toilet seat being down or up (both are wrong?). We woke up because of the sound of the garbage truck reminding us we forgot to put out the garbage. We’ll have another go at it in two weeks or so.
Day three
The pasta sure had a lot of garlic in it today. When we’re not going anywhere anyhow, Maria took the opportunity and pretty much depleted our entire stock. Feisty food (if there is such a thing).
Though there seems to be some tension today, everything still looks mostly good. Or does it…
Day four
Bente explains she and Krister joined their class mates with the online learning program the teachers are getting going. Most things are still going just fine, but sitting inside is slowly eroding away some of the manners we grew up with. Except for washing hands. Everybody wash your hands.
Day five
Things are degrading ever so slowly – or perhaps we are getting more effective with things. Today’s activity got jump started and got a little out of hand.
Google Photos – the tool I use to automatically move the videos and photos I shoot to the cloud – keeps telling me that the raw video is being processed and will be available for download later. I’m suspecting their ai has determined some possible harmful activities, and so a human needs to assess the content. You be the judge (as long as nobody is the executioner you can judge all you want).
Day six
Unable to determine a clear outcome of our nerve-wrecking nerf battle, we took a break to sup together and communicate with you. Something as simple as potatoes is indeed rather simple. As are carrots and onions. But when you cook them together and give the flavors some time to properly mix… nam!
Day seven
All about “The Godtepose” (or however it’s spelled). Candy the Norwegian way means staying healthy (aka candy-free) during the weekdays. On Saturdays though, it’s “helg” – weekend – with sugar levels through the roof! :-D
Day eight
Seems we are having some issues with toilet paper. And hats. Always, hats.
Day nine
Bente is very determined to talk about nothing but coffee, for some reason.
Day ten
The truth – or at least some version of the truth – is revealed and siblings confront each other.
Day something
They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long.
The ground shakes. Drums… Drums in the deep.
We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.
We cannot get out.
A New Hope
When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that a time like this is just another step in the cycle of life. Being here among the people of that we call family, basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, one cannot possibly imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous quarantine.
Postscript
This concludes our silly “documentation” of our self-quarantine.
Knowing full well we cannot yet oversee the consequences of the covid-19 aka corona aka wuhan-virus as well as the government imposed restrictions, we hoped to bring a smile on your face, if even small.
If you would like us to pray for you, you will have to send an email or contact us on Facebook.
Love,
The Van-Vliet Family