Dear Diary,
Since I have little else to do during self quarantine, I’m going to keep a record of my days. Maybe it’ll help me not go nuts. Or maybe I’m nuts already.
Saturday.
After being picked up at the airport by my friend, I arrived home to the roar of an empty house. At least Aviv came to visit. Could it be that with him standing outside the house and me sitting on the lounge inside our house, with both of us wearing masks, it’s a bit of overkill? Nezzy, our dog, sauntered up to me, sniffed, her tail at half wag and decided that her allegiance was with the younger Nirens. Payback for deserting her for three weeks. What’s the word in English for a female dog?
Sunday
It feels great to be back at work. After 3 weeks away and 6 months where nothing was urgent, it was good to get back and deal with things that actually needed to be dealt with.
Sunday 3 p.m. Ok. Finished everything that was urgent, less urgent and ignored. Now what? Where are the days where I employed 20 staff, juggled groups, dates, hosts and staff? I always thought I was one war away from going broke. I never imagined it would be one pandemic away from going broke.
Monday
How many days to go? There seems to be some confusion, which is absolutely surprising given Israel’s flawlessly clear Corona response to date, as to whether I need to be in quarantine for 14, 12 or 10 days. Being the middle-of-the-road type of guy I am, and if I’m self-quarantining, then I’m self-deciding that it’s going to be 12 days.
Tuesday
Technically I’m not allowed to go to the airport to pick Susan up but it seems the most logical, given I am already in quarantine and she was about to go into quarantine. Not sure if the health department would agree but that’s my logic and I’m sticking to it. The gods of irony and health department rules however had different ideas. Susan, as a recovered Covid patient, is meant to have antibodies and thus doesn’t need quarantine. So I continue to be stuck in house-jail and she’s off free to gallivant around. Remember, 8 weeks ago we both had the same symptoms at the same time. She got a positive test result and I got a negative one.
Wednesday
Today’s highlight is a Covid test. So we’ve come to this, where the highlight of the day is driving 5 minutes to get a Covid test!! I should have chosen the pop-up testing station in Ashkelon. At least it would have been a long drive. Even though I’m in quarantine, WW, XX, YY and ZZ (names have been redacted to protect the almost innocent) will only agree to walk with me on Sunday if I have a negative test. They are 100% right, of course. If walking with someone who is in quarantine is right.
Thursday
Let’s pretend to work. That works for 2 hours. I’m going to have to prescribe to a new streaming service. Netflix is about to ban me for overuse and after a while, everything on PornHub looks the same.
Friday
What a bummer. I have a booking for a group for a workshop, but I’m in quarantine, so I need to give it to Gila. Wish I could do it. At least I have some work.
Friday night Shabbat dinner. How many families have Shabbat service, light Shabbat candles, bless the challah and wine and then tuck into pork chops for dinner? The irony is not lost on me.
Saturday.
A day off. What does a day on look like? Worried about tomorrow’s weather. Small things amuse small, or is it idle?, minds.
Sunday
With negative test in hand, I’m taking a holiday from quarantine and going walking with friends. We will be outdoors and socially distant the whole time. Unfortunately, the weather is angry with me for making up my own rules and it’s raining. We still manage to have a great picnic brunch and even walk in between downpours. The rules may have been bent a little, but what a lovely day we all had.
Monday
?
Tuesday
I feel a bit sick. Off colour. Listless. I’m cold and can’t warm up. I’m tired and can’t wake up. Is there a medical condition called quarantinitis? What does Dr. Google say?
Wednesday
One day till manay-ak*
I already have a list as long as the declaration of independence of things to do on Thursday. Then what do I do on Friday? No quarantine, but not as if there’s much going on.…When is this all going to finish?
*for those not familiar with the meaning of manay-ak, it’s a Hebrew term for freedom day – the day you are discharged from the army.