I’m not at all sad to put March 2020 behind me–not that April holds much promise either. Polllyanna I ain’t. You neither? Let’s commiserate together on this Insecure Writers’ Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of each month, we share our writerly woes and celebrate our victories. Lots more woe than victory at the moment, but sharing does help.

This month’s blog hop is co-hosted by Diane Burton, JH Moncrieff, Anna @ Emaginette, Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard. Thanks so much, guys! Join the blog hop here.

So, how are things? A great deal of my daily routine hasn’t changed. Since summer 2014, writing at home has been my full-time gig. But it sure feels different knowing I can’t just hop into my car and drive off to…where would I go? My squirrel mind keeps teasing me with fleeting thoughts of places I’d like to visit for a change of scene. Bad squirrel!

In Washington State, we’re social distancing big-time. Gyms, restaurants, bars, libraries, schools, any type of performance venue or gathering space, all closed. Groups of more than 10 are verboten. My daily trip to the grocery store has become a twice-weekly parking-lot pick up. And my heart swells when I see our cheerful grocery girl wheeling her cart toward us. I pray for her continued good health and safety.

Before this, I fancied myself a contented introvert. Hah! My extroverted side asserts herself at odd moments now. I keep popping into Hubs’ office for hugs or to share jokes gleaned from my obsessive checking of social media. And even though our pantry is pretty full and our grocery supply mostly intact, I get this panicky feeling each time I open a package. Is this my very last box of Triscuits before the Apocalypse?

Concentration is difficult, especially when adding new words to my WIP. Editing is a little easier. Coffee helps; so does setting a timer. Daily walks around the neighborhood help a great deal. It’s funny how quickly we’ve adapted–walkers and bikers weave from sidewalk to street, giving each other a wide berth and wave in cheerful solidarity.

I wish I’d bought stock in Zoom–but I’d never heard of it until two weeks ago. We’ve had three online family parties so far. And get this–my computer is dying! A new one is on its way. Let’s hope my computer guy is still working when it arrives.

So far, all my family members and friends are okay, including my 79-year-old mom, who’s a cancer patient. I’m so grateful for that. Daughter and son-in-law are affected by the economic implosion, but they’re fed and sheltered. Step-son, a doctor in SoCal, is working long shifts but gets time off to catch his breath. Siblings are all working from home, including my sister, a first-grade teacher. Can you imagine trying to teach 30 littles over Zoom?

Nightmare scenarios haunt my dreams and idle moments. I chase them away with exercise (not enough), social media (too much), romance novels (guaranteed happy ending), and wine.

I hope this finds you healthy in body and mind–a tall order, I know. I hope you have a virtual network of friends and family to buoy you up when waves if worry press you down. If you just want to chat, find me on Facebook , Twitter, or Instagram. Pinterest too, though I’m still learning that platform. Give me a follow on BookBub or Goodreads, and I’ll follow you back. At least we can use this time to build our networks. Connection is what will get us through.

Stay safe and well, friends.