The grandkids play hide-and-seek behind curtains, while in Grandma and Grandpa’s care. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo February 2020.
THESE DAYS I FEEL like I’m on information overload regarding COVID-19. That’s no surprise given my journalism background. I need to be informed. It’s just the way I am.
In addition to the extra media reports I’m consuming, I’ve also reached out to my family more. My eldest daughter and her family live in the Twin Cities metro. My other daughter and her husband and my son live in Madison, Wisconsin. All in major metro areas with many cases of the coronavirus. Wisconsin is now under a shelter-in-place order. I expect that in Minnesota soon.
I miss my family. My grandchildren, especially. But we are not seeing each other to protect one another. It’s the right thing to do. I expect many of you are in the same situation. I suggested to Randy that we drive to the metro and wave to the grandkids from outside their home. He thought I was joking. I was sort of serious.
For now I settle for updates from the daughter about Isabelle, almost four, and Isaac, just over a year old. Here’s a text she sent several days ago:
Yesterday the kids were pretending to go to the store to buy hand sanitizer. Izzy said, “Come on, Isaac, let’s go buy hand sanitizer.” And then they would carry their bottles around.
It’s funny. But yet it’s not.
From my Wisconsin daughter, I got this text the other evening:
John and I are going to get out of the house and go for our daily “apocalypse drive”…so strange to see barely any cars on a Friday night.
It’s funny. But yet it’s not. They are now without jobs.
Then there’s this idea from Brad, a native Minnesotan now living in the South, who suggested to me and some of his family members that we take up this activity to fill unexpected time at home:
Find your encyclopedia. Every day look up one of the Presidents, starting with George Washington. Was most interesting. Got through FDR.
One of his family members replied:
What’s an encyclopedia?
Now that’s funny.
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IF YOU HAVE a personal humorous story to share, please do so in the comments section. I’m looking for stories from your life, not from a media report or other source. I need to laugh today.
© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Oh I have one for you which might end up in a blog post someday. I had been watching something on my laptop and had my ear buds in. When I went to put them away later I noticed that one of the rubber “tips” was missing. I tore the couch apart, looked on the floor and in the cat’s mouth. No where. Then I fretted the kitten had eaten it as he is prone to doing silly things. Later that evening when I was taking my contacts out I scratched my ear and noticed that it had fallen off and was just kind of hanging around in my ear unbeknownst to me for at least 6 hours. Sigh. I blame the coronavirus for my distraction. But at least the lost is found and the kitten won’t have a tummy ache. 🙂
Kudos to you for that story. You made me laugh. Thank you.
Now THAT is funny!! I’ve noticed being off my game lately too. The constant information coming at us is quite distracting.
Technology isn’t the same but it helps, doesn’t it. ❤
It does help. We’re trying out Zoom this evening to connect.
i usually work 2 jobs during the week which leaves me little time for rest or relaxation. My main job is in critical communications so i sit for 8 hours a day. My 2nd job with the school and with the schools being closed i now have some time in the afternoons to catch up on some projects, cleaning and the like. On Saturday I actually had time to go for a bike ride. It was a beautiful day and my husband decided to join me. We were on the home stretch going back to the house when the wind picked up. Being out of shape and going against the wind i was getting quite a work out. There was a stop sign coming up and i was getting ready to slow down when i hear from behind me… ” just blow through it, if you stop you won’t get going again. Go, go go! Feel the burn and blow the stop sign!” I started laughing i almost went up the sidewalk into the neighbors yard 🙂
Oh, Jillian, you paint such a strong visual with your words that I can see you pedaling that bike. Laughter is such a good thing. Thank you for sharing that story with us.
Our local OKC TV morning and noon newscaster, Kent, is probably in his late 50’s and often gets chided by the younger weather, news and sports staff about being “old”. Yesterday while I watched the news at lunchtime, Kent was having difficulty with his line of words, which went, “Pan Dam… Pan Nem Dem”, then a slight pause before blurting, “Damn… Pan DEMIC”. He went on just as smooth as silk after making it through, but the “Damn PanDEMIC” was all that stuck with me! In the background, I could hear the weather woman cracking up and the definite laughter of another staff member.
Laughter IS the best medicine during these times.
This is a GREAT story. Thank you for making me laugh. Kudos to that “old” weatherman.
I can totally relate to Kent. He doesn’t follow young people’s lingo and they have no clue about the 70’s and 80’s. It’s comical and also heartwarming, because it’s apparent that the staff is like a close-knit family.
That is just so lovely to hear, “like a close-knit family.”
Can’t believe Kent is still at it in OKC!!! I loved watching his coverages of tornados when I lived there.
Yes, he’s still doing the morning and noon stint. I think all of his brothers are still with the other OKC stations too.
“Gramma, what’s that thing with the two big wheels and a handle in the garage?” (LOL) “It’s my eco-friendly push [lawn] mower…it’s my small contribution to the Earth…” “OMG, Gramma…!” ❤ Yet, they seem to have to try it out; so, I didn't have to mow my front lawn last week, and their friend got some exercise.
I love this story. I remember being fascinated by my grandma’s push mower, too, and trying it out many times. She probably thought the same as you.
Aww… so sweet! I’m sure she appreciated the help!!
So my story goes way back to the time of the TP runs on the stores. I have two sons, the oldest is in ST Louis and is married and mostly responsible the youngest son is in the military living off base in around Macon, Ga. So, I call them. The oldest is stressed far far out. He has witnessed some rough times in the last year but this run on the stores was something a bit to far out for him as he mentioned to me.
“Mom, there wasn’t even frozen food in the freezer at Aldi!!!”
The voice in the back of my head (you know the one that never actually says the thing you are thinking out loud)
“Wow, Son – no frozen fruit, holy cow it must be the end times if we don’t have frozen fruit!”
What I actually said..
“Oh my, what will you eat?”
Then the youngest son on the phone.
Mr. chilled out nothing bugs him including an apartment where I am certain the virus could have been produced in ideal conditions.
“How is it going son?”
“ Well… I ran out of toilet paper at maybe the worst time in history, Mom.” He said with a laugh.
“Oh really?” I am laughing now with tears in my eyes.
“So how are you going to solve this issue?” I ask.
“Well… Kroger seems a bit busy. I think I will just take a shower every time a take a s..t!” He says.
Now at this point I am laughing so hard I almost have tears. Thinking to myself “ yup that is my youngest, truly a lack of planning.”
So I say to him.
“Heck, Son, that is a waste of water. You must think about the environment. Use a squirt bottle to spray after a s..t. The French have used it for centuries.”
“Hey Mom, that is a much better idea those French are smart people.”
Audrey- really really life is so much stranger and funnier than fiction. I couldn’t have written this or made it up.
So this is the hope of tomorrow in the hands of those who find frozen fruit storages and a world without TP a horrible hell. I am sure God is getting a few laughs from all of this as well.
I knew this is what you were going to write…because a man I chatted with at Walgreens about a week ago mentioned the same option as your son. That said, this man had a very cavalier attitude about COVID-19, basically that it is really “nothing.” I can’t begin to tell you how much I dislike this “still don’t take this global pandemic seriously” attitude. Really?
Yup, there are many out there that still think that way just like those who think the world is flat. I just keep thinking that the universe has a way of balancing things out and maybe this is the way it separates the wheat from the chaff.
Hmmm. You mean the world isn’t flat? (Sarcasm there.)
Really? (Also sarcasm.) it takes all kinds to keep the world going and diversity even from flat earth believers is needed.
Good to see that you and your family are doing well under the circumstances! We are self isolating because of my health issues. I’m homeschooling for the first time and it’s going surprisingly well. As for myself I’m getting by just fine and staying busy with crafts and cooking experiments. Take care 🥰
It is so good to hear from you and that you and your family are doing well. You are smart to isolate yourself given your health issues. Be well, my friend, and the same for your beautiful family.
I’m catching up on my emails that I haven’t read in a while. I truly enjoyed all the funny comments as well as your post! I just wanted to share a little fun we had at work discussing the “fun songs” we sing while washing our hands. Every day before I leave on my mail route, I wash my hands, fill my water bottle and hit the road. Then I have a cleaning ritual once I’m in my vehicle. One morning one of our clerks was talking about the hand washing songs and that got us all talking about the fun songs from our childhood. Many of the ones I remembered were from my old 4-H days up at Junior Leadership Camp on the MN State Fairgrounds. Some were also from high school riding bus to and from girls sporting events. (The guys buses weren’t nearly as fun!) The words from one of the songs that really made our 35 year old clerk laugh are:
I know a wienie man
He owns a wienie stand
He sells most anything from hot dogs on down.
Some day I’ll be his wife
His teenie wienie wife
Hot dog, I love you wienie man!
I weeenniee dooo!!!!
Wish I could sing it for you too!!
I am laughing and can just hear all of you singing. And I can picture the look on the 35-year-old’s face, wondering about you all. Laugh away!
Oh I am sorry to hear of the job loss. Thanks for sharing your stories. Information overload sums it up about now.