Living alone during the pandemic and dealing with the isolation.

I read Historical Romance novels, they are so fanciful and always have a happy ending. Some have mystery plots, and action stuff, but the main theme is the love story and they get pretty descriptive and steamy. They deal with the politics and wars that were going on in Scotland and England and there is some history. But mostly totally unrealistic and a total escape from what is going on in the world today.

Everything is just so ugly today.
Amazon also has some free books. Just put free books into the search box. I read mail order bride books, 1800's era, also Oregon trail books. Historical wagon train books etc. Actually anything 1800's era.
 

Amazon also has some free books. Just put free books into the search box. I read mail order bride books, 1800's era, also Oregon trail books. Historical wagon train books etc. Actually anything 1800's era.
I had a friend once who said she wished she lived in the 1800 as she loved to camp. I replied that I prefer to have a flushable toilet, soft toilet paper, and fast food. Plus, hunting for hours for my supper, yup, not me for sure. 😂
 
@pip48 Here is my opinion which you are free to take or leave. Yell at me if you disagree. I’m ok with that cause I really want you to engage. I am so glad you’ve shared you feelings. We all will help you if you let us.

You are truly depressed, not situationally depressed but actual mental illness type depression, IMO, which simply means you need help to get over it. I am not therapist but, like many on here, I have been in therapy. I have been depressed to the point of wanting to die.

When I read that you cannot shower, clean, cook, do the basis to take care of yourself, it is apparent are in trouble and need help or certainly more help than you are getting right now, which seems to be none. I am extremely worried about you. You should think of getting therapy or tell your favorite child that you are struggling.

But I have another suggestion. Make a list, Yup. A list of what you NEED to do. Shower, number one on the list. That’s first. That’s all. Take a pad and make several pieces of paper with the word shower on them. Post them on the bathroom door, frig door, bedroom door, next to the tv, etc. just the word shower. In other words, like a nagging wife or friends, nag yourself to shower until you are showering every dang day.

Sounds silly, it tends to work. Once you are showering you will feel better. Then chose the next thing you can not do. Make a list Shower first, maybe clean undies next. Whatever you choose. And whatever it takes to do the second thing put it one the list. Like to have clean underwear you have to do the laundry. So shower, laundry, clean under wear. Posties all over the house. Nag, nag, nag yourself.

We also have no friends where we live and now that it’s winter we are shut in. I am on here everyday, talking to people as you should be. Talk to us, start threads about what you are interested in. We are all isolated to a certain extent.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. WE ARE HERE.
I thank you for your concern, like I said, I struggle everyday but I manage to do what I have to do to get by. I spend a lot of time reading historical romance novels. I used to paint, but I now have bursitis so bad that I can't anymore. I do manage to get by, eating, washing clothes and forcing myself in the shower. I play scrabble and trivia on my phone and read the news stories on goggle. I have been here home alone for 7 months now. I do occasionally talk to a neighbor across the yard but not often. Like I said, I talk to my son every couple of days, and a friend but that is all my human contact other than doctors offices and such. I think recognizing that it is depression is a lot of it. I just keep struggling with it. Now that we have a vaccine, at least there is an end to this in sight. It may be 6 months from now but at least it is an end that we can see. I so look forward to going to get a pedicure again!!!
 

Amazon also has some free books. Just put free books into the search box. I read mail order bride books, 1800's era, also Oregon trail books. Historical wagon train books etc. Actually anything 1800's era.
There is a free website where you can read books for free on line. "Open Library". You just sign up for free and you can put you favorite authors in or subject matter and read for free.
 
I thank you for your concern, like I said, I struggle everyday but I manage to do what I have to do to get by. I spend a lot of time reading historical romance novels. I used to paint, but I now have bursitis so bad that I can't anymore. I do manage to get by, eating, washing clothes and forcing myself in the shower. I play scrabble and trivia on my phone and read the news stories on goggle. I have been here home alone for 7 months now. I do occasionally talk to a neighbor across the yard but not often. Like I said, I talk to my son every couple of days, and a friend but that is all my human contact other than doctors offices and such. I think recognizing that it is depression is a lot of it. I just keep struggling with it. Now that we have a vaccine, at least there is an end to this in sight. It may be 6 months from now but at least it is an end that we can see. I so look forward to going to get a pedicure again!!!
I am glad you are doing as much as you do, but I am still worried about you. It’s not fun to struggle with everyday life. I’ve never had a pedicure. 😂 I want to eat out and dine in. I want to go to the movie and eat popcorn. I want to go to Texas and see my daughter and her family. Take care of yourself.
 
You know everyone has their own way of dealing with things. I prefer escapism because of what I deal with every day at work. When I get home I want to pretend it doesn't exist. It's what keeps me from toppling over the edge of the sanity fence.
 
I had a friend once who said she wished she lived in the 1800 as she loved to camp. I replied that I prefer to have a flushable toilet, soft toilet paper, and fast food. Plus, hunting for hours for my supper, yup, not me for sure. 😂
I've had a few bumps and bruises in my 69 years. I've lived at times without a flushable toilet, soft tissue and fast foods.

I would fit just fine in the 1800's. Can ride a horse or drive a team, shoot a rifle. Just give me a outhouse, well or clear stream and a garden! 🤣
 
I've had a few bumps and bruises in my 69 years. I've lived at times without a flushable toilet, soft tissue and fast foods.

I would fit just fine in the 1800's. Can ride a horse or drive a team, shoot a rifle. Just give me a outhouse, well or clear stream and a garden! 🤣
Oh I have used an outhouse and scratchy TP, and I used to be able to ride a horse very well, can’t now. Don’t know how to shoot a rife or a gun, no desire to learn. I have a garden every year. I can fish, and clean it, and bait my own hook. But I need a washing machine, a microwave, and heated house near a major medical center 🤣.

Animals poop in clear streams.
 
I am 72, and up until 5 months ago was working part time, doing grocery shopping, having my grandson spend the night, going to the movies, seeing my son and his family, having pedicures and manicures regularly. Now............I stay home, have my groceries delivered to my porch, no contact, if I see my children or grandchildren it is outside and far apart. I even had my medications sent by mail now. I am in solitary confinement! I read romance novels, total fantasy, or watch tv. I talk on the phone with a couple of friends and my son, but human contact that is about it. I have only been to the grocery store 5 times in 5 months. I had to get a ct scan, and I have canceled dentist appointments, eye doctor appointments etc. I have had virtual doctor appointments, but, I am going to have to go get a blood test for a medication that I take and I am uncomfortable about it. How are you all coping with this isolation?
I've lived with a lot of isolation in my life. This routine isn't much different. I work part time. I quit my job voluntarily a few years ago because it was literally killing me. I'm making it OK part time in the work I do and hope I can hold up until SS. I go shopping Dr. appointment. I'm having out patient surgery next month. Got some stressful things going on. I know this is hard for many people. I just wish all were diligent so we can get through it and hope this time next year will be better.

I too looked into pick up and/or delivery for groceries in my area if I got Covid or needed to isolate. I'm glad it's available from at least two grocery chains in my area. One less thing to worry about.
 
There is a free website where you can read books for free on line. "Open Library". You just sign up for free and you can put you favorite authors in or subject matter and read for free.

That's a good one. The only problem is that the book pages are scanned, so you can't adjust the font size or anything to make it easier to read. But if your eyesight isn't too bad, it's a great resource! :)
 
I would like read more but I have trouble finding books that draw me in enough to stick with it. I like fiction but not so much fantasy fiction. T.J. Boyle is a favorite but he mostly writes short stories. I devoured his novel, Tortilla Flats. I've enjoyed a couple of of Azimov's science fiction novels but some of the technology he builds them around is so dated now, you know? Like, it's not such a marvel now. My youngest granddaughter gave me this book called Finding Dorothy (Elizabeth Letts) for Christmas and even though I was anxious to read it, I haven't even cracked it open. idk, maybe I'm losing the concentration and focus that's needed, and maybe it is due to what's going on outside. hmm
Have you tried any of Jack McDevitt's SF? If you like Asimov, I think you would like McDevitt, espec. his novel Moonfall, soo good, they oughta make a movie of it!
 
I’m at a total loss in dealing with the pandemic. I retired and moved to a new home in a new town right before the pandemic and intended to join a church and club near my home in order to meet new senior friends and find at least one person I could exchange emergency help with, like feeding a dog or cat during a hospitalization. Now both the church and club are closed down and I am alone in a house where no one checks on me daily. This isn’t a good situation. I’m not depressed and I stay busy at my house and I go out for groceries. But mentally I know it’s not a good situation.
I'm kinda in the same situation........no one making a daily contact with me, locally........online people, but the distance is a drawback.
If something happens to me however any way, if i can i could make contact will someone, but there's the other way, if i couldn't make contact
I fear is for my dogs. Would someone hear them.
My foster daughter who lives in town.......failed on the task to text once a day, so make sure things are ok.
So i guess it is what it is.
 
"But mentally I know it’s not a good situation. "@Tabby

That's the part I relate to. I live alone (happily) and my sons aren't very far away, like a 10 minute drive for either of them, but they work and have families and don't stop in much since the start of covid. They don't call much either, but that's on me - they know I don't like gabbing on the phone. So, yeah, the fact that I could lie here injured or dead for weeks before being found is at the back of my mind almost daily. Well, it wouldn't be THAT long bc the 2 youngest grandkids visit every weekend, but I'm thinking about asking the boys to check in every few days, like to just shoot me a "Hey, u ok?" text.
I've had the same thoughts as you Murrmurr. I think it's a reasonable concern as we age. A few months ago I told my son he should call me at least every other day. He hasn't been calling quite that often, I think because some days he's seen that I've posted on Facebook. I get to see him a couple of times a month though, which is nice. About once a month he does my Costco or other shopping for me. Every now and then I ask him to take me. I treated him to lunch a couple of weeks ago in honor of a his successful surgery. Also we are working on my next album and some tracks for his project which will necessitate more time together.

You are blessed to see you grandchildren so regularly. What are their ages? BTW...Welcome to the forum.
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I've lived with a lot of isolation in my life. This routine isn't much different. I work part time. I quit my job voluntarily a few years ago because it was literally killing me. I'm making it OK part time in the work I do and hope I can hold up until SS. I go shopping Dr. appointment. I'm having out patient surgery next month. Got some stressful things going on. I know this is hard for many people. I just wish all were diligent so we can get through it and hope this time next year will be better.

I too looked into pick up and/or delivery for groceries in my area if I got Covid or needed to isolate. I'm glad it's available from at least two grocery chains in my area. One less thing to worry about.
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I've had the same thoughts as you Murrmurr. I think it's a reasonable concern as we age. A few months ago I told my son he should call me at least every other day. He hasn't been calling quite that often, I think because some days he's seen that I've posted on Facebook. I get to see him a couple of times a month though which is nice. About once a month he does my Costco or other shopping for me. Every now and then I ask him to take me. I treated him to lunch a couple of weeks ago in honor of a his successful surgery. Also we are working on my next album and some tracks for his project which will necessitate more time together.

You are blessed to see you grandchildren so regularly. What are their ages? BTW...Welcome to the forum.
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The two grandchildren who visit regularly are my youngest ones, a girl who's 10 and her brother who just turned 13. All the rest are adults, the oldest of those being 26 and the youngest 19. He still lives at home, the rest have fledged. I have three great-grandkids, too, but all 3 live a minimum of 600 miles away and I've never seen any of them in person.

I talked to my daughter a couple days ago about checking in with me every few days and she said she will. That'll be easy while covid keeps them home but otherwise all of them travel a lot for work and they go to different time zones. Not all at the same time though. So she said they will work out sort of a schedule when (if) they get back to having to travel so much.
 
I've had the same thoughts as you Murrmurr. I think it's a reasonable concern as we age. A few months ago I told my son he should call me at least every other day. He hasn't been calling quite that often, I think because some days he's seen that I've posted on Facebook. I get to see him a couple of times a month though which is nice. About once a month he does my Costco or other shopping for me. Every now and then I ask him to take me. I treated him to lunch a couple of weeks ago in honor of a his successful surgery. Also we are working on my next album and some tracks for his project which will necessitate more time together.

You are blessed to see you grandchildren so regularly. What are their ages? BTW...Welcome to the forum.
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because of my copd and my job i have to perform some form of contact daily with my parents. they're in their 70s and they get nervous now if they don't hear from me. i felt bad friday because i totally forgot to send my morning email. we're not allowed to have our phones on at work and i think i'm the only one who abides by that. so when mom called and got no answer she did what i told her. she called work to make sure i was ok. lol!
 
I have three great-grandkids, too, but all 3 live a minimum of 600 miles away and I've never seen any of them in person.
Whaaaat? Why the blank not? How old are they? Were you too busy with Collin? You can ask for permission to travel with a foster kid. My niece came to us as a baby foster kid, and they used to visit me in another state.
 
@Murrmurr and @MarciKS It's good you've got your systems in place. My DIL calls me a couple of times a week if she's feeling up to it. She's got her own health issues, so we try to keep in good touch.

MurrMurr...sounds like you've got quite a brood. Nice family.
if it weren't for my folks no one would even care.
 


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