Hello! Welcome to a new phase of Mo to Go, because Mo isn’t going anywhere, and chances are you aren’t either. And if you are, you really shouldn’t. Really. Like it or not, we all have to stay put, for how long I can’t tell you. With that in mind, I thought I would both broaden and narrow this blog to keep hopefully entertain you, and keep myself occupied. By broaden, I mean that I am going to try to post more frequently. And by narrow, I mean that my content will be, by necessity, rather simple, but not necessarily mundane. We are all in this together, as they keep telling us, and so I think we should share our experiences to enrich our lives, or just pass the time. Let’s talk about where we are, who we are living with, how we are dealing with this enforced isolation, what we are reading, eating, watching and talking about. Now by we, I really mean me, since this blog has my name on it. You can email me at the link below, and I will try to respond, or I will figure out a way to post your comments if possible. Right now, the people at my work who look after this kind of thing are busy, but if I’ve learned anything these past few weeks, it’s that the situation is fluid.

 

WORK

 

I’m still going in to the CHFI studio every morning, and yes, I’m in the same room as Darren, Ian, Gord and Christine. It’s not ideal, but it’s the best way we can put together a show for you. We tried to isolate Christine in another studio, because she has a condition called sarcoidosis, an immune disorder that could be triggered by the virus, but after two days by herself (and checking with her doctor) she decided she was willing to risk it. We are, as it turns out, quite a tight knit group, and this is how we function. We have all pinky sworn to protect each other as best as we can by not expanding the circle any further. All our bosses are working from home, and our meetings take place by Skype. The building is almost entirely empty. We come in, we go home, we don’t pass Go, but we do collect $200. I don’t need to tell you how grateful we all are to have a job that is considered an essential service. Who knew THAT would ever be the case?

 

HOME

 

John, my husband, also works for Rogers. He runs the real estate division, which falls under Human Resources, and as such, he is responsible for overall health and safety concerns for the entire company. He is working from home, more or less, and by working, I mean he is locked in the upstairs den where he spends 14-16 hours a day online and on the phone. At one point, I asked him if he was having an online affair. He said – well seriously, what do you THINK he said?

 

Ronan, our younger son, is home with us. He is in his last year at the University of Toronto, and finishing his courses online. He WAS living in a house downtown with a bunch of other students, but moved back with us last week when they closed the campus. With him is Katherine. Katherine and Ronan have been roommates for two years, and recently – very recently – became more than that. Kath is American, and her family is in Wisconsin, so we have adopted her until at least the end of the school year. Thus we have young love living in the basement, and as odd and sudden as it may seem, we are quite happy with the arrangement.

 

Our two dogs, Asta and Duey, think they have died and gone to heaven. Like your pets, if you have them, they are delighted to have so many people at home all the time. Asta will turn 14 on April 1st, and she’s a bag of bones, blind and deaf, but hanging in there. Duey is 7, and spends much of the day scheming and barking at nothing.

 

FAMILY

 

Aidan, our eldest, moved out two years ago with his girlfriend, now fiancée, Jamie. They are currently at Jamie’s family cottage in Muskoka, where they are working from home. Aidan sells and leases commercial and industrial real estate, and Jamie works for a technology research company. They are supposed to get married in June. They both had to cancel their bachelor trips, which were to take place next month. Aidan turns 27 tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Aidan. Make a wish.

 

I have a sister, Kathryn, known as Kate, who lives here in Toronto. She was working as a waitress in an Italian restaurant up until they closed last week, and, as such, is one of the many who will need emergency assistance from the government. My sister Louise lives in France and the Netherlands. She’s OK for now. My brother Andrew lives in Dusseldorf, Germany, and is currently under going cancer treatment. For the third time. Very worried about him. My mother, who is 86, lives in Montreal. We don’t have a great relationship. Never did. She has emphysema, and I heard she has started smoking again, but I try not to worry about her because I know for a fact she will live forever.

 

FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT

 

I’m making Eggplant Parmesan for dinner. Kath is a vegetarian, so we are staying away from meat as best as we can. I want to watch the Tiger King on Netflix tonight because everyone is talking about it. I’m reading Hilary Mantel’s “The Light and the Mirror” which just came out. It’s the final installment in her trilogy about Thomas Cromwell and Henry the VIII, and 16th century England is as good a place as any on which to concentrate. My biggest concern, other than the end of the world as we know it, is that my gel manicure is falling apart, and I don’t have the tools or the ability to fix it. I’m grateful to have my family near me, a fridge full of food, and a job to go to every day. I wish the same for you. Hang in there.

 

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Listen to Darren & Mo weekday mornings from 5 to 9 on CHFI.

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