Living History Project 2020 – Covid Stories
MARCH 2022 – It’s been two years since the Lockdown and we have developed a vaccine, at-home tests, and have begun to re-open the nation. We are still having infections due to variations of the Covid. Our prayers go out to the families who have lost their loved ones during the pandemic and who have family members in the hospital. We continue to be grateful for the first-responders for their tireless efforts to keep us healthy and safe.
At this time, we will no longer be publishing any new comments.
Thank you, Karen F.
We would like to hear your stories and experiences during these historic times under the mandatory State stay-at-home order and after. Your stories will be preserved in the Holliston Historical Society collection for future generations.
1. You can leave a comment below on this post.
3. You can send us a written note or letter: Living History Project, Holliston Historical Society, 547 Washington Street, Holliston, MA 01746.
Write whatever you feel strongly about! There are no right or wrong answers. If you would like to send a photo, sketch, artwork, or poem, we would welcome your contribution.
If you need some help, here are some topics to get you started:
>– How do you feel about the whole experience?
>– What has it been like to be at home?
>– How is home-schooling going?
>– How is working at home?
>– How have your relationships changed?
>– How is your community or family pulling together?
>– What do/did you expect during the stay-at-home?
>– Did you start something you have been wanting to do and now have the time?
>– How will you feel when it is over?
–>What do you think or hope society will get / learn from this?
SEND US YOUR STORIES!
We plan to collect your materials in a binder or book that will be kept in the Society’s research library. We may also post some of your comments on our website or in articles in other publications. We plan to keep comments anonymous, but please include your age and any other information you feel is important (your occupation, school affiliation, etc.). All materials received for the Living History Project become an unrestricted Gift to the property of the Historical Society.
Thanks!
October 29, 2020 @ 7:14 am
The pandemic continues to disrupt our lives in ways we would never have considered. One expensive problem created by closing the schools and working from home has been the added stress to residential septic systems. What? Yes that’s right. With everyone at home 24/7 and, in some cases, sons and daughters moving back home with children of their own to weather the pandemic, many older septic systems have overflowed in the yard or backed up into the home. Failure of septic systems is inevitable but use of water and frequent pumping of the septic tank might get the older systems through this crisis.
September 20, 2020 @ 6:34 pm
I feel like this whole Covid-19 experience has been a big step back for the community. Local businesses that were once thriving are now going out of business, people are losing their jobs, there is more turmoil than ever, and the economy has had a bigger drop than the great depression.
Staying at home has been very hard for me because all I’ve been doing is sitting around and watching Netflix. There really isn’t much to do because everything is shut down. I feel like home schooling is definitely a big change and is a lot different than what I am used to. I don’t think it is as effective as normal schooling but it still does the job. I have been keeping in touch with my friends through FaceTime and seeing them in small groups. My parents won’t let my friends come into our house so I can’t have any sleepovers, that is something that has changed for me. I’ve had dinner with my family everyday for the past 6 months because of the lockdown and restriction. This was very rare before COVID-19 because everyone was running around doing things but now that there is nothing to do, we have the time to eat together.
I expected the lockdown to be very fun because I wouldn’t have to do much schoolwork and could watch a lot of Netflix and chill out all day, but it ended up being very boring because I barely ever get to see my friends and there isn’t much to do. I started passing out flyers to houses in my neighborhood and got mowing and weeding work all through the summer. I learned how to use an excel spreadsheet to track my money and jobs from this. I think I will feel very relieved when this is over because hopefully there will be a cure and I will be able to see my friends again and things will be normal. I hope that everyone will learn to wash their hands, stay safe, and realize that we are all in this together.
14 year old Holliston resident
September 20, 2020 @ 6:09 pm
From a 26 year old female:
The Covid-19 pandemic was something I never expected would happen. When I first heard about it, I thought it would only last a couple weeks. The last virus outbreak I heard of was Ebola in 2014, and that didn’t seem to last very long. I thought the Corona outbreak would be similar. Well, it is now August 2020, and it is still here. And it’s going to last even longer, possibly a year or even more. Almost every day I check the news on the vaccine status, hoping and praying one will be here soon. Hoping and praying life will get back to normal again.
Social distancing: Social-distancing has taken a toll on me emotionally. The last time I saw my boyfriend was back in February, and it is now August. It has been the longest we have gone without seeing each other. We have to social distance because both he and his housemate work at Market Basket, a high-risk place for catching the virus. And because my father is older and has medical problems that may affect him negatively if he got the virus. Social distancing, isolation, and boredom have caused depression for me. Some day I feel alright, others not so much. One thing that cheers me up is watching the comedian Randy Rainbow on Youtube, singing song parodies making fun of Donald Trump.
Home life during a pandemic: My parents and I (I currently live with them) spend much of the lockdown doing puzzles and playing Crazy Eights. Sometimes I’d be in the dining room working on a thousand-piece puzzle while I’d hear my mom running “Circle Time” on Zoom with her preschoolers (She’s a preschool teacher). She mentions how hard it is to Zoom with 6 two-year-olds all at once.
The foolishness I’ve been seeing during this pandemic astounds me. I see people having weddings, BBQs, not social distancing, not wearing masks. Luckily most stores have the No Mask, No Entry rule. It’s so weird when I’m watching TV and think “Those people are standing awfully close,” even though Corona doesn’t exist on that TV show! Or when I hear a siren and think, “Who’s birthday is it now?” I’ve been hearing lots of sirens lately for the “birthday parades” in my neighborhood. Since kids can’t have birthday parties due to Covid-19, there’s been birthday parades where firetrucks and neighbors drive by the birthday kid’s house honking.
What I look forward to once this is all over: Going to the movies, dining out, seeing my boyfriend, seeing all my friends again, going to museums, going on vacations, going to concerts, not having to wear a mask-pretty much everything!
What I hope society will learn from this: I hope society learns to enjoy what they have more. You don’t know how fortunate or blessed you are till it is gone. For example, not being able to hang out with the people you love due to Covid, or travel, or have gatherings. Once this is all over I know I will appreciate these things more. I also hope society learns to slow down more. Before the pandemic everyone was always in a rush. This lock-down has caused everyone to stay in their homes, which hopefully made them realize to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Here are some photos I’ve taken during the pandemic that I thought would be interesting to show my kids/grandkids someday.
The first two is of a playground in Hopedale taped off due to the Corona virus.
The third is of “six-feet” rule. Lines on the ground show where customers need to stand to keep six-feet apart.
The fourth of a sign in front of Home Depot telling customers they need to wear face-coverings to enter.
August 17, 2020 @ 7:27 pm
FORWARDED FROM HOLLISTON REPORTER:
“I live in Florida. I am 81. I live in a retirement village. I do not drive myself. The governor opened up things too quickly. We are experiencing a large second wave of infections. I have s Caregiver who is with me four days a week. When we go to get groceries or to a restaurant people sit or stand far apart. Many people ignore the suggested rules. I wear a face mask when I go outside even if it is just to my mailbox.
My synagogue opened for Saturday morning services about a month ago. The congregants sit far apart and do not leave their seats.”
July 12, 2020 @ 2:45 pm
VIA EMAIL —
While I’ve been home with the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve begun drawing and painting by creating a Facebook page, ‘The Art of Practice’. We currently have members from all over the world – Australia, Thailand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the US – who create and post art based on daily themes. Some are trained artists, others have taken a few art courses, and a few, like me, have begun to draw and paint with no training.
Attached are some pieces I’ve done since we’ve been in isolation – pencil drawings, watercolor, and one acrylic. I now have a daily art practice that I share with virtual friends who are also experiencing the pandemic in all parts of the world.
I’m also enclosing two Haikus I’ve written while being home during the pandemic.
Two Stay-at-Home Haikus
Meet on March sixteenth?
Disclosure: Niece has COVID.
Let’s do telehealth.
_____________________
Stayed at home all March,
April, May, then end of June
when we saw the kids!
_____________________
July 6, 2020 @ 3:31 pm
I have been dealing with anxiety issues during the corona virus pandemic. I’m only thirteen years old, but I would sometimes have panic attacks, starting in late May. I started getting intrusive thoughts and mental images that scared me, and I started getting very paranoid, especially at night. I am afraid to go to sleep because of vivid dreams, and because that’s when the thoughts attack me. Online school started in March, and it was hard to adjust. By June I didn’t get a lot of work done. In April I had some depression/motivation issues, and in May, my anxiety reached its peak. I could hardly focus on anything. I clung to the rest of my family because I didn’t want to be alone and vulnerable to upsetting thoughts. I’ve learned to control my anxiety better now, but it’s still causing issues at night. In early June, I thought I was getting better. But then the fears still came back! The same thing happened in late June. My dance recital also got cancelled, and I’m really upset about that. I’m worried about what school will be like in the fall. I really don’t want to do online learning again! Also, this year I’m going to a new dance studio, and it’s really sad that I had to end my time at my old studio with online classes and no recital. I have summer camps coming up, and I hope that will distract me from my anxiety and these awful thoughts.
June 1, 2020 @ 10:49 pm
I counted myself as one of the lucky ones. I am retired but usually keep busy taking care of my young grandson and substitute teaching. Substitute teaching ended March13th because the schools were closed. Most weeks I did care for my grandson because his Mom is an essential worker. I read a few novels about peoples’ experiences during World War Two as the German Army invaded and occupied Poland and France. Then, Germany brutally bombed England. The citizens of these countries were in constant fear and danger for their families and themselves. Puts things in prospective but no doubt, this invisible enemy has left us shaken, saddened and in many cases devastated. It has also shown us the kindness and compassion as we all try to help each other Essential workers are the heroes of this pandemic…………..nurses, grocery store workers, restaurant employees, doctors, firefighters, police officers, postal workers, pharmacy personnel….all those who put themselves out there to keep us safe and I do believe we are all a bit kinder to each other.
May 29, 2020 @ 6:46 am
At first I thought nothing of the lockdown and then I heard all these people talking about it – then I brought my monitor home from work and set up my “office” on a card table in the living room. It was strange working from home then I got into a rhythm. I am a little anxious for several older relatives. I am back at work now (my home laptop doesn’t work as well). I have known several people who passed on due to Covid. It is sad. It is sad for the families who are trying to say goodbye to their loved ones. I hope the rest of the country shows some respect for those who didn’t make it. Thank you to all the nurses, doctors, and emt’s who have helped those who needed it. Thank you to all the grocery store workers and the cleaners who risk their lives by going to work and doing their jobs.