Saturday Night Special: Boss Lady and The Boys in the Time of Corona

Hi Melissa and Dave! Thank you so much for spending some time in Bacon Town tonight! I hope you’re enjoying a cocktail right now…

What’s your best coping strategy in the time of corona?

Melissa: I have been trying not to be in charge with the 3 boys working from home! They do call me Boss Lady so it’s hard.

Dave: Guitar playing and wine.

Read anything good? Watched anything great? 

Melissa: Charlie and I are obsessed with “What We Do in the Shadows” (Season 1-Hulu/Season 2-F/X). It is an Office-type docuseries with Vampires living in Staten Island. Trust us on this one.

What We Do in the Shadows

I just heard about a book called The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires – seeking that out now!

I also love “The Serial Killer” Podcast. The Norwegian host’s accent is just like my mom’s.

Jack and I have finished the latest season of “Ozark” and “The Outsider” (we dig Jason Bateman) and have started “Westworld”.

Dave: I have been watching “Chasing Trane” about John Coltrane and “Birth of the Cool” about Miles Davis on Netflix.

Are you going crazy yet?

Melissa: Yup

Dave: No, but it sure has been weird. Now I know what retirement will be like.

Where do you hide in your house? (Presuming we’ve all needed to find a spot to hide…)

Melissa: I have been hanging out in our bedroom with the dogs. I can play Mah Jongg online (not a substitute for in-person at all) and watch Dr. Phil talking us off the Corona ledge.

Dave: I go down in the studio and play guitar.

When do you break out of jail?

Melissa: I take our puppy Dolly Parton out for a walk in the afternoon, but it is not relaxing because she barks at everyone (ugh).

Dave: Trader Joe’s or Wine Chap run

What are your plans for tonight?

Melissa and Dave: Dave grills steak and I try to come up with new ways to prepare potatoes. Then we try to agree on a movie that all four of us would enjoy (never easy).

What would you rather be doing on a Saturday night?

Melissa: I miss going out to dinner and to the movies or the Ballet or Symphony.

Dave: Going to Concerts or out to dinner.

Are both boys at home? How are they doing? 

Melissa: Both boys are home day in and day out! We feel terrible for them because we were really looking forward to celebrating each of their graduations in May. Jack is a Music major at Columbia College in Chicago and was looking forward to performing at Manifest, which is a huge open-air celebration in Grant Park. They have postponed his ceremony until May 2021, so maybe he will get a chance to perform next year.

Charlie is a Senior at Ensworth High School and we are managing his disappointments one at a time-Prom and his final Band performances have already come and gone and we are waiting to hear about graduation. I know he misses school and his teammates and band mates very much! We had so many Senior activities planned that have been cancelled or postponed.

Dave: Not getting to see them strut their stuff is tough!

What’s the highlight of each day? Is it different every day?

Melissa: Wine o’clock

Dave: Dinner

Best funny meme or video?

Melissa: I have been enjoying @mockdiaries with pics of celebrities with “posts” of what you imagine they are really thinking

and a twitter account called RoomRater where they critique people’s webcam backgrounds

Dave: There is a Facebook group that tells you where there are paper towels and toilet paper.

Greatest success/failure in the kitchen in the time of corona?

Melissa: Just keeping you with the dishes from serving 3 meals a day is a challenge! I am glad that I have a huge cookbook collection to keep things interesting.

Dave: Anything that Melissa prepares is a success.

Greatest musical success/failure in the time of corona?

Dave: Sad not to host jams, but have 2 great musicians under my roof.

Melissa: Unfortunately not applicable – don’t even get invited to play tambourine!

Greatest annoyance…

Melissa: It’s challenging for me to listen to all of the news updates because Dave has the TV on news channels all day while he’s working from home.

Dave: Not being able to go to the gym or take clients out for lunch.

Biggest surprise…

Melissa and Dave: That we have endured these 5+ weeks at home together!

Most grateful for…

Melissa and Dave: My family and that everyone is healthy. Hopefully there is an end in sight!