Editor's note: Ella Idleman, 11 and in the sixth grade, is the daughter of David and Brianna Idleman
"Oh, great. They added three more weeks of quarantine and no school," thought Annemarie as she read the morning news. "No more going anywhere for four weeks." It was the spring of 2020, and Annemarie and her family were right smack in the middle of the worst sickness in a century. That sickness was the coronavirus, or more officially called COVID-19. Annemarie Cottral was an 11-year-old girl who lived on a cattle ranch 45 miles away from the town Big Sandy, Mt. She had three little sisters named Grace, who was 9, Cristal, who was 4, and Lillyanna, who was only two years old. Her mom was Janice, and her dad was Brian. Her dad worked as the manager for the ranch where they lived. They had 500 head of cattle and seven horses to take care of. They also had two cats. Annemarie sighed as she put down the newspaper. Annemarie and her sisters used to go to the town school, but since the stay at home order started, they had been doing their work from home on their computers. "You better start on your morning chores, Annemarie, so that we can do our morning yoga," called her mom from the hallway. "It is already seven o'clock." "OK, mom," Annemarie sighed. "I might as well get started," she thought. Annemarie made her bed, cleaned her room, brushed her hair and teeth, and cleaned up after breakfast. Then it was time for family yoga. "It is my turn to pick!" she heard her sister Grace yell. "No, It is mine! Cristal argued in return. "I want Anna!" the littlest one, Lillyanna cried. "Everybody, stop screaming!" Annemarie turned around and saw her mother walking down the hallway towards them. "Since all of you were arguing, it is Annemarie's turn to choose." All of her sisters turned and rolled their eyes. "Alright, Annemarie. What do you pick?" Mom asked. "I pick Cosmic Kids Harry Potter," she tells her mom. All of the other sister's groan. "Now, now. I won't have any fussing. Everyone gets a turn to choose. You pick what you want when it is your turn." After
that, we were all quiet for thirty minutes while we did our yoga. When that was over, Mom said: "Now you two older girls get out your Chromebooks and get started on your work in your room." Annemarie did as she told and logged on. After she finished her reading, math, science, and social studies assignments, Annemarie practiced learning her Spanish on Duolingo. ¡aprender español es muy divertido! (translation - Learning Spanish is fun). By then, it was ten o'clock. "It is time for me to go help mom get ready for lunch," Annemarie thought as she closed her Chromebook. She went into the kitchen, where she found her mom stirring a pot of noodles. "I am making spaghetti for lunch. You can make the sauce and meatballs while your sister Grace makes the Texas Sheet cake for dessert." "OK," Annemarie replied and started gathering ingredients to make the sauce. They had to prepare meals three times a day for the ranch hand, who was staying at the bunkhouse and make sure the house was always presentable. After they had eaten lunch, it was time to clean up. "You have lunch duty so that I will put the little ones down for a nap," Annemarie told Grace. After reading books to her little sisters, she put them to nap and went to her room for reading time. Then she read her daily bible chapters and 1 chapter of the assigned history book that her mom challenged her to read as well. When she finished with that, she went out to ride her bike. Sometimes during this hour, her dad would ask her to help him to sort pairs by riding a horse and directing the new cow mama's and their calves into the next pasture, but he didn't today. She rode her bike with Grace for an hour. Then her little sisters woke up from their nap, and all four sisters went on a walk together. They all felt lucky to have space and fresh air when those in the big cities must feel trapped. When they came back from their walk, it was almost time for dinner - but first music practice. This stay at home order wasn't going to get in the way of her learning to be the best clarinet and piano player she could be. After dinner, it was Annemarie's turn to clean up, so she cleaned off the table, swept the floor, and did the dirty dishes. She often watched all her little sisters after dinner, so her mom could have just half an hour of peace and exercise on a walk. Then she took her shower and listened to one chapter of an audiobook with her family.
Listening to audiobooks and snuggling with her mom and sisters at the end of the day was one of her favorite parts of the day. As Annemarie lay in her bed drifting off to sleep, she thought, "I'm pretty lucky to be living on a ranch during COVID-19. I will pray for those who are not as fortunate, but maybe this quarantine won't be so bad after all."
