‘It seems we are always in the same room with our arms around each other’

We are two introverts who have been together 44 years, both retired. Our favorite place? Home. Our favorite companions? Each other. By all appearances, we were made for this. But it’s way too early to be smug. I’m curious to see how long this feeling will last. — Ann Birner, Portsmouth, N.H.

I am teaching the kids auto mechanics, gardening, cooking and personal finance. I’m getting closer to my man than ever before, resurrecting the “happy hours” of my parents’ generation. We start the day with yoga, learn guitar online, shoot hoops at the playground and watch the movies we’ve always wanted to see. It seems we are always in the same room with our arms around each other. I know this feeling of carefree existence will not last forever but I’ll sure take it for now. — Carrie Stowers, Las Vegas

If there’s any upside to this crisis response, it’s been spending more time with my fiancé’s daughter. The stars aligned and I got to be the one to pick her up from college. I have loved growing closer to her, sharing stories, food, and WiFi — some sliver of stability and comfort at a vulnerable time. — Oana, New Hope, Pa.

Now that we’ve been sheltered in place for two (plus) weeks, we’ve discovered something that our former urban millennial life couldn’t offer: time. Not only did we test the theory that two grown people can’t lay side by side in our bathtub, but we’ve taken steps to acknowledge the patterns in our disagreements, and work through our differences. — Samantha Pinto, Dallas

‘Basically, I’m driving them nuts.’

Already somewhat of a germophobe, I’ve pretty much transformed into an obsessive-compulsive nag constantly ordering my husband and our millennial daughter to wash their hands, use sanitizer, keep social distance in public, read the latest scare-tactic article I sent them, etc. Basically, I’m driving them nuts. It’s a lonely thing to be the anxiety-ridden, practically hysterical one in the family. — Diane Evia-Lanevi, Chapel Hill, N.C.

My wife is obsessed with Covid-19 coverage and consumes it 24/7. I’ll be watching something entertaining, reading a book or listening to music and she’ll shout, ‘Did you hear this?’ and proceed to tell me the latest infection rates or death toll. I’m feeling tremendous anxiety from fear of the virus, but even more from my wife’s obsession with it. — William, Long Island

I never realized what a worrier my spouse is even after 40 years of marriage! He is so freaked out over the stock market that he has me tell him the balance of our 401(k) every day. He has never been like this. We don’t even need that money yet. He tells me that I’m sticking my head in the ground. Oh my, it is going to be a long month! — Gayle Vuletic, Hammond, Ind.