A Whole New World

The last month has been very strange.  The strangeness started with our trip to Colorado and continued upon our return home.  Our first day back was my birthday.  Virginia’s restaurants had not, as of yet, been ordered to close but we did not want to go to a restaurant where people might be.  Instead, we went hunting for mushrooms at York River State Park, which was nicely empty.

After the walk, we made a trip to Wal-Mart, thinking the store would be empty, to restock on supplies.  We were wrong.  The parking lot looked like any normal day.  There were so many people in the store.  I actually felt fear as we worked our way through the store, dodging as many people as we could, most of whom did not seem to understand “six feet apart”.  Once we returned safely home, we were able to relax and Chris cooked an amazing dinner.  It was the best birthday.

Before our vacation, the owner of the restaurant where we work announced that we would be closing to dine-in service and instead would be doing delivery and takeout.  What we didn’t know was that Chris would not be able to return to work until the restaurant reopened.  This has made him a bit stir crazy.  Lucky for me, he has filled his days with creating culinary masterpieces.  We have been eating very well.

Coping with Coronavirus has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.  Some days I feel pretty good about how things are going and look forward to things getting back to “normal”.  Other days it feels like this will never end.  Last night we had tickets for a concert, which did not happen.  This was our travel weekend.  We had plans to go on a hike that would take us to multiple waterfalls.  The trail we wanted to take closed the week after our vacation.  Too many people were getting out of the house and crowding the trail so they had to close it.  It is not looking promising that we will be able to take our May trip either.

Our lifestyle has changed.  We have started shopping just once a week, with a list so we can get in and out of the store with everything we need for the week.  Fewer trips to the store mean fewer chances of exposure.  We wear masks and gloves while we are in the store, removing the gloves before we get back in the car.  We wear masks anytime we can not avoid people.  We wash our hands as soon as we return home.  We don’t leave the house often (other than going to work).  And let’s not even talk about the issue of toilet paper and Lysol!

I am thankful that I still have a job.  Chris was able to get unemployment and customers have been very generous so we have not had a huge loss in income. as so many others have.  Going to work, though, is a two-edged sword.  On the one hand, it is nice to have a normal routine, an income and something to do.  On the other hand, it is very scary.  Not all customers respect social distancing.  I just wonder how many of them have picked up on the fact that I pull my mask on when they get near me.

Not everything involved with being quarantined has been bad.  We still go to the park and take walks.  We just make sure not to go anywhere crowded and keep our distance.  We were able to enjoy the beautiful flowers at the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.  Normally you need a ticket to enter the garden but, since the quarantine, they have opened it up for the public to enjoy.  We have also been able to play disc golf.

A lot of artists have done live-streams.  We have enjoyed the concerts in our living room.  Best part?  We always get the best spot on the dance floor.

We have put a fireplace on the tv, music on the phone and played a game of Monopoly Virginia State Parks Edition.  Not the computer version, but the real board, pieces, money and property cards.  I haven’t done that since the boys were little.

Cards Against Humanity with our friends, using the internet, was the most fun.  We used Zoom to see and hear each other during the game.  It was as if they were right here with us.

One of the big jokes on the internet now is how couples are coping with being stuck together while quarantining.  We are normally together 24 hours a day, every day, so have had no issues with being cooped up together.  I feel that we have actually grown closer together and our relationship has grown stronger in the process.