On Tuesday, March 10, 2020, I went to the gym for my usual workout with the personal trainer, I then went to Costco. With rumours of a pandemic shutdown to come, I did a major food shop. I recall being quite shocked at the bill when I checked out, but there was a lot of pork, chicken, fish, and cheese in my cart along with several bags of frozen veg. I did not buy any toilet tissue nor bottled water, though Costco had umpteen pallets of both.
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| March 10, 2020 |
I met a friend and colleague for a lovely Spanish lunch. We talked business and family as we noshed on delicious tapas. And we hugged as we went on our separate ways, he back to the office, me back home. Two days later the provincial government announced that schools would be closed until April 5. March 16 was my first Monday Meander with a Report from the blankie fort and on March 17 the province declared a state of emergency. Soon after, the bears appeared in the sunroom windows.
Well, here we are nearing the end of June. Schools are still closed and will remain so until September. The state of emergency has been extended to July 15, and I wouldn't be surprised if it were extended beyond that. The bears are still on station in the window with the addition of a rabbit who wears a mask.
These days, restrictions are loosening. Last week I was able to return to the gym for my training session, but only the thirty-minute session, no pre or post-cardio, no walk-in when I feel like it, by appointment only. We can gather in a bubble of up to ten people, but as I noted in my blog of June 15, it's complicated. Both the man and I got much-needed haircuts this week. Woot! Woot! We can go shopping more frequently, but we'll both wear masks thank you! And if we wanted we could enjoy a meal at a restaurant patio (ie outdoors and tables space 2m apart).
I struggle less with digital meetings, but they remain very stressful. I am going out shopping a little more frequently. Goodness, I even had to gas up the car for the first time since the end of March! But, I remain very cautious about when and where I go. I am vigilant about how close people are around me and for how long. When inside any store, I wear a mask and if I can't keep 2m distance from others when outside, I'll wear a mask too, while also making good my escape from the crowd. I've got plenty of soap for home and sanitizer when out. And I still don't need reams of toilet tissue. I especially don't need any bottled water! Wine? YES! And chocolate and coffee too, please.
AT day 100, I am still anxious when I go out and ever so relieved to get back home. There are days when I think, "Gee girl, you're really rockin' this isolation business" and days when I wonder how I can go on. There are days when I'm running on a very short fuse with anger bubbling from every pore and then there are days when all is calm, all is bright. Most days I'm straddling a teeter-totter trying to maintain some kind of dynamic balance between contentment and worry, sweetness and terror, hope and despair. It's not exactly fun, but I've learned that it is doable.
For now, I will continue practicing "Together Apart" though a slightly modified, and slightly less restrictive version and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Be safe. Be well.
Keep your distance.
Wear a mask.
KEEP WASHING YOUR HANDS
©2020 April Hoeller
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