Quite a few friends and relatives have expressed some exasperation with avoiding crowds and not eating in restaurants. It is a bit surprising that so much emotion can slowly emerge from the Covid situation. We have not been very ardent about eating out but as people list things they are not doing, like attending church, having lunch with friends or getting together for a book discussion or a knitting group, it seems clear that momentum can build up to simply do what one wants to do, where one wants to do it and with others, regardless of increasing or decreasing indicators of the likelihood of catching a bug.
An elderly person may have a little less trouble going through a daily routine that involves face masks and mostly being home. I admit I am grateful for ebooks that are delivered through the air, quickly and cheaply. We tend to be awake and out of bed for 16 hours a day and two of those hours we watch tv nearly every day. Some days, something different comes along but our internet wi-fi and Roku streamer are a pleasure. The same old gruesome murders and the same old characters in "NCIS" start most of our evenings and we have a feeling of familiarity comfort with the repetitious characters and our crime-solving duties. It has gotten to the point that we can tell the crew would not be able to function without our attention.
Most of our mornings involve coffee and breakfast and then a 1 or 2 mile walk. As winter gets closer, indoor use of an stationary bike and a yoga mat get to be more important. We are past trying for great shapes or bulging muscles but we have found that body and spirit, flexibility and strength are better with exercise. We realize that at some point, we will have more difficulty standing up and balancing but for now, we are grateful for what we can do.
It can be helpful to ask questions and they are more valuable if they are written out. What about this Covid quarantine is most annoying? What can I do about chafing to burst out? Does my Texas sister and her family feel the same way? How about Sally out there in Oregon or Catherine in Connecticut - how are they doing? Which of my books have I still not ever opened? Do my plants need watering? Have I ever faced a problem that felt like this before? What did I do that time?
