“So how many weeks have we been locked up?” Melinda asked me. “Three?”
I wasn’t sure. I can’t tell one day from the next. There’s no feel to the day: Monday feels the same as Thursday.
More Exercise. More Weight. More Pie.
I’m exercising more, much more, than before. The trouble is that I’m gaining more weight, too. I haven’t been this heavy in thirteen years, and I can’t blame that on the virus, though I might blame the apple pie I’m having for breakfast.
Some of my interests seem a little petty now: I took an expedition to Costco yesterday for ground coffee wearing my little gloves and mask. My true interest was to see how the other customers were acting. Frantic? Calm? Normal? The store wasn’t much more crowded than usual, which surprised me. People seem serious, but not hurricane-serious anymore.
Failures of Philosopy
One lady tried to run over me with her cart and didn’t bother to apologize. That actually amused me: it gave me an opportunity to thank her sarcastically. (I couldn’t help it). All that work I’ve put into Stoic philosophy failed me at that moment. (Another customer following her laughed at my joke, though).
The real point of telling this story is what, pursuant to my wife’s instructions, I managed to find. “Always check for toilet paper and paper towels when you go to a store,” she regularly reminds me. And so, my true and greatest accomplishment of the day: I found paper towels. When I brought those in the door, I found that I had made my wife happier than I have been able do at any other time in the last two months. (I need to do better, I think).
I took the dogs to the park, crossing in the middle of what is usually a very busy downtown street; but today it is deserted. The only other traffic: two young men on electric skate boards rolling down the middle of the road. It can be nice to live in a peaceful, lonely area out in the country, but we don’t want that to describe the downtown of the fourth largest city in the U.S.
Cocktails to End a Day
And: my fat, petty day of exercising and dog-walking in quarantine ended with a cocktail party with two friends on Zoom. And, tonight we have a wine tasting online.
If you like one of my blogs, I ask that you share it. Please spend the weekend safely and healthily.
Kind of puts things into perspective!
I have to reflect on the things our parents must have gone through! WWII, the depression,etc.! My small inconvenience’s are just that! Even though we are still working, we try to look at this a time to catch up on projects around the house, and as a vacation!
Stay safe and healthy my friend!
Burl
Have a wonderful Easter!
Loved your story about the last 3 weeks! It has been a lot of togetherness – I think a little extra apple pie is a small bonus for quarantine! I’m having ice cream. Where are you getting all this exercise? I guess there’s a lot of outdoor space for that right now.