Friday

And so we roll up the sleeves and start the work of coping, of supporting, of living in this new way.


We are a land of diverse views and interpretations. This is beautiful: we experiment with a wide range of ideas. We need a range of ideas to thrive.

But I was thinking today, sometimes that range of ideas can be chaotic. And chaos can be detrimental to your health.

This was very much on my mind as I dashed over to the grocery store this morning. I know, I know: yesterday was to be our last run. And then I noticed I forgot the butter. Ed threw in four baking mixes (brownies, cookies), all of them needing butter. We have almost none. Back I go! One last time! (She said with conviction...) And so long as I am there, I fill in other gaps.

A small digression on preparing for living out of your refrigerator/freezer for a month: you should not do what I did. I had begun thinking that we need to stock up nearly a month ago. But I wasn't sure, so I did a partial stock up. As I began to be more sure, I added foods. And then more foods. There was no master plan. So long as the foods would not be wasted, I was willing to bring them home. This morning, I made a list of what was actually in the pantry, in the freezer and in the fridge. Uff! Lots of cannellini beans (for soups). Not nearly enough kidneys (for chili). And of course, no butter.

So after breakfast (solo, because Ed slept in and I was in a hurry)...





...I went back to the store. And as I filled in the gaps, I caught snippets of conversations. Ridiculous overreaction! -- said one gent. The panic is worse than the virus!  (Needless to say, this is not my view, even as I am no fan of panic.)

I ran into a friend. She was incensed about the fact that an infected person had had contact with an orchestra leader (she is a musician), who didn't think to isolate and had contact with a whole bunch of high school orchestra students. And contact with her. Wait, her? Should I step back a bit as I listen to this recount? Doesn't social distancing mean you're not supposed to have face to face conversations with friends?

Social distancing is interpreted so differently by anyone who hears this now common expression! Some have asked me if perhaps social isolation is an extreme over-reaction. Well, that depends. If Ed and I do not participate in a rich social life, then cutting out the occasional lunch or dinner with friends moves us neatly into the isolation bracket (except for the kids, but that remains an open question, depending on how things evolve in the next couple of days. Or hours.). Cut out the shopping trips and we are cut off. Isolated. And that should be good -- for us and for our community.

And what about all those diverse approaches? I hear some people saying that yes indeed, they are doing social distancing. They're not going to crowded restaurants anymore. Well that's a step in the right direction (except from the perspective of the restaurant staff), but when I look at the charts and projections, it would be better if they did more.

In other words, it would be wonderful if an authoritative source came on the air and said: the ideal model is this: (insert description here). You do not need to do more, you should not be doing less. You should work to come as close to it as is feasible in your particular situation. The closer the better. 

As all this unfolds, I have additional dramas of some significance unfolding in my family clan. Nothing health threatening, but still, these days are anxious days not only because of the virus. I'd say that what I need right now is a speed bump for the soul. You know those "calming devices" on residential roads? To get you to slow down? I would like something analogous to get me to stop thinking about all the "what ifs" and "why nots" in all our lives.

Such loveliness in today's blue skies! I've been doing a lot of reading to stay informed and make good choices, but at some point, one needs to let go of all the reading and processing and move on to another topic. Such as blue skies and sunshine that dazzles a rooster's feathers.






...Or children! Grandchildren!  As it's Friday, I am with just Snowdrop today. I'm feeling rather sentimental, as it's the last time I am picking her up at school. Well, the last time for a while. Because of you know what. No need to go back to that topic! Last look at the south facing bed of flowers... (will they be in full bloom next time I am here?)






A spirited romp (she wants to go to the young orchard in the hope of finding new growth...)...






... then in we go for an afternoon of reading and play.





I drive her home and we laugh at how the sun hides behind buildings, then reappears to shine brightly, too brightly, straight in our eyes as we head west. The fact that we can even play this game shows you how far we've moved into the spring season. Just a handful of weeks ago, we'd be driving in darkness, with headlights at full beam.

By the time I return to the farmette though, it is quite dark. I sautee some fish, steam some asparagus and cross off both items from my list of stockpiles. So far, so good.

Stay well, stay happy.