Day Two

3/13: Day One of Semi-Quarantine

We're all going to learn new ways to live for a while.  Without panic, we of a certain age are setting out to do our part to curb transmission of this new virus and to keep ourselves safe, especially those of us in the higher risk group.

Jan and I decided we'd write a daily journal during the pandemic, so I decided to write mine here, hoping that we'll look back on this later and and find that it wasn't as big a deal as we'd thought it might be.

There's a different vibe everywhere we go--long lines at the grocery store, friends tell me; closed schools and colleges; and--for me right now--the shadow of tragedy.

In spite of having an idiot for a president (that's not news), in spite of ways we are isolating ourselves for a while, friends and families are reaching out to each other by phone and for short non-hug visits on porches.

Jan's grandsons brought me a bowl of pimiento cheese yesterday and said, "Happy Quarantine!" Then in two minutes they were back with a white rose!  Little kids are free from school and they see a chance for a party.

Then Jan came over to go through my curb discards and stayed to visit for a while.  We commiserated as we've done for three years about Trump's ineptitude.  We talked about changes we're going to make to protect ourselves from the virus.  We decided to visit mostly on porches and stop hugging.
It's wonderful to have Jan for a friend right next door!

We're all going to get through this a day at a time, learning "social distancing" until it's over.

Day sent me a video of people in Italy standing on their balconies and making music together, balcony to balcony.

As in so many life-affirming things, like dancing and good wine and music and art and bread, it's a good idea to follow the lead of Italians.