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Wow! I typed a reasonably insightful reply to Jenny, but it disappeared into the ether. It will probably surface soon, so I won’t try to reconstruct it xcept to say, WOW, Jenny. You’ve had it a lot worst than I!

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It was really good to hear from Ann, and I can relate to her points that the small things of life loom large at present. I miss hearing from you all too. I think many of us are basically in suspended animation waiting for all this to ease off. Coping with new ways of living and working are sucking all the energy from us and the things we previously did to re-energise? are often not currently an option.

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So how’s it going here in England? Well, the 23 March marked one year since our first lockdown began and we had a day of National Reflection which was a useful chance to process where we are.

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In summary, of those 12 months 7 have been in national full lockdown (except that schools ran for the short lockdown in the month of November and for the last three weeks up to today. For us, full lockdown has meant no non-essential shops/shopping, no libraries, gyms, swimming, hairdressers or barbers, pubs, cafes, restaurants (anywhere where people might make contact), galleries, cinemas, theatre of any kind. No meeting in groups outdoors, only an hour a day of “exercise” during which it was forbidden to sit down even for a moment’s breather as this is not “exercise”).For large parts of the ?time you could not even walk one on one with someone from another household. No going to work unless it could not be done from home. No normal medical services.? Home schooling for the parents to manage. No going in to another private home or even a private garden. No spending a night away from home, no local or foreign travel (I’m sure I’ve forgotten some things). No using public transport except for a short list of approved “essential purposes”.

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When we had the snow, sledging and snowballing were “not exercise” and therefore qualified for a hefty fine.

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It’s been tough. The other five months, some areas have never been out of “level four restrictions” which means no non-essential shops etc but the schools open. Our area has always been relatively low level so we did have shops and (limited) restaurants during the summer (I never went to one).

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Yesterday was “magic Monday”, we may now sit down outside, play outdoor sports, eat or drink out of doors, meet in groups of up to six socially distanced. Hugging is strictly forbidden as it entering another’s home and we still have to stay in our small local area for all we do. It’s been twelve weeks since we were that free and apart from three weeks in December with limited shopping it’s been like that since early November at least. “Magic” is a relative term,

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And yet, despite all that, we’ve lost over 150,000 people from a population of 6 million and have had 400,000 plus hospitalised. Which is why we do endure the restrictions because without them it would have been so much worse.

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It’s interesting to think about the differences between staying home because it is a legal requirement, and staying home as an active choice of prudent behaviour. I hear friends from other countries saying “I’ve been vaccinated, hooray, can hug again and go out and about without worrying”, and I’m so happy for them. Our vaccination programme is going astonishingly well but we are many weeks off going to places as we were used to do (because they’re all closed).

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It is a? very flattening experience. I don’t really miss shopping but I do miss seeing my loved ones and being able to drive to a more interesting walk for me and the dog. I realise how much I do depend on changes of surroundings and also social interaction to keep me bright and chirpy. Still, we keep trotting along and waiting for better times. With DH trapped in Geneva for much of the time it has been too quiet here at home. He’s currently here and just finished yet another ten day quarantine on arrival. Just walked in the door form his first vaccination.

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Hope you are all managing to find the joy

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Jenny

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Nothing big planned for here. Mark is corralling the Roomba; I’m doing sheet laundry.

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The fact that he is cleaning means that I will (soon) need to stop weaving and clear out of here, so I thought I would post while I can.

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Happy first day of spring, though on the Celtic calendar, Imbolg was celebrated February 1 which could explain the uncommonly warm month!

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Sheet laundry reminds me of the time a friend in another group asked if it was really necessary to fluff the wash before throwing it in the dryer. Today, the fitted bottom sheet wadded itself into a basketball-sized lump. I did straighten it out (it took a while and some choice language). Can’t imagine how long it would have taken to dry if I hadn’t bothered!

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Facebookers will relate, I think. 31 days ago, I “snoozed” a couple people from my past. Yesterday, I was reminded why I put them on “Time Out.” Back to snooze! I’d unfollow or unfriend, but there’s a connection I need to maintain. I just don’t need to see all of it. And I got word yesterday that another of my former coworkers is leaving the Food Bank (not unexpected) and that the least likely (my opinion) other coworker will be stepping up as ED in the summer when the current retires. There are 3 (of 14) people still at Second Harvest. One is my age and was supposed to retire before I did. A second is retiring this summer (same age). The third is someone who got a chance (from me) and is working his way up through the ranks. This time next year, he’ll be the last of that dying breed.

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Vaccination (x2) accomplished. Looking forward to going back to my volunteer gig at the library.

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Check in, please. I miss seeing our posts.

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Ann in PA

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