What has Covid done for you?

Nothing prepared us for for a year like this, did it? Things are very different right now: masks, distancing, stay-at-home orders, and worse: job loss, businesses closing, people dying. Some of the consequences of Covid are terrible. But let’s be real. Many are inconveniences nothing more, what I like to call first world problems, such as having to wear masks, not being able to go into bars, not being able to hang out with friends.

Even if you don’t complain, what do you miss? I think I miss spontaneity: meeting a friend for lunch, going on vacation without wipes and disinfectant spray, finding waiting at the airport a pain only for being boring, walking into a library, hugging someone, going to a craft bar, my yearly trip to France, deciding to browse at a store, and while I don’t have a problem with it, not wearing a mask would be pretty exciting. Without spontaneity, I feel as if I’m just hanging around most of the time.

So, lots of negatives. The more challenging question is has Covid done anything for you? (Spell Check wants to know if Ovid has done anything for you!) I’m not saying we should be glad Covid came along to screw up 2020, but although I know seems as if all its impacts are negative, maybe they’re not. Maybe some good has come out of this year.

Covid has made me realize again what’s important: family; keeping in touch with friends by actual mail, text, or phone; having a home to spend time in; my husband having a job even if he has to work ridiculous hours; how a blog can help me stay in touch with people; how blessed I was to be able to take things for granted; the value of libraries having e-books. It’s also made me realize that many things I complained about really weren’t worth complaining about!

How about you? What do you miss? What might Covid have done for you? ( And if Ovid’s done anything for you, you can let me know that too.)

Isolation rocks.

We’re supposed to be in or around our homes as much as possible these days, so let’s take a look inside our new one. I love that the bedroom has enough space for me to have a sunny corner for my rocking chair. But this isn’t just any rocking chair. This was my mom’s grandmother’s, making it an antique and a beautiful one that has to be over 100 year old.

Day 1 update and thoughts

Nothing like good friends when you have no beds or furniture on general.

Note to self: clean fridge more often! General note: cleaning a fridge isn’t fun at the best of times. Cleaning one when you want to just get done and on the road is excruciating!!

Having lots and lots of things you need to have someone pick up when there’s a shelter-in-place order is impossible. Garbage men will only take things in bags. (Ever tried bagging a hammock? Didn’t think so. Just know it does NOT work!) and the junk-picking-up companies aren’t now. Dear owner: things in the garage aren’t as bad as they appear. Really!

Bit of COVID-19 humor. My husband got this prize in the local grocery store Monopoly game. I challenged him to go back and try to redeem it.

Gas prices are amazing right now. Filling up for $1.79 a gallon doesn’t even hurt at all. 😊. There are a lot less cars on the road, even in St. Louis during rush hour, although it was still hectic enough. And the virus hasn’t had an impact on construction.

The sunset tonight was beautiful, an enormous orange ball. Unfortunately, it was right on the middle of the road for at least three days…or seemed like it. Eventually we went in a different direction, literally, but there was still beauty as you can see from this (very carefully taken) shot. Disclaimer: I’m not responsible for the smushed bugs on the windshield. Well, maybe I am in a way, but Hey, I didn’t force them to fly into the glass..

That’s it for tonight from Springfield, Missouri. After the last few days and six hours of cleaning this morning, the 7 1/2 hours on the road was pretty much just fun. 🤪. Bed is going to seem so good tonight and that’s where I’m headed. TTFN. More tomorrow.