COVID Ramblings

 I have not written for my blog, here, for over a year. I have written for another blog, pixesl2Pages.net, and that has taken my “creative musings” elsewhere. For those of you who follow this blog, I thank you. For those of you who don’t and want to, sign up in the email spot on the main page, and when, and if, I write something, it will come to your email.

 

So, this year has really sucked! I must say that I started out with a positive attitude and hoped that this would all be over soon. That didn’t happen, did it!? (I think there should be a punctuation mark for an exclamatory question!) As the year progressed, every plan I had dissolved into thin air. After Dave’s passing in 2018, I didn’t have much drive to do anything, but 2020 was going to be the year I did some traveling; a gathering in  Houston in April, a sail up the Danube in June, a conference in Orlando in July, the balloon festival in Albuquerque in October, a retreat in San Diego, also in October. Everything was cancelled. One was postponed until 2021, but then that was also cancelled. Not only did I feel regret, I also was upset and, then, depressed. There have been the infrequent visits to the grocery store, a couple of visits to the doctor for general things, and Friday nights. I LIVE for Friday nights. That is when I get to visit my daughter and her family for dinner. Sometimes we go somewhere, and other times we eat at her house. The best part, other than being with people I love so much, is just getting out and away from the confined limits of my own home. I have realized how important it is for me to have contact with others. I have always felt myself to be one who doesn’t mix well with more than 2 or 3 people at a time, but to not have anyone around is very difficult. I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way.

 

Another thing I have noticed, other than the mild depression and loneliness I deal with daily, is that I am becoming more and more withdrawn. I don’t really have much of a desire to do anything, which includes getting dressed, watering the garden, taking out the trash, getting something to eat, etc. It is really all the little stuff. This Stay At Home has been going on starting 8 months. My county, Los Angeles, is still pretty much locked down. I am fortunate that I live on the border between Los Angeles and Orange County, which is a little more open and can eat outside with my family. I am also very worried about the two big holidays that are coming up: Thanksgiving and Christmas. Heather always does a wonderful family Thanksgiving and I do one for Christmas. There are family members with weakened immune systems…will they be able to celebrate with us? See what is going on in my brain? I am now consumed with the fact that more plans will be sacrificed.

 

I am desperately trying, every day, to stay positive. I am a rule follower and I wear a mask, stand over 6 feet away, and all the other stuff. I really just want all of this to be over, and I am sure that I am not the only one with this wish.

 

Even with all of this personal reflection, there are always those who see something funny, or funny-insightful in any given situation. Those who put out the memes are genius at “hitting the nail on the head”. I have saved a lot of them because they are a record of this time in our lives. Some of my favorites are included in this post.