I guess the biggest change in our lives resulting from this pandemic is that we’ve, for the most part, stayed home. Yesterday, we strayed about 50 miles from here for an appointment, but our normal excursions for groceries and other things are less than 20 miles. Before the pandemic, we each usually went into the nearest small city almost every day. Since March, I haven’t filled the tank in the truck at all and we’ve filled the tank in the car maybe 4 times.
Our day-to-day life at home is fairly normal for us except for having more time to do what we do. While we’re staying home mostly, I don’t think either of us has been bored. We each have things that we enjoy doing.
When we’re away from home, things at times seem quite surreal. Our state governor finally issued a statewide face-covering mandate a few weeks ago. A lot of people had been wearing them in stores before that, but there were a lot who didn’t. A week or so before the governor issued the state mandate, a number of retail chains had established policies requiring customers to wear face-coverings.
We were in Walmart Wednesday morning and again today. Virtually everyone was wearing a mask or some other kind of facial covering. It all still seems so strange and surreal. While they have three, only one customer entrance/exit was open and there are employees stationed there to ensure customers have face coverings, to control entrance and exit traffic, and to clean and sanitize shopping carts.
So far this month, I have been to the local clinic to get a blood test, my cardiologist for a regular checkup, my dental office for a checkup and cleaning, my optometrist for an eye exam—including an evaluation of my cataracts—and an eye surgery center for a consult on cataract surgery.
In each instance, there was someone at or near the from door to do a COVID screening, which simply consists of answering a few questions and having your temperature checked. All in all, although it was pretty much what I expected, it was still strange with all (most) of the employees and doctors wearing masks and, in some instances, other PPE.
The cardiology clinic was very busy, but the waiting room was set up for social distancing. On the other hand, the eye surgery center wasn’t set up for social distancing, but I think they accomplished it through reduced scheduling. While I was in the waiting room there were never more than two other people. A couple of years back, when we went there for a cataract in one of Karen’s eyes, the waiting room was packed and there was more traffic in the hallways. This time the hallways were mostly empty.
Other things that are “surreal” during these pandemic days
- not shaking hands,
- having to recognize people by seeing only half of their face (or less),
- not having been out to eat in over five months.
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Things are not as surreal for us here. I went for a drive of about 6 Kms after 161 days yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it but did find much less traffic and also everyone wearing masks making identification difficult. I do not encourage visitors and have not gone out to meet anyone since the lockdown and do not miss any thing.
Ramana Rajgopaul recently posted…Out For A Drive.
Our only visitors have been our daughter and, once, a niece. The visits have been on our front porch with plenty of social distancing. Our daughter works and is around other people on a regular basis, so wants to make sure she doesn’t bring any virus to us. We only get to see our niece once a year or so as she is a teacher working in other countries. She had been teaching in Kuwait. She has now started a new job in South Korea and has just finished her 14-day quarantine there.
Mike Goad recently posted…Thanks for the memories….