Quarantined

Yes, our Doctor of Pharmacy (younger daughter Sarah) told us sternly that we should take it seriously. Yes, we are old (even though we don't think of us as such). We are in the 70s group. I am 71 and James 77.  So, we did self-quarantine. Social distancing is a new concept.

One can't stand listening to the news and we try to make the best out of the situation. James and I have never ever been bored. There is so much we can do. If the weather allows we can go for walks. Our community is great for that with wide streets and pedestrian walkways. More people than usual are out walking and most are serious about keeping the 6 feet minimum distance. If we go towards each other on the sidewalks, one of us steps out into the (most times empty) street. Yes, we chat with each other across the street.
Luckily the last two days we had awesome weather. Here is James yesterday with shorts for the first time this year.

We play cards at least once a day, usually after lunch with our coffee.

We have plenty of food in our pantry and can plunder the freezer. For teatime we enjoyed a banana cake a friend had gifted to us at Christmas. Yummy.

So, not much hardship for us ... except that we can't see our grandsons (and their parents of course)  and can't meet with our friends. Every Friday we usually go for dinner with some other couples. Not now. Church is cancelled. No Wednesday Lenten service. We are already told no Holy Week services. No Easter service. The last two Richmond Forum events for this year: cancelled (hopefully postponed). Richmond Opera's Aida: cancelled (postponed?).

And just yesterday I received the email that the Oberammergau Passionplay in Germany is cancelled too. That was a big part of our next trip (planned for June 19 to July 19). We had spent many hours in February to puzzle this trip together. We had booked a cruise on a small ship (I think about 80 passengers) from Venice to Malta with time in Germany before and in Rome after. We had invited my sister Ute to spend time with us in Oberammergau and yesterday I had to give her the news about that. I had already talked with our friend Corry in Singen that we most likely could not come. They had planned a party with the "old" friends in their house. Today we started to cancel all the other "puzzle pieces" like the train ride from Munich to Venice over the Alps, all the different hotels, the transatlantic flights and from Malta to Rome, the tour of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and the tour to Pompeii. So much had been on my bucket list.

But what is all the above to what happens to other people. With God's grace we might be able to still do that in another year. But all those sick people. All those people who have lost loved ones. All those people without a job, without income. All the school children out of their routines. All those people who might lose their small businesses so hard worked for. What effect has this on society and all of us. Statistics! We hear numbers.

James and I are lucky. We have enough to eat. We can do our walks. Today I even did some gardening which I have neglected for a while. Ha-ha, I roped James in for help and he was very willing. We have lots of projects we can (and should) do. And we are grateful. But still ... 

Sometimes you do have a sleepless night. It is after 3 am now and I better try again.