“May you live in interesting times” supposedly is an “old Chinese curse.” But apparently it isn’t. See this for something approaching confirmation:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/12/18/live/
Chinese curse or not, certainly we now are living in interesting times, thanks to the Coronavirus and COVID-19, the illness the virus causes.
It's Monday, April 13, the beginning of our fifth week of almost total lockdown. We do not go anywhere, except to take advantage of the curbside delivery being offered by a couple of the shops from which we get some of our essentials. The frequency of those trips seems to be working out to something like once every two weeks.
We do our basic grocery shopping online and have the delivery done by Instacart, which drops our orders on our front porch. So far, that has worked out very well. We take care to tip the delivery people a bit extra. They’re taking a risk, I think, to help keep us in supplies. We’re grateful for that.
The prevailing view here seems to be that the lockdown probably will last until at least June 1. We’re preparing for that by trying to make sure we maintain a supply of the things we most frequently use for meals. Nothing fancy, for sure, but a few more cans of tomato sauce, bags of rice, etc., than we usually keep on hand. And, of course, toilet paper.
The amazing thing is that time seems to fly by. I think that’s because there’s lots to do around here. Laura continues to work in her garden, something that keeps her very happy. I goof around reading and writing, playing a bit of banjo, and working on woodcarving projects. The days seem to race by. It’s uncanny. Others have noticed the same thing, they tell me.
For company, we have each other and the cats. We also have Zoom and Facetime. We use both to keep in touch with friends and family. Actually seeing someone when you talk to them is way better than a plain old phone call.
What we’re not doing: Laura is not playing golf, neither of is going fly fishing. Sure, it’s possible to maintain social distancing when you do those activities, but what happens when you buy gas or require the services of emergency personnel? Or even just encounter a course marshal or fish/game ranger, or maybe someone who comes to give your car a jump-start? The risk skyrockets. So, we’re staying in.
The weather here finally has taken a nice turn. It’s warm, with clear skies. Laura gets to garden, I get to cut the grass, and when we’re done, we get to spend time out on our deck, which adds a good bit of living space to our home. Laura also has what we call her Zen Zone, a beautiful meditation area in which she loves to spend time.
While we’re out on the deck, we mostly read and watch the birds cavorting at our bird feeders. Or we watch the huge owl that periodically shows up to scare the crap out of the birds, squirrels and rabbits that populate this place. It’s great entertainment.
In short, one day is exactly like every other day. The time is flying by.
How long can we maintain this? As things now stand, we can maintain it indefinitely, I think, or at least until madness sets in. Of course, if food supplies crash, as some suggest could happen, that changes everything. Should that happen, we’ll wish that we had a large freezer packed with stuff. We don’t.
There is of course the joker in the deck, a second wave of COVID-19 that some experts say could break in August. Here’s a link:
This raises an interesting question: Will we, in order to stay well, have to remain quarantined until the end of the year?
It’s a serious question that requires serious thought. At least, that’s what I think.
Living in interesting times, indeed.
-JFT
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