Hidden Wounds

                           

                           May 16, 2020 through May 22, 2020

So... my daughter's 40th surprise birthday party came off without a hitch.  Her kids and a couple of neighborhood kids did all the decorating. They were an impressive team.  They texted me "Go!" when their Dad managed to get my daughter out of the house for a few minutes, and all four kids were outside in the pouring rain when I got there about two minutes later with the necessary supplies that we had bought together the previous week during a rare masked outing. They unloaded the Jeep in about 3 seconds flat.  By the time I got my vehicle parked behind a neighbor's enormous rhododendron bush and got back to the house, they were blowing up balloons, arranging plates, eating utensils, napkins, etc.,  and had everything ready in an half an hour. I did basically nothing but watch in awe, and the guests began to arrive within 15 minutes.  The surprise was a success! A good time was had by all. Restorative. We do cherish those few moments of normalcy in these nutty times. I think everyone there craved a bit of a reentry into family life.  It was lovely. By the end of the afternoon, men were gathered on the back deck solving the problems of the world, women were gathered around the table laughing and talking, kids were jumping on a trampoline in the rain.  Smiles everywhere.  I felt young again. It was a gift of a day not only to my wonderful daughter, but to everyone there... a touch of what life used to be before what I have come to think of as the damncovid.

In the meantime...

Politicians across the country are breaking every rule they impose on the common person, because they think they are "special".  I think I may understand now why people hate politicians sometimes.

There is a high school in New Hampshire that is using a local ski resort for their graduation.  The grads will ride in the chair lift. Ingenuity at its best.

Drive-by bridal and baby showers are now a real thing.

Friends are gathering in parking lots, driveways, on patios and open spaces.  Socially distanced  --  Face to Face chats are a necessity for sanity.

Daily emails with favorite people are becoming mandatory. The virus has everyone on edge a bit and emotions tend to be close to the surface. I find myself even writing thank you notes to the mailman and garbage pickup guys.  They write back.  Sign of the times.  

The Covid fearful wear masks when driving alone in their cars.  Only they understand why they do this.

Some businesses are now being allowed to call workers back in to work. How have people been surviving?

The world continues to take deep breaths and shutter a bit as they exhale.

A PA Health Official moved her mother out of a nursing home just before ordering the nursing home to allow recovering COVID patients to be returned.  Yes -- government officials deserve their unpopularity at times.

There is not a Lysol or Clorox wipe to be found anywhere. 

First doctors said that we had to lock down until a vaccine is developed. Now the same doctors are saying that locking down too long may cause irreparable damage.  Suicides in some states outnumber covid related deaths.

Hidden wounds of living during a pandemic begin to fester.