Going Places

As I write this post, pandemic is keeping people home, all around the world. Everywhere, while people are staying home a lot, out of harm’s and germ’s way, they’re finding books to read, crafts to try, online adventures to pursue, and ways to visit that don’t include personal contact.

People are sharing links to freebie apps to pass the time of isolation, online museum tours, and such. The Metropolitan Opera, having canceled its shows, is offering streams to watch. Korg is giving away a cool music-making app. I love seeing the many ways people are reaching out to make this bearable, as a world community.

I hope the Covid-19 crisis will soon pass, taking as few people from us as possible. Meanwhile, amid jokes about this temporarily isolationist world being an introvert’s paradise, people like Hazel and me really are mostly living life as usual.

Going places just isn’t possible. On my bad days, I’m almost as bedridden as Hazel, just managing to get up and about enough to help her when she needs a meal, some water, or a listening ear. On my good days, maybe I can go out for an hour, or even two, but I can’t go far, because I’m on call 25/8.

I have made a few adaptations for the pandemic. I’m wiping things down with disinfectant, carrying hand sanitizer — not hoarding, because I don’t believe in it, but making my own ’cause it’s fun and you can enjoy your favorite scent in nontoxic disinfectant (we can’t tolerate bleach or other chemical-heavy cleaners anyway) …. I’ve lost track of my parentheticals, here… oh yeah so, anyway, I’m doing the hand washing and the veggie washing and whatnot.

But Not Going Places is scarcely an adaptation for me. I’ve canceled a non-essential few doctor visits, that’s all. Otherwise, it’s life as usual, thinking of so many places I’d love to go, and then doing my traveling at home. With, thanks to Covid-19, a few extra fun things to do, that people have been sharing around. Share on! Fun stuff though, not viruses.

And speaking of sharing, a friend reminded me to update this post with this link: If you can share some funds to help cover Hazel’s medical expenses, the place to donate is This Link, which her caregiver set up for her so kindly. Thank you!