Changes......

Such a strange, sad, scary time in our world. COVID-19 spreading across the world and a daily drum beat of frightening statistics and predictions. It's very hard to try to find the good news and to stay less-than-depressed. Our little town is so quiet with basically no one on the streets. Restaurants are closed. The library. The schools. The senior center. The YMCA. Area department stores....closed. Everyone encouraged to stay inside unless going out is absolutely necessary. You hardly need bother to look both ways before crossing the street.

So we walk the dog to get fresh air.....seeing a few others doing the same. We smile and say hi at a distance. We breath in the outside feeling "lucky" to have Fenway as a reason to get out. We notice the four deer along the bike path, appreciate a bright red cardinal calling from a tree branch, point out two black-capped chickadees zipping around near the bird feeder. Our trees are still leafless so everything basically still looks brown and grey....moods will improve once we see some greenery. Moods will also improve once it's a bit warmer and we can sit outside on our little deck.

The economic ramifications of this pandemic will last for a long, long time. It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the domino effect and all of the companies/jobs/events that will be forever changed or shut down completely. The news yesterday that Harley-Davidson shut down all of it's US plants was a slap-my-face-in-Milwaukee moment. Probably just because HD equals Milwaukee....and the rumble of their motorcycles is an integral part of our outdoor experience once the weather warms. Just one company and one notice....but it caught my attention.

The daily drum beat goes on. For me, personally, social distancing is my new norm, no book club, no newcomer club activities, quilt shop closed and quilt meeting cancelled, no meeting friends for coffee, no going out to lunch. The feeling of cold isolation builds and I decide to connect with at least two friends per day by telephone....to have a conversation instead of an email or text. The sound of a friendly voice helps remind me that connections remain and it also lets me check on my friends to confirm that they still feel just fine. Yesterday I connected with a friend in Florida and one on Cape Cod, and my condo neighbor on the other side of my kitchen wall! The conversations and laughter made me feel better.

Changes......unwanted but necessary changes.....