By Erica

Being marooned from humanity is not easy for most of us. Maybe it is for people who are introverts. Or just plain happy to loll around doing not much. But for the rest of us, this is hard. We have a new found appreciation for meeting a friend for coffee, taking a trip to a museum, being able to find what we want when we want. We all also know we are living history. And one day, just like the Observers in London during WWII who recorded daily life for posterity, someone will likely want to know how we coped.

For my part, I do not have any lofty goals. I am not going to learn French. I probably am not going to get into much better shape. At least now, I am not going to fight the maintenance battle—graying long hair, out of control eyebrows, sagging skin will just have to be me for now. Of course, that may change depending on how bad it gets. I haven’t covered my mirrors. I am more regularly taking care of my skin. 

Nor am I dressing up. I am dressing, and going for walks. But not dressing up. Put another way, I have no idea whether those jeans fit. And I don’t want to know.

I am not really into food either. I read all over the internet how people are into cooking---even remote cooking contests with remote taste tests! I am not taking the challenge of seeing what gourmet delights I can make from what is in my pantry. We do eat three meals a day, and I do cook some of them. But without the fun of food shopping and friends around to share, it’s lost some of its appeal. On the other hand, drinking lovely wine and deciding on nibbles for virtual happy hour. That definitely has become a thing!

So, what am I doing with my days?

Lustre is an activity. It’s not in the office, which I hate, and there’s not the same urgency to get things done. Planned events have been postponed. But there’s still work to do and that’s good. 

Jigsaw puzzles. Some really hard ones. They are frustrating, but there’s no rush. And even five pieces a day makes you feel like you’re making progress.

Walks on the road and on the beach. Nothing better to clear your head. Social distancing at its finest. We bought a Concept 2 rower. I haven’t been on yet but I fully intend to. My yoga class is virtual but I strained by back—so have put that off for a bit.

Scrabble with my best friend. Every day around 5. With cocktails.

Putting boxes of pictures in albums I ordered from Amazon. That’s a challenge because most of these pictures are rejects. I used to create scrapbooks which contain the best ones, and so needed to find a new organizing principle. And I have—these are going to be organized by places we lived. Places we travelled all together, not one at a time. Nobody will probably ever look at them, but it is at least one hard copy evidence of accomplishment.

Buying stuff online. Not big stuff. Toys for little ones. Thermometers. Food. Books. I always read hard copy books, though admit it’s hard to concentrate these days. I am actually reading books less than usual. I was also devouring the newspaper but found that wasn’t good for my health. So skipping  a lot of news too. 

My design class is virtual and I love that once a week. I signed up another during Friday night cocktail hour. It’s not taxing but it’s a visual treat.

I am trying to stay off the internet and streaming for most of the day with moderate success. Tracking Tiger King seems to be the new thing. I like Gran Hotel (Netflix), a lush Spanish series with subtitles that don’t get in the way. My husband loved The English Game. My daughter loved Formula One, a documentary about racing. I think she’s watched both seasons twice. I am liking Master Class, an inexpensive series of talks by some very interesting folks. 

I have given some thought to picking a place I want to travel next—and then learning everything about it. Ok, maybe not the language—but the history, places to go and eat and stay. I haven’t tackled that yet, but it’s on my list.

And, of course, talking to  friends and family—largely by Zoom. It’s so easy to get a free account, though understand that if you pay just a little your reception may be better. 

Staying connected is everything. Family is everything. Friends are everything. The United States of America is everything. Being safe is everything.