Our New Reality

It’s been nearly a month since our lives were upended by the coronavirus.  Usually, we only leave our house to go on errands that don’t require us to get out of the car or to go on walks or bike rides. 

We are learning to get what we need by doing pickups and deliveries.  Grocery pickups take a bit of planning and we are still trying to figure it out.  Neither my husband nor I have stepped into a store for weeks.  Too risky!  Grocery orders with one store are a week out and you can’t order farther out than that.  However, you can add to your order up to the night before pickup.  A second store has more pickup availability but we didn’t get bread in our last order.  You can’t just order a few things either.  It looks like we’ll go without some items.  I needed refills for some of my medications but my pharmacy doesn’t have a drive-up window.  After several phone calls, they told me I’d receive the medications via Fed-Ex; they arrived today.  This was the first time they’d done this so they weren’t sure how well it would work.

Amazon will not deliver everything in two days right now; there are other priorities.  However, they did deliver birthday gifts to my mom for her 90^th birthday!  We also received a backup drive and ink for our computer and printer.  We have ordered take-out meals a couple of times and will continue to do it.  It is a good way to support local restaurants plus it adds something special to our days which are so much the same.

It seems like everyone is using Zoom right now.  I had used it before for meetings with various groups but now it’s a regular thing.  Our church used it the past two Sundays for worship services with limited success.  This was frustrating but there are limitations to the technology plus our church needs some technological upgrades.  Our church also began Zoom gatherings with the pastor on Tuesdays just to check in with each other.  This has been great.  It is so good to see faces.  A few days ago there was a meeting with zoo staff and volunteers.  We learned what is happening at the zoo and with each other.  In a couple days my tap class will try doing a class via Zoom.  That should be interesting.

I thought that I would have a really clean and organized house at this point but that just hasn’t happened.  I have learned that I am not alone.  We get up late and move slowly.  There just isn’t a lot of motivation.  However, the weather is just starting to get warmer here in Idaho (71 degrees F today).  The sun is out so I am eager to get out and work in the yard.  With an acre there is a lot of cleaning up to do.  It still freezes at night so we can’t plant much right now.

While my life is limited, I have added some things.  I am spending more time sitting quietly—reading, writing, and sometimes doing something artistic.  I have talked on the phone more often to family and friends.  I ordered stamps online so I can send out more notes and cards.

I think we will be stuck at home at least another month so I am trying to make the best of it.  I know that I am privileged to be able to do this.  I am grateful for all the people who go to work every day to serve us.  Our world will not be the same when this pandemic is past.  I hope it will change for the better.