DAY 433

Good evening my Corona friends. It has been twenty-two days since my last post and things are moving quickly, and after this year I would say it is warp speed. I know I live in a place where most people trust the science, or they will do anything to get back in the bar, so they get a vaccination. Last week our Governor announced that as of May 29, there will no longer be a mask mandate, so this weekend it was almost like a gigantic skinny dip party or would have been had the weather cooperated.  Seriously it was like ripping off a big band-aide and jumping right in, at least for the bar crowd that has been denied just bellying up to the bar for more than a year. It was close to a religious experience. For myself, I am waiting to see my beloved Jared behind the bar in my hood before I take a seat, as I don’t want any of those weak pours. We were going to go out with a bunch of friends to celebrate the open borders at a restaurant, but then with the weather not cooperating for Al Fresco, I did a last-minute pitch to move the dinner party to our palatial one room estate and we were also thrilled we did.  I just pull out my trusted friend Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa books, and just whip up a meal in these situations. I would love to be married to Ina and I don’t know if Jeffrey understands the full extent of how he is the luckiest man on the planet.  Of course, now that I have Techie cooking out of a box twice a week now, I can call upon him to be my sous chef when whipping up a meal for ten people, and because he is the wonder that he gets it done. It was an n emotional evening to just sit next to your friends and hug them. And to think sometimes you talk shit about these guys. That night there were all Gods and old friends are the best, warts and all. Talk to me next month and I will tell you if I am still kvelling so much about them. Of course, I have had a few people over during the shutdown, and we did have our pod, Howie and Lisa, Donna and Jon, Nancy and Pete, and then, of course, there are my work friends, and my nieces and nephews, sisters and brothers and a few of their friends, but other than that we were in a very strict lockdown for over a year, and grandkids don’t count, that’s a given. I mean we saw none other than the thirty or so people, and I never stood that close to anyone at work and had I was always wearing a mask, so like we were super careful. Seriously I don’t know when we started relaxing a bit, maybe last summer, then it was a scary time after Thanksgiving, and no one wanted to be near anyone, and now we find ourselves ripping off the band-aide.  I know this is not easy for everyone and I can tell you after spending some time in Harvard Square today they are not ready, masks are strictly enforced. This is after all the PRC, Peoples Republic of Cambridge and we will probably be masked up outside at soccer games till the year 2023.  Seriously I am really poking fun right now but I totally get it, how do you just jump right in after what we all have been through this past year?  But I have always been a person who jumps right in and doesn’t need to be told twice, feet first I jumped. My grandson Charlie doesn’t find it that easy and not ready to rip the band-aide all the way, but we will take some baby steps until Grandmas pushes him right into the deep end. I am just worried that this glimpse of normalcy will pass and I want to kick it up like the roaring twenties right now………….so judgment-free zone while I break out in song and dance at any given moment.

I want to get back the year that I lost and when I think about how much time I have spent watching the tube with Netflix, Apple, Hbo,showtime, britbox, Hulu, fungu or whatever my brain is fried.  When you get to a certain age you start thinking about the clock is ticking and there are still all these places and adventures I want to do before I leave the planet, I am dam well pissed off that I lost a year to TV, but at the time it was awesome.  My roommate doesn’t really watch TV, he would rather sit at his computer and read blogs from skeptics or who knows what?  But those things can suck you in just as well but you may feel a bit more superior because it is not as pedestrian as TV, just giving him a poke, since he does do my editing.  We both know that we are not going to waste time but rather I am planning our next adventure, biking in either Croatia or Italy but on one of those nice trips where they carry all your stuff and a really nice wine dinner every night. I am thinking maybe an electric powered bike since I am approaching a delicate age and I didn’t just gain the Covid 19 but maybe times two?  Anyway today we are grateful that we can still walk to Little Italy, have a fantastic meal, or better yet Regina’s pepperoni and mushroom and then enjoy the walk back, and that my fiend is heaven on earth.  After all we have been through this past year I do want to give a moment to honor all those brave men and women who didn’t get to experience this past year as they gave the ultimate sacrifice and we salute you and your families.

Just saying………….