Day 80

Hello my Corona friends and I hope as usual you are happy, healthy and sane. It has been a bit more than eighty days since we have gone underground, and probably a few weeks in since we have begun emerging form our cocoons. I know we were all zipped up pretty tight the first 6 weeks or so, and my roommate and I had a pretty good routine. Get up very early, turn on news go back into a bit of a coma, trying to turn out the news of the world. Have a pot of coffee and most days some breakfast, come out of coma, think about lunch, Take a very long walk, we were averaging 4-6 miles and then we had to think about dinner, because we had to make it ourselves, and it gave us something to pass the time.  I kind of miss my routine from the early stage of the Pandemic, walking and bike riding, now all these other work chores are taking up the time of my leisurely walks. Then came Phase two and we were getting a bit more brave, social distance visits, picnics and biking with friends and aside from the mask, and no touching, considering the alternative we wanted that social interaction. I remember one of my first visits back out to the burbs and we sat in my girlfriend Nancy’s yard, they had been much more careful they us, but also craving another human to talk to, not on Zoom. I thought I heard from Nancy that if I had to pee I could go in the yard, just like a puppy, but just the other day when I mentioned it she thought I was crazy, I would have never said that, I guess it was a voice in my head. People were super cautious and if you did use their bathroom, they called in the murder clean up team. Ok a bit of an exaggeration, but a good Clorox rub down. It was kind of weird, as you can’t help but think you may have soiled the room, but hey whatever makes everyone more comfortable. I am thinking I have this nice heated seat in my one and only bathroom, so I am sure that probably kills any germs. Every once in a while I find that techie has shut it off and I don’t like it. I was expecting a nice warm seat. He claims he never touches it and I don’t know how it could be me, must be the gremlins. So now we find ourselves in Phase three and retail is open, yippee, get out there and shop in your local businesses and outdoor dining has opened as well. I had fully planned to wait a few weeks and let the dust settle, after all I have my box delivered and techie wants to cook, but I took the plunge tonight.  My daughter was back from the hinterlands of isolation in Maine where she has absconded with my beloved Charlie and Maisie, for an overnight, and suggested we get take out. I said why not al fresco and do you want to come into the city?  She suggested a place in Medford, and being the adventurous diner that I am, I said that sounds grand. She might say something snarky like how could there ever be a nice patio in Medford, she’s that way, but it was delightful. Techie had another one of his endless zoom so we went off without him, promising to bring him back some dinner. Well it wasn’t as weird as I thought, going into a restaurant where all the servers and hosts were wearing masks doesn’t actually promote an appetizing dinner.  We were handed a menu with the rules, basically had to wear a mask till we were seated and then we could take them off while seated. We were given a little purple flag to wave when we needed anything and we were off to the races.  First thing we did was order some wine and an app, and right then we both said, this seems so normal, maybe we just stay here. Didn’t take long for reality to set in and you now know the party is over, as the wait staff is never going to have a pour like the one you have at home. You have to get at least two glasses of wine to get that one you poured for yourself and costs you more than the whole bottle sitting in your fridge. Of course we can’t fret about that, as we have to support these guys who have been out for a long time and no appointment only trade. They have a lot to make up.  I want to give a shout out tonight to Semolina Kitchen in Medford, as the food was delicious and the servers were exceptional, nice work.  I have two of my box meals to prepare in my fridge so I don’t want to get to excited about this dining out, as it has been easier on the CC, plus I like the way I prepare my Vodka on the rocks with a splash of soda and lime. I am almost 100% sure I can’t get it made the way I have grown accustomed, even if I order a double. Looking forward to our new found freedom and I don’t want any setbacks, so I will keep washing my hands and wearing one of my many masks.

Just sayin..