Spring in My Step

We were a bit slow in isolating ourselves here (I’m in Bergen County, New Jersey, USA, a suburb of NYC). By the time we got serious, China had completely shutdown Wuhan and seeing positive results. Italy was in chaos. Because of our lackadaisical attitude, my busy 30 mile radius is looking as bad as Italy, if not worse. And as much as social distancing seems to be helpful, testing seems to be the best remedy for getting through. Test everybody; isolate and treat the positives; and get through to the other side. We are seriously lacking in tests here. So they’re dying by the hundreds each day in my little area-500 or so just yesterday.

I think the circumstances may be driving me a bit nuts. I’ve only been seriously isolated for 10 days. It’s been that long since I stopped working. I’m not married (hence the dating blog) and the pandemic found me unattached. I have two children that don’t live too far away, but they’re sheltering in place, as well. I find myself doing little projects, cooking (I made a banana-chocolate chip bread yesterday and it was delicious), doing the New York Times crossword, playing Words with Friends, spending too much time on social media, and walking.

On the other hand, spring has arrived. The myriad of bulbs have bloomed their yellows and purples. The flowering bushes and trees are like splashes of bold colors one might see in a Claude Monet painting. There are less cars being driven and more people out walking singly, coupled or as families. Everyone makes a point of saying hello and I nod my head in acknowledgment. The weather’s been a little cool during my own long walks, at least compared to our mild winter, but it feels invigorating under the bright blue skies and the high sun shining bright. By God, it’s good to be alive.

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