Plague Diary

I’ve never had a problem being alone. As a shy “only” child I found plenty ways to entertain myself. My anxiety emerged when I had to be among people. It isn’t that I dislike people nor am I bored by them, but they tend to confuse me. I suppose I was out of the loop so much as a kid and young adult, that I never grasped the art of social grace. I was always worried about saying or doing the wrong thing, offending someone. Happily, I’ve reached an age where this no longer matters—or maybe it does, but women of a certain age can get away with anything (largely due to our invisibility which has its plusses and minuses).
Staying at home is not a great stretch for me. I’m neither sick nor unhealthy enough to worry inordinately about this virus, but my usual “haunts” are closed or at risk—the yoga studios, museums, restaurants…and the subway, well, that was a risk I was always willing to take but where would I go now? I don’t feel entirely alone—I do have a husband who’s recklessly careening about the apartment as a result of the stock market, and friends I can call. I read, write, do tai chi and yoga, watch TV. I even cleaned my oven!
I can shop on the internet, but it’s much more interesting to go out to the market and track what people are stowing away. The rice shelf is empty and there are very few beans. There’s precious few frozen veggies and a hole in the frozen fish freezer, go figure. Much of the chocolate is gone, but not my favorite (which I’m not sharing the name of for obvious reasons). Not much choice in the ice cream department either. Wine comes into the building by the case, some to my apartment. Alcohol kills germs after all.
And what’s with the toilet paper obsession?
The weather’s been great so we can get out for a walk, that is if I can find time away from my current project which is patching my worn bedspread. Writing…a bit, but it’s hard to “work” when things are cozy.
Given the current state of affairs (politics, elections, environmental catastrophes, extremist agendas and the reemergence of intolerance), I think it is time to kick back and take a breath. It’s unfortunate that it took a health crisis to compel us to slow down and examine what’s really important.
Stay well, people.