Life in the Time of COVID, Part 4

Another four weeks have gone by. Summer arrived recently, with temperatures almost at 30 (before the humidity). Right now, it’s hard to believe that on Mother’s Day, we had snow! But this is Southern Ontario, and that is what happens here. We have moved quickly from closing up the house to keep the cold out, to closing it to keep the cool in and the heat out.

Ontario continues to open. And that is a bit scary. I went with Richard to try a bike ride down by Hamilton Harbour. The day was sunny and a bit warm (low 20’s). And it was Saturday. The park was jammed with people, very little attempt (it seemed) to maintain distances, We left without biking, and went to the rail trail some distance out of town. I am worried that we are in for a rise in illnesses, likely in a few weeks. Ontario’s cases, while not as bad a those in Quebec, are rising slowly. Two weeks ago was Mother’s Day, so this might be the consequence of that day. Doug Ford wants to test more people, so is making it clear that anyone who wishes to be tested will get it done. We watch and wait, holding our breath a bit. Some (many) parts of the province are now in “Stage 2” of re-opening, where the barber shops and pools are open, and stores can partially open - including restaurant patios. Toronto is the odd city out, as well as Windsor. Their rates of infections are still high, whereas the rest of Ontario is settling down.

And Doug Ford’s government has begun to get back to its old tricks. They have proposed a new bill for LTC, which goes in all the wrong directions: more privatisation, less supervision, less democratic control. Don’t they ever learn?

Otherwise, life goes on. I have now had a few meetings over Skype or Zoom, and they seem to go well. But it’s just not the same as an in-person meeting, and I miss those. I find myself being less involved with my friends by and large, less interested in what they are up to. I am doing a bit of gardening, which I sometimes enjoy. And there are now renovations starting across the road, which I find really interesting. We are getting the bathroom and the kitchen renovated, so there are new cabinets, some new appliances, new electrical and plumbing. And of course new paint. Right now it’s a mess, but it is beginning to look like a house again, and it is very exciting.

Biked with William the other day. And have been out myself a few times. Walking most mornings. Still getting up quite early (about six),and heading to bed about ten. This is quite a shift for me, but seems to be working.

Enough for now: let’s get this online.

Life in the Time of COVID, Part 3

It’s been another two weeks (seems like two months!) since I wrote the last entry. And things are starting to change—perhaps for the better.

Weather has been cold: we had snow and below-freezing temperatures last week and last night. When I went to the Metro this morning, at 7 for the Seniors’ Hour, it was snowing and cold. Not that it’s been entirely cold. The first weekend of May saw temperatures in the low 20’s, with lots of sun. I took my bike around the Bay, and it felt good. Even got some sunburn on my arms. Then it returned to cold, and, as I said, it is still around the freezing point. Tough that yesterday we talked with both our boys (for Mother’s Day) and both Victoria and London have temperatures in the 20’s. Our time will come.

But we have dilemmas still to deal with. There is the “mask” question. More people are wearing them, even though the science is unclear about benefit(s). And entrepreneurs have begun to produce some pretty nice-looking ones for sale.

Then there are the re-opened rail trails (hurray!!). How to navigate these without breaking the distancing rules, and still get good exercise. Right now it seems too cold to try, but that of course will change soon. When I think about this, it isn’t really a dilemma. I will use the trails and take my chances. And the Driving Park is now re-opened to traffic, and is busier because of this. 

Stores are beginning to re-open as well. We can easily visit garden centres, can actually go inside the hardware stores, and can get curb-side pickup at any store with a street entrance. Quebec has decided to restart elementary schools, and the rest of the country is watching with a mix of hope and fear to see what will happen. 

It is clear that there is not one, but many COVID outbreaks. There are nursing homes, then all the other places. There are big cities, then the rest of the provinces. There is Ontario and Quebec, and then everyone else. There are the poor, and then the rest of us.

And how are we reacting to all of this? We are fervently wishing for this to be over; to get back to some kind of normal, where you can visit and hug, shake hands, pat people on the shoulder, put down the computers to talk directly to people. We are by times bored, at a loss of what to do, and overwhelmed by the sadness of the situation. Humans, including us, were not meant to be this separated. We wonder what the new “normal” will look like, and when it will come. It seems that it will be coming slowly, and in measured steps. Looks like we will be in this for some time yet, perhaps eighteen months.

Anyway, enough for now. More later.