Uncooped

3 April 2020 – Free, free, we're free at last!

We went shopping today. It took us about three hours to buy everything at two stores, bring it home, disinfect it and disinfect ourselves.

Later, I went for a run in the sun, and sweat actual sweat. Later still, Karen and I went for a longish walk in the sun. In both cases, we found most people were going out of their way to keep their distance, as we did, more than a couple of times veering over on to the grass to avoid others.

We did get a little concerned in some parts of downtown where there is a heavy concentration of street people, some of whom didn’t seem too worried about social distancing.

Later still, Karen sat out on the balcony in the sun. We actually opened windows to get some air in the place too.

All good, but we’re hoping to not have to go to grocery stores again for awhile. Social distancing there is next to impossible, even when you go as early as we did (a little after 8 in the morning.).

One store had taped arrows on the floor so customers would move up and down the aisles in one direction only. Good thought, except if somebody else is in the aisle ahead of you, looking at products, what do you do – stand back and wait or, as most people did, grow impatient after a couple of minutes and scoot past as far from the other person as possible, about three feet.

That store also had Plexiglas shields between you and the cashier, the other did not.

When we went out, we discovered that building management had posted signs in the lobby and in the elevators urging us to ride the elevator only with other people living in our unit. If the first elevator that comes when you call it has others on it, we’re told, wait for the next empty elevator. Excellent. When I went out for my run, one fellow who had called the elevator after me, backed off when he saw me.

I think we’re finished here. It's not that we aren't still pretty much cooped, but at least we can get outside now. 

I did more than the seven days of desert-island discs that Bobby Baines suggested, so that’s done. 

Cryptic corner? School’s out, kiddies.

I’ll have to think of something else to fill my time now.