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Monday On My Mind

I’m back from vacation, friends, and I’m happy to report that I felt a bit of  . . . normalcy . . . for the first time in over a year. We traveled to the Berkshires for a few days, we ate in restaurants indoors, we met up with a college friend of mine, and at the end of the week after we returned home we attended a dinner party.

I thought it might feel strange to do these things that we haven’t done in so long but it mostly felt joyful. Dale and I are both fully vaccinated and, while I worried that eating in restaurants would make me nervous (it did when we last tried it in July of 2020) this time it felt just fine. Plus, having hot and crispy french fries was an incredible treat as those take out fries leave a lot to be desired. We continued to wear our masks in public as prescribed and I can’t say that I enjoy that experience but I will do it so long as the experts recommend it. I guess mostly I just don’t feel anxious about being in public now and that has made a huge difference in my desire to go places.

When gathering with our friends, we were maskless since everyone else is all vaccinated up and it was awesome, particularly at Sean’s. We hugged our friends, noting that it was the first time we had all been together since New Year’s Eve 2019. I cried a few tears of relief and joy that we had come through this experience relatively unscathed. We sat together and had cocktails. We laughed and shared stories and ate terrific food and it was just so simple and good. I want to say it was normal but it was better than normal because now we all know that normal can be taken away at any moment. I have missed this group immensely and, while I don’t think I ever took them for granted, I certainly know in a very keen way just how much being with them means to me.

There were things about traveling that were different. There was no room service or housekeeping service at the inn, something that disappointed me probably more than it should have. Many restaurants are still closed or only open for limited hours and most required advanced reservations. Stores have limited occupancy so we had to wait outside our favorite candy shop before we could go in. I’m not complaining about any of this (well, maybe about the fact that I still had to make the bed) but it was something that I . . . noticed and I want to remember it because it’s all part of this pandemic experience.

I took very few photos and really just enjoyed each moment. There continue to be lessons in all of this and I think I’ll be discovering them for a good long while. I’m grateful and recognize how fortunate I am to be able to do so.

This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Sounds WONDERFUL Carole! So glad you had a nice time. We are fully vaccinated now (it will be two weeks next week) and are talking about visiting family and friends in Virginia. I cannot wait!!!

  2. So glad you had such an enjoyable experience even if you did have to make the bed. Didn’t they promise us all personal jet packs and a robot named Rosie by now?!

  3. What a wonderful trip, Carole! (and even better… what a wonderful gathering of friends!!) Welcome home!

  4. I know that recently I’ve had some moments where things felt normal and then I remembered they’re not — it’s so easy to forget that we are still in this pandemic when we’re with friends and family safely without masks. I really hope everyone will get vaccinated so that we can all experience that! And I’m glad you had those moments (even if you had to make your own bed).

  5. Welcome back! Your vacation does sound really enjoyable, even if things were a bit different. I went to a real estate open house yesterday and it was a mixed experience being indoors with too many people I didn’t know. Hooray for hot and crispy fries and a return to maybe a better normal.

  6. So nice to hear! I’m still worried about variants and hope people won’t be too cavalier. I do live w a germaphobe so that can be difficult. I recently returned from 5 weeks away in BC. Even though vax’d l submitted to 3 PRC Covid tests and a 14-day quarantine but upon return to the US the only requirement was an antigen test. Note the numbers are higher here… Canadians are worried about the B117, B1116, P1 and are in lickown since Easter. I finally ate and drank in the airport but was most uncomfortable when others prolonged being unmasked.

  7. I’m going to continue to be cautious, but I’m very eager to start dipping my toe in to try some of the things I’ve missed (like . . . Bell’s . . . ). Welcome back! So glad you guys had such a nice get-away. XO

  8. Here’s to getting back to, and appreciating, the things we took for granted. Glad you enjoyed your vacation. Even happier that you got to spend time with the friends you’ve been missing!

    I’m fully vaccinated and my husband’s two weeks is over on Wednesday. Friday we are travelling to NC to start work on our next home, lining up builders, etc. We will take my sister and mother out to dinner in Travellers Rest,SC on Saturday. It will be the first time we’ve eaten in a restaurant since February 2020. I hope I feel comfortable. If not, we’ll wait for an outdoor table. Anxiety can be a sly nemesis. (Just typing the last paragraph made me a little uncomfortable.)

  9. Glad you had such a good time, Carole. I hope the positive changes in your social life continue, and that we all suffer no more set-backs!

  10. Oh my gosh, we recently had in-person sandwiches & fries at a local tavern and it was THE BEST!! I’ve discovered that I’m not a fan of most take-away, though I believe much could be improved with different packaging (french fries — or anything fried — steaming itself limp in a styro box on the way home… um, NO).

  11. Welcome home and welcome back! I had coffee (outside) with a friend today … it was my first coffee date since last March. I didn’t even knit, I was just so excited to be sitting across from someone and chatting without a mask on!

  12. I felt the same way having hot, crispy French fries for the first time in over a year!! What a treat!

  13. I’m celebrating as I read this, Carole! So refreshing! And those little details you missed, like housekeeping…totally get it. Because it’s a lovely part of being away, after all. And will be again! Those details are so worth remembering.

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