Last year I started calling our quarantine time "Pandemic Palooza." I had a much smaller time frame in mind. Then I read up on the Spanish Flu and realized that two years was a much more likely timeline than two weeks. So for the past year, I've had the mindset that any pandemic that lasts less than two years is pretty sweet!
When the pandemic-versary came along, I didn't really have the heart to write about how things are now (my brother-in-law passed away that week, and I was also dealing with health issues), but I hoped to be able to later. Here are how things are a year + two-ish weeks into the pandemic.
My current COVID mentality...
I'm in a place of waiting. For the past month, I haven't been following the COVID news as closely as I used to, so there's a lot going on that I'm not current on. I haven't checked the case counts in weeks.
I'm just hanging out. Waiting patiently. And that's fine.
(I've also been pretty distracted by other things going on in my life, so COVID isn't at the forefront of my mind).
Masks...
Masks have been mandated in Utah since fall of last year. They have been mandated in Salt Lake County since July. The state-wide mandate is scheduled to end April 10.
Things I don’t hate about masks...
- If I want to get “all dolled up,” I really only have to put on mascara.
- I smell a lot less of other people’s breath.
- If I have a horrendous zit, it usually gets covered.
- I post more photos of my kids on my blog.
Earthquake things...
I'm still a little jumpy about any vibrations in the earth. When planes fly over our house or semi-trucks go by and things shake ever so slightly, I do this thing I call my "earthquake stance" where I plant my feet firmly on the floor and stand in such a way as to assess the rumblings to see if it's an earthquake. I started doing that habitually during the earthquakes last year. I also have earthquake dreams pretty regularly. I don't feel like I'm paranoid or irrationally afraid of earthquakes, but I've taken on some habitual earthquake responses.
Things that make me laugh...
I remember a few weeks before lockdown when Costco announced that they were going to stop doing samples. Now I think it's hilarious that Costco let’s you look at samples. You can't try the food, but you can look at it behind a plastic partition.
Church...
We are now able to attend sacrament meeting every week (first we weren't and they we were and then we weren't). Two weeks ago, our youth started having Sunday school and YM/YW lessons in-person on Sundays. Our ward is not currently holding any in-person activities. The adults are not meeting, and the primary is not meeting.
I still have two callings - primary music leader and ministering secretary. I'm on deck, just waiting to be activated (though I have to confess, I've forgotten a lot of the lyrics to primary songs). We got a new primary presidency recently, so when we do go back, that will be different.
Restaurants...
Some of the restaurants we've been to recently no longer block tables for social distancing. The first time I sat in a booth with someone's head right behind mine kind of freaked me out. I've spent the last year of my life keeping my distance from everyone, so having a stranger a few inches away from me made the hair on my neck stand up. I love me some good eavesdropping, but I felt like I was sitting right in the middle of someone else's conversation.
Vaccines....
As of this week, the vaccines in Utah are open to all 16+. Scotty and I will be getting the vaccine. This is a decision we have made through research and prayer.
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One thing I have loved so much about having a blog for over 15 years is that it provides me with a record of my life and the growing years of my children. Posts like this become so important to me later when details fade. I'll probably continue adding to this post as I think of additional things I want to document after a year of COVID.
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