Tag: Isolation

Six Months into Mid Life

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If you are on social even for ten minutes a day, you know that it is full of memes. There are people ‘out there’ that are very talented in creating memes that can become viral for good and not so good reasons. One meme from a while back was How it started, How its going. Basically two funny images (or even personal photos) of a before and after scenario in life.

You might be thinking to yourself, why is she starting off this blog with an explanation about memes. Well, as a storyteller, this is part of the set up of the story.

On December 23, 2020 I came in close contact with a person who had tested positive for Covid-19. Of course I had to go and get tested, which I did the next day. Not that there was much going on in terms of ‘holiday plans’ but I did have plans with my bubbled household to spend Christmas with them and probably New Years Eve as well. When you have been in close contact with a positive person, even if you are negative, you have to be in isolation for 14 days. Which is exactly what I did.

The truth is being in isolation wasn’t such a stretch for me. I was pretty used it in January. Leaving the apartment once a week for groceries, an occasional bagel run, and perhaps to the deli. Because we were in a stay at home order I wasn’t even having dinner with my parents (well after isolation of course).

While I was at home in isolation I started to think about my upcoming birthday and approaching 50. I opened my journal and made a brainstorm list of blog ideas to do a countdown of 50 thoughts on 50. I was looking forward to starting the posts on Feburary 1st and blog daily up to my birthday on the 27th. Great plan, right? I thought so.

The goal was to write 10,000 words before my birthday at the end of the month. I wrote my first post on February 1st, setting up the tone for the month and to get my creative juices flowing. The same day as my Covid symptoms started. I had no idea on that day what I was about to hit me, literally like a ton of bricks. All hope of the blog countdown to 50 went out the window as fast as it started.

I have shared parts of my Covid journey here in The Lisa Chronicles, some on social media and if you are friend of mine, you know much more of the story and my journey. A journey that has sparked a new list of 50 thoughts on 50 the past six months.

Six months, 12 months, 18 months. This is how long we have all been in the stranglehold of this pandemic. Life is starting to look different than it has. I have enjoyed the few patios I have been able to enjoy with friends that I haven’t seen in a long time. I can tell you that my ‘foodie’ spirit hasn’t recoved from the pandemic and my covid experience after six months. Nothing tastes the same. I don’t really talk about it, but if you have had covid or know someone that has lost their tastebuds I have two words for you, it sucks.

To bring this post back full circle I will leave you with this:

How it started: January 2021 – 50 thoughts on turning 50 – never started

How it is going: August 2021 – six month later, more than just 50 thoughts on turning 50 coming your way to The Lisa Chronicles soon.

I am not going to set a 10,000 word goal this time. I am going to write when the keyboard directs me.

Until then, stay safe and please if you haven’t gotten your shots yet, please be like Nike and just do it.

I’ll meet you at the buffet

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food1It is fair to say that we have all had more than enough of being self isolated. Not able to eat in our favourite restaurants, sporting events, even having a meal with family and friends. For many, Covid stopped all travel plans in their tracks. March break travel was about to happen, and some people did travel, but many did not. It was just after the break that everything really did come to a full stop.

Here at home, we are working on a very slow graduated approach to getting back to living. The conversations I have been having with friends have changed the past few weeks from isolation to how to we re-enter back to our lives. I guess the main question is, what does ‘our lives’ actually look like.

I can tell you that after being home in my condo for almost three months I really want to go on vacation. I am dreaming about a beautiful breakfast buffet, with fresh fruit, breads, cheeses and pastries. Wait, what….oh right….due to Covid, the buffets are gone.

After a great morning in the sun, it is time for lunch. Awesome, the food at the beach bar is always great. Hamburger or steak on a bun, loads of salsa, chips, awesome guacamole. Oh, wait, right….Covid, how do we eat lunch.

Okay, so breakfast and lunch were buffet, but thankfully dinner is a la carte, but we have to wait, so do we just want to go to the buffet? Wait, right….Covid. Well, can’t we just have dessert?

I know that hotels have been working around the clock since they closed their doors on how to make the all inclusive concept work again once they open their doors. Some hotels and destinations are ambitious and getting ready in the next couple of weeks to open to travellers. I know that Jamaica will be open for travellers to arrive in a couple of weeks.

The next month will be an interesting time here at home and as slowly the world comes out of isolation. I think everyone is peaking their heads out the window to see if their next door neighbour has stepped out to invite them over for a drink on the patio. Oh wait, our neighbours can’t come over.

Patience grasshopper.

Thankfully I have great photos of fantastic all inclusive buffet experiences of the past couple of years.

food3

Covid Confessionals – Isolation

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Mother’s day – May 10, 2020

I just came home from a driveway visit at my brother’s house with the family to have a gathering for mother’s day. My mom asked me last week if would could have a bbq and eat in my brother’s garage. No, we are not there yet. I think whether you are in 70’s, 40’s or youth or young person, we are all feeling the impact of isolation. 

If you are an introvert, there are many aspects of isolation you may be perfectly okay with and even when life opens up to the new normal, you may be content to let everyone else go out for a while before you join in on the new way of living in this Covid-19 world we are now in.

I am the president of my condo board. We used to have monthly meetings and with our shared board, quarterly meetings in our party room. Last week we had our first zoom meeting as a group. Moving forward we are going to have meetings this way. The condominium associate of Ontario is also moving towards virtual Annual General Meetings.

When I worked in the office, we had weekly team meetings. Those of us in the office would head down to the basement to one of our training rooms while those on the west coast or working from home would call into the meeting. Now we are all remote so we are all calling into our zoom meeting weekly. (post to follow regarding office work).

I made two stop today en route to my brother’s house. First stop was the What a Bagel near my condo. A very small take out area to begin with, and even with mindfulness of space, I feel it was hard to maintain a 2 metre distance between patrons. The staff have really adapted to the new way of ordering, which is involves them to take the bakery orders verbally and bag the bagels or any other bakery item you would like. Waiting in the small area of the store for folks to put lox or tuna on their bagels and then waiting to pay that was a little too close and not quite 2 metres. When I left, the line was out the door and down the sidewalk. Good timing.

Second stop was Centre Street Deli. I was placing orders for three houses. There were two lines, those for pick up (already ordered) and those like me for walk in ordering. It was very civilized but you can tell that they were very busy. Again, it was hard to find a place that was 2 metres apart from the next person. I am finding in stores that have it clearly marked people obey, where it is not clearly marked, people seem to make their own 2 metre calculations.

After a couple of phone calls to try to make a few in person socially distant visits (not successful) I am back at home and tucked in for the night. I have been thinking about all the lessons we are learning and have yet to learn about this time on our lives.

I just looked up synonyms for Isolation in Merriam Webster – Aloneness, insulation, privacy, secludeness, solitariness, solitude, seclusion. I think all of them are true.If you in a home with a family you may not find this time a period of solitude. If you are alone during this time, you may find this time full of seclusion.

Wherever you are on this journey, we are all in this together. We are still very much in it, no matter when the government tells us it is “okay” to dip our toes in the water. If you are not ready, don’t. We need to stay on guard for our personal safety and the safety of the ones we love.

Until next time,