Day 31 Easter Sunday
Governor Murphy issued the stay-at-home order for New Jersey on March 21, 2020. I started my self-quarantine a week before that on Friday the 13th of March. That's when shit hit the fan around here. People rushed the stores and bought up every roll of toilet paper. They also bought up all the food as if they'd never have it again. It was a bizarre event to witness. Actually, my son witnessed it because he works for the grocery store.
We did our regular bi-weekly shop on Thursday the 12th and it was as calm as could be. It's my last memory of life before COVID-19. People chatting with each other in aisles and plentiful amounts of food and sundry items. We shopped, went out for lunch and then ventured home as usual. It seems like a lifetime ago.
Today we donned our face masks and latex gloves to brave the grocery store to get enough food for the next month. It was shocking to see still empty shelves, many with signs putting limits on how much one person could buy. It was also disappointing to see how many shoppers they allowed in the store at one time. They've been limiting the number to 150. Personally, I think that's too many. Grocery aisles don't allow for social distancing.
People were complying with the order to wear a face covering while in retail stores, but this made them forget the 6-ft. rule. More than once my husband had to ask folks to stand back or away. People feel invincible while using a flimsy mask. I mean, the mask protects others from your fluids more than it protects you from theirs. We got through it, but it was mentally exhausting. I'm worried about policing myself, but I have to police others at the same time.
This is the first Easter in 33 years when I haven't celebrated with a family dinner. Only our youngest lives with us and he's exhausted from working. He's been in bed sleeping since he got home from work today. Jay and I watched episodes of The Middle, had hot dogs for lunch and will play World of Warcraft once I finish this entry.
My Easter gift to myself this year was deleting my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. I've deactivated before when needed and returned the lockdown to get news and updates from the state, county and township. But it's been a month and I'm tired of them all. I lived without social media for over 40 years. I can live without them again.
I dedicated 2020 to creating a life with a mix of analog and digital. Keeping my social media to one platform and that will be this blog. I'm not here for likes or comments. My personal goal is to write the family stories, memories and capture my thoughts. It's a companion to my hand-written journal.
I hope that when people come out on the other side of the lockdown; they realize that slowing life down isn't a bad thing. Face it, there is no returning to normal or life as it was. This will change life forever. At least I hope it does. As for Jay and me?
We've been practicing social distancing since 2003.
We're good with it.
