Passing Time in the COVID Era-

What I will not take for granted post “shelter-in-place”

A handwritten message at an area golf course offers a blunt take on social distancing. Photo: Steve Newvine

I don’t know about you, but this shelter in place stuff is growing weary.

I’ve had my fill of television ads telling us “we’re in this together”.

Grocery shopping is not just about getting what we need right away, but also about picking up things now that we might need in a few weeks because we can’t be certain of availability.

And, I need a haircut.

I’m taking advantage of the slow return to normalcy in the Central Valley. Some golf courses and public recreation sites are reopening with COVID distancing rules in place.

As I entered a store this week, I saw a sign on the door saying “no entry without a facemask”.

Gas prices continue to fall with some area stations selling regular for under $2 a gallon. But we’re not putting many miles on our cars with almost everything shutdown.

This time of shelter in place has been the right thing to do for public health. As we resume our regular activities in the coming weeks, I’m going to renew many of the activities I’ve taken for granted.

This includes:

• Going to the coffee shop with a friend for an hour of catching up and caffeine
• Returning to brick and mortar church services
• Making a haircut appointment.

A casual round of golf is one of many life experiences I will not take for granted when normalcy is restored in the post COVID era.

Here are some other activities that I will not take for granted once COVID is over:

Newspapers

I’m fortunate to have home delivery for a daily paper, mail delivery for another paper, and easy access to the weekly paper. It’s great to go to the driveway or go to the mailbox and pick up the news. While on-line access to local news is fine, the presence of a real paper newspaper is my preferred method of getting the news.

Golf and outdoor recreation

I’m glad some area courses are back in business. But it will all seem real when we can go to any of our local parks and see them full of activity.

Here’s a stack of books the folks living at my house have read over the past several weeks. Photo: Steve Newvine

Reading books

My pack-rat storing of books from the Friends of the Library shop, garage sales, and thrift stores created a good foundation for reading during shelter in place. We’re looking forward to the reopening of these sources of books, as well as the reopening of our local book stores.

I’m anxious for thrift store donation centers to reopen so we can give away our gently used books for resale.

Dental and optometrist appointments

These professionals had to end routine services during the crisis. We miss them, and remain mindful of how important they are to our overall health.

Phone calls, including video calls. Both incoming and outgoing checks from family and friends are appreciated all the way around. The practice should not have to stop when this is over.

Email and social media

When I say social media, I mean the good kind: pictures of family, friends, vacations, and even the exotic entrees some of our friends might order at restaurants.

Unfortunately, the angry political social media will continue.

Listening to music

My collection of compact discs continues to provide hours of entertainment, centeredness, and pleasure. There’s no danger that will stop, but I will always be grateful for the gift of music. Shopping in stores here in Merced County.

I miss my runs to the Mall, shopping plazas, and Main Street in Merced. I especially miss the Merced Antique Mall where I could always find something I didn’t realize I needed.

The cultural events that add some zing to our lives. I want to see the marquee at the Merced Theatre tell us about the next show coming to town.

I want to be in the audience for a performance from Playhouse Merced.
I want to have the dilemma of having to choose between a concert at Merced College and an event at UC Merced that might be taking place at the same time.

We want our regular lives back.

Here’s hoping we return to the new normal in Merced County real soon.

Steve Nervine lives in Merced.

His book Course Corrections is available on Lulu.com