Bits and pieces

At first light every morning, the Song Sparrow sits on the rail outside our window and sings to the rising sun. The tiny birds have been back on Prince Edward Island since the end of March. A pair of the these tiny singers make a nest in our hedge every spring. The morning serenade through the open window is a great way to start the day, though a tad early. Often I can sleep again after the sun salutation by my feathered friend.

The only snow left along the boardwalk now is under the trees and in their shade. Already nature is awakening as Coltsfoot blooms are the first bit of colour this spring.

We were in North Rustico on the north shore of the island last week and fishers have begun to put their boats in the water again in readiness for the lobster fishery.

After my last post, several readers commented about the cost of a lobster licence, going for as much as $7,000,000. These days, many licence holders pass the license down to a family member when s/he is ready to retire from the industry.

Geese were in the harbour at North Rustico too 

and not far away, a pair had staked out a small wetland area for themselves. It is near a road and parking lot but the two appeared not to care.

A lone Ring-billed gull enjoyed a walk on the beach 

while nearby, snow was slow to melt along the headland at water level.

News from our house:

The weather is above zero most nights now and we have had a few days with temperatures in the low double digits. We were able to put out the clothesline again and the clothes dried in a few hours one sunny day.

We put the barbecue back on the patio last week and had our first barbecue as well. It will be a few weeks before we can eat outdoors though.

I had Covid last month for the second time. It affected my blood pressure this time and it still isn’t back to where it had been prior to this second bout. I am monitoring my BP and have another doctor’s appointment soon. I don’t want Covid again. I am taking all the precautions. However I was doing that before this last bout too. 

If it’s not one thing…

It has been a rough few weeks. Two weeks ago, we were living with news of the approaching Fiona, her exact landfall in Atlantic Canada unknown. As the week progressed, every weather update had us more anxious, but we prepared as east coasters do. When the storm hit, it was our worst weather experience ever.

Summerside has its own electric utility so we had power before much of the island including our family. Our grandchildren didn’t have school so we had them over for a cooked dinner. Little did we know they were brewing Covid and contagious which we found out two days later. The following day, we had symptoms. We had avoided Covid to this point.

While neither of us had life threatening symptoms with Covid, we had the equivalent of the flu with no energy. My symptoms were worse than my husband’s though we’d both had two vaccinations and two boosters. My main concern was that the symptoms would continue for weeks like they do when I have a cold or flu. While I always have allergies, I haven’t had a cold/flu for a few years thanks to masking. Now we are both taking Paxlovid.

So the stress level has been extreme for a few weeks and we will be thankful to return to normal. Meanwhile, there are islanders who are without power still and it will be into next week before some are connected to the grid, more than two weeks post Fiona.

When we compare what we experienced to the people of Pakistan with flooding and people of Florida with hurricane Ian, we know we were fortunate with Fiona. When will others return to normal? Flooding and drought have affected the world food supply, as has the war in Ukraine. 

We can do our small part to help others during the catastrophes they face by contributing financial aid, but the larger problems must be addressed. What do we do about those? And though we want to return to our comfort zone, we shouldn’t be satisfied with a return to the status quo. That’s what brought us here. How will society at large harness the resources, knowledge and skills to tackle the problems? It is easy to despair but where does that lead us?

P.S.

On a brighter note, younger members of our family recovered quickly from Covid, although the adults took longer than the children. 

I mentioned previously how the birds were missing the day after the storm. They returned to the area the next day however. It was good to see them again. We haven’t been to the boardwalk as it is still under repair and we have been sidelined anyway. We hope to feel better and able to walk there again soon.

And finally, I have been reading your blogs but unable to summon the energy to comment this week. I always enjoy your blog posts which are an interesting part of my day. Many times the events of your lives in various parts of the world become part of the conversation between my husband and me. Blogging means I am interested in anything that happens in your part of the world which could affect you. It makes the world smaller! We may be isolated at home but not really! Blogging helped me through the long isolation of the pandemic! Thank you, blogging friends and Blogger.

Notes from the island

Spring is beginning to take hold on Prince Edward Island but its progress feels slow when I compare it to other areas of the Northern Hemisphere and the majority of Canada. However here spring evolves on island time so we may as well relax and enjoy it. Comparison is too discouraging.

The Covid numbers on Prince Edward Island are high with thirty hospitalizations and there have been nineteen deaths thus far. The vaccination rate is 90+ percent and the vaccine is helping those infected to have mild cases. We will have the fourth doses of vaccine when we are eligible again due to our ages and health issues. We are two months past the third shot. Last week the mask mandate was extended for several weeks while other restrictions were lifted. I will continue to wear a mask into the foreseeable future when shopping regardless of the provincial guidelines. The issue now is staffing in schools and health care facilities because people are away from work with Covid even though most have mild cases. We can’t win with this virus.

I am thoroughly enjoying reading again. I am back to my favourite mystery writers thanks to the local library, reading the books written since I was last able to enjoy them. Cataract surgery has brought some old friends back into my life. In addition to mysteries I have especially enjoyed novels by Rachel Cusk, a writer whose descriptions and insights are like photographs of life, beautifully composed. She is well worth a read.

Currently the island has the highest rate of inflation in Canada. Prices have skyrocketed as they have everywhere and we decided to be smarter about what we buy. Our diet consists mainly of vegetables anyway and we have enough protein in the deep freeze to last for some time. We limit ourselves to the vegetables and fruit, either frozen or fresh which are on sale for the week and we shop selectively at the four grocery stores. Some weeks we don’t have certain items because they are so expensive, eg. avocados. We rarely have fresh tomatoes now but use the tomatoes I canned over the last few years in recipes. It’s the only way we can see to keep the grocery bill reasonable.

This past week, my husband and I changed over our snow tires for summer tires. Because we have rims on both sets of tires, we can change from winter to summer tires and the reverse by ourselves. I am the assistant during this operation and within an hour, the job is done. 

My husband is working on our bikes in preparation for biking season again. My bike is in need of a major tune-up after the accident I had last October. I am nervous to ride again but plan to take it easy and try it when the trails are clear of snow. We need warmer days to melt the snow in shaded areas along the trails.

The barbecue and clothesline have been positioned for another season. So far it is too cold to use either but we live in hope. Soon…

                                                                       For Ukraine

February 14/22

Who knew that starlings doubled as love birds?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

P. S.

I hope you can see the hearts on the starling’s feathers. They were a surprise to me.

It’s stormy and schools are closed, the second storm day since school opened two weeks ago. We had three mild days last week but it’s too early for spring.

There are currently eight people in hospital with Covid and 13 deaths, all from Omicron. Presently there isn’t anyone in ICU from the virus. There are only 20 ICU beds on the entire island. Thankfully, the measures taken by the province and the co-operation of islanders kept the infection numbers low until this latest Omicron wave. The infection rate looks to be on the decline now.

Since my husband and I had the booster shot, I don’t feel quite as nervous about shopping etc. However, I expect I will be wearing a mask whilst shopping after the mask mandate is dropped finally. We’ll see how it goes.

The fly

The golden grand-dog, Georgie, was sick. After a run outdoors with the  kids, she collapsed in the kitchen and wouldn’t or couldn’t walk. No number or type of treats could coax her. Georgie didn’t eat supper which never happens. By the next day, when she hadn’t improved, our daughter called for an appointment with the vet. Meanwhile our daughter was self isolating, due to our grandson’s possible exposure to Covid so my husband and I took Georgie on that potentially fateful drive.

Georgie will soon be twelve years old. We are always cognizant of her age and are bracing ourselves for her end of days. Devastated describes how we will feel to lose her and we feared we were driving her to her doom on this day. There was silence as we drove along while the radio played country music, which can be sad enough. Meanwhile Georgie, sat in the back seat, rested her head on my hand as she often does. She had come downstairs to greet us when we went for her, so a part of us held out hope. Despite my best efforts to stay positive however, a tear rolled down my face and the silence, above the music, was deafening. Words were embedded in my throat.

We turned onto the street to the clinic and stopped behind another car. A line of vehicles waited while a police car was stretched across the centre of the road. Electric utility workers were busy further ahead with a wire down on the road.

My husband broke the silence with, “Now, there’s a fly in the Metamucil.”

I started to laugh and we laughed together for several minutes. That line is from The Golden Girls, spoken by Sophia, one of the main characters. The laughter broke the tension and sadness. We felt better.

When we dropped Georgie at the clinic twenty minutes later, we left with good thoughts on our minds. By late afternoon and a number of tests later, the vet reported that Georgie has arthritis. Several prescriptions and almost $400.00 later, we dropped her home.

Meanwhile, back at her home, two new pets joined the family a few months ago. 

Meet brown Archie and gray Ozzie, the Guinea pigs. Georgie was jealous of any attention the pigs received initially but as you can see from this photo from last week, the dog has joined the pigs rather than attempt to beat them.

There are no flies on Georgie!

Update: There have been six deaths from Covid on the island to date. A neighbour lost a family member, a man in his eighties with several serious health issues. The province is in a lockdown again similar to those earlier in the pandemic. 

The good news is our daughter and family came through the self isolation last week without having Covid. However, it is nerve-wrecking when anyone must be outside the house these days. My husband and I will venture into the fray to get our booster shots on Wednesday.

Notes from the island

A gift from my husband this Christmas was a huge hit. I am late to the enjoyment of weighted blankets but I love the weight and the fuzzy side of mine which feels so comfortable and cozy. I move the blanket to various locations and feel quite challenged with its heft. I am back at hand weights now to make the blanket movement easier. I am a weakling in my old age.

Since my second cataract surgery, I am able to read books again. Reading was lost to me for several years, a chore I undertook for book club but it was a huge challenge. Now I am thoroughly enjoying books I received for Christmas and time slips by in that old familiar way that a book in hand affords. I had protected myself from the immense sadness of the loss of reading. However, I will never again take for granted the comfort of a good book in hand, especially while covered in a weighted blanket.

The weather has been strange. The bay was slow to freeze, then melted back to the first range light which was strange indeed for this time of year. 

We had a week or more of pleasant weather, without much wind, so walking the boardwalk was feasible. You know it’s cold and windy again when you want to use a Covid mask as a windbreak whilst out walking. The stationary bike or the treadmill are preferable but I miss the time in nature. Our first major snow storm was this past Friday into Saturday. Our daughter sent a photo of the golden grand-dog, Georgie, after her visit outside after supper. She was not impressed!

We had a great few days with our family over New Year’s. On the Eve, we played games as we waited for midnight. Even the four year old stayed awake. The girls organized games which we played in teams, including a craft and ball toss game, among others. I organized a scavenger hunt at request of the kids but they did a great job too. Our game playing future is in good hands.

A scoff and a scuff followed. The food, a scoff, included a variety of appetizers and sparkling juices or champagne. The scuff is dancing, which for us includes Celtic and Newfoundland music. We were exhausted by the time the old year passed, in more ways than one after this past year.

Finally, my husband and I have appointments for our vaccine booster shots in the last week of January, the earliest appointments we could book. Until then, we will be hunkering down at home, other than for quick grocery trips every few weeks. There are two people in hospital on the island, one in intensive care. The number of cases, now over fifteen hundred is not indicative of how many cases of the Omicron version of Covid are here. Testing has not been able to keep up with the demand. However, so far, the 90%+ double vaccination rate has held us in good stead and most people have a mild version of Covid. The apprehension, as you well know, is not knowing if you’ll have a mild version or one to land you in intensive care or worse. These are scary times on the gentle island! We have never had such large numbers of Covid cases. Meanwhile, school is out at least until Jan.17th. As the pandemic drags on, everyone continues to make sacrifices. It is wearing on people everywhere!

                    School at home                                               

At the feeder and an update

The weather has kept us in the house more than usual in the last month or more. Time on the treadmill and the stationary bike have had to suffice for exercise. Meanwhile the bird feeder on the patio has provided some entertainment. When we don’t go to see our feathered friends, they come to us.

The European starlings love suet in the feeder. 

They ignore sunflower seeds and peanuts preferring suet. Does their anatomy prevent them from cracking the shells? Once a starling finds suet you can bet his friends will show up too. Suet cakes don’t last long.

Blue Jays and starlings co-exist nicely when it comes to the feeder.

The jays go for the sunflower seeds though they prefer peanuts in the shell. The starlings and jays stay at opposite sides of the feeder as the starling eats the suet. 

                                                                The Jay’s tongue is visible.

The jay takes a seed to the rail

and with the seed between its feet, cracks and consumes the morsel inside. 

The crows don’t bother with the suet or the sunflower seeds. However, within an hour of having peanuts in the feeder, they drop by. They look to be afraid of their reflection in the glass partition in the feeder. 

They approach tentatively as they watch the reflection. The birds eventually approach the feeder and grab a peanut or two and take off to store or enjoy them elsewhere.

The crows line up for the peanuts and each bird in turn does the same routine with respect to the reflection in the glass.

One day, one of the neighbourhood Common flickers came to the feeder but we didn’t get a photo. It didn’t stay long but we were delighted to see it. 

A feeder can be a messy addition to a patio deck but the enjoyment we get from the birds it attracts far outweighs the work involved.

P. S. 

Prince Edward Island currently has the highest number of daily cases of Covid it’s had since the pandemic began. Yesterday, I double masked when I went to the store. My husband and I have yet to receive our booster shots since we aren’t six months past our second shots. We will be able to have our boosters in early January. Our oldest grandchildren get their first shots tomorrow.

We’ve had two days with our daughter and her family. She is working over Christmas so we had an early Christmas dinner one day and celebrated two family birthdays the next. We suspect Covid will affect our plans for New Year’s Eve and Day. In addition, parents have been advised that kids may be home schooled starting in January.

This pandemic is far from over.

Notes from the island

Community spread of Covid in Atlantic Canada is controlled again and Prince Edward Island has opened to other Atlantic Canadians. On July 18th, we open to all Canadians. Everyone must apply for a Prince Edward Island pass prior to coming here or returning home from a visit off-island. Proof of vaccination means one doesn’t have to self-isolate on arrival.

The most controversial move recently by the province has been the removal of the mask mandate indoors for fully vaccinated people. This move has caused mixed reaction from islanders. I am one week post second vaccination but I’m not sure if this time next week I will be ready to ditch the mask at stores and other indoor locations.

Islanders have been compliant with the masking directive throughout the pandemic but there have been reports of people harassing those who continue to wear masks indoors. I don’t understand such behaviour. If I wear a mask it doesn’t affect your freedom to do as you wish. The pandemic continues with an end within grasp…maybe.

I fell into a ditch on my bike this past week. We were cycling a remote section of trail with few users as evidenced by the overgrowth on the trail. That section had not been groomed yet this year. Over the thirty plus kilometres we only met one person. The thought that I would cycle off the narrow strip was in my head up to the time I did just that.

The bike is 27 kilograms or 60 pounds and isn’t easy to lift off oneself from among the bushes when hurt. However, riding wasn’t a problem after my husband helped me up although I did injure my ankle. It is sore and bruised still but not painful like it was the first day. It could have been much worse.

The garden grows despite the cold temperatures we’ve had recently. I planted seeds and plants June 7th and over a month in, tomatoes are forming as is cauliflower. The beans are staked and growing well as are the cucumber plants. Again this year the peppers don’t like my vegetable patch. Those plants aren’t thriving as are the others.

The potato fields around the island, supplying 25% of Canada’s need, are growing well too. The early potatoes look ready to blossom. Corn, mainly grown for silage, has grown well with the rain this past few weeks.

Tourists are returning to the island this summer. It is good to see businesses open again but some have succumbed to the pandemic leaving empty store fronts and closed motels and cottages. It will take a long time to recover from this pandemic.

The remnants of hurricane Elsa passed over the island this past weekend without much damage. High winds with the trees full of leaves can be devastating. We are happy not to have lost any old friends!

 

Hope

We’re tired, tired of the isolation, the precautions, the fear. We see the news every day showing parts of Canada faring poorly against this virus. The news makes us sad. That’s how my husband and I feel here in Prince Edward Island and we live in a place without Covid hospitalizations and deaths.

Following a shortened lockdown, we had Christmas in our little bubble with our daughter and the grandchildren. Some members of our family, living elsewhere in the country, though closely supported by family, haven’t been in their company since March. We are fortunate to live on Prince Edward Island and we know it. 

What is it like for people living alone? Many are on their own and have been for a long time now. Normal channels of social interaction are gone. Reading some of the blogs I enjoy gives me a glimpse of how people on their own are managing. It’s not easy. 

While there aren’t any stories of the previous pandemic circulating in our families, we have glimpses of some health issues affecting society and our families before us though. When I started school in 1959, school started later in the autumn because of the polio virus. At the time, I knew the name but little of what it was about except for images of people in iron lungs on tv and in newspapers. I know someone who acquired polio from a package sent into her northern community for Christmas. She was away from her family for years, receiving treatment as a young child into adolescence. Vaccine saved lives and people from disabilities. 

Going back further in time, people with tuberculosis went into sanitariums. Many died. My grandfather lost both parents and five siblings to TB when he was a young child. What was it like for families to wonder who would come down with that disease, or parents dying of the disease and leaving young families? Such tragedies were common.

My husband’s grandfather was a welfare officer on the west coast of Newfoundland in the 1930s. If someone in a family had diphtheria, the family went into quarantine for a period of time. Grandfather Smith put the quarantine notice on the door of the home and provided the family’s needs, such as groceries. My father lost his younger brother to diphtheria. Sometimes several children in a family died. 

Today, it is easy to complain about whatever our experience is because it is what’s real to us. However, we only have to look around us today and back in our own lifetimes and those of our parents and grandparents to see how fortunate we are. We have the knowledge of science to help us deal with the reality of this virus, a way to keep ourselves safe and now, a vaccine which was developed quickly. We need people to take the vaccine so we can live Covid free.

This current pandemic experience has highlighted how much we have to rely on one another for survival. My survival depends on my own actions, those of others around me, the community at large and vice versa. We need everyone to take the situation seriously and do their part in keeping themselves and consequently others, safe. That’s life in general though, isn’t it? Now our interdependence is magnified.  

Of course we are tired but also determined to live through this, healthy fear in tact and protocols in place. It looks like it will be summer before our age group will be vaccinated on PEI.  However, when the day arrives and we can all leave our bubbles safely again without Covid precautions, I hope we have heightened awareness of our interdependence as a people and are better for it. 

Notes from the isle

Yay! My husband and I rode our bicycles one more time. It was only 3 C but without a breath of wind, it was pleasant enough to take out the bikes. We drove around our area mid-morning so the traffic was light and we could stay close to home in case it was too cold. It was great to be back on the bike again.

Meanwhile we purchased a new recumbent bike so we can continue cycling on some level. Changing the tension on the bike really provides a good workout too.

People were curious about the thistle on the steeple of the Free Church of Scotland in my previous post. I am including a photo of the finial from the peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.com.

If we ever wondered why Jeff Bezos was the richest person in the world, the pandemic has resolved it. There are nine houses at the top of our street. With the Covid restrictions keeping us at home, my husband and I see the various delivery trucks stopping in our area. Purolator, FedEx and UPS stop at some of these houses every day, including weekends this time of year. You can almost set your clock by the various deliveries. If nine houses generate this number of deliveries and even if a fraction are from Amazon, no wonder the man has so much money.

One of these days, someone will invent a mask which doesn’t cause your glasses to steam up, especially if you are having a hot flash! Just wishing!

The Atlantic bubble burst after cases of Corona virus occurred which weren’t travel related. It means travel between the four Atlantic provinces requires two weeks isolation again. The outbreak on Prince Edward Island involved young people. The Chief Public Health Officer asked 20-29 year olds to be tested and brought in more restrictions until December 21st, such as take-out only from restaurants. The good news is we have been six days without any new cases and the response from the young people at the testing centres was overwhelming. The latest news is the restrictions may be lifted earlier than the 21st. Thank you to our young men and women for their response!  We live in a wonderful place!

Notes from the isle

Every so often, the weather surprises us. It was hot and humid in the latter part of September and has now turned cold. However, there was a wind storm last week which lasted three days. The wind gusts on the first day were as high as 89 km/h or 55 mph. It lifted six pieces of soffit from our house. While I was willing to wait out the wind storm, my husband was determined to save the remainder of the soffit. Out went our huge step ladder, with husband on it screwing in pieces of soffit hanging from the deck above. I held onto the ladder, feet firmly planted, steeled against the wind gusts. Success! We didn’t lose any more soffit and retrieved the pieces from around the neighbourhood for reuse. The winds were the strongest I have ever experienced while working outside. With a friend’s help, the soffit was fixed after the storm.

One grape vine winds its way around one of the support poles of our patio deck. Usually we share the grapes with the crows, stealthy thieves that they are. This year they didn’t get many of the grapes which is unusual. Maybe they are social distancing. This meant I had some grapes for juicing. It results in quite a mess in and around the juicer. However, the glassful of juice which resulted was tasty, just shy of sweet. I made it last two days, drinking it in sips, savouring the rare home grown treat.

Soup season has begun again for us. As the weather turns colder in the fall, the soup pot comes out. Our most recent soup was a creamy butternut squash with carrot and onion. We like ginger, nutmeg, allspice and garlic in the soup too. I always add a touch of turmeric. For our main meal, we have a sandwich with it. So good! Stew season is also on the horizon. 

Our grandchildren have been back at school for over a month and dance classes have resumed after school. While there have been new Covid cases on the island, there isn’t any community spread to date, no hospitalization or deaths from over 60 infections. The cases are the result of travel outside the four Atlantic provinces, known as the Atlantic Bubble, but the people self isolated when they returned. This Bubble has kept people here safe thus far. We were able to get together with family for Thanksgiving last weekend. A recent outbreak in neighbouring New Brunswick however, keeps us on alert and following precautions strictly.

Listening to the world news every day can bring one to despair. However, a local news story about a city park has caught our attention. Beavers moved into the park where they cut trees, like beavers do. Residents who frequent the park are unhappy with the rodents’ tree cutting activity. The city has responded saying it will relocate the furry lumberjacks. I feel bad for the beavers but they should realize you can’t set up chop just anywhere these days.

Have a great weekend!

Joy of cycling

Cycling is one of the positive outcomes of the Covid era for my husband and me. Looking for a way to expand our lives during the Covid restrictions, we took up cycling. This week our cycling experience of the Confederation Trail was longer than last week and I felt more confident in my ability. I had started weight training to make it easier to lift the bikes to and from the bike rack on the car. 

I quickly saw a benefit for the effort and was feeling confident when I started on the trail.

We passed one other rider and several walkers but otherwise we had the trail to ourselves. Feeling more comfortable on the bike this week, I enjoyed the physical experience of the exercise.

My husband and I stayed several meters apart on the trail so I could focus on the trail rather than having to avoid crashing into him. The day was cool and I wore a jacket which was perfect for the breeze. The sensation of the air on your face, the sound of your breathing in the quiet of your body as you push forward in tune with the bicycle and the beauty of the trail are a unique combination. Add in the dance of shadows where the sun breaks through the trees which overshadow the trail and the experience is perfect. 

Meanwhile the trail itself always presents something new though we are familiar with the area from walking there. There are lots of apple trees along the trail and apples cover the ground in some areas.

Harvest is beginning on the farms along the trail. One of my favourite scenes is the hay rolled into bales waiting for transport to the storage area.

This time we rode from the horse farm to a place where the trail crosses a road in Summerside and back. 

It was curious to see the horses social distancing in the paddock when we returned.

Everyone is feeling the negative effects of Covid but cycling has been a positive addition for us.

 

Notes from the isle

Leaves are tired now after a busy two months. Many are dull and looking spent, ready for the burst of autumn colour and a quick requiem. I always feel sad as the glory of the summer leaves fades. 

We had an extended period of heat and humidity this summer. Thankfully it was windy most of the time, making the heat bearable. An electrical storm and rain last week changed the weather however. Since then, it’s been windy and cold, with temperatures below normal. Warmer clothes are the norm now.

There is a bounty of vegetables from the garden this summer. Every day we eat tomatoes. Cucumbers, yellow beans, and peppers are on the menu often. Cabbage is ready to be picked as well as onions. I will preserve some tomatoes since we have too many, even after sharing.

This time of year the shorebirds are busy along our coast as they prepare for migration. I enjoy watching these creatures as some skirt the waterline. Others blend into the rocks and sand along the shore and you can’t see them easily until you watch quietly for movement. Such a simple, wonderful pleasure in life is comforting during these troubled times.

We have had some tourists here this summer, but limited to other Atlantic Canadians where the Covid virus has had minimal impact thus far. Here on Prince Edward Island, we’ve had 45 cases due to travel with one not recovered and without hospitalizations or deaths. The damage to the economy is huge however and recovery will be slow. And that is without a second wave which could be more devastating than the first.    

The children are headed back to school next week and anxiety levels are high. Our two granddaughters, in Grades two and four are in different cohorts, with 30-40 students each. This will mean huge exposure if an infection occurs. This insidious disease which is asymptomatic for days can spread far and wide from one case at school.   

The research about the virus, its long term effects such as neurological or cardiac impairment and the possibility of re-infection are scary findings. Masks and the other precautions are a way of life now and into the foreseeable future. 

My husband and I lead socially diminished lives, restricting ourselves to our grandchildren and our daughter. For now anyway. With school re-opening, we may lose them again as during the first two months of the lockdown. At least my husband and I have each other even though there are times when the house isn’t big enough. It is good we each have ways to keep busy. However, staying physically active is a must and the physically distanced communication with other walkers along the boardwalk is a lifeline for us and many other seniors here.

There will be many apprehensive people in Canada and beyond this autumn.