What a summer it has been. It feels like time has become a very mushy mixed up thing. Days run together since they all seem the same. It feels like that even though we have been out doing more than many people with a double dose of annual migration.
We had very different plans that involved Scout camp in Switzerland, a car trip from Rome through France, a ferry ride from Dunkirk, and on to the Irish countryside. If this year has taught us anything it is that plans change. It hasn't been what we planned, but overall it has been a great summer.
It was strange coming back from Italy to a California in shut down. I felt like I had been freed, but some people in California were reacting like they were being imprisoned. It wasn't nearly as severe as the lock down in Italy, but it still had an impact. There were very odd shortages of things like toilet paper and flour and yeast for baking. Fortunately John and I were both able to keep working. John's business was declared "essential" since it helped people meet their legal obligations. The switch to online teaching which caused so much trouble for so many was just a continuation of things for me since I have been teaching online for years. I can understand the panic. It can take months to build a good online course not weeks and certainly not days. Teachers did the best they could in an impossible situation.
During the shut down there are many things that I missed. Some of the things I missed about the US were closed. That made me miss them even more.
I really missed the library. During the summer we usually go the the library weekly to get new books, read magazines, and just go somewhere different. We would often run into people we knew or friends from church or school. And of course we could get books. E-books were available, but it just isn't the same. I often read to take a break from the screens. The kids read during our analog afternoons. It is harder to enforce the analog thing if the books are digital. Part way through the summer the library opened up for curb-side pick up. They even had carts by the check out table so you could sort of get some of the spontaneity of browsing the shelves for new things. It just isn't the same. We made up for some of that at our favorite used book store. We ended up buying stacks of books.
I missed going to church and effortlessly understanding all of what is being said. Very early on our church cancelled all meetings worldwide. We are to hold church services as families at home. I have enjoyed the less structured services and the times the kids have helped teach a lesson. As the months wear on it is hard to keep up the momentum, but we keep going. Some congregations are meeting again with restrictions on the number of people attending etc.
I missed swimming. When we got back swimming pools were closed. Eventually pools were allowed to open with a lot of restrictions, but the neighborhood pool we go to was closed for repairs. It opened while we were at scout camp in July. Once it opened, you had to sign up for a reservation with a limited number of people and households per time slot. After that we swam every day. It was so very nice. We hadn't been swimming in Italy except for the kayaking trip in November and swimming at the beach is a completely different experience.
I missed being able to try on clothes in stores. You could shop, but you couldn't try on clothes so you could buy them, take them home to try on and then return them. So annoying. We might have tried on clothes in the car after we bought them to save the potential trip back to the store. My girl grew and all of a sudden needed a bunch of new clothes and shoes. At least you could try on shoes if you could find them.
I missed eating in restaurants. At first most restaurants were closed, then they could open up for take out only. John likes to eat out so we would pick up food for lunch and eat in his office. The rules are different county by county. On my birthday restaurants in Santa Cruz had just opened for indoor dining with restrictions so we went for a lovely family dinner on the wharf. It felt great to be out, but you could tell that some people were still trying to figure out how to make it all work. A week later outdoor dining was allowed in our county. Tables popped up on sidewalks and parking lots became outdoor dining patios. The main street through our downtown area closed so that restaurants could have more room for tables outside. There were such differences of opinion about that. Some people said they would definitely stay away while others welcomed the openings. I've heard that parks in San Jose may be opening for businesses to operate outdoors. Interesting. It may work for awhile, but winter will come eventually.
It wasn't all missed opportunities. There were so many things I enjoyed about being back. Some of them are pretty mundane. I loved the convenience of life. I could drive anywhere I wanted. I could go to Target and buy almost anything I wanted. For the rest there were other stores I already knew and mail order that was delivered right to the door without any hassle. I could see friends and family. I met with a few friends and spent a lot of time with family. That was the best part. I had missed everyone while I was gone. Phone calls help and video calls are even better, but it isn't a substitute for real interaction and time just hanging out together.
I also enjoyed the time we spent outdoors on walks, camping, at the beach, and swimming at the pool. In the city you can go outside, but it is all stone and pavement, a true concrete jungle. You really appreciate the bits of green that show up here and there.
Sunrise view from the backyard.
Manzanita in the common spaces
Lake of the woods, Wyoming
Coming to the end of the summer, the lock down in Italy seems to have worked for now. New cases are way down to a few hundred per day for the whole country. That is excellent compared to the 5-6 thousand per day at the peak in March. Rome is starting to open up again slowly and kids will be going to school. No one wants to go back to the way things were in March. One article I read mentioned that in a country known for chaos and corruption, everyone, including the Italians, was surprised that the lock down rules were followed as well as they were. When it comes to their health, Italians don't mess around. I hope things stay good. I don't want another lock down like the spring.
In the US at that time New York was the hot spot for the country. Now they are doing better, but Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Southern California are having a hard time. In the Bay Area we are doing better than some, worse than others. In the last few weeks cases have spiked, but it is unclear what the real story is since the state reporting system is having troubles.
We are heading back to Italy soon. We will enter Europe through Ireland and self quarantine there. We loved Ireland last year and hope to have a great trip. It will be different because we will be staying in the country, only a few days in Dublin this year. Are we going home or leaving home? I'm not sure, but I am glad to be going back. It is always a bit sad to leave the family. It was wonderful to have so much time to stay with them, but I'm not ready to be done with Europe quite yet.
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