Spring 2020 was a time that no one would have been able to predict. By mid-March the Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, had spread from China throughout the rest of the world. I received a notice on March 12th that Vonage was closing offices as of March 16th and they are currently still closed. TruFusion closed the gym on March 17th and it just reopened yesterday, May 29th, with limited class sizes to ensure social distancing. I'm so glad things are getting back to normal, but I also wanted to do a blog post to remember this time (which hopefully there will never be another pandemic in my lifetime - so far over 100,000 lives have been lost due to COVID).
The quarantine time frame was rough for me, mostly because we received so much bad news (that had nothing to do with the quarantine) but I think not having a normal routine made it that much worse.
I hiked every day that the gym was closed, alternating between either Squaw Peak, Pinnacle Peak or Gateway Loop - these hikes are what kept me sane. I tracked all my hikes and the count is: Squaw - 14 times, Pinnacle - 26 times, Gateway - 33 times and Soldiers Pass Trail in Sedona - 1 time. In total, I calculated that I hiked a total of 266.6 miles during quarantine - no wonder my hiking shoes are falling apart - they took a beating over the last 2.5 months!
We did some takeout and had picnics. We had bonfires in the backyard. I read books. We stayed home. We watched church online. We didn't have a schedule and didn't have anywhere to be. I did weekly family Google Hangouts. If I never hear the words "social distancing" again that is fine with me.
Following are some pictures I took to remember it all.
Spring is the best time for hikes in Phoenix - so many flowers blooming.
Uriah roasting a tiny marshmallow. He just wanted to light things on fire.
Kellyn came out and we hiked Pinnacle with the boys - they make it 1 and 1/4 miles out and back - I was pretty impressed with both of them.
Otis did what he always does - the quarantine didn't change much for him.
We got takeout from LGO every Sunday after watching church online and took breakfast to my parents and sat outside 6' apart.
Farm and Craft picnic at Civic Center in Old Town Scottsdale.
Otis enjoyed sitting on my lap while I worked...and resting his head on the desk.
Takeout from Isabella's - and cocktails to go in mason jars.
Signs at the hiking trails.
Another day of hiking with Kellyn and the boys at Gateway Loop Trail - they had more fun building rock piles than actually hiking.
A lot of grocery stores and restaurants had (and still have) signs on the ground to tell you where to stand.
Gina gave me a fun quarantine gift.
Views at Gateway Loop Trail.
Eating meals on the ground since restaurants where closed.
We did a puzzle - would have done more but I could not find puzzles that were available.
The below was going around on Facebook at the end of March - adding it here so I don't forget.
Just so I NEVER forget..... April 2 2020
-Gas price a mile from home was $2.49
-No toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel, no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer. Shelves are bare.
-Schools closed 3/13 for rest of year. Online learning begins.
-Social Distancing. Stay 6ft from each other
-Tape on the floors at grocery stores to remind people to stay 6ft away.
-Limited number of people inside stores, therefore, lineups outside the store doors.
-Non-essential stores, and businesses mandated closed.
-Carryout or delivery only at restaurants.
-Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
-Entire sports seasons cancelled.
-Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
-Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
-Churches closed, services online only
-No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 5 or more.
-Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
-Children playing outdoor but parks are closed.
-Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
-Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill. -Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
-Government closes the US border to all non-essential travel.
-Fines are established for breaking the rules.
-Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
-Press conferences daily from the President. -Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
-Government incentives to stay home.
-People wearing masks and gloves outside. Some are homemade.
-Essential service workers are terrified to go to work and afraid to go home to their families in fear they could infect them.
This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.
Why, you ask, do I write this status?
One day it will show up in my memory feed, and it will be a yearly reminder that life is precious and not to take the things we dearly love for granted.
We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone.
We are all one!
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