sidewalk message in our neighbourhood

We have time on our hands now, of a different kind. Parents have their children at home, so maybe they don’t have so much. On the other hand the school children have quite a bit. We’re not driving around from meeting to meeting anymore or to work and back. Our meetings are right at home at our computer. And employees are working from home. Unfortunately, many are without work. I hope they can apply for the assistance offered.

During this covid-19 pandemic, I’ve seen some interesting activities happen that might not have occurred without it. Many of them creative, such as sidewalk art, in-person meetings transforming to on-line meetings where we can still have conversations and see each other.

Walking in the neighbourhood is still allowed and I try to get out for a daily walk and fresh air, while keeping our distance from each other. It isn’t hard as the walkers, those with dogs and children, have shown up in limited number.

Easter being in the middle of this time took on a whole new spin. Fortunately I had done a little shopping for my grandchildren before the pandemic was declared and so as our family came to bring groceries, I handed off the little packages.

On one such “at a distance” visit on our property, our eldest daughter emerged from her car with a speaker under her arm and a cord attached to her cell phone. Her two small children planted themselves on a spot on the driveway and the music and the dancing began. A driveway dance party. They’d come to entertain us and collect their bag of surprises, but they also had a lot of fun. And we enjoyed it too.

Another day they came to sing Happy Birthday to their Papa (from the sidewalk), and on Easter Sunday, we had a family Zoom meeting when our family sang Happy Birthday to me while one of the grands played her keyboard.

My husband and I have done curbside pick-ups of goods we needed, and I picked up art supplies for one family. Another outing provided me with more scrapbook supplies from Shelley, my Creative Memories consultant, at agreed-upon safe distance.

Our family members have come at various time with groceries or supplements we needed so we do get to see them from time to time. And the oldest granddaughters call me on Facetime and we can chat a little and keep in touch. And there have been bedtime stories with the smallest one via Facetime as well. We have to get creative too.

I’ve had “across the street” conversations with neighbours, interrupted only by the occasional vehicle passing by. And “porch to sidewalk” visits where we each need to talk just a little louder to be heard.

During this time, I’ve been sewing and scrapbooking. I have boxes of photos that were tucked away. This is a perfect time to be working on such a project since there are no family gatherings or friends over for dinner. I will get pictures of this time and do them too, but for the moment I work on past family events and earlier photos of our family. I added a card-making set as well.

a finished scrapbook page

family

At each distance visit, there comes a time to say good-bye. While I’d love to gather each of them in my arms and give them a hug and kiss, I resist. It’s hard being separated from my family like this, and close friends too, but as one of my daughters said to her girls, “See, it’s working.”

In time, and we don’t know how it will look, we can be back together again as a family or with our friends.

waving and blowing kisses