2 Months Ago -- Another Lifetime

So yesterday slogged along, as many days have during the plague. I walked three miles, the last one with the strange rescue dog.

Wifey and I were home, watching TV. I ended up watching both "Dr. No" and "Goldfinger" on some James Bond marathon. I used to love Bond films when I was a kid -- haven't seen any of the newer ones since last century, but I recalled how escapist they are. Great fare for these times.

I got a text from Stuart -- he was watching Channel 10 and heard D1's voice. She regularly appears on a local health show, "SoFla Health," and I figured this was a repeat, but it wasn't. Wifey filmed the segment, which D1 did via Skype, and I posted on FB. D1 was great as always.

We got several wonderful pictures and movies of our grandson -- one stole our heart -- his laughing a lot as Joey tickled him. We also got a great video of D2 on a bike, as Jonathan ran with their new puppy, Betsy. D2 was giggling. We love her giggle.

On my final walk, I crossed paths with Dr. Jose, our terrific neighbor, and a UM Neurologist. He and his wife were walking their dog, and he told me a MRI tech in his Department had just died of the virus. He was shaken -- he's usually so up and positive, like I am.

He switched the conversation -- wanted me to tell his wife about my wonderful kids. I did, and said about D2, " and her fiance." I caught myself -- they were married in a big, fat, Venezuelan wedding just 2 months before.

I said goodnight to the doc and his wife, and sat on the porch, reflecting. It was just two months ago that we threw that awesome party. Several people have told me it was the most fun wedding they'd ever attended.

But now, those two months that passed seem like another lifetime ago.

So -- nothing to do but endure, and count blessings. My usual happy, optimistic nature is tempered -- I literally feel the anxiety during much of the day -- like a low level buzzing. The exercise keeps it at bay, as do the several times a week happy hours. I SO see how easy it would be to become an alcoholic or addict -- and I won't let that happen. I keep the drinking as something only social -- a relief. I won't let the relief become daily -- what's sillier than a late developing wino?

Another week is upon us. I keep looking to Italy as our future in the course of this plague, and there are glimmers of hope there that the disease may have peaked.  Meanwhile, my beloved NYC has people dying by the hundreds -- they just opened a tent hospital in Central Park.

So we look back to the world before. It was truly another lifetime ago. I hope we get to reclaim that kind of life.