"...And stay Out!"
Well, I'm not that mean, but we seem to be more diligent than our neighbors on keeping others Outside of our home. I'm sure it's partly in sympathy with our friends and family in the hard-hit USA. Here in Vietnam, we're just over 250 Covid cases, about 100 active, and we've been in the Covid game since China discovered it!
Yes, restaurants and bars are closed. We get delivery, but have to stay Out of those places.
Yes, if you try to go any distance beyond "local", you will likely hit a roadblock where you need to declare where you are going and why. No joy rides Out of the home circle.
Yes, everyone is wearing masks when they go Out.
But... our neighbors come and go more than we do.
I would love to have the Australian woman from two doors down over for tea or something stronger - especially since her husband can't return from NZ yet - but I won't have anyone into our house. They all need to stay Out!
We have had conversations through the gate, or in the street, trying to maintain distance, and even in our yard, when the gate is open.
Because every day we have to open the gate. We have a lovely front garden, but I have a history of killing plants. So when we took this house our landlord agreed to maintain the garden. Everyday I open the gate in the morning, whether or not we are going Out, and at some point "dad" (the landlord) will come over with the hose, or pruning shears, and make sure the plants aren't dying.
Sometimes the gate remains open all day. Then come the random visits when we need to try to politely encourage whoever it is to stay Out.
It feels rude. We believe we are being diligent. Are we rude? The alternative, I suppose, if we wanted visitors, would be to pry into where a visitor had been, how many people they had contact with, and inquire about their hand-washing frequency. That seems ruder, to me. My home is my haven. People Stay Out.
How strictly are you maintaining isolation?
The lockdown, or confinement is strict for me! I don't go out. And I'm very ok with that. So many people are carrying the virus without knowing it, stay home evebody!
ReplyDeleteO is for Oya
We have become quite comfortable staying in. And feeling safe is a good thing.
DeleteWe haven't had anyone over other than the housekeeper (we keep to our rooms when she's here). But we've been out. The dog needed surgery (kidney stones). Grocery shopping. Walks. We could be doing this isolation thing much better.
ReplyDeleteWe have taken occasional walks, few enough that my legs feel it after even a short walk. Anytime we leave the house, we have our masks. Even if we're walking alone, if I pass others - whether they are within 6 feet or sitting on their own patio - I put my mask up.
DeleteI am proud of how diligent we have been. Even to the point that I easily feel quite judgemental about others.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, we are not nearly as liberal with bleach and hand-washing. I've stopped counting to 20, haven't you?
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