My story of the past several months during the pandemic is one of being at my home in NH, initially quarantining at home with walks in our “neighborhood” with my husband.  We were here in the Lake Sunapee area when there was ice on the lake, and had the joy of watching the weather change, and seeing the “ice out,” as it’s called locally.  We saw the high water level on the dock steps, and have followed it throughout the summer.  The joys that I (and my husband) have experienced are simply the beauty of nature….seeing our “lake” friends, being able to play golf, and appreciating that we have each other.

 

The challenges that I faced during the past several months were not being able to see and be with my adult children.  My older son and his wife were expecting their first child in August, and I was barely able to see them as the pregnancy proceeded.  Also, the joys of being a parent and a grandparent were so limited by Covid-19.  Once the baby was born, we weren’t able to join them in the hospital and had to wait until they arrived home.  Even now, I feel that wearing a mask around them is still important for the baby, and for my son and daughter in law.  My other son and his wife are also expecting in November and instead of a regular baby shower, there was a Zoom baby shower this past weekend.  (My older son and his wife didn’t even want a Zoom baby shower.)  So, the opportunities to participate with pregnancies and babies have been a challenge.

 

Much of this applies to not being able to see friends except either outdoors or on Zoom.  Several friends have had major illnesses and I feel badly that I haven’t been able to be with them, or drop off a meal, or support them in some way.