Sunday, April 4, 2020

We are on day twelve of our fourteen-day self-quarantine from traveling. Today the sun is shining. A nice respite from the dreary, cloudy, rainy and cold days of the past week. The weather hasn’t helped my mood. That and the constant flow of confusing and depressing news. Here on the island, we check with the hospital daily. So far, only eleven cases of Coronavirus accounted for. All are at home. No one is in the hospital. Like everyone else, we pray there is no surge here. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has only twenty-five beds. I’m not sure how many ventilators but I understand there are few.

I have baked bread, made soups, and pasta sauce. We have learned to eat less and throw away nothing. Honestly, we probably should have been doing this all along. I try to be creative with what food we have but sometimes it just gets boring, not to mention my lack of appetite.

Our friends, Lynda and Jimmy, did the grocery shopping for us when we arrived. Our local farm has meat and eggs we can order online and then go pick up our groceries on the porch. Morning Glory Farm is putting veggies, meat and eggs out on the porch as they come available. It is all on the honor system. We hear the fisherman in Menemsha are selling scallops and lobsters off their boats. Unfortunately, by the time it was reported in the newspaper, all had been sold. I haven’t been to any markets, but it sounds as if there is plenty of food. Especially with spring planting and all the summer vegetables that should start to arrive shortly.

We take a long walk every day it isn’t raining.

We have been reaching out to family and friends via phone and online. Talking on the phone is best. I find hearing my loved one’s voice gives me comfort.

Jay is writing music. I am writing words. Ozark is our latest guilty pleasure on television. When we need a laugh, we go to the old Carol Burnett series.

There are so many reasons for me to be grateful. Our family is safe and healthy. We are safe and healthy. We have a roof over our heads and a warm place to sleep. Food on our table. We even had wine delivered the other day! I have no right to complain. That doesn’t mean I haven’t had a few really bad days when the tears flooded my hands.

We live on the southeast corner of our island. It is very, very quiet here. I like the quiet, just not for extended periods of time. On our walk today, we heard the birds singing. We saw daffodils blooming. The sun was warm and the light was bright. A sign that spring is arriving with new birth and hope for a new beginning. It is amazing what a little sunshine will do.