This had to come, of course this had to come! After all, there’s not sooo much going on right now! And although I have some backup articles I will post in between, there really is not going on very much! Even though “normal” life is slowly starting again. At least what one can call normal. A new normal. And I wonder when we will be able to behave and travel in the carefree manner we were used to. When hugging your best friend won’t be frowned upon anymore, when shaking hands will become common again and when leaving behind your personal data in every restaurant and salon will be a thing of the past again …
Well, right now THIS is our normal. Staying home as much as possible, working from home, avoiding meeting people, wearing masks … that’s our life. I have to admit, it was and is not that bad in Germany. We at least didn’t have real lockdowns. But … observing the situation with concern in the summer months now and those stupid people going abroad on vacation, storming the beaches, lakes and parks in Germany as if nothing had happened … I’m positive the numbers will go up up up again in fall. And I’m not surprised.
Of course, I too would love to get into my car and head to the North Sea or England, book a Cunard cruise, fly to New York or London for some shopping or just go home to Austria to meet the few relatives and friends I still have left there … but the sensible person in me has decided that this year it might be better to just stay home.
And that’s what I’m basically doing. Have been doing since mid-March. Staying home. Spending my free time reading, working on my photo albums and digitalizing the old Super 8 movies from my father and grandfather. Boring, right? Yeah, I know! I better should not mention then, that I tend to be in bed by 7 pm, with my iPad and one of my books. Which I have started to order in paperback form again instead of for my Kindle. After all, I do have to expand my already extensive library, now that I can do that again without guilty conscience.
I do enjoy home office, though. Hoping that when everything goes back to normal, I might be allowed to share my time between the office and my home. Not having to drive to work for 40 minutes every day, getting annoyed by other drivers, who clearly don’t know how to drive, is a big contribution to reduce my personal stress level. Getting up, throwing on leggings and a sweater and just jump into work, is not so bad either. Being able to cook real lunch and look after my chronic pancreatitis cat, is a bonus as well. And with my colleagues just a video chat away, it’s ok too. Even though I do miss the real personal contact, the occasional lunch outings with my lunch buddies and company cafeteria lunch when Spaghetti Bolognese or Currywurst are served …
But for now, I try to enjoy my at-home time, as boring as it might seem. My guilty pleasures during these times? (Apart from too much online shopping, even though I tell myself on a weekly basis to STOP doing it!?) My Saturday coffee shop outing to write and picking up Cordon bleu for lunch from the restaurant around the corner. Let’s hope we soon can be “free” and unrestricted again. Until then, keep safe and healthy! And don’t forget to wear masks … I know, I hate them too, but it can’t be helped right now to keep each other safe!
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