We returned to Long Island on June 1, taking just two days to travel the 1248 miles from our condo in Sarasota to our home on Long Island. It was a very long two days… felt like twenty days, the cats were miserable and I felt like we were surrounded by Covid danger at every turn. Along our way, the only folks wearing masks were hotel employees. We’d packed our own food, so restaurant stops were avoidable but rest stops presented us with maskless fellow travelers and no social distancing. (What the actual hell?) Thank goodness for my Lysol wipes and spray.
We were happy to escape the heat and humidity and be back in New York. The first week back, we cleaned out the garage – because all my Facebook friends had been posting their fabulous purging pics and I wanted to join the club.

All the neighbors came by to welcome us home.

Spending time with the lovebugs (aka Claire and Isabel) was the highlight of our summer. Strawberry picking, picnics, sleepovers …which usually included fashion shows … all helped to allay the social isolation.

Lovebugs
Snowflake Ice cream…we brought our own seating
Picnic on the Peconic River
Peconic River Herb Farm
Peconic River
Funchos Restaurant
Windy Acres Farm
Homemade pizza…including a no yeast, from scratch crust
Prepping for the fashion show. The theme was “fancy night out”.
Always the high point of any sleepover
The shoes, the wrap, the necklace…
The theme here was “the beach”, so of course pearls and heels.
Kitchen Arts 101
Like a Boss
At the hill top, anticipating the start of the Stroller Race.
Sister love

We spent the early part of summer 2020 in our bubble, grocery shopping every two weeks or so, ordering take out once a week and driving out to the North Fork of LI. As the days passed and Covid numbers remained very low on Eastern LI, we ventured out to a few of our favorite places.

Timeless view
Crouteaux Vineyard only produces Rose’
Lunch sampler at Crouteaux
Social distancing was easy
Folks came and went…we enjoyed the wine and food all afternoon into the evening
The Halyard on Long Island Sound
The view is as wonderful as the food
Cervice appetizer on the Halyard deck
We enjoyed several takeout dinners from Mirabelle restaurant. Charcuterie, potato salad, red velvet cake
Some days we just hopped in the car and drove
You can’t drive far on the North Fork without encountering a farm stand
Lunch at Port restaurant in Greenport
Timmy loves his desserts
Greenport, LI
The View Restaurant in Oakdale
It sure is wonderful living on an Island

As the scope of the pandemic sank in, we realized that we would not soon be traveling, and as much as we enjoy rides in the country side, reading on the patio and bingeing on Netflix, we needed something else to occupy our time. And so we traveled down the “Let’s remodel the house” road. Oh my goodness… it was a bit bumpy…and long…really long…and not yellow. But we did it. For before and after pics see my post: Summer2020 part II.