March 19, 2020.
My mom would have been 97 today. She died four weeks after her 59th birthday. I miss her. I’ve missed her for 38 years. For months after she died I’d wait for her phone call at 4:20 every day. She’d call me on her way out of her office, just to check in. I’d love to hear her voice again.
As I’ve been doing since last Tuesday, when we decided to self isolate, I walked my Tippy neighborhood this morning. I walked earlier than usual and noticed a whole different set of neighbors. My only interaction with them consisted of a wave, because I was talking on the phone to my sister Sue Anne. Sue Anne is a light in my life, with a personality brighter than the sun.
Back home, Tim and I began our weekly cleaning ritual. A little background on the cleaning ritual: The first thing I did when I began working, after finishing my undergraduate work, was hire a house cleaner. And I had various house cleaners for the next 34 years. Even into retirement we had a cleaning person, even when we traveled and had house sitters for the cats, we had a cleaning person. About two years ago I decided to stop complaining (to myself) (okay, to Timmy too) about my dissatisfaction with our cleaner. Often I would point out areas that needed more attention and they’d be addressed for a week or two, but I found myself spending hours cleaning anyway. So I gave our cleaner notice and Timmy and I began cleaning each week. I love it. I really do. We have a rhythm and there’s an almost zen-like quality to it. I especially appreciated this bit of normalcy today, given the virus crisis and all the uncertainty surrounding it. Here’s Freddie enjoying his perch in a clean house.
We used to reward ourselves with dinner out on Thursday evenings, so tonight, instead of cooking, I’ll set up for dinner on the patio, open two cans of soup, pour two glasses of Nobilo and we’ll listen to the birds.
So much has changed in just one week, and we are most definitely headed into uncertain times. In my opinion, many months of hardship and uncertainty await every one of us. I choose the light. I can do is what I’ve always done…wake up, put one foot in front of the other and trust. Trust in the goodness of the Universe and the goodness of my fellow humans.
I’ll resume my renovation tale tomorrow.
Be safe. Stay home. Be kind.
