This last Saturday was a gorgeous day. Last minute, i said to my husband, "Why don't we ride our bikes to DC?" (We live in Maryland, just over the district line). So we loaded up with water and food and my phone with a map, and rode our bikes all the way downtown on bike paths! No cars anywhere. We rode the (Somewhat) new Anacostia River Walk trail--8 miles through Southeast DC and it was lovely. 18 miles in total for the ride. It was so great to be outside and seeing sights!. Lots of people were outside riding too, most without masks and it felt okay since it now appears it's impossible to get the virus if you're vaccinated (Which we are) and you just pass someone on the street.. Everyone was in a good mood. We stopped at a small park in DC on Capitol Hill to rest and there were lots of small groups of people congregating in the park, mostly unmasked too. It was so nice to see people gathering and feel like it was okay, not scary. It really felt like things were slowly returning to normal.. Then we rode our bikes to Union station to get the Metro home--here's the photo. Everything closed! I couldn't believe it. Usually Union Station is hopping at 3PM on a Saturday. But all the restaurants and stores were closed, even the lights were off. A lot of the shops looked like they'd gone out of business too. I guess some parts of DC haven't opened yet! I suspect in many places the "return" to normal is going to be rough. It's not just about taking our masks off and being able to go out, but making sure that people have jobs and places to live. I think it's going to be a long haul. I don't think we're out of the woods at all. But for a few hours, last Saturday, it felt like we were--and that was a great relief.
May 19, 2021
I watch my friends and family in other countries going out. They go to the store. They go to each other's homes. They go on airplanes. I am jealous and I am scared. I am also thinking that this will be my second passover through all of this. In some ways it is calmer. No one around me is hording food or toilet paper. Shops are not about to be closed. Shelves are full. But at least here in the UK, it is still illegal for us to go to family for the seders. It is illegal for us to have guests for meals. It doesn't feel safe to walk into the major Kosher shops. My husband and I will be using Zoom again to be with his family. This time his father will be with his aunt and uncle, and we will Zoom in. In all other times I would never think about connecting with others virtually on a holiday - but it is the only way and it means a lot for my husband's father. So I am being more lenient with my observance. I guess this might be the only forum that I would feel comfortable saying that this is what I am doing AND I even feel comfortable doing it. It goes against all of my learning and religious background, but I can't imagine any other option. Now back to cleaning for Passover and work.
March 28, 2021