Editor’s Note
I watched a robin build a nest outside my dining room window. My other event that week was a virtual happy hour with college roommates.
It’s been a productive few months, by pandemic standards. Aside from stumbling around with Zoom — the video conferencing app — I’ve tackled several projects: pitching failed hair products jammed under the bathroom sink; trimming hair from my golden retriever’s feet and matching plastic lids with bowls. I also sorted insurance statements and moved winter clothes to a back closet.
Now that I’ve written it down, it’s an embarrassingly unambitious list.
I signed up for a free college course (didn’t finish it), started a half-dozen novels (didn’t finish those), and thought about reviving my sourdough bread starter. I can’t seem to get through the third season of “Ozark” on our borrowed Netflix account. It’s all too much.
I have a lot of things I need to do; instead, I’m going to bed early, answering emails at odd times of the night, following celebrities on Instagram, and maneuvering social encounters in six-foot increments.
I know people who have made productive use of these downtime months. My neighbor sewed hundreds of COVID-19-barrier masks for Cleveland Clinic workers. A niece is passing out free food at an elementary school. A friend is learning a foreign language. I mastered a home hair coloring kit but can’t get nail polish to last more than 48 hours.
It’s my first pandemic and I’m not sure what to do. I’m FaceTiming because I miss seeing people, sending more hand-written notes (that explains the post office visits), and not letting my husband’s ice chewing get under my skin.
The other day, I attended a virtual veterinary school graduation in Oklahoma (a family friend) and was surprised both how odd yet oddly familiar it seemed. A wedding I was looking forward to in June has been bumped to July and condensed to an at-home affair with close family. The bride will be married standing under trees where her swingset once sat.
Everyone is making adjustments, some more easily than others. In that spirit, we revamped our lineup for this issue to better reflect how we’ll all be navigating life in the foreseeable future. Inside, you’ll find stories about fun things to do, new skills to learn and stories that inspire.
There’s nothing like grocery shopping with a mask on to make you appreciate a home garden. Now that the ground has finally warmed up, it’s the perfect time to plant a few seeds, pop in a couple of tomato plants and wait for nature to do its thing. Our how-to guide begins on Page 32.
And finally, Northeast Ohio’s Austin Walkin’ Cane was born to sing the blues, and he’s had his share of tough times. I think you’ll enjoy his inspiring story on Page 14.
I hope you have a productive pandemic. I know I won’t.
Stay safe,
Marie
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