We did what we were asked. Others didn’t and now it’s getting worse… *sigh* Most of my exercise these days comes from disgustedly shaking my head.

Let’s catch up on My Corona.

My state is “open” with mandatory masks and social distancing and limited capacity indoors. Our numbers have ticked up slightly because not everybody follows rules, guidelines, and/or suggestions, and this is why we can’t have nice things. I’m still hermiting, due to my introverted nature, my hate of humidity and heat, with just a dash of “because of COVID-19.”

Since our state is open, one of the at-risk fam wanted to venture to a store to pick up a prescription and see what it was like now. I prepared her by telling about clear partitions between cashiers and shoppers, markings on floors for distance, and the other signs of COVID life. We went right before the pharmacy closed, but there were still enough people to be bothersome. I’m sure her mouth was agape behind her mask judging by the bulging of her eyes, mostly disturbed by people wearing masks just below their noses (because that works…) and the many who think six feet is about four feet closer than it actually is. She won’t be going back any time soon. I second that.

Interlude: I love grocery delivery and happily pay whatever fee they want, plus a 20 percent tip to the driver. Keeps at-risk peeps safe and limits my interaction with morons. Win-win!

I ventured to the library to try the new curbside pick-up. I found it even more enjoyable than picking up the occasional take-out. It’s food for the brain! I texted, as the kids do, to alert the librarian to my presence.

She (masked) brought me (masked, in the car) the books I had on hold. I returned 7 of the 14 I took out in March in anticipation of lazily reading my way through lockdown (which did NOT happen as there was too much to do with prep, information gathering, and trying to figure out what day, week, month it was). Now, I have 10 books total. The remaining pre-COVID seven are returnable August 1 and the three I just took out are due July 21 (because that makes sense…) …

Interlude 2: I also downloaded two books on my Kindle Fire thingy (Prime members get two free reads to “borrow” each month) and bought a book of essays for $1.99. I apparently think there are 36 hours times infinity in a day and the only thing I have to do is read… … …

I’m wrapping my head around the past five months and it’s very much been like how life can be after a death or bad news or big life change. After the initial change and the aftermath it caused, the settling took a couple of months. My deflation is now complete.

Interlude 3: If a COVID spike happens in my area again, I know it won’t be as taxing as the first go-round. Old hat with the COVID now….

Now that I’m seeing beyond the emergency more clearly, you should see the pile of papers on my desk. Needless to say, organizing had not be near the top of my list of things to do, but it is now. July will be about writing (Muse is still around!), reading (see aforementioned library books), and organizing. Looking forward to that now that I have the time and presence of mind to tackle it.

Since I’ll be tackling the aforementioned items, Daisy Smiley Face will be on Summer Hiatus. I’m blocking the Twitter I use for news from my laptop. I’m not reading the news sites I subscribe to or follow (if the orange menace does something I need to know, I’ll hear about it). For the past five months, I have spent an enormity of time sitting at my desk reading, learning, venting, fuming (and reading fun stuff and writing). So much sitting — I think I bruised my coccyx.

I need to get up and move about even more than I have been in June (in which I’ve been moving about more…). And I will. But I also want to spend copious amounts of time lounging, perhaps lying around in a non-sitting position whilst reading. I need to detox my brain from the COVID information overload and the toxicity caused by the current resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. One’s eyes, ears, mind, and heart can only take so much.

In the meantime, stay safe. Be happy. Do something fun. Wear sunscreen. Sing songs. Dance like no one is watching. Don’t use clichés too much. And meet me back here in September, ok?

Interlude, final: A sultry sound of summer