Social Distancing Random-osity

Good, Random, and Fun.

Something Good: I participated successfully in my first Zoom meeting. That's a brand of video conferencing and it worked nicely. The sound was better than I had on an audio conference via phone a few weeks ago.

Normally the committees for Friends of Seven Bends State Park meet in person, but that has changed due to the pandemic. The grand opening for the park was going to be in April, but of course it has been delayed . We don't know when it will be safe for people to come together for events again. Today Virginia's Governor strengthened his earlier announcement, issuing a "Stay at Home" order. We can still got out for necessary things like grocery shopping and even exercise.

Random: We miss eating in restaurants but they are open only for carry-out or deliveries. I'm glad I know how to cook!

This is a mural on Manolete's Restaurant in Winchester. I've never eaten there but I admire their colorful artwork.

Monday Murals.

It's been almost a year since the first mural was painted on this restaurant. The city threatened to have it painted over because the owner had not gotten permission for a multi-colored sign. Citizens protested that it was art, not a sign, and the city relented. Now it looks like the owner got permission for additional murals. This one was just finished (note the paint cans) and another one was underway when I went by there a few weeks ago.

There's been a similar controversy in Sperryville.

Fun: I met my daughter Lynn for lunch but we had to be creative. We each brought our own food and stayed in our own car. I sat on the passenger side of my car so we could chat and still keep the "social distancing" recommendation of staying six feet apart. This is not as companionable as sitting across a table but it was still a chance to see each other. 

Postscript to my fellow Bloggers: I hope those of use who are blogging about this unique time in history will eventually print the posts in a permanent blog book for our descendants or future historians to read. Sadness, anxiety, creativity, reflections on what is important... these are things I am seeing on blogs and I think they are expressing a major change in the way we approach our lives. So much that we took for granted has suddenly changed! I feel as though I wake up in the same house but the world outside has shifted. It is different every day.

(One source for printing a blog book is Blog2print. If you use a different one, please share in the comments.)