So, I'm curious to know -- thinking back to your day-to-day / week-to-week life in, say, February (or before the pandemic was on the radar wherever you live) and now, what's different?
I live in the SE US in a "blue" / urban-ish part of a red/purple state (meaning my neighbors and some of my state leadership are Democrats, the state as a whole leans Republican, in case that's not clear). I'm over-educated, reasonably affluent, employed FT, have an RE hubby (with pension, SS), a parent living with us (also pension, SS), and a middle schooler.
Before the pandemic, most weekdays, I'd get up, stuff phone, wallet, keys in pockets, walk the dog, drive the kid to school, bus to work. Work in my office all day, come home, supper (fixed by hubby or me). Some evenings the kid had sporting practice or games (we usually go to games, practice requires dropoff/pickup). Run errands (not lots -- not into retail therapy. Groceries, occasional home improvement, sporting equipment for the kid). We'd eat out 2-3 times a week (not my preference, hubby's). Weekends involved sporting activities, occasional concerts/movies, home improvement (or maintenance), get togethers with friends. I tried to limit my total driving to 200 miles/week but often exceeded that.
Now? I get up, stuff phone in my pocket. Keys and wallet stay in a drawer (mostly). Walk dog (maybe; one home improvement project completed since the pandemic started is finishing the fence, so toss dog out in yard is now an option). I WFH more or less 8-5 more or less M-F (boundaries are blurry, but not insane). I'm not entirely confident re: job security, but no furloughs or cutbacks yet (employer 401K contributions eliminated for the next 12 months). Since we "hunkered down" (mid-March, before shutdown order but basically when K-12 schools went virtual), I've set foot in a grocery store once, a restaurant 4 times (pickup) -- that's it. That's not all our eating out, DH generally orders pizza twice/week (delivered). We've moved totally to delivery of groceries and pretty much everything else. Kid's school is virtual (and not great, but manageable and he's reasonably chill). We don't get together with friends or extended family (though we've done a few meet-ups with a few in settings where can stay apart). DS's organized sports would be over anyway, and conveniently a lot of what we enjoy doing as a family, we can continue (hiking, biking, golf, disc golf). I wish DS could get together with friends, but he connects with them over video games and we meet with one who golfs. We'd have family coming to visit this summer, but -- they won't. We may do some camping, no other travel. I still drive but down to about 100 miles / week (if that), mostly because we get bored with local hiking/disc golf options and travel further afield a few times/week.
You?
