Life's a Stitch

That's what we call it when you have to spend more, or are inconvenienced, in this time of pandemic than in the "before times." High-in-demand rubbing alcohol at $7.99 a bottle instead of $1.88, shopping at a smaller, more expensive grocery store to avoid the exposure at the crowded superstore, service charges to cancel our July and September camping reservations. 

It was announced today that the Canada/US border will remain closed for at least another month, making it six months and counting. As we are five minutes away, we used to cross in order to buy gas at a much lower price than our heavily taxed fuel. No more. Neither Canadians nor Americans can cross the border by car. Canadians can enter the US by air, but nobody from any country can fly to Canada unless they are reuniting with an immediate family member and fulfill the requisite 14 day quarantine. There are exceptions for essential workers.

My major disappointment is the cancellation of that September camping trip as its purpose was dual – I was registered to take another watercolour course in Spokane with my favourite teacher, Lian Quan Zhen.

Realistically though, why would we want to cross a border where the county just on the other side is reporting 50+ new Covid cases today? Our entire province is lamenting the fact that the numbers are increasing here – 78 in one day. The state of WA has 67,826 confirmed cases, while BC has 4,274. Granted, we have 2/3's the population, but only 6.3% of the cases. I am OK with paying the covid tax in the form of higher prices and isolation by staying at home.

Despite being stuck in what feels like a pandemic time warp, life goes on. The gulls are growing, now taller than the plastic owls.

Two are flying, Splat will catch up in a couple of weeks. There is now a nestful of peeping little finches in the cedar next to our house.

Neighbourhood Covid hopscotch is now almost a block long. I think it was up to 250.

And Zoom is well established as the new classroom. I'm taking a six week painting class in composition, design and process.