NJM 2020, Entry 22 - Getting Close in These Foolish Things

Today was my niece’s birthday party (tomorrow is her actual birthday). It was a wonderful party! My parents and SIL had made it so cute for her. Dad created a menu and served a FOUR course lunch! It was really adorable - chicken noodle soup, apple salad, mac & cheese… so cute!

And she wanted a “two-tiered princess cake” and I think my parents’ neighbor pulled that one off, even creating a Frozen theme.

She was thrilled with the camera I got her and she was spoiled with some kind of an educational tool that includes an ipad! I mean, WTH! That kid is beyond loaded with stuff. What are we going to do for Christmas?!

I was ready to come back home after a couple of hours - I don’t know why I get so antsy when I’m over there. I think it’s because my parents guilt me when I leave. I told them I’d be back Thursday for Thanksgiving, of course. I haven’t decided if I’ll spend the night or not, but I will be able to spend some more time with her.

Took Martini for her early evening walk in the shopping district and there were a couple of outdoor dining areas that had their heaters on and I was feeling cool so I stopped to sit under a heater and have a glass of wine. While I was sitting there, I saw yet another IG influencer that I hate-follow and her fancy pants fiance headed to another restaurant. I checked IG to see if she was posting from that location. So weird how IG crashes into reality in this bizarre way.

I’ve also kind of been thinking about something else. I know, I said I didn’t really want to fixate on it too much, but here is some more about Covid and what it’s done to society. You know how we have this sense of personal space? Like, well before Covid, we had this thing about personal space and if someone gets too close or in our face we feel like our personal space is violated? Well, I wonder if, when all of this is over and we’ve had vaccines and such and it’s safe to get close again, I wonder if we’ll have a different sense of personal space? Like, pre-Covid, I thought that if anyone got closer than say a foot and a half from me that they were well into my personal space and I was uncomfortable. After Covid, I think it will be a lot less close. I think I’ll be weirded out and uncomfortable if a stranger or even an acquaintance gets within 3 feet of me, you know?

It’s going to be interesting when I’m comfortable traveling again. I already had to put a mental “bubble” around myself when I’d fly. I already felt like sitting for hours in a metal tube with total strangers touching my arms was absolutely too close for comfort…

Enough of that for tonight.

I’m tired and need to crawl into bed with the dog. She’s already been in bed for hours.

Hope your weekend was fab!
GS