I’m definitely back in the homebody routine, writing about my uneventful and mundane existence in these times of isolation. At least, the smoke has now cleared and the air is no longer dangerous to breath. I can begin to once again focus on dodging the virus that seems to persist. It’s now been six months since our Phoenix trip was interrupted by this pandemic, as sports venues, retailers, and restaurants began to shut their doors. Sports are now played without fans and restaurants have taken to the streets. Travel is still restricted primarily to the continental United States. More and more people lose their jobs, yet Wall Street remains optimistic. 

It’s the weekend but you wouldn’t know it. There’s little change in traffic or people on the street. Homes are now both business offices and classrooms. At night, living rooms become movie theaters and bars. Today, sports will keep me entertained between cycling, basketball, baseball, football, and golf. It’s no longer necessary to watch replays, classic match-ups, or cornhole. Real, live events are back! The Tour de France has completed twenty stages, the NBA has its Final Four, four teams have claimed baseball playoff berths, the college football season has started, the BIG 10 has decided to play along, the NFL is into week 2, and Tiger Woods has lost his touch. On the surface, everything seems normal but sound effects and cut-outs don’t fill the fan-less void. 

We may have finally gotten to the bottom-line with our Florida building plans. My wife is disappointed that she won’t be getting a gas range, as surprises and options continue to add-up. Despite all this, paperwork will be Docu-signed today so they can finally get started. We have less than a six-month window to finish construction, pack, and move. It’s when our Portland apartment lease expires, having just celebrated the one-year anniversary of selling our home. With all the rioting, smoke, closures, and social distancing, downtown living has not been what we imagined. It’s been six-months since we last walked to the movie theater and all our neighborhood restaurant favorites are relying mostly on take-out. Homeless camps and trash litter the streets, while garbage removal has been difficult in the smoky conditions. Without travel, were confined to less than 1,000 sq. ft. of living space. An extra security gate has been installed in our building after a break-in. It’s hardly the romantic, downtown, upscale lifestyle that we anticipated. We can’t wait to get to the warmth of Florida and in our new home.