Onomatopoeia

Thursday June 25 2020: Bruce at the Hotel Isabella: it's ridiculous how happy we were.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, Toronto reopened with a *crk* *fitz* - either like a tall cold can of beer, or a survivalist's can of Brazilian corned beef.

It's hard to say.

Things are not "normal." For example, I've never before had a bar waitress cheerfully request my name and phone number. Never before would I have just as cheerfully given them to her.

But, I also would not have imagined how much fun it would be to sit on an outdoor patio again and drink a beer. What did I enjoy the most? Catching snatches of the inconsequential conversations at other tables? Seeing strangers enjoy the company of their friends? Just being with other people? Two pints of Guinness on an empty stomach played a part, but we were giddy as schoolgirls, our spirits lifted, genuinely cheered by the experience.   

So the pandemic has taught us that it's more fun not to drink at home. 

What about shopping?

Here's the Eaton Centre after it opened at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday:

You can see that most, but not all, people are wearing masks. That may soon change.

The ratio of security personnel to shoppers was about 1:1. Most of the stores were still closed. Social distancing signage was more prevalent than the usual giant signs for perfume and women's underwear. 

Aveda products were 25% off, so I lined up, as planned in May, and bought some soap, lotion and hair product. 

Overall, a less energizing experience than the patio at the Hotel Isabella, but it's early days.

My Last COVID Clean-Up

Some readers are aware that, for the past decade at least, our fridge has been covered with poetry magnets. Once upon a time, Bruce would stand for hours in front of the fridge, composing. But then Bruce lost his muse, and the magnets were just stuck there, unregarded, unloved, unmoved, like large wordy particles of dust.

I took them down and for the first time in a decade saw the highly reflective surface of our fridge door.

So you can still see Bruce on the fridge - just in a different way.

Actually, There's One More COVID Clean Up

I'm not the only one who has noticed that the pandemic has become a monstrous license to turn masks and gloves into litter. 

Along with continuing to show care for one another, keeping our distance, washing our hands and expanding our bubbles safely, it would be great if we could all commit to stop being such thoughtless slobs.

A cabbie way station on Sherbourne north of Wellesley

Thanks for reading!

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Karen

Fridge selfie