Small Home Gazette, Spring 2020
Letter From the Editor: Yet Another Coronavirus Essay
I ask you—do you honestly want to read another piece on COVID-19? Yeah, me neither. But the topic seems inescapable for the time being.
Minnesotans are still under a stay-at-home directive, and every daily routine is altered by the fallout. Some aspects of our old lives are suspended (how was your Easter dinner?); some are upended (working from home, anyone?); and some are rather surreal (grocery shopping).
Though the details of our lives vary, I suspect they all share one reality—we’re now spending a lot more time in our bungalows (or Foursquares, or Tudors, etc.). I’ve decided that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. During long days in my house, I’ve become re-acquainted with some treasures that had faded into the background. That beautiful painting; this artful piece of Arts & Crafts metalware; the rich wallpaper that’s been in my dining room for 20 years.
And there’s never been a better time to tackle practical household tasks such as deep dusting and vacuuming; thorough closet organizing; and comprehensive window washing. I plan to start all those things next week. Really, I do.
Not being able to socialize with family and friends has been the most challenging. When social distancing arrived, my partner Mike and I watched events on our normally busy calendar evaporate until little remains but trash and recycling pickup, and birthdays that will be celebrated from afar.
Candelight dinner, shared with companions scattered across the continent.
But despite our age, we’re learning new tricks. We’ve started to meet with family and friends using laptops and smartphones. After a bit of a learning curve, we’ve had virtual cocktail happy hours with friends we rarely see because of packed schedules. Suddenly everyone has free evenings. And we participated in a virtual candlelight dinner with family groups in three Minnesota cities, plus Texas, California, and even Canada.
Of course, there are downsides to curtailed public life. Bungalow Club board members Gail Tischler and Marty Moen discovered that their St. Paul bungalow seemed to shrink after Marty commandeered the dining room for his work-at-home office. Gail, who is retired and used to having daytime hours for her own projects, does her best to navigate around him.
And our friends Dick and Ray isolated themselves in their bungalow for more than two weeks after a friend they had visited came down with COVID-19. Fortunately, they did not develop symptoms themselves.
