Day 91 in 2020 (day 17 in isolation, adjusted)
Running outside today I passed many, many window hot spots. Maybe you've seen this game mentioned in the news or on social media, but residents were encouraged to put specific items in front windows to give kids something to look for on walks, and to create a feeling of togetherness; in some places it was bears, in others flowers, and in still others, like ours, organizers, expecting a high level of involvement, made different goals for every day of the week. I think yesterday was bears and today was flowers, or maybe people are hoping the bears from some houses will enjoy the sight of the flowers in others, I don't know. In any case, it was quite the running scavenger hunt.
We had our own moment of broader togetherness tonight, joining in a Zoom chat with about twelve other households, most of whom we did not know, in order to wish our now eight-year-old neighbor happy birthday. In years past we have gathered in the yard to share cake and watch the kids run around after while we drank wine. Tonight we dragged our happy birthday sign out of our party storage box and decorated the area once known as our library, now used more regularly as our video chat stage for the occasion on separate sides of the lawn, their extended family joining in as well from all areas of the state.
The news came today that they will likely cancel the remainder of our school year, or declare it ended, at least. Though this won't have much of an effect on Calvin's education record, it is a blow socially. I know he will miss his two teachers (art and band), and I feel a real loss when I think that we will never experience the rising up ceremonies or final concerts and events of middle school. During these years, when life moves at such a breakneck pace, the loss of even a few months is an eternity.
So many things are different, so many things are the same.
365_2020, Pandemic 2020, friends, neighborhood 
