Clipped Wings

By Marsha Seekins

Being told to stay home reminds me of those summer reading lists when we were kids. I love to read, but I don’t like someone telling me I have to! We are blessed to live in a beautiful part of the world. We have plenty of projects and hobbies to keep us busy – gardening, truck restoration, house work, re-learning the guitar, reading, etc. so staying home is really not an inconvenience. We can hike with the dog right out the front door, plus take advantage of uncrowded trails within a short drive. We are retired and don’t have kids, so life isn’t really any different for us, except…..

Cruising in the Hudson

We like to go on scenic drives, usually incorporating a trip to a favorite (or newly discovered) restaurant, bar or brewery. Since those places are closed due to the COVID-19 virus, we now pack a cooler of drinks and snacks and go find a trail to take a walk. The only issue is, we are now constrained by bladder capacity! That’s right, with all the bars and restaurants closed and not wanting to risk exposure to the virus in a public restroom in a gas station or grocery store, we are at the mercy of our ability to store liquids in our bodies.  Worse yet, we have to recognize the “half life” of that bladder capacity so that we know the furthest we can go before turning around. This is a new challenge, for sure!

So far, we have avoided any “emergencies” but there are only so many places we can explore within the aforementioned “bladder range”. Of course, as Doug has pointed out, it is really MY bladder range that is the constraint, as there are plenty of big trees along the roadside. Adult diapers are certainly an option, but not one I am willing to consider… just yet.

Tulip Fields in Skagit

We drove south along Chuckanut Drive to see the tulips in the Skagit Valley. Rows and rows of colorful blooms – reds, yellows, pinks, purples…. What an amazing sight, but only viewable at distance since the farms are closed this year for field visits. We took a short wander around the nearly deserted waterfront of LaConner and then headed home up Highway 9 through Sedro-Wooley.  Normally, we might have left early enough to have coconut pancakes at Joy’s Bakery and Café, or swing by Coconut Kenny’s for a longboard and a pint on the way back. Nope.

Farkle at Overflow Taps

We drove west through the Dutch town of Lynden, all the way Birch Bay, where we had a picnic in our car overlooking the water. Then a short hike at Point Whitehorn, as the stairway to the beach has been washed out. We saw a few folks on the trail, giving each other wide berths. I find myself holding my breath as I pass by others, even at a distance of well more than six feet. On the way home, we passed through the rolling farmland along the Badger Road and would have normally stopped by Overflow Taps in Lynden for a beer and a game of Farkle by the fire. Not today.

Champion of Social Distancing

We drove east, out to Silver Lake Park, down to Maple Falls where we saw the welcoming plywood cutout of Bigfoot…wearing a mask. We couldn’t go to the Horseshoe Bend Trail as the National Forest is closed. We headed through the Kendall roundabout and right by North Fork Brewery on our way home. If you know us at all, you know we simply do NOT pass by the North Fork Brewery. They have a wonderful selection of beers and make our favorite pizza on the planet – the Combination, add fresh tomato. I shed a little tear as we passed the darkened establishment and ached for a return to normalcy – a return to beer and pizza. (UPDATE: as of today, 4/28, North Fork has reopened for take-out!)

North Fork Combination Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes

Having explored south, east and west, we yearned to head north. North for us is Canada – less than five miles as the crow flies (see what I did there?). The border closed on March 20 for 30 days…and then another 30 days. There are some great hiking trails on the other side of the border, along with Mission Brewing, Fieldhouse Brewing, a great movie theater, and some wonderful, authentic Greek food at Greek Islands. I miss Canada. My husband says he thinks the border could stay closed through the summer. That makes me sad.

I feel like we have had our wings clipped.

Local Hiking with Duke

However, I have to put things in perspective. Instead of bemoaning what I miss, I need to consider all the things I have to be thankful for. We are doing GREAT! We are healthy. We have a comfortable home in a beautiful place with access to food, exercise and hobbies to keep us busy. We are staying in touch with family and friends with social media, texts, emails, and even greeting cards. Next week will see the re-opening of state parks, golf courses, and boat ramps.

We are not on the front lines fighting the virus. Our best friends are a firefighter and a corrections officer here – they risk exposure, and their lives, every day they report to work. I can’t even imagine the stress and anxiety of first responders and health care workers. The mental and physical fatigue must be overwhelming. I can’t imagine the loneliness of those in care facilities who are sequestered in their rooms and unable to have visitors. I don’t even want to imagine the fear of those who are infected with this virus and their loved ones.

I admire parents who have been thrown into the additional role of teacher during school closures and who are finding ways to teach life skills along with school work. I admire small business owners who are finding ways to survive by changing their business models to stay afloat. I admire all the craftspeople who mobilized to make masks. I admire the yoga studios and gyms who are offering classes for free or a small donation to help people stay fit and sane while they are stuck at home.

So, I will take a deep breath, thank God for all our many blessings, and say a little prayer for everyone who is suffering and fighting the fight. I will garden and read and hike and play games and watch old movies. We will enjoy our time at home and our brief sojourns. We will celebrate at our local haunts with our friends as soon as possible. Stay home. Stay well. Stay sane.

Marsha Seekins