24 March 2020 – Circumstances change, and trigger new responses, both mental and behavioural.
Mind-hops. Foot-hops.
Or lack of foot-hops. Not the usual mass of happy feet this mild, sunny day, in the Olympic Village plaza at False Creek. Giant sparrow (one of Myfanwy MacLeod’s pair, The Birds, created for the 2010 Winter Olympics) pretty well has the place to himself.
I admire this rainbow & frog chalked onto the pavement, but don’t, as I would have done just two weeks ago, go get a shot with that frog right-side-up …
because that would have brought me within 2 metres of the cyclist over there. (See his bike tire, upper left?)
Another chalked message …
has me thinking, “Self isolation?” — not, “Break-up!”
A woman and her lap-dog soak up some sun, with open space all around her (I’m farther away than it seems) …
and a couple are peacefully, safely, alone, over there on the far side of Himy Syed’s stone labyrinth.
(But!!! Even as I’m appreciating the physical distance we’re all maintaining here at Olympic Village, crowds of idiots (aka COVIDIOTs) are packing English Bay. Let’s hope that the only thing going viral afterwards was the images of their irresponsibility.)
I leave False Creek for Cambie Street, slaloming around the relatively few other pedestrians as I walk. I pass more new behaviour for our new times: controlled entry into this big box retailer, with tape marking the 2-metre distance between standing points, and a staffer monitoring the queue.
Interesting, but not personally relevant. The retailer I want to check is this grocery chain. Have the new hours begun? With the promised first morning hour for people like me?
Yes. 7-8 a.m., before regular opening.
Which is why, two days later, I’m out in the breaking-dawn drizzle, heading up the street with my wheelie.
Shopping goes well: a smiling employee, out of physical range but at the door, ensuring only those qualified come in; well-stocked shelves; relatively few shoppers, all of us smiling at each other but keeping our distance.
Including at the check-out, with its taped lines to show spacing for the line-up.
Later on, some neighbourhood streetscape.
More mind-hops, foot-hops, including this example of what is becoming commonplace. A physically closed eatery, with a warm message to the community.
And, just one block over, a graffito for the times.
Well no, I don’t endorse the middle part of the message, but I love the humour.
And I love this blooming magnolia. Just for being there.
Eight years ago, I changed my About message on this blog, to explain the name-change from Sagas of Iceland Penny to Walking Woman. This excerpt comes to mind now.
Until August 2012, this blog was about training for the big Arthritis Society trek in Iceland, and then doing it. As of August 2012… I walk on! With my feet and in my mind as well.
Whatever restrictions limit our feet, nothing need limit our minds. Now, more than ever, let’s walk on. We’re in this together.
avfleming
/ 24 March 2020Thanks for the magnolias from still icy Toronto!
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
/ 24 March 2020We certainly will! 🙂 I love taking these vicarious walks with you more than ever as I am now house-bound. I’m happy to see the magnolias coming out. 🙂
icelandpenny
/ 26 March 2020What a lovely comment. I’m so happy to be one of the ways you continue to expand into the larger world. So far it’s still safe for me to go out (solo) and with care, I intend to do so.
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
/ 26 March 2020You’re welcome. 🙂
bluebrightly
/ 26 March 2020The final two lines are perfect, Penny. Thank you.
icelandpenny
/ 26 March 2020thanks – I just hope we remember these lessons, when life again stabilizes
bluebrightly
/ 26 March 2020Realistically, I guess most of it will fade but there will be a few lasting changes. We can hope…
dianaed14
/ 26 March 2020Entertaining and interesting as always. I too am amazed that people crowd along popular places – Southsea seafront is full of inconsiderate people. However so much help out there.
icelandpenny
/ 29 March 2020yes, extreme times cause extreme behaviour, good and bad…
Zambian Lady
/ 28 March 2020I thought I liked the photo of the woman with her lapdog most until I saw the graffiti about “do nothing, just panic…”. Humor lightens your spirits during troubled times. Thanks for the post.
icelandpenny
/ 29 March 2020yes, humour helps! helps make us bigger than the situation, not engulfed by it