Having the house all nicely renovated (the last touches finally completed near the end of January when Mike resized the pantry so that it actually made sense to us) definitely fits in that category, as our space now has a wonderful open feel very much appreciated in the recent months where we don't get out much. It's nice to not have to navigate a maze to find somewhere with natural light, and having lots of space to spread out (and eat in) just adds to the happy.
Mike travelled to Ecuador for 10 days in the beginning of February with a friend he's known since kindergarten, and then he and I, along with another couple, took a trip to Costa Rica in mid-February for 15 days, returning home around the 26th. You know, when we could still travel without worries that the airports might shut down and strand us somewhere. Although, if you have to find yourself stranded somewhere, you could do worse than Costa Rica. So we definitely lucked out in our February travels, because anything later ... well, we'd have missed it.
Had two weeks of band rehearsals where we worked on Kiwanis Festival pieces as well as our upcoming summer repertoire. Our section leader had also just returned from a long vacation, and we were all revved up for putting on some wonderful performances in the spring/summer concert and festival season. Which then promptly fell apart as gatherings of multiple people restrictions went into place. So now we all just practice our music at home instead of together. (Wait, we don't? But of course we're all playing our faces off, right; what else do we have to do?)
Speaking of restrictions on large gatherings, the saddest one we've faced is the postponement of my cousin's wedding. Originally set for the beginning of April, she has had to reschedule until December. There's timing for you; so close and yet so far. But she and her fiancee remain chipper and well, and you can't ask for better than that. They're together and happy, and that's awesome. Here's hoping things have found their new normal by December!
This has brought about the biggest change in our day-to-day life; the methods of social distancing. Both naturally introverts, neither Mike nor I have found huge hardships in terms of staying away from others (video calls are awesome, and can bring together a bunch of people who might not otherwise get the opportunity to sit down and chat at the same time). We've gone to bi-weekly grocery shopping instead of once a week, done with face coverings and following the rules set out by the grocery store (like keeping our distance and following directional arrows on the floor--doesn't seem like a hard, or onerous, concept, yet I still see people going against the flow).
Any other shopping, should we require anything, we do online where we don't have to deal with people and we don't have to wait in lines. This, of course, is a first-world luxury, as a friend of ours living in Mexico where deliveries are less easily accomplished has demonstrated. (Makes me wonder why so many first-world countries keep seeing such a high proportion of new cases when a bit of patience and common sense could benefit our fellows, but let's not get into that controversial topic) We have such good fortune living where we do, and with our current circumstances (neither of us having work outside the house), and we find ourselves grateful every day. Especially knowing others do not share that same safety. If our keeping distant from anyone will ease another's risk of succumbing to this virus, we'll gladly keep doing so.