what are we doing now with this pandemic?
I don't pay the closest attention, but as I understand it the federal and state governments have abruptly removed most or all of the Covid restrictions we've been living under for the past many months. Which is great! Especially since lots of our friends have birthdays this time of year. But there's also some uncertainty in the air—not to say downright anxiety! For example, while I'm totally fine with wearing a mask I don't love it, especially as it's been getting so warm. Now that I don't have to, outside at least, I'm back to feeling like I did way back at the beginning of this plague: what do I need to do to make the people around me feel comfortable? Like when someone's approaching on the sidewalk: should I put my mask up? Or will that make them think I'm afraid of them and want them to have a mask? Can we just all carry signs indicating our preference?
The kids, of course, aren't vaccinated, nor do they have any immediate prospect of so being. At schools they're now letting the elementary kids have mask-free outdoor recesses, but most of our friends are still more cautious and we're mostly staying masked up for playdates. Which makes sense, since there's a lot more wrestling at homeschoolers' play dates than at your typical school recess. But bike rides are now unmasked. You may have noticed Zion unmasked in the photo heading Sunday's post; as soon as I took it I told him to put his back on. As hard as that is in a water fight. Confusing times.