Company Coming

We had people over last night.  It felt really, really strange.

My primary interaction with anyone for the last two weeks has been on a screen.  I have Zoom classes, Zoom meetings, Zoom reunions; we've even done two Zoom Shabbats.  Mrs. T has been doing meetings in Teams.  Even Gib5on has been on screens: he had Zoom kindergarten, Zoom Sunday School, Zoom Karate, a Facetime playdate, and a Facetime visit with his cousins.

Screen, screen, and more screen.  But last night we had guests for dinner, right there in the same room.

A little over two weeks ago Uncle Brooklyn left New York with his family ahead of the COVID-19 wave.  It has turned out to be a decent decision I think.  They've been notified by their landlord that there was someone who tested positive in their play-yard, someplace they certainly would have been had they remained home.  Aside from that specific information, just in general the news from NYC is a little more ominous than anything in Pittsburgh.

So a little over two weeks ago they arrived in Pittsburgh and moved into an AirBNB on the Southside to self-isolate for two weeks to try to determine if their moving in here would be safe for us and safe for them.  That two weeks ended last Saturday.

All in all I am the biggest risk.  Mrs. T has been out for walks in the neighborhood and so has Gib5on and Sabian - but none of them has been in contact with other people at all.  The same is true of our visitors.  They've been out around their neighborhood but they have done all of their shopping through delivery.  Of everyone, I am the only one that has had any real contact outside the house as I have been shopping twice in three weeks.

The first time I went out since they closed the schools (but before the official imposition of social distancing) I brought a mask and gloves, but nobody else was wearing a mask so I felt silly and took it off.  I did wear the gloves though. The second time there were enough other people there wearing masks that I did too - and gloves.  I also went to Home Depot without gloves or a mask - I probably won't do that again.  Senator Toomey is on record now saying PA residents should wear masks in public.  The CDC hasn't changed their recommendation that we shouldn't - but I think that is more about not causing additional shortages more than it is about it not being a decent idea.

So we're all hoping that I was careful enough while I was out.  I guess we'll see.

Treating that optimistically we had my brother in law and his wife and son over for dinner.  It was so strange to have other people in the house.  We routinely have had 20 for dinner in the past but it has only taken two weeks to re-calibrate to being alone pretty much all the time just me and my immediate family.  Sitting at a table with three more people felt surreal.

The plan was originally for them to come stay with us after the two week period but we've since revised it.  They got a screaming deal to extend their AirBNB.  It seems like it is unlikely anyone else is going to want to use it.  So for the time being they are going to stay there where they will have significantly more space and then move in here when they lose their access to that property or when the money starts to feel stupid.  We've given them one of our cars so they could return their rental.  It's not like we're going anywhere.

So we have people to sit and talk to, and Gib5on has someone to play with even though the age relationship isn't optimal (6 and 2).  It's like our three kids are spaced exactly sub-optimally.  But even that is better than nothing in the new normal.