I’m must admit I’m quite happy that I can use these post titles as we navigate self-isolation for the next few weeks. After writing a blog daily for 12 years, it’s next to impossible to come up with an original post title. It’s almost my least favorite thing about writing the blog, except for the constant hacking attempts on this blog that go on all day, every day.

Anyway, I’m going to stay with this ‘count’ title until we are all freed from our homebound existence.

We took a walk yesterday – just down our normally busy road, which was not nearly as busy, to a road we normally take, but didn’t take, as we saw two of our neighbors outside and knew we wouldn’t be able to safely distance ourselves. So we turned down the next road, which is all but private, and walked along one of the two rivers that are in our neighborhood.

One of the many bridges in this area. A few years ago, the county – or was it the state? – repainted all the smaller bridges in this shade of red. We love that color.

This is just south of the red bridge; a remnant of a long-ago bridge that used to cross the river.

Don guided me down a little hill to the edge of the river. He wanted to show me this little scrap of a beach along the river. I had no idea it was there. My San Diego born-and-bred husband loves seeing a beach of any kind. The footprints are mostly ours, but check out that animal print on the left. Raccoon? Some little critter needed a drink of water. There are other animal prints, as well. I had they were there until I saw my photo. Love those surprises.

We came back home and had a great lunch that Don had made earlier in the day.

So here we are, my friends. Every local shop I use in this area has sent out an email in the past 24 hours stating they are closing for the time being. Most of them are trying to provide online ordering or curbside pickup. Some restaurants are staying open but have reduced their seating by 50% – adhering to new guidelines. This virus is like a stone that has been dropped in the water, creating an endless ripple effect for everyone and everything.

We’re fine. We’re reading and playing music and taking walks when we can – today is rainy, so we’re taking the day off. We’re watching Netflix and Amazon Prime and TCM and Jeopardy and have recently discovered recorded symphony performances on YouTube. I cannot express enough how calming it is for us. I know we can listen to those pieces on a music app, but it is endlessly fascinating and much more engaging to watch the musicians and conductor at work. So far, we’ve listened to  Beethoven’s Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Symphonies.

We sure sleep a lot better afterward.

Do what you can to remain calm. Read, listen to music, take a walk, craft, cook, play the piano or the guitar, meditate, clean, catch up on those projects you’ve been meaning to do, if you’re in a warmer climate than ours, start in on your spring garden clean-up, order seeds, contribute to your local economy by ordering from small businesses, keep an eye on your neighbors who are vulnerable, do FaceTime or Skype or What’sApp with your loved ones.

Stay home.

Even though I’m part Irish, I have never been into St. Patrick’s Day, but if you are…felicitations!

Happy Tuesday.