Wasn’t it Dorothy who said in The Wizard of Oz to Toto “There’s no place like home.”  Well, quite frankly for the most part, at least prior to 11 weeks ago I would have totally agreed.  However, being quarantined in a studio apartment in Manhattan as a single person who had an active social life this experience has totally humbled me and I found this image to express those very thoughts.

So being an optimist at heart, one of those people who likes to turn Lemons into Lemonate, I decided once I knew that I didn’t see the end to this to I began to stockpile projects that I suddenly had to complete 🙂 Suddenly, I had time to organize those drawers that I never had time to do and to read those books that I never had time for and first and foremost to learn Oh My Goodness-how to use Zoom.  Zoom became my everyday go to-to connect with the outside world in addition to more texting and a daily short walk around the neighborhood.  It was a short walk around the neighborhood or I’d otherwise walk up some flights in my apartment building and then walk my hallway about 10 times.  I just had to get out of my apartment to frame each day and stay connected to some sense of normalcy.

So how did I fare with food.

Well…Thank God for Amazon when it came to all the heavy lifting.  I bought all my liquids and sodas on line so I wouldn’t have to deal with purchasing them and getting them home from my local Supermarket.

Of course, most folks wore a mask and respected the Social Distancing of 6 feet apart etiquette and so did the folks at the next door Pizza store, Bravo. Once a week I’d get myself a slice of Pizza because I just needed to buy some hot food that I didn’t either make or microwave.  And Pizza was the sure fire answer to that prayer. 🙂

Here’s Bravo Pizza and my favorite Pizza Guy, Jose…

And then there was the navigating of all the new markings on the street if I wanted to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks when I’d take a walk.

But there is hope…

Just last week, the Farmer’s Market at Union Square began showing signs of vendors. Phew!  It was a sight to grateful eyes…

So by the time I post this, I doubt that the city will be fully reopened.  But I definitely feel that we’re on our way.

On my daily short walks there are more folks on the street, some stores have begun to open for just a few hours and there are more cars on the avenue.  So Inch by Inch, anything’s a cinch.  Yard by Yard, Life is hard.

But as found in Joshua 24:15  “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” –  if my apartment could speak it would say:

But stay well. Stay safe and always Keep the Faith!!!