Looks like our readers are eager this summer to make up for time lost in lockdown. Most are still concerned about COVID – especially the Delta variant – so mostly outdoor events are on tap for most of our respondents. Ronald M. is looking forward to listening to live music again in outdoor concerts during the summer.
“It is so nice to get out and enjoy music I like played live.”
-Ronald M.
Several readers mentioned how much they enjoy seeing the faces of their friends in their hobby groups…bird walks, garden clubs, picnics and other outdoor meet ups.
“So strange to be around so many people but fun! All outside activities, brunch, a comedy club, and outdoor movie!”
-Christine
Others are ready to plunge right in…but safely.
“We now have meetings in-person of our Book Club, Garden Club, Happy Hour socials and so on. Feel more free, but still not going to indoor crowded events.”
-Carol
Several expressed concerns about staying safe with friends.
“Already enjoyed an outdoor picnic lunch with my needlework group…Friends being very careful…they know it is not over. We are all very concerned about the fall.”
-Bar
“I realized that I do not want to travel by air yet…I have decided to embrace my city all summer for all it has to offer, spending time outdoors sans mask and indoors only where I feel safe.”
-Cecilia
Cecilia said she made one trip to LA but will stay close to home from now on. Diane will be focusing on taking care of business with doctor visits, and Anna will play it safe and stay indoors in her AC, reading.
Summer Plans – and Covid
The consensus so far is that it’s great to see people in real life, but there is still concern about the spread of Covid – so no big indoor gatherings for most of us.
We’ll keep this thread open for a while to get more feedback and your thoughts.
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send your suggestions for Open Threads to her at editor@seniorplanet.org.
Photo by Sean O. on Unsplash
COMMENTS
12 responses to “Open Thread Update: Summer Plans”
I am shocked, but not surprised at my age of 71, that more readers are not paying ATTENTION to the continuing thread and the yet another COVID variant announced today. There will NEVER be a NORMAL again and there should not be as this type of pandemic has been predicted for decades by many experts. I am so ashamed of those who will not even get vaccinated and have made it political. You are putting at risk MY LIFE and all others.
Common sense is not common, as I have said for decades. It has never more evident that it is today!
My home projects are to reorganize my books and my filing system. Am in the process of deciding which live theater companies I plan to attend. Missed live theater. Most of the theaters in the metro KC area closed down in March, 2020. Also movie theaters. Just the process of making plans for attending theater this coming season is exciting. Belong to a movie group . Each Saturday we go see a movie and then go out to dinner. That ended in March, 2020. My favorite independent movie theater has not reopened. It was a nice fall back to know if I did not have other plans I could join that.
Hi Carol,
You are so lucky to have found a New Adult Community! Where is it? I’m looking for a “forever home” that the one I have in Scottsdale, AZ is just too hot for me. I came to Albuquerque NM but still looking. It’s cooler here than AZ, but haven’t found the “right” place yet. Thanks for sharing.
Marie Wallenborn
I will be attending an outdoor concert at the Boston Harbor Hotel tonight. July 13th at 6pm. And one a week until Sept 18th. The Wollaston neighborhood of Quincy will have a series of concerts on Saturdays in August and September. It is so nice to get out and enjoy music I like played live.
After a short trip to California to visit my sister and clean up my mom’s room (she passed in February 2020) I realized that I do not want to travel by air yet. A full plane felt claustrophobic and dangerously infected (LOL), vaccine and all I have decided to embrace my city all summer for all it has to offer, spending time outdoors sans mask and indoors only where I feel safe.
Plenty of books at home, quilting and knitting will keep me busy, while I seek the limited company of my vaccinated friends. There will be better times, I believe.
Had my breakout trip visiting my daugher in LA! So strange to be around so many people but fun! All outside activities, brunch, a comedy club, and outdoor movie! So thankful to be able to spend time, while being safe! I also love to join the local Audubon bird walks, plan to host a few front yard (in the shade) breakfast hangouts, and keep working on organizing “stuff”! Sending positive energy to all!
This “Moderation” was fast. Soo impressive.
I probably should start writing a book myself. It will sadly amusing.
Ah, of course, of course… American Stalinism in action.
I have plans too. I actually intend to spend hot summer days in my apartment – reading.
At this moment, I am reading Alex’s Marlow’s “Breaking the News” (highly recommend) and Andy Ngo’s “Unmasked” about “charming” boys and girls (highly recommend). I just put on hold Mark Levin’s “American Marxism” (I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that there some other intelligent New Yorkers who preceded me in line for the book)
As a child/adolescent, I read more stories than I should have. As an art historian in training, I visited many more museums than I should have.
Now, a responsible senior, highly irritated by braindead co-citizens, I read what keeps me sane in the Orwellian world.
It feels great to gather in our clubhouse with other homeowners. You see, it’s a brand new Adult Community and we moved in March 2020 and we could not meet with our neighbors due to COVID restrictions. Just a masked greeting in the elevator.
We now have meetings in-person of our Book Club, Garden Club, Happy Hour socials and so on. Feel more free, but still not going to indoor crowded events.
The local county is now allowing people who’ve been vaccinated to go without masks indoors as well as out. But my doctor’s office and my husband’s have let us know they’re still requiring masks, the assisted living facility in which we live is allowing communal dining to resume (unmasked of course!) but otherwise we must wear masks, and many stores require customers to wear masks or you don’t come in. I’m fine with that. We used to lose half a dozen residents every year to flu. I’m not prepared to lose a dozen (or more!) to each COVID variant that comes around.
So as far as plans go, I’m planning to finally see a couple of my doctors at the end of July. That is, if my insurance company doesn’t throw up any additional roadblocks. And then, if I’m lucky, I might get to see another one or two before the end of the year. Hopefully, by then, I’ll have picked out a better insurance company for 2022. And maybe in 2022 I can think about seeing my mom. Haven’t seen her since 2019.
Already enjoyed an outdoor picnic lunch with my needlework group. We have had a ton of fun on Zoom all pandemic, but there is nothing like seeing people and the things they make face to face. Two sewing groups have scheduled outdoor meetups in the coming weeks, taking a break from Zoom. Two other hobby groups are staying very active and making Zoom winter plans as the town hall is still off limits and we have no opening date. I will be meeting various friends for outdoor dinners and lunches while it is warm. Enjoying walks in parks and fields, growing herbs and veggies, cooking seasonal produce from the green market, and outdoor music. Would like to visit museums, still thinking about it. No interest in gathering with the tourists. No one checks what they bring off the plane. No rules about vaccinations, even in health care facilities. My municipal govt checks nothing, tracks little, hides stats, acts like Covid is over. It is not. Staying away from the little ones. Camps and summer schools are Delta spread sites brewing the next bad versions. Shop and religious services when I must, double masked. When told I am being too cautious, I look at my neighbor struggling 15 months with Long Covid.
I curse zip codes around us that are too lazy to vax. Opportunities are plentiful. (Yes, I do know people with legitimate medical exceptions and I don’t mean them.)
Friends being very careful…they know it is not over. We are all very concerned about the fall.
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