Four hundred days seems like such a milestone. It really isn't the milestone I would have looked forward to last year.

Also, I might have lost count. According to my scribbled-on desk calendar, where I try to keep track of the count, this is day 400. If I check days between, though, it's day 399. I guess it depends on whether we count that first day as day 1, but I called Day One the next day. And, that first Monday was 57 weeks ago, which is 399 days, so that's probably the right answer. So I guess today is really day 399. I'll correct my calendar and continue right tomorrow, or whenever the next post is.

In terms of the pandemic. We're doing better, and it's getting worse. I think everyone is aware of and maybe used to some of the changes. Many people have flexed the safety requirements to fit their lifestyles, while others have adjusted lifestyles to fit the requirements. We're definitely a blend.

As we sat in the park (wouldn't have done that last year, even if the weather allowed), chatting with our friend (nope), with whom we've extended our bubble (who would have talked like that?) so we were comfortable being maskless (the insanity!),  about how often and which restaurants we consider frequenting (eating out has become a huge luxury).

Not meaning take-out or delivery, of course. We never really stopped doing that. Slowed some, and with other benefits, too. But we've eaten at a handful of restaurants over the last year. Only when we can isolate (like a Sonic drive-in), eat outside (like the Galaxy drive-in, or as our favorite pub and breakfast places do), and a little off-peak (early breakfast, late lunch, early dinner). Probably a dozen in all, or two if you count in-park picnics of drive-through food.

The kids are in school, full or part-time as their classes require. We do Saturday swim lessons for both, which is really separated for the advanced swimmer, and mostly separated for the newer one. We just started baseball for the one, and the other has a couple expanded-bubble classmates she has outdoor play dates with. Both are signed up for day-long activities during the summer.

The missus goes for hair stuff every couple weeks. I have PT for my shoulder every week (ooh, except maybe this week as I forgot to schedule something...). And she's been helping her dad get to and from appointments all last week.

Still, we treat it like a big deal if we need to go into a store. When we both had to go to Home Depot, for decision and strength reasons, it was planned like a recon mission into enemy territory, and other shoppers were avoided at every turn. And we turn away from parks if there are too many people, especially if there are a lot of non-maskers there. We haven't been to visit family or friends, outside of the few bubbles, more than a few times.

That's the wearying part. We miss other people. We joke all the time that we never intended to spend this much time together. It would surely be different if we weren't also trying to lead normal school and employment lives, which jam our family time together, but often makes the overlaps difficult. The little little has found his groove to be more self-sufficient in the house while the adults work, but sometimes it's hard. The adults, for the most part, have found ways to include him when he needs it, without disrupting work too much. I'm thankful that I can sometimes just step away to sit with him in the other room, playing with cars or characters for a few minutes, or having him help me move stuff around the house. Just something not a screen. And sometimes something that is on a screen, like watching a little Scooby Doo, or playing a little video game.

Much has changed. But it's still more like post-pandemic 2020 with slightly reduced lock-down, than pre-pandemic 2019 with masks.

Almost four hundred days in. It should be the new normal by now.

Oh, and it's April, so the snow isn't abnormal. It's just flakes falling intermittently, like an early fall day occasionally drops leaves. They aren't collecting on the ground, and melt instantly after hitting something.

Everyone's healthy.