Green shoots

I mentioned a few posts back that something indiscernible (imperceptible almost!) had shifted with regard to our COVID-19 lock-down state here at the southern end of Vancouver Island. That something (that the previously lengthy queues for our local grocery store had all but disappeared) was – though not obviously explainable – clearly an indicator that things were beginning to change.

Here are a couple of other such signs:

Each and every visit that I have paid to our local store since this all began have included an unnecessary detour – courtesy of the pandemic one-way scheme – through the pet-food aisle, the purpose of which was to enable me to pass up the cleaning aisle in a fruitless search for disinfectant wipes and disposable gloves. The expanse of barren shelving where these essentials should have been was marked by signs commanding us to limit ourselves to a single item of each. Chance would be a fine thing!…

…until this week – when suddenly there appeared an entire pallet-load of Lysol wipes! Hooray! I took my one and – public-spirited soul that I am – passed the word on to friends, rather than just shoving a couple of extra packs behind something on the top shelf in the hope that they would still be there later.

Still no gloves though…

The other sign was that – in common with other countries that are also slowly loosening restrictions – we can now ‘entertain’ a few folk from outside our immediate isolation circle – as long as we do so outside, that no-one wants to use the washroom (or is prepared to re-sanitise it when they have done so) and that we keep our distance in the approved manner.

Now – this is where having a splendid garden and a mild (for Canada) late spring climate comes into its own. We can sit around (two metres apart) drinking wine and eating take-out sushi (purchased individually) long into the evening. For this to really work at the end of May (or indeed for much of the summer) one needs that other Canadian staple – a fire basket or pit. Even at this stage open fires are banned here on the island because of the wildfire risk, but Canadian Tire (other ironmongers are available!) handily supplies propane fueled devices such as the one below… and jolly good it is too.

Well – here’s to slow progress… I hope that your neck of the woods is seeing similar – though cautious – relaxation of the restrictions.