COVID-19: The Journey. Chapter 2: Back to Iowa

 Gage, Kirstin and Myla Rodewald, with Buffy.

Chalk drawings helps us, maybe neighbors too!

Daughter, Kirstin, and baby granddaughter, Myla, greeted us at home the first of the April. We see the extended family once a month so certainly felt safe in this visit.

Son-in-law Gage, a police officer in suburban Des Moines, eventually joined us and we four played card games after the baby went to bed. Palm Sunday arrived, and we painted the driveway to reflect the spiritual season as well as to share goodwill with the neighbors. Gage also helped Steve fetch our pontoon boat from storage and get it in the lake.

By the time the Rodewald family left, however, we were faced with purely home duty the next few months.

A first concern, of all things, was toilet paper. Steve's daughter, Jill, came to the rescue: She'd found some at Sam's Club and drove it out to our rural Scott County home. Daughter Teiah arrived with an Easter basket. Both girls dropped the items on the front porch and left.

A planned show at Circa '21, Rock Island was cancelled. We were to see "Saturday Night Fever" on April 19 with friends. I did spring cleaning for about 10 days and kept track of the days of the week with the help of our daily newspaper.

All other activities stayed at home. As one example: We listened to mass from St. Ann's Catholic Church, Long Grove, remotely through Facebook Live.

Tulips bloomed out front and we continued to feed the birds. Several goldfinches found our feeders in late April; that was exciting!

We exited the house five days each week to exercise in beautiful Scott County Park, located two miles to the west. This continues, and is an enormous help in coping with the pandemic.

Other time was spent keeping the house sparkling clean, and working outdoors as the weather allowed.

A vow was made: "We will be in the best physical shape of our lives, and the house and yard will be immaculate." The calendar was turned to May 2020.