COVID-19: The Journey. Chapter 5A, Staying Outdoors

Steve and I on the Mississippi riverfront, July 25.
Steve, with Hailey Hansen, after her senior dance recital, July 11.
We got in our pontoon boat on July 4 and then hosted neighbors in the backyard of our home..

When the City of Davenport cancelled its July 4 fireworks, and our neighborhood association cancelled its annual picnic, I'd had enough. Wasn't there some way to be patriotic and safe at the same time?

On Saturday, July 4, the Bakers invited several neighbors over. I cleaned off the patio and added an umbrella, but it was a broiling hot day and night. We ended up on lawn chairs, in the shade by our nearby lake. This was one of those events that was pretty magical; we talked about it weeks later. It was so nice to catch up in a comfortable, safe setting!

A week later, I met up with my high school girlfriends, again in the outdoor area of a restaurant/bar in Clarence, Iowa. The next day we attended granddaughter Hailey's senior dance recital with Davenport's Danceworks, at the Galvin Fine Arts Center.

We had our temperatures taken as we entered the Galvin facility and noticed about half the seats were closed off. We made our way to our seats with masks on and kept our distance from others, as much as possible. It was pretty different to keep a mask on for more than 90 minutes, but our Hailey was in several dances. We waited for her afterwards, and I burst into tears when she showed up. It's been quite a year for Hailey and others in the Class of 2020; they have had disappointments, adjustments, and so much more. Thee is special significance when a favorite activity like dance comes to an end.

A few days later we left for Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, and an outdoor-heavy vacation with family members. A family member in St. Louis wasn't seeing guests because of the pandemic.

The Quad-City Times Bix 7 event was virtual this year. I took part in the Prairie Farms Quick Bix, and managed to finish pretty well as a 62-year-old. We participants used Athlinks, a virtual service that works with the nation's road races. I learned, for example, that I was 7th of 18 females who ran the Quick Bix and were 60-65 years old.

On Saturday, July 25, the day of the Bix, Steve and I walked around downtown Davenport. It was pretty deserted when we were there but it has been a habit for 30 years.

July ended with a Hailey's graduation party in Walcott, Iowa, held outdoors. I ended the month by cleaning the house thoroughly as Budget Blinds arrived to install the window coverings purchased in June. We followed the company's COVID-19 rules to the letter. Of course.

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, July 16
The blog's author, doing the Quad-City Times Quick Bix, at home in early July.

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