Reflections on a trip off island during the pandemic

     We were more unsettled than we expected to be, having been cloistered for 4 months. 

    We had not been in anyone's house until this trip and we went in 6 houses which was also unsettling. Two of them were very brief visits inside (Pittsfield and Taunton). We went into Bridgewater one afternoon as it was too hot outside. And, of course, we went into Jecca and Willy's house in Maine, our cottage in N.H. with Nick as well as in Ted and Bev's. 

    Everywhere we went we did see people in masks, but to varying degrees. In northern Maine, they have had less than 12 cases in their entire county, so it was understandable, although we saw masks at the supermarkets and other places. Grafton County in N.H. has also had few cases. Everyone was masked at the supermarket, but no one had masks at Budget Lumber except for us.

    Bathrooms were easier than we thought. The Maine Turnpike's were very clean and they had ever other stall locked. 

    It was really good for us to be off the grid in Maine, to get a respite from the daily stress of the news which is horrible with the pandemic out of control, erosion of so many institutions etc. We both hope to be less connected.