A few weekends ago, I took my daughters and granddaughters to a family getaway. I know, it is COVID era, and that alone was the major consideration. I spoke with the Reservationist at the resort where we would be staying and she not only anticipated every one of my questions, she reassured me that their mission is to maintain their good standing as a destination for families to feel comfortable. Despite her assurances, I loaded my car as if I was preparing to clean (ugh!) as never before. I arrived before my girls in order to not only get the lay of the land but to deal with anything that needed to be sanitized. I had ultra-violet wands for all of us, my own coffee maker, well, you get the point…no stone unturned by this protective, yet desperate to be with my girls, Mama/Gummy.
To say that I was so relieved and ecstatic with not only the cleanliness but attention to detail paid to our visit would be an understatement. Woodloch is in the Poconos and the family option is just wonderful for all ages. We had our own table in the Dining Room, and it remained ours the entire stay. We could have brought our food back to our beautiful townhouse, or eaten outdoors, but we felt so comfortable with everyone wearing masks and social distancing. In fact, there wasn’t one person without a mask anywhere we went.
The few days passed so quickly that before long, I was heading back to unpack all of the cleaning supplies and coffeemaker, etc., I had brought with me. Additionally, there were the baked goods that really spoke to me, so my car smelled wonderful on the way home. A safe and wonderful time was had by all of us, and although we returned to COVID precautions, we had a breather, and that was just what we needed before the school craziness began.
There was a treat waiting for me, and it, too, was just what was needed to feel connected to life. A friend from years ago reached out from California. Karen moved away years ago, and she left a message to say hello. What a treat to walk down memory lane with her, and catch up about her family and our mutual connections. I pointed out that she is a New Jersey girl who moved to California, and I am a California girl who moved to New Jersey.
Karen told me she is monitoring her trips outside due to COVID, as well as a mountain lion that had been spotted nearby. I suppose I am more fortunate…we have only had squirrels, flying squirrels, mice, and chipmunks. A mountain lion would be enough to keep me in the house…talk about the Gall of the Wild! I look forward to staying in touch and know, once again, that having the time to reach out and connect is to be treasured because we have no choice but to follow the rules.
So COVID quarantine isn’t all bad. I connected with my daughters and granddaughters, which may not have happened if they were out and about, as usual during the summer. And I connected with a friend from the past. Lemonade? You can bet on it. Very sweet lemonade at that!