It started small. Drinks on the Driveway.

[trof]

Last Wednesday we invited our next door neighbors (close friends) and a few other friends from down the block to join us for Drinks on the Driveway.

Each one brought their own beverage and seating.
10 in all.
We 'socially spaced'.
It was fun and interesting to talk with others.
NO POLITICS!

We did it again yesterday at a location down the street.
It did not go well, at least not for me and Miz t.
I am 78 with COPD and obese. Miz t. is 75 and obese.
(Extenuating circumstances. Believe me, obesity is NOT our choice.

People from the last gathering had invited others.
We wound up with 20 on a smallish patio.
Social distancing was out the window.
I tried to keep space for us, but had to ask two nurses, NURSES, to please back away.

[blm]

1. Yikes.

Sad when something cool gets ruined.

[leftieNanner]

2. Your original idea was a very good one!

Too bad it got messed up.

We had a BYOB coffee with our next door neighbor last Sunday morning and it was very nice. Outside on the deck. Kept our distance. Chatted for an hour. He's been pretty depressed with the isolation, so I'm glad we did it. It's on the social calendar for this Sunday morning too.

[jmg257]

3. That sucks. I think- people being people, it may be too easy to get careless, especially

when drinks are involved.

I try telling my wife/her sisters that, but they insist on popping (driving) up for similar outdoor gatherings. I actually trust my neighbor more.



A bit humbling to know my home is "essential"...I tell em: apparently we each get to decide what's essential, and Darwin can take care of the rest!

[MontanaMama]

4. We do something similar on our street...

We meet in the actual street...everyone hauls out a lawn chair and we sit at least 10 feet apart. We have a fire pit that we take out with us some nights if the weather is cold. Everyone brings their own cocktails and we sit out until way past dark talking smack about the MF in the WH. Everyone plays by the rules...one of our neighbor’s is an ICU nurse at the local hospital and she keeps us updated as to the latest on the virus in our community. I’d have lost my mind by now if not for this great group of neighbors. I hope you can scale back your social group to folks who can behave themselves.

[trof]

6. I envy you. That is so great.

We've decided we can't attend any more.
The risk is too great for us.

One couple is a year or two older than me.
He has dementia (I think) and still wants to go around shaking hands and sitting right next to people.

[Croney]

5. This is how we are seeing our daughter and her family.

We go sit in lawn chairs at the edge of her driveway. She sits on the porch. They moved the basketball hoop over to the driveway so we can watch the grandson shoot hoops. Sometimes his dad plays. His two sisters wave hello and then go back to making their TikToks.

[trof]

7. Our daughter and family are in Boston. We're in coastal Alabama.

We would give ANYTHING to see her and them again.
And we realize it may not happen again.
Ever.
damn

[Croney]

8. Oh surely you will see them again. This won't last forever.

Next year we will be looking back on all this and wondering how we survived.