How the bell around the cat’s neck grates as she rubs her neck against the concrete. And we stopped caring so much about the cleanliness in our house. Which is counterintuitive because we were all home now all of the time, but possibly depressed. Or succumbed to the reality of our herd-like existence and the lowering of our domestic standards. Dawn and I emptied a bottle of Rose before 5 which was unusual but sublime, with the weather what it was and the general feeling of collapse crying to us both, alcohol! In the morning we walked to the lake and me with my PJs but not caring so much when we ran into some neighbors, no one really about. Frogs and birds, geese. The sense that nature had gotten a break from us and we ourselves were put on notice, reminded we’re guests here not landlords.
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Categories: microblogging, prose, writing
Bill Pearse 
Yes, definitely guests, not landlords, I can see a pandemic as a first notice of eviction proceedings. You mention wandering about in your pajamas, but the wine, this was PM, right, not 5 AM? Then what’s wrong with a glass or two of wine in the afternoon, sounds like a fine idea, as does taking a morning walk to a lake. I’m not tempted to stroll in my PJs, still in the 20’s some mornings around here. Something to be said for Wisconsin, they sell wine in the grocery stores, which makes sense, but they don’t allow that in NY.
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I know, “state stores.” Not exactly the highest level of service there. I like the roaming quality of your comment here, makes me think I should stroll our grounds now with an aperitif. Or water bottle.
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My mind is definitely roaming, the postcards become increasingly infrequent, I feel we’re distancing.
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Yes, nature is definitely getting a little bit of a break from us. The sky seems extra blue around here these days, and it’s much more quiet out. More birds singing than usual, it seems, and the people out walking and biking seem happier, say high more, wave more. I think maybe that’s what happens when we all slow down and take a breath.
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Sigh, nice words. Too bad it comes with such a consequence! Hard to get any attention otherwise perhaps.
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I might translate “host,” rather than landlord, for what it’s worth
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Ha, yes please…
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We’re all getting a little laxer about attire now that no one sees us but family!
This pandemic is a humbling experience … probably overdue …
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Humbling is right! The dark consequences aside, it’s helped our perspective some here, I hope!
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I’m having an AFN, I announced, drawing myself up to my full 3’6”.
Then I didn’t.
Nature on your doorstep sounds lovely. And dolphins in the canals of Venice.
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Yes to the dolphins! What’s an AFN Bruce?
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Alcohol Free Night. 🍷
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I’d guessed “afternoon nap”
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They’re good too! Especially if you had wine with lunch.
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Ha ha right…no wonder I didn’t get it!
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Yes, this last bit about being guests, not landlords, is how it feels. Perfect, relatable encapsulation, as always.
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Thanks Kristen! Hope your family is doing ok there…thanks for popping by! Be well.
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Yes. i’m lately seeing some depression slip in. Most evident in the body oils that leak into my eyes from lack of showering. Agitation. Tonight the internet died and died again and again and stayed dead. Me, unable to catch my breath or take a deep breath while waiting for comcast to call back.
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Ha! Comcast! Don’t get me started. We are in a compromised node, supposedly. Imagine! Feck sake, take a run.
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Gosh can you imagine having house guests like the lot of us? I’d be doing a little house cleaning too. We are so not in control, this is clear. A lot of people are not liking that, but the smart ones are in a huge cooperative effort to try and tame the beast so we can at least coexist. We are forever indebted to them.
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Yes to cooperation and taming the beast, and the kind souls who work in healthcare and our grocery stores to keep us going! Not to mention the delivery drivers. I write corporate messaging. Ha…
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“Guests not landlords.” Indeed.
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Or “hosts,” which has a darker connotation.
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