My husband is pretty laid back and is a master of avoiding confrontation on his side of the family. It takes a great deal to get him worked up, but there is one thing he is not messing with: COVID.
His dad has an on and off switch, and very little middle ground exists. He is either working through a punch list with vigor and determination or asleep (he’s kind of like our kittens that way, though their punch list is chasing a ball of dust or toy mouse). There’s no telling where you’ll find him: scrubbing pool tiles, reorganizing the garage, up on the roof brushing tree debris off the Spanish tiles, power-washing the driveway…the list goes on. Whenever they come to visit, Chris must have a list of projects ready for him to dive into, or he’ll be restless and mopey. So, the pandemic has been very frustrating for him. Just this morning, he expressed his desire to run to Home Depot for a sledgehammer to, um, I forgot what for. Chris and his mom both discouraged him, citing Florida’s ever-growing positive cases. He acquiesced.
A little while ago, while I was in the bedroom reading, I heard Chris raise his voice, and I heard snippets like, “…because there’s a pandemic!” and “Do you want us to pack up and leave today?!” I guess Grandpa was making more noise about going on an unnecessary outing, and I think he’s now clearer on how everybody else feels about it. Chris’s mom and sister have been dealing with this since April, and it’s not easy for anyone. Once Chris’s dad left the room, his mom turned to her normally easy-going son and thanked him. It takes a village to keep each other safe.
My Corner of the Village 