LOOKING back, the period between March in 2020 and this year 22 had been dotted with prolonged stays at home because of the demands set in order to halt the run of the coronavirus pandemic. As such, this time of quarantine may have instilled a forced schedule on many family activities. One such is each member being particularly available during meal times.
This confined-to-barracks type of arrangement for one, reminded me of six o’clock dinner times of old, when as a child, we were strictly required to be present at dinner, already freshly-washed and clean. It was also during these times then, when you were either subject to parental grilling (how was school and your grades, etc.) or merely a captured audience to adult debates, fam dinner fun or joke times.
Last year, at the height of covid-19’s run, and during one family conversation at the table, our discussion had revolved around how long it had been since we had gone out on a long trip. We’ve noted that our last real vacation had been in 2018, when the three of us along with two aunts, flew to Luzon and got to visit the famous Hundred Island in Pangasinan. Then one year later in 2019, we had spent a few days in General Santos to test drive the family car and see relatives. Those two instances were the last times we had actually gone out of the city, conveniently right before the global quarantine took effect.
This year, roughly two years of pandemic and several lockdown levels later, a feeling of deja vu in our dinner table talk had again gravitated towards our itchy feet concerns. At long last, all restrictions (except for wearing masks and a semblance of social distancing) had been lifted and it had been deemed okay to travel again. Supposedly, last weekend was our “definite” D-Day to hit the beach, our top priority among others in our post-covid bucket list. However, that was suddenly derailed when a wristwatch that needed immediate repair was scheduled to be picked up at the mall. Ho-hum.
In the weekends prior, though excited as we were to venture out, we had merely tested the waters so to speak, by conservatively venturing nearby a little at a time for celebratory eat-outs. We had joked that while these were too passive if you compare it with other friends’ tramping through the tulips, that was comfortable pacing for us. Hopefully in the near future, when all else seems clear, we could finally have our night out at the beach and hope to finally return and visit Gensan again. A surge permitting.
