"Merry" Month of May Meme: the New Normal.

 Pauleen Cass as set us a challenge for May, with a "Merry" Month of May Meme: the New Normal.

This was a photo I took on one of our walks. Someone had placed a chair in a garden in a park, nothing else around. I called it isolation.

Has your day-to-day life returned to how it/you functioned previously?

No, it hasn’t. We still avoid large crowds, still wear masks and I still do our grocery shop online.

If your “new normal” is different from your “old normal”, can you share some of the ways it’s changed?

Our “new normal” has meant that we aren’t eating out as much, choosing where we socialise, a picnic in the park instead of someone’s house. Not travelling as much and if we do, staying in cabins or self-contained places, not hotels or motels.

Do you think these will be long-term changes for you?

Some might be but others no. I like having friends over for meals, so we will do that, going and doing a big grocery shop, not going to happen as I rather like someone else doing it for me.

What personal benefits have you gained from the change of pace and experiences in the past two years?

I am enjoying not having to travel to attend meetings, so gaining more personal time. I’ve started a ‘coffee and chat’ group and every Monday we set the world right, via Zoom. That has been a great way of keeping in touch, as we would only see each other once a month, before Covid.

Do you think the disadvantages have outweighed the benefits for you and/or family and friends?

Here in NSW, we had it better than my family in Victoria, until the middle of last year, when we had a 5k distance limit imposed. That did cut us of from even seeing friends and that hurt. Not seeing our Sydney family and having the little ones stay really upset us. I think the spontaneity of waking up and deciding to go for a drive because it was a nice day and not being able to do that was grating.

What do you value most about your new normal?

I value the connections in the street, we all still look out for each other and stop and chat, rather that wave and drive by.

What do you consider have been the main influences: covid infection, restrictions and isolation, other health issues, changing inter-personal interactions?

Covid, restrictions and isolation were/are the big ones for us. Being retired we would go away, fairly frequently and while we did do some travel, in the past two years, it has been severely restricted.

What is your view of in-person meetings (social or genealogy) and do you love or hate zoom meetings?

I like Zoom but miss the interaction but don’t miss the train travel to get to some meetings or being in big crowds. Did my first in-person class this past week and it felt strange.

What was the main activity and/or person that supported you through the unpredictable times?

Hubby and I walked as much as we could, getting out was a blessing and I would take my camera and take interesting photos of different things.

Has your community developed a new normal or just returned to the old one? What differences do you see, if any?

 I thought it was developing a new normal but while some wear masks (and it is becoming more frequent), some think Covid is gone, so everything is okay and are reverting to the old one.