Last night, I came up with an idea that turned out to be quite helpful, for hubby and me. I told hubby that we just had to get away from the house. The house is starting to become a prison, of sorts. I didn't want to go anywhere too usual, and yet not too very far, either. I lured him with the idea of a swim hole in Pennsylvania. His usual in NJ is closed because of the coronavirus. He suggested we hit the road early, so we literally got into the car by 7:30 am. Quick stop at Wawa for breakfast and lunch to go, and then on our way.

When we got to our destination, we found that there was no swim hole. Umm, I guess I remembered the park incorrectly?!?! Then we drove further on to a lake where we thought swimming was permitted. Again, no-go. In any case, the nature and weather was lovely, we distanced ourselves from the home environment, and did something far different than we've been doing for many months. It was good for both the brain and soul.

On our way home, we thought to stop at a touristy town in PA, coincidentally across the river from my childhood hometown in NJ. I naively thought the place would be comparatively quiet. After all, my current hometown in NJ is almost as touristy, and we've heard stories of a fox casually trotting across the main drag - few cars, or people, in sight. OMG! Was I wrong! It was packed to the hilt with people, seemingly rubbing shoulders to shoulders, with almost no one wearing a face mask. Restaurants there were all open, with packed outdoor seating (not sure about indoor), people not social distancing at all. Crowded at outdoor bars. It almost looked like a figurative orgy! We changed our minds about stopping there!

Oddly, the bridge that links the above-mentioned PA town to my childhood hometown in NJ was closed in one direction. I'm not sure why. Bridge work/maintenance? Or is NJ trying to keep the coronavirus petri dish, on the PA side, under some kind of control from oozing virus across the river? I can say that the restaurants in NJ are NOT open for dine in yet, including outdoor seating. Take out, delivery, or nada. Masks required when entering any establishment. When you don't, you often get told about it by staff or even other customers. Non essential shops are still closed. Barber shops and hair salons in NJ may only open again on June 22. [Yea, many of us are looking pretty shaggy in NJ!]

In defense of that PA town, the actual locals are likely mostly careful about covid-19. It's more the tourists flooding in that are careless. The restaurant owners don't even all live in the area, and are more than happy to rake in the shekels from the hoards who are clearly prematurely celebrating some "release" that may, in the end, backfire terribly!