“I need a change of scenery,” I told my husband … repeatedly over the course of a couple months but more so just the past few weeks. “Let’s go for a drive.”
When we lived in Monterey County that would have been as easy as a 25 minute drive to Carmel Beach or through Pacific Grove to Lover’s Point. Or a nice hike at one of our favorite spots, most of which were less than 25 minutes away. But we now live in the Central Valley – which is surrounded by pretty much everything from lakes and rivers to forest-covered mountains and rolling hills. The only hitch is – everything is about an hour or more away.
My hubby’s eyes lit up with the thought of a drive which, in his mind, meant a trip to his recently discovered fishing spot – a lake about an hour and a half away. Fishing. Great. Not at all what I had in mind. Not even close. I was thinking more along the lines of a drive to Tahoe. We decided, though, that was a little further than what we felt up for and settled on the lake.
It took me a little to get over myself and my lack of enthusiasm for a fishing trip. But once I did, I was able to enjoy my surroundings and – I caught a fish! The first time I had fished since I was a little and I was successful.
Not only did we catch two fish of our own, a couple came up to us with their catch for the day (three more trout) and asked us if we’d like them as they already had a freezer full at home. The hubbin was stoked since he eats fish (I do not). As for me, I was happy about something entirely different – human contact.
It’s hard for me to explain but let me try …
Ever since this whole pandemic business started, life has gotten somewhat lonely. Boring even. And it’s really taken a toll on me mentally and emotionally. I’m very social. I love people (for the most part) and I have a great need of human interaction. But the fear of getting sick has just changed people. Everyone seemingly hesitant to come close or get together. So the fact that this couple came up to us and made conversation without treating us as if we might infect them … well, it was everything to me.
We spent a beautiful day together in the sunshine (I have the sunburn to prove it) surrounded by lovely wild flowers, trees, rock formations, and the rippling waters of Lake McSwain. I needed the day away. I needed the escape from the ever-present reminders of this pandemic with its masks and social distancing and weirdness between people.
We set out for a change of scenery and I’m happy to report: mission accomplished.
mylifethemixtape 