Reflecting on past travels, and yearning for more
I’m hopeful our new RV will allow us to continue to enjoy life on the road in a pandemic. Sen here in the beautiful Berkshires.
Three hundred and sixty five days ago we rolled out on our road trip, and we haven’t returned to normal since.
Today marks one year since we embarked on our road trip. It was a trip I looked forward to for weeks, months. I still remember being giddy with glee as I pulled out of my dads driveway, eager to experience new adventures, visit new places and reunite with old friends. I couldn’t wait to discover the unknown, untether myself from the day to day and fulfill my sense of wanderlust.
It was three hundred and sixty five days ago but it seems like a lifetime. Never did I expect to return home from the trip in a pandemic, the world changed in a way that doesn’t seem like it will ever be undone. Feb 7, 2021 was a day filled with so much excitement and anticipation, a feeling so few and far between these days.
On our first day of the road trip we drove to Dave and Nora’s house in Clinton Corners, a place that has long been a sanctuary for me, a place filled with love, warmth, friends and good food. It was only right that it marked our first stop.
The ride there always conjures up a lot of emotions for me, as well as tears, as it’s the route I was on when I first learned that my nephew Mason was born at only 24 weeks. There’s an aptly named Love’s gas station on the Mass Pike we stop at every time, where I took that dreaded phone call. I was shaking and sobbing my way across the parking lot, with continuous thoughts of my sister-in-law Sybil who passed away in childbirth looping in my head, fearful for my sisters fate and that of Mason’s. So yeah it’s always been a pretty heavy drive for me.
Just last month however we were able to make that same trip to Dave and Nora’s again. My emotions were running high again, only this time it was because I have long been denied such experiences with my friends and was finally getting a taste again. The trip required a two week quarantine in advance and a negative test result, a different kind of trip preparation than we have ever dealt with, and a cry from what we had to do be for venturing out on our road trip last year. But everything we have been denied these last several months is what made it so remarkable, even with all of the extra red tape.
My heart nearly burst as I hugged my sweet Norie, my other second half whose love and friendship I hold so dear. Finally I had arrived to my safe place. Over the course of three days Nora, Dave, Gavin, Jerry, Louise and I played house just like the old times. The only difference was there were two pandemic puppies, a masked hike, and we picked our groceries up via curbside.
Aside from that it was just like the old days, the before times, and I basked in the effortless of our time together, during a period of life where everything has gotten so. damn. Hard. For 72 hours the pandemic evaporated and didn’t occupy my head space. No zooms, no hand sanitizer, no running inside to take a shower or racing into a store hoping to get out as soon as possible. Just three days of laughter, love, a dance party, a murder mystery, delicious eats, warm fires, nice strolls and togetherness. It was simply magical and it filled my soul. I realize how privileged I am to have had this opportunity, to be able to work from home to quarantine like that, and to have all the resources to do it, and for that I am most grateful.
Another added bonus of my magical trip was that it marked our first trip in our new RV! Gavin had been hesitant about our sweet new acquisition but I think the trip won him over, a mobile toilet where he can pee whenever he needs to offered quite the selling point ;) Following our time at Dave and Nora’s we spent two nights in the Berkshires parked on a lovely property in Sandisfield thanks to Boondockers Welcome, a website where hosts can offer their property for mobile homes to park for free.
Despite chilly temps at night, the RV stayed toasty enough between our electric space heater and propane heat. We ate frozen pizza and ramen, colored and planned our vision for the upgrades we intend to make inside. We traversed through the snowy trails of the Berkshires, and basked in its beauty and solitude, another safe place where we could enjoy being away from home without being reminded of the anxiety of COVID. It felt gooooooddd.
When we returned home I was already eager to leave again, knowing that the foreseeable days will look like more of the same, 8-10 hours a day at my computer with a one hour break for a walk, dinner at home, something on TV, maybe Yahtzee, repeat. It’s not a bad life but a boring one, especially for this social, adventurous spirit. So now I stay home, power through work and studies, with my fingers crossed that we’ll hit the open road again next month and refuel my need for togetherness and wanderlust.
Something I’m looking forward to: Possibly getting a puppy! We applied to two agencies this weekend after confirmation from our landlord that we could have one here. We’ve missed having a dog and have been reluctant to get a new one given the size of our house and the fact that we travel a lot. But given the circumstances we think we can opt for a smaller dog and have him tag along with us wherever we go. Simply put, puppies bring joy and we need it.
Something I’m having mixed feelings about: The vaccine. It’s slowly rolling out and so far feedback has been good, with minimal side effects for most. I’m still not excited to get it, but I will, in efforts to protect myself and to help curb the greater spread.
Something I’m feeling good about: I’m halfway through Whole 30, losing some weight, feeling good and feeling in control of what I put in my body. I was delighted with a cauliflower broccoli pizza crust I made last night and my mind was blown by a compliant apple mustard sauce my husband made. Whole 30 ain’t so bad when I have a private chef husband to cater to my compliancies.
Something that’s worrying me: I have to go get blood work reviewed on Tuesday, based off a weird incident last month where I passed out. I felt foggy for weeks after and am just starting to feel normal. It freaked me out and reminded me how vulnerable I am to my body, especially my brain and all that it allows me to do. Hoping the incident was not indicative of anything serious and that I can continue on as the high performing adult I am. They warned me getting old wouldn’t be fun…
Something I’m missing extra hard today: My family. It’s Super Bowl Sunday and the Chiefs face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last year I was watching the Super Bowl along with my family in Miami at the Chiefs hotel, before celebrating the win at the official (and epic) Chiefs Super Bowl party. Had it been normal times we would likely be gathering with the Spagnuolos watching the game together, sharing snacks and basking in our pride for Uncle Steve. I joke with Gavin that he might’ve gone to the last normal Super bowl ever.
What I’m reading: My first read of the day was a story in the Wall Street Journal talking about the longevity of COVID and this bizarre new normal, and the likelihood of endemic disease that will be with us for a very long time, shattering any notion of us returning to something that resembles normalcy for a while. To that I say well that sucks, and I’m glad I have an RV.