Franz and Sally.  Mark. Cheryl and Denny. Grant. Lynn and Steve.

These are all people I haven’t talked to as much as I should. But with so much time on our hands now, here in our fourth week of quarantine in South Carolina, suddenly we have time to visit with people we met so long, long ago. Sure, you can say it’s corny, reaching out to folks ignored for months if not years.  So, sue me.

It did me good to talk with Mark for almost an hour on the phone.  He told me about his hiking adventures in India.  And he passed along news about some of our high school classmates from 50 years ago.

Franz and Sally are always good for a conversation. Their granddaughter from Nashville just spent a week with them. And Sally felt it was her responsibility to teach us how to use Zoom so we could talk together.

Cheryl’s passion is creating programs for an Arlington, Va. cable channel.  Over several years, she has produced more than 150 original Aging Matters shows dealing with the challenge of growing older. (Consider the alternative. :))

To say Jay is energetic is not nearly enough.  He’s a master carpenter; expert gardener, talented cook, and  home remodeler. He sent me a four page email asking questions, like “How come, now, we don’t hear any news about natural disasters, Afghanistan,  or crime?” 

Steve is a new ‘old’ friend.  Thirty years ago we had a second home next door to him.  He was a local, we were visitors. Our paths did not cross.  Now, he and Lynn are living two hours away and we have become fast friends. In fact, we were planning to vacation together in Paris, leaving this week.

So, that’s who they are. They are people important to Donna and me, for whom we haven’t had enough time in the past. 

Over the past month, our world has changed.  I pray the optimists who say, “We’ll get through this.” are right.  Because I love these new/old friends!

We’re still hoping to spend our 16th summer in Wiscasset - but I’m beginning to feel that the trek north is going to be more difficult this year - perhaps not possible.