Affected By Others

Last night I sent multiple pictures to Brett and Meg from our local paper showing the lack of respect for the mask order in our county.  Members of the North Webster Chamber of Commerce and County Commissioners were photographed without masks and without social distancing.  My favorite was the Leesburg Council with two members "wearing masks" although neither even closely covered their noses.  I captioned the pictures with "I hate it hear.  No one cares."

Neither Brett nor Meg were surprised by the pictures or my comments.  I have complained about the selfishness of some in our community for longer than just the pandemic.  Doug has reminded me that this does not apply to everyone.  He is completely right.  Bethany has strictly adhered to the recommendations of the health department these past few weeks.  It is a relief to me when I drop Cam off or pick him up and see how much effort they have put into making the school a safe place to learn.  I even saw the athletic director wear a mask while riding in a golf cart around campus.  These actions have reflected in the students as the majority take the precautions seriously.  I have also been impressed with Menards' mask policy.  They came under fire in social media in May when they required masks at all of their stores.  They did not back down from their position and it is why I feel completely comfortable shopping there.  

Overall, however, this has not been the norm and has altered what we can and cannot do in our community.  Meg has lived in both Bloomington and Syracuse this past year and she realizes that the culture of care that Bloomington has fostered has made living there during a pandemic so much easier.  She doesn't have to worry about where she goes as almost everyone wears masks and it is easy to stay away from those who don't. Even St. Paul's requires a mask and has a sign up list to attend mass to keep within social gathering limits.  The majority of  businesses have followed the rules on outdoor dining and social distancing.  It is so different than our experience here.  Bars and restaurants have been crowded since they reopened in late spring.  We don't go to church  yet as it just doesn't feel that safe.  Groups have still been hosting social events without limit to numbers and no masks required.  Some days I get really angry about it, others I just don't care.  For the most part I actually enjoy the slow pace that the pandemic has brought to life in the Heinisch home.  Cam and Doug seem to agree with that.  The only thing that we all really miss is Bloomington.  Thus, once tennis is over we plan to make a visit our top priority.