By now, you know how much we frequent Panera and Barnes & Noble. I think we may have set a record today. We were at Panera from 8:30 to 9:30. Then we were home an hour while Kate rested. We were back shortly after 10:30 and remained there until 11:50 where Kate had her lunch.
I left for Rotary shortly after the sitter arrived at noon. When I returned home at 4:00, the sitter said Kate has rested a while after left. Then they went back to Panera at 2:00. I arrived back at home as they returned from Panera at 4:00.
Knowing that we still had almost two hours before we would have dinner, I suspected Kate would want to get out of the house even though she had just returned home. I decided to offer her a choice. We have a DVD of some of the films her father had made during the 1930s. It includes her mother’s graduation from college and some of Kate’s earliest days as an infant as well as some family times at her grandparents’ home. I asked if she would like to look at the DVD or to go someplace like Barnes & Noble. She quickly answered the latter.
Based on our recent experience, I suspected that would be her choice. Since she hasn’t been working in the yard, she has spent very little time in the house. There have been a few occasions in which I have suggested that I turn on some music and sit together in the family room. She has accepted, but she never lasts very long at all. The only time she will sit down and enjoy working on her iPad at home is after dinner in the evening while I watch the PBS Newshour.
Recently, I have tried a DVD with an opera. She hasn’t watched, but she has enjoyed listening. Last night, I hooked up my laptop to the TV and showed her a slide show that I had made of our trip to Switzerland three years ago. She seemed to enjoy that but not as much as the opera. I think that was because she still connects with music whereas as she has no memory of Switzerland. It was like looking at a travel show on TV. She did enjoy seeing the pictures of us and seemed to appreciate the beauty of Switzerland.
This desire to be out of the house must relate to being in a setting where there are other people. She notices some of the tutors here at Barnes & Noble and even comments about them. For example, she told me a little earlier how impressed she was with the tutor at the next table. She told me how supportive he was.
I must acknowledge that I also enjoy the stimulation of public situations. We are not always engaged in conversation, but I do feel a connection with the others who are here. That is especially so for those we see most often. As I have said before, I have deliberately chosen to eat out for all our meals and to make our morning visits to Panera and afternoon visits to Barnes & Noble. I didn’t, however, fully anticipate how much this might mean to both of us. It gives us a feeling of being “out and about” at a time when our world is really shrinking.
