My grandchildren were born in November 2018 and in January 2020. My wife Sandy and I have seen Parker and Brooks from a distance quite a few times. On Mother’s Day, our sons with children and their wives came to our house for a social-distancing barbecue. It was great to see everyone for a longer period of time.

Until early May, I hadn’t been in my mother’s home since the middle of March. We keep a safe distance apart during our visits.

I love seeing groups of people having coffee together outdoors. I have seen many groups of four or more sitting in lawn chairs in the Market Mall area. It makes me smile every time.

I never would have thought that we would be going through what we are now. Unless you are 105-plus, you wouldn’t remember the last time the world faced a pandemic of this magnitude. Note: I am not sure a magazine called 105+ would be a big seller.

Being semi-retired, and doing freelance writing from home, means the pandemic hasn’t hit me as hard as most. I feel for those who are out of work, and for those who have had their businesses closed. I feel for those who have had loved ones touched by this horrible virus.

I have done most of the grocery shopping for Sandy and me. At first, I was apprehensive about going into a store. In the early days of COVID-19, there were people who got much too close. It freaked me out.

One time, Sandy was at a grocery store and was wearing a mask. A guy, who clearly couldn’t mind his own business, told her the mask wasn’t going to protect her. She said, “Yes, but it might protect you.” I wouldn’t have been as polite.

I read a story about a woman in line at a checkout at a grocery store. The woman behind her in line mocked her for wearing a mask. The masked woman turned to her and said, “I’m a nurse and just finished my shift at the hospital. Would you like me to remove the mask?”

I appreciate many stores in the city having a seniors’ hour, even if it is a 7 a.m. at some places. Do those running grocery stores not realize us older folks like to sleep in? It is a misconception that we live for Early Bird specials.

I went to Costco one morning for an 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. seniors’ hour. I got there just after eight and joined a fairly long line. I asked a person who was herding us at what time do people started lining up. She said 7 a.m. I don’t get that, but to each there own, I suppose. It has been great that grocery stores and greenhouses, for examples, have put arrows on the floor to create one-way traffic down aisles. I admit I have parked my cart and have briskly walked the wrong way to get something. I also admit to wanting to do a bumper-car thing to people coming toward me from the wrong direction.

I was at a greenhouse in late May, and got admonished for crossing a line. “Sir, you have to step back,” the young woman said. I looked down and, yes, I was closer to the checkout station than I should have been. I was clearly out of line, but the young woman seemed to enjoy, just a little too much, telling an old guy to step back.

I am not the sports fanatic I once was, but it has always been great knowing a hockey game or football game or whatever was on television should I want to watch one. I hope professional sports, and amateur sports for that matter, will be able to get going soon. It is sad that Grey Cup in Regina has been postponed to 2022.

I wonder how our children and grandchildren will pay for the enormous debt that has been accumulated to keep the country going and people fed.

Sandy and I haven’t spent this much time together since we were dating in the 1970s. When we got married, I worked a night shift at The StarPhoenix and she worked days at the Bank of Montreal. We were still working those shifts when our first child came along in 1987. As you know, your life changes. Sons then came along again in 1989 and 1993.

I have found that Sandy is a cool person. We don’t always have the same tastes in Netflix movies, but we have found comprises. If Sandy was writing this column, she would probably say, “What was I thinking when I married this guy 42 years ago?”

I hope all of you are safe and stay safe. The numbers of those infected with coronavirus has put us in pretty good shape compared to most places in the world, but we can’t get complacent.

This too shall pass, and we will be able to hug our loved ones again.

-Cam Hutchinson