COVID19 changed everything in March, 2020.  Spring and summer plans changed.   Seniors began to shelter at home.  Many, like my wife and myself, still are at home.

COVID19 Equals No Boating

Our boat did not move from winter storage.  Days on the lake are part of spring and summer fun.  Not this year.  There was no boating, no swimming, no walking on the beach and no beach bonfires.  We decided not to risk our health even with social distancing.  So, we stayed home.

COVID19 Equals No Traveling.

Traveling to see grandchildren was out of the question this summer.  We started our little motor home to keep the engine healthy, but it didn’t move since last taken on a trip in December.  We haven’t wanted to fly because of the closeness of passengers.  We could have driven places, but were reluctant to stay in hotels.  We did take day trips to family who live close by.  Long distance traveling wasn’t an option for us

Fun Things for Seniors to Do While Stuck at Home

Play Games

This summer, we played outdoor games like lawn bowling, lawn darts and corn hole.  We haven’t had time for these silly games for decades.  With  a lot of laughter, trash talking, beer drinking and suntanning, days flew by despite never leaving home.  Even the dog got into the fun begging everyone to try to chase her and get the toy.

We played indoor games.  A variety of puzzles challenged us in the evening.  Some had 500 pieces.  Some had 300 pieces.  Some were complicated scenes with subtle color changes.  Others had more distinguishable pieces.  Board games, dice games, card games, question games and picture games all took their turn entertaining during the hours at home.  There were no grandchildren around, but just us old folks laughing until we cried.  There’s no shame in enjoying a game suitable for 3 year olds and up.

Garden

We have a variety of fruit trees in our yard including apple, orange, lemon, avocado and fig.  We also have grapes and artichokes.  In summers past, the gardens were a joy but often at the bottom of our to-do list. This summer we pruned, weeded, shaped, fertilized, water and picked.  There was a real sense of contented fulfillment in maintaining these trees.  Flower gardens in both the front and back yards also needed work.  At the end of gardening days, we were exhausted by happy.

Just Sit

There’s a couch, a little cabaret set with two chairs, a bar with stools, the grass, a picnic bench, a hot tub and a fire pit in the yard.  During normal times, all of these places to sit are mostly used for decoration.  These are not normal times.  We found ourselves sitting at the picnic bench for lunch talking over a sandwich and a coke.  The couch was a place for enjoying the warm breeze in the sun.  We grabbed a vacant bar stool for a cool beer in the evening.  When the moon rose and the stars came out, we found ourselves luxuriating in the hot tub.  Before COVID19, our busy schedules kept all these places to sit vacant.  We talked back then, but not as much.

As Seniors, we are concerned about COVID19.  But, staying home to stay healthy has been great.  We stopped running from here to there. We didn’t meet people for this and that.  We stopped finding entertainment over there doing that. We stay home because we are vulnerable.  It turns out that this time was a gift.  We’ll start doing things away from home again, eventually.  We’ll visit family and friends again.  We’ll even travel again.  But we will always know that our home is a safe sanctuary and how much we enjoy being at home together.