I’m going to give up sweets for the month of April! I thoroughly enjoyed my tea party last week and truly felt like I’d earned it after meeting three deadlines in five days. But I need to find a reward that doesn’t involve sugar…I priced trips to Glasgow and Copenhagen over the weekend, thinking that might make a nice birthday gift. But right now there are lengthy quarantine requirements in place and I only want to visit for three or four days. It’s hard to make plans during a pandemic and we’re not out of it yet; Illinois is opening up vaccinations to folks with underlying conditions but I don’t think this Black, middle-aged asthmatic will be vaccinated until May or June. The rollout is happening but not as quickly as we’d like and the variants are ensuring that the virus continues to spread. I don’t mind keeping up with my quarantine precautions. I’ve been keeping my own company for so long that the thought of being around other people makes me anxious. I’ve lived off-peak for years, mind you, and doubt that will ever change; I went into the pandemic knowing how to avoid crowds and don’t miss attending concerts or sporting events. I’m heading into the city tomorrow for an appointment and might just wander around for a while. And the following week my in-person art class starts—I mostly feel excited about that. I’ve done better at building space into my schedule and want to add just one or two new things to my routine. My hot flashes have diminished thankfully but now mood swings are kicking in…some days it feels like I’m revisiting puberty, which was bad enough the first time around! At least now I’m able to be kinder to myself but there are also days when I simply avoid the mirror. I try not to say anything to myself that I wouldn’t say to my teenage nieces…and I’ve learned not to cut my hair when I’m feeling blue. If there’s anything this pandemic has taught us, it’s to be generous and compassionate toward others and ourselves. Not easy but always worthwhile.