Social Distancing – Valerie's Voice

Coffee Shops

I like coffee…and coffee shops. So does my husband. My town, Northfield, supports six coffee shops for 20,000+ people. It seems coffee shops are one business that usually “makes it” in small towns.

An antique creamer filled with milk set next to a coffee cup for perspective.

I remember traveling with my parents when I was younger and going to cafes in small towns, where my mom and dad would get their coffee. At that time there was only one kind of coffee to choose from (well…maybe two…caffeinated and decaffeinated). If you wanted cream it came in little, individual glass bottle sealed with a paper cap. I liked to drink any left over cream my dad didn’t use in his coffee.

It seems coffee shops are the new “cafes”. It’s easier to find a coffee shop in small towns, than a cafe.

On our way home from our recent road trip to Colorado we decided to get off the interstate for the last 400 miles of our drive. Instead of staying on Interstate 80 we took back roads through parts of Nebraska and Iowa into Minnesota. We made fine time with less traffic and less rush.

In the entrance to Milady Coffeehouse is a mural of the May brothers, and three antique bicycles on display, which we always like to see.

On road trips usually our first task when we start out is to find coffee. We have a cup of coffee at the hotel but we always look forward to getting a better cup of coffee at a coffee shop.

The kitchen wall and more tables in the balcony.

We scouted out one coffee shop along the new route, not far from the hotel, but when we got there we discovered it was closed on Sundays. So we went on to the next town searching for the next coffee shop, which happened to be Fremont, Nebraska.

Set up for streaming a church service on the big screen.

We were delighted with our find of Milady Coffeehouse in the historic downtown area, not far off our route. It was housed in an old restored building, the May Brothers Building built in 1881, with eclectic décor and delicious coffee choices.

Brick, crystal chandelier and metal art…a fun combination.

It was not crowded so we enjoyed looking around. There was a small stage with a big screen TV and they were preparing to stream a church service, with social distancing. There were groupings of sofa and chairs, counter with stools, hi-top tables with chairs, all around the large gathering space.

The name Milady comes from a brand of coffee that the May brothers sold within the same walls 130 years ago, when it was the May Brother’s Wholesale Grocery. There was an old “Milady” coffee tin and jar on display.

It was a fun diversion for our coffee break that morning, to find such a great place on the back roads. Too bad this wonderful coffee shop is 330 miles away.

I liked this artwork in the women’s bathroom.

A Social-Distance Baby Shower

I was invited to a baby shower recently. A baby shower during a pandemic is difficult to plan. Originally it was going to be held using Zoom, the communication app that has become popular these days. However, as the date grew closer and the weather became nicer the event planners figured out a way to bring people together for the shower.

The hostesses created a festive atmosphere that adhered to “physical distancing” guidelines…(I heard a commentator say it’s not really social distancing but physical distancing – we still need to continue socializing). They also had Zoom up and running since there were out of town guests participating.

So, I put on a dress for the first time in months and added a touch of make up and headed out the door for an exciting event that almost felt “normal”.

It was a lovely Minnesota morning. The gathering was outdoors. Chairs were set up in a circle, all 6 feet apart, in a beautifully landscaped front yard.

Next to each chair was a white paper bucket filled with ice and a small bottle of prosecco and a small bottle of orange juice and a plastic flute glass to make our own mimosas. I thought that was a clever idea.

The individual goodie box placed on each chair.

On each chair was a box with a muffin from Martha’s (a local bakery), a jar of yogurt, a clementine, a cookie, and the paper and pen needed for games. No prizes were awarded however, due to the participants on Zoom…how would they get their prize?

The mom-to-be was able to enjoy opening her gifts with others surrounding her with love and attention.

People are definitely finding creative ways to make things work in this strange world we are living in right now.

As March Ends…

Each year I have a book printed of my blog postings as a birthday present to myself. March 31^stis my cut off for the previous twelve months so I wanted to record a little of what’s been happening in our world with this global pandemic.

An example of “social distancing.” I watched these two friends keep their distance as they chatted after putting their groceries in their cars. They walked toward each other but stopped to keep at least 6″ distance and visited for several minutes.

Life as we knew it changed dramatically this month (March 2020). About March 13 the WHO (World Health Organization) declared a Pandemic. Within two weeks we went from normal, busy activities to being ordered, on March 27 (State of Minnesota), to “stay at home” to keep the COVID-19 virus from spreading. Restaurants have closed and non-essential businesses have closed. People have been asked to work from home. Schools have gone to online teaching…no children are meeting in schools. Our church services have been cancelled and services are online now.

We’ve learned new terms such as “social distancing” – keeping six feet away from others when talking with or meeting a person, and “flattening the curve” – trying to slow down the number of people who are getting infected with the virus to avoid overloading the medical system. We are learning how to use online video applications such as Zoom to stay connected with others.

Some activities in our personal world right now…jigsaw puzzles, the game Bananagrams. And see “Cool Blue” the blue kangaroo in the window? People are putting stuffed animals in their windows so children can have stuffed animals to look for when they go for walks. I love that idea.

I’m grateful we are allowed to get outside and walk and bike. I walk daily. Gary continues to either bike or walk.

Many of us are experiencing grief…the loss of control in so many areas of our lives. No one knows what comes next. And no one has the answers. This is unprecedented.

There will be many financial repercussions too. This is a difficult story.

I lean on one of my favorite scripture verses:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
Lean not on your own understanding
Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways 
And he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3: 5-6

Coloring is another calming activity for me.

An article I read recently labeled the next generation as “Gen C’s”… C for coronavirus… since the world will never be the same from now on. Gen C’s will only know life after the coronavirus… life after the ”new normal” sets in.

Our world has turned upside down! I wonder what the new normal will be…