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| Bananas were growing everywhere on the island of Madeira. Many farmed for resale, while others were available for personal use. |
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We both are advocates of the value of getting Vitamin D from direct sunlight for 20 minutes a day. With all outdoor areas closed to guests in the hotel, there is nowhere we can go to get some sun directly on our skin.
Besides, it’s the monsoon season in India now, and it rains almost every day and night, often in torrents. As hard as this is to admit, based on our year’s long advocacy of the value of direct sunlight for setting bio-rhythms to produce better sleep and general health benefits, we now sit in a darkened room (with lamps on), 24 hours a day.
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| Some flowers are continuing to bloom through the summer season as is the case in the Alstroemeria. |
It happened during the first month. One sunny day, we closed the drapes on the entire glass wall due to the glare on our laptops and kept the room cool. The view isn’t pleasant and we had no interest in seeing outdoors, especially when our chairs back up to the windows.
Over the next few cloudy days, we opened the drapes but again found the glare annoying and felt no benefit from keeping the drapes open. Finally, over a week, we gradually kept the drapes closed entirely.
And now, over 100 days later, we spend each day in the darkened room with lamps on, while providing somewhat of a cozy feeling that we’ve both embraced. Now, if the cleaner leaves the drapes open after cleaning, we immediately close them in order for the room to return to its familiar ambiance.
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| What were these red things growing on a tree in our yard? |
The fact is that it may be more beneficial with the drapes open right now as we continue in lockdown month after month. However, right now, our general comfort seems to be of the utmost importance to us.
We walk daily and Tom adds in numerous flights of stairs to his walks in the corridors. I’m up to no less than three miles, almost five km, per day at a good pace, although I break it up into several segments to avoid sitting for any length of time. Tom does his exercises while our room is being cleaned.
Are we hiding away in a darkened room during these trying times? Is it impacting our moods? We aren’t hiding away but feel right now that avoiding the glare and the less-than-desirable view has a more positive impact on our ability to stay positive, contrary to what “they” may say.
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| These berries were growing on a palm-type tree in the garden. |
Each has to find ways to console and comfort ourselves during these challenging times while easing the stress of confinement. Our dear friends Kathy and Don, who are currently living in Oahu, Hawaii (when not at their home in Marloth Park, to which they aren’t allowed to travel at this point), can walk outdoors and get together with friends at outdoor restaurants while maintaining social distancing.
Enjoying a glass of wine or a drink with friends (or even with each other) would be such a treat along with the opportunity to walk outdoors in the sunshine. However, it’s not as if we didn’t appreciate it in times past. Our level of appreciation in times to come will surely be over-the-top.
We hope you are safely able to be outdoors in bright sunlight and perhaps enjoy snippets of time with friends and family at safe distances.
Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, July 15, 2019:
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| With great reviews on TripAdvisor, it’s no wonder many visitors stopped by the unique eatery, The Misunderstood Heron in Connemara, Ireland with its stunning scenery. We didn’t order any food when all of it included wheat and high carbs. For more photos, please click here. |