Social butterflies

After more than a year, our social calendar is no longer devoid of activities other than birthday reminders.

We have done more things socially in the last two weeks than in the past 14 months. A birthday gathering, a dance recital, lunch and dinner out.

That’s crazy talk!

It all started with a friendly lunch inside an actual restaurant. I must admit, I was a little nervous at first.

Call it “social butterflies.”

I even kept my mask on while sitting at the table. Until coffee was served, that is. Then it was fine. Our server was masked, as were the other employees.

Mask-wearers don’t bother me. They provide a sense of relief and show a mutual respect for our collective well-being. And for an entire year they hid my upper lip hair.

It’s a shame that the mere sight of masks makes some people crazy. Cover your mug, and quit your whining. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Some of us are too busy having a social life again.

On Wednesday, we had a friend over for dinner – someone we hadn’t seen in months. We drank adult beverages on the patio and ate Thai takeout in the kitchen. Yum.

Then on Friday, we drove an hour to attend an outdoor birthday gathering with about a dozen other people. We mostly stayed outside, eating smoked brisket and laughing till our stomachs hurt. We sat around a blazing bonfire late into the night. It was a blast.

Sunday featured my great-niece’s al fresco dance recital in a tree-lined courtyard at Oakland University. Carefully spaced folding chairs dotted the landscape, the afternoon sun peeking through the clouds, and it was glorious. We had dinner out in another actual restaurant.

Monday brought even more fun with a traveling Broads brunch that lasted well after 5 p.m. It had been ages since we all saw each other on Zoom, but we picked up right where we left off as if it were last week. We don’t need a laugh track, that’s for sure.

Yesterday, we dropped off Mustang Sal at a repair shop across town and had an impromptu visit with my cousin and her friend, whom we hadn’t seen except for on Zoom since Christmas 2019.

This morning, Madison’s groomer was so excited to see my face that she asked if we could hug. Sure, I answered. “Isn’t this so great?” she said beaming.

It feels good to be back to almost-normal enjoying life’s simple pleasures. And it’s not random. There’s a common thread here among us social butterflies: We’re all fully vaccinated.

In the United States, we’re finally winning the battle against COVID-19, thanks almost exclusively to one weapon: the vaccines.

According to the Associated Press, about 124 million Americans have gotten both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, and the vaccination drive in the United States has been under way for barely six months. As of today, 60% of American adults have gotten at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

We’re on a winning streak, folks. Be happy, and let’s keep it going.

Before COVID-19, I took human contact for granted. I’ll never underestimate the pleasures of a friendly hug again.

Or, getting a haircut, which I’m doing tomorrow, after we hug.