The Stillroom

Dianna, the owner of Diamond Antiques has reopened under the safety guidelines recommended by the CDC.

It has been a very long two months. Who would have ever, in a million years, thought we would find ourselves in a world wide pandemic.

My concern in this moment is that now that we know what to do to keep ourselves and others safe and stores begin to do a soft open, is that we will unknowingly relax the safety measures we are just beginning to learn to do as we gain shopping freedom.

It is a double edged sword. I have had moments when I would go to pick up meds for my parents and realize I forgot my mask. I absolutely turned around and went home to grab mine. I would never go unmasked in public knowing what I know now. And more importantly, what I do not know.

On one hand, people are worried about haircuts and how unfair it is that they can’t get one. Then you have the stylists that are hesitant to come back into the work force, concerned for their own safety. If a shaggy head of hair or not getting that ink you wanted, or to be able to have a beer with your buds is your biggest issue, you aren’t getting the big picture.

There is no easy way around any of this. I help take care of my aging parents so it is important to me to keep my circle very small as far as engaging with the public. I am also old enough to be in that category of being at risk just because I’m, well, older myself.

The numbers of the virus is dropping in our state. If that is due to being in quarantine for two months, we will soon find out. I am going to just watch the cases either continue on the downward slide or heaven forbid, the opposite.

So, on that note, welcome back to something that feels right and familiar to us.

Not asking, but politely telling you to follow the CDC guidelines. There are a handful of the staff that will be back in the store behind the counter to keep the store operating once again.

RESPECT