On A Quest For 'Normal'

   A few weeks ago, my wife and I took some time off.  It was way overdue and a greatly needed break from our hectic work life.  Because while many others have been out of work, or staying at home under “quarantine,” we have both been working harder than ever, longer hours than ever, with days that begin before sunrise and rarely ending before midnight.
 
   We debated whether or not we should take this time off, because we KNOW that when we do that, we return to an enormous backlog of work that must be immediately attended to.  
 
   We were also hesitant because we were not sure what we would find if we were to venture out of our area.  Would we encounter lockdowns, “mask laws” or perhaps even violent protests in the streets?  ...But we decided to go, because we desperately needed a rest, a change of pace and time to refresh and renew.  My wife also pointed out that, in light of what is quickly coming upon the world, this may well have been our last opportunity to go anywhere.
 
   So we went.  Our ultimate destination was central Ohio, where we joined the Salt and Light Brigade for their annual National gathering.  But we left early, to revisit some of the places we used to go on camping trips when our kids were little, and also see some areas of the count ...