World changes as virus dictates no human contact, stay at home, isolate

Bruce Keller and Christene (Cookie) Meyers are biking around the neighborhood, taking photos of what's happening.
Nick, their remaining Yorkshire terrier after losing his beloved twin, Nora, accompanies them for short distances.

 Whole Foods delivery man Leon  brings
fresh fish, produce, veggies and fruit.
Keller shows his ID to verify. 

KEEP ACTIVE, PICK A PLACE TO VISIT, WATCH FAVORITE VIDEOS, CREATE, KEEP ENGAGED

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

WHEN WE think of our normal life -- life B.C. -- before coronavirus -- we realize how much we took for granted: a quick trip to the store with an easy in-and-out, a stop at the wine shop for the regular purchase, a visit with our travel agent to fetch a cruise brochure, a coffee with friends after a workout or music rehearsal, all the dozens of "human" moments in our day.
How we miss a cordial visit with the neighbor we meet while walking our dogs, a pleasant conversation with the UPS man while we sign for the package, a pop in next door to deliver a bouquet and cheer to an elderly neighbor under the weather.

The beaches of southern California and much of the U.S. are closed.
Here's Torrey Pines Reserve, usually popular with hikers and surfers.

A chat at the mail box. A walk with a friend to catch up on our families. A drink with colleagues after work. The latest live theater experience.
FOR US and all of you readers, life has turned upside down.
Plays, concerts, movies are no more.
Dentist and doctor appointments are cancelled. We're reinventing life.
We stand in line on a rare store visit, marking our places on stickers set six feet apart on the floor.
Here in San Diego, our beaches and parks are roped off; we can no longer hike beautiful Torrey Pines Reserve.
Our plans for a quick, safe weekend get-away on the ocean faded yesterday when our hotel emailed us of its closure. (We'd planned to hang out in our room with a harbor view, order room service and chill.) Our favorite date-night restaurant on the ocean is closed -- even deliveries are not available.

Cookie has found Jazzercise
in videos, her salvation.

MY PAIR OF beloved Jazzercise studios -- one for weekdays, one for weekends -- are closed indefinitely. Thankfully, I can "Jazz" live three times a week now with thousands worldwide, thanks to enterprising Jazzercise On Demand. Although my writing workshops are cancelled, I can still create at the computer and play the piano.

Actor Rachel Brosnahan is "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
We're tuning in to encore watching this wonderful show. 

My partner Keller's projects are on hold -- no engineering, no contracting, no dealings with sub-contractors. Many are quarantined and those urgent on-site workers are in masks.
Our stock portfolios are in the toilet (a ray of hope for a comeback, but we're all still horribly down).  Keller's regular post-transplant blood tests and still available at Scripps Green Hospital near us, albeit through a drive-up parking lot lab behind the hospital.

Great-niece and nephew, Peny and James Ganner, at Legoland with
"Auntie Cookie" and "Uncle KK" in pre-coronavirus times. 

So we're not going anywhere at the moment. We're one of 22 million Californians trapped in our homes, and hundreds of millions worldwide.
THE GOOD NEWS is we can still write, play music, exercise, talk to our families.  Our niece and her husband, and their two precocious progeny called us on Messenger a couple days ago from their San Francisco porch.  It was wonderful to hear their voices, know they are safe and home-schooling in clever, creative ways.
 This Leo doesn't do well in a cage, Her Virgo partner is restless, too. But we keep looking forward, salvaging a laugh with favorite TV shows.

Keller and Cookie aboard a Celebrity ship, cruising the world,
their favorite diversion. Cross fingers, they'll sail again soon. 

I wrote a song to the tune of that famous show biz anthem, "That's Entertainment,"and braved posting it on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/tIw1N6CXL2g
WE'RE LOOKING to happier days when we can travel again, reminiscing about favorite trips and cruises -- to the Blue Grotto in Malta, to the Costa Brava in northern Spain, to Paris for the Folies Bergere and Lido, to Monte Carlo for gambling, to Thailand where we crammed ourselves into a tuk-tuk with intrepid Yorkshire friends. We'll cruise again, our dearest travel mode. So keep smiling.  Keep planning. Keep isolating and finding new ways to connect. We'll get through this -- together!

The usually bustling Westfield UTC Mall near us is completely deserted.
Shops, theaters, restaurants and lovely outdoor convening areas all closed.

UP NEXT: Closed! We're canvassing the neighborhood by bike in our little corner of Southern California, to see how coronavirus is affecting life, business, transportation, medical care. Entertainment and shopping are virtually at a standstill, with usually crowded parking lots completely empty and shop doors locked.  A few restaurants are serving take-out and delivery, and so far we have gas and basic groceries (with vast empty shelves and rationed paper items.) Remember through all this to explore, learn, laugh and live, and catch us Fridays for updates.