Outdoor patio. Oasis. Same thing.

Take a load off
London, ON
September 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

In this pandemic-panic-charged era, everyday activities that were once done without a second thought - picking up groceries, getting together with friends, seeing a movie in a theatre, eating at a restaurant, you name it - are now fraught with worry.

Outdoor patios offer something of a compromise, a place to pretend that everything's normal when everything and everyone screams otherwise.

Canadian winters being what they are, though, I'm not eating here anytime soon. But when this scene from early September popped up in my feed, it triggered me, and suddenly I found myself looking forward to a warm day in spring when, perhaps, I'll be able to return here and enjoy a quiet moment with someone who matters.

I think we're beyond the point where we think we'll ever return to normal - whatever "normal" ever was.

But as this bonkers inflection point in history continues to drag on - with teases like loosened travel restrictions and limited-scope get-togethers with friends we haven't seen in ages suddenly yanked away by the rise of Omicron - I think it makes sense to look for safe harbors here and there to help us weather the storm.

If my safe harbor involves a few minutes hanging out in an alleyway while I wait for my tea to cool, I'm perfectly fine to wait a few months to experience it firsthand.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada @bxcrdonuts #masonville #retail #store #shoplocal #donuts #outdoor #patio #design #lines #brick #random #urban #monochrome #street #streetphotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins