Yesterday was the first day since quarantine that I've gone out. I've seen friends outside their homes and gone for walks around my neighbourhood but yesterday we drove to Barrie for a picnic. If I'm being completely honest, I was terrified to go. I was so nervous that there was going to be large crowds and I didn't want to drive an hour and then drive all the way back home because I wasn't comfortable with the setting. But I pushed my fears aside and just went with it. It was such a beautiful day yesterday, it would have been such a waste to not go out and enjoy it. So we ordered from our favourite sushi place in Woodbridge and off we went. Our intention was to go to Innisfil Beach. We loaded the car with all our picnic things and began driving. We had the music loud and the windows down it was really relaxing. After driving an hour we reach the beach but we saw cars making U-turns back to the road, we were so confused. We reached the parking lot and a worker came to the car window and asked us if we are residents of Innisfil. I said, no we don't live here but were just came to have a picnic. He replied that because of COVID they are only opening the beach to residents and we should try going to Barrie as they have less restrictions. At this point I was so annoyed and upset. We drive all this way, I pushed my fears aside just to arrive and be told we can't get into the beach. So I said to Joe, let's just go home this was such a waste of time. But he insisted we look for another place to go. So I googled another beach in Barrie and said let's hope this place is open. So we drove another 25 minutes and arrived to this beach. It was completely rammed, people everywhere. We drove into a parking lot and got out to pay. As we approached the pay box it said, this parking lot is for Barrie residents only, please display your resident pass to avoid being ticketed or towed. I turned to Joe and said you have to be kidding me. We just drove another 25 minutes to be turned away again, this is such a joke. But Joe insisted we keep driving around. So we got back in the car and drove into every parking lot we could find and every time it said, for Barrie residents only. At this point we've been driving for over an hour, I was hungry and I was mad. I said to Joe, please let's just go home this was such a bad idea, but then we came across a parking lot with a large sign that said, free 2 hour parking, residents not needed. We turned to each other and started laughing, we were so relieved we found somewhere to park. We started unloading the car and I said to Joe thank god, I'm so happy we found this. He replied, see what happens when you just take a little risk, some times the best adventures are the one's unplanned. We were pretty far from the beach at this point but we found ourselves a little park, not very crowded which was a bonus from me, with a breathtaking view of the lake.
We sat down and laid out all of our things and began to have our little picnic. We sat there for hours, looking out into the water, listening to music and talking. What started off as a terrible day, turned into such a fun afternoon. It wasn't exactly the kind of date I would usually part take in, but we both needed some alone time and some fresh air. Thinking back to last year, we would have been on a patio somewhere drinking, eating and people watching. I still can't believe what's going on around us. Although patio's have opened, I still don't feel comfortable just yet to get that close to people. I've seen what most of these patio's look like and many of them are not social distancing their guests. During our date quite a bit of people walked by us and it made me a little nervous, but I wasn't going to let my fears get the best of me. As we were driving there were hundreds of people at the beach, practically on top of one another, these people were not scared of COVID so why should I lock myself in my house while other people enjoy the weather. As long as I social distance and take precautions I should be fine. I also wasn't going to sit in 30 degree weather with a mask and gloves on. Our numbers in Ontario have come down drastically and I am so thankful we are moving forward. But it will only get better if people are still following the protocols. The weather is getting better and people are beginning to care less, I'm just hoping we don't jeopardize how far our country has come. I am so grateful to have ventured off yesterday because I had so much fun. I am also so thankful to have Joseph, who knows my anxieties and helps me work through the feelings in order to enjoy myself, he has really learned how to make me feel safe and secure. Until next time.
Deanna
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