From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
May 7, 2020

reflecting on an essential errand

Last weekend I drove to my fiancé Bob’s home to drop off a banker’s dozen of blueberry hazelnut oatmeal cups. Because Long Island is a hot spot of the Coronavirus pandemic, I hoped the box of breakfasts would help delay his next trip to the supermarket.

Earlier that week, when trying my first and only cup, I was unpleasantly surprised how the sugar overpowered the grain-fruit-nut combo, but Bob famously enjoys eating any food that isn’t a hard boiled egg.

Garden City Park, New York, U.S. May 2, 2020. Bob Stuhmer, social distancing in his front yard, has box of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Blueberry Hazelnut Oatmeal Cups on his stoop. (© 2020 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

After I parked across from Bob’s house, our social distancing swap-dance began:

I carried the oatmeal box to his front stoop, where I left it, and then walked back to the curb.

Then Bob came outside, walked to a curb area far from me, and left a bag with two bottles of chardonnay he picked up from outside the entrance of a nearby liquor store.

He went back by his stoop, and I picked up the bag, put it in my car trunk, and returned to the curb.

Garden City Park, New York, U.S. May 2, 2020. Dusk falls on suburban street in Long Island. (© 2020 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

As we were chatting, Bob looked up and past me, saying, “Look at the beautiful sky!” I turned around to see the golds, pinks, mauves and violets of dusk grow.

Using my iPhone 11 Pro, I captured a colorful photo, but along with the sky and houses, it included a less-than-picturesque parked car (mine) across the street, and a truck parked along the curb next to me.

Faced with the intriguing challenge, and after some trial and error, I decided to stand at the side of the truck and position my cell phone by its roof.

The truck, which had been a distraction, an obstacle, transformed into a giant reflector that helped me capture intriguing scenes. Yes!

fyi fLI
Because I must avoid gluten, it’s crucial I use reliable brands of gluten free food, such as Bob’s Red Mill. Thought not a fan of the oatmeal flavor I gave Bob, I’ve been enjoying their Apple Pieces and Cinnamon, Maple with Raisin, and Organic Classic oatmeal during the Novel Coronavirus “New York State on PAUSE” stay-at-home.

Bob’s Red Mill is in partnership with No Kid Hungry (NoKidHungry.org).

FEATURE PHOTO at top of post: Garden City Park, NY, U.S. May 2, 2020. Dusk falls on suburbia, including Engel home, on Long Island.

Garden City Park at Dusk: my PHOTO GALLERY

COVID-19 useful links:

• New York State gov’t: Novel Coronavirus
• CNN: Coronavirus news, tips, podcast
• New York Times: Coronavirus news & useful guidance
• Newsday: Coronavirus blog
• World Health Org: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

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