This is my first pandemic. There’s a good chance it’s your first one, too. Things have been up-ended, plans cancelled, certainty lost. We’re all testing out new coping strategies and tricks to keep reality and the daily news cycle at bay.

For us, it started in April when we (“we” = my husband) decided on a whim to get a new puppy. The short version of the story goes like this:

• Text from friends on Wednesday saying they are picking up a new Bernadoodle puppy on Saturday
• Reply text from husband: “I want a puppy!”; reply from friends: “They have a few left.”
• Call to breeder: “I want a puppy!”
• Friends deliver our new puppy on Saturday.
• Kids veto naming him Fauci. We settle on Ferris, because “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

We quickly became a cliche as the pandemic puppy trend took hold. (This was followed by the sourdough starter craze, which hasn’t lasted as long as the puppy.)

The vacation home trend came next. It started with a familiar exchange, and with the same friends. The short version…

• Text from friends about 60 days into the stay at home order: “We put an offer on a house in Michigan.”
• FOMO took over…maybe we should look at lake houses in Michigan.
• Redfin searches ensue.
• Memorial day visit to see one – only one – house in Michigan.
• Totally remodeled, 3 bedroom, 2 bath + office space. Bonus – it’s one house away from friends.
• Offer made, negotiated, accepted in three days.
• We’re now Michigan home owners.

In our defense, we aren’t complete lemmings. We’ve visited Southwest Michigan every Labor Day (and some other days too) for the past few years. Our email boxes have long been full of property listings, prompting dreams of lazy summer mornings and sunsets on the beach. But, the dreams had always been pushed to the side by busy summer schedules of camps, trips and of course, work.

The COVID changed all that. We now had an equation that made a vacation home a smart decision.

(#WFH + “remote learning” – travel plans) * low interest rates =

LUNDAK LAKEHOUSE

Since this crisis started, I’ve journaled my list of “bright side” moments every day. Our family has been relatively unscathed during the pandemic — we are employed, we have food, shelter, and good health, we are safe. We have been lucky – so far. But no one is immune to the emotional toll of what’s happening in the world. So, my “bright side” list is my way of finding gratitude in the midst of the chaos.

Here in Michigan, our “bright side” list is long.

Come back, and I’ll share it with you.