We asked readers to tell us how they’re coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we bring you some of the responses. We will publish more in the days ahead. To read all of the Coping series, click here.

The day before had been a good day.  I had done an hour-long virtual yoga class, studied Spanish on Duo Lingo and practiced piano.  A quiet and calm day.

But, this day, today, this was going to be a special day, and we both felt it.  This was manifest in my wardrobe.  Gone were my yummy cotton yoga pants/pajamas that I wore day and night. And gone was my reversible Bishop O’Dowd football jersey that my 42-year-old son had worn when he was a freshman in high school.

No, in the mirror was a smart-looking civilian, with freshly washed hair. There I was in those black jeans with a pale-pink, cotton crewneck sweater.  I gilded the lily with gold hoop earrings.

“Wow,” my partner, Mr. Stivie, said, “You look hot.  Will you be my date?”

“You bet, good looking.  You bring the masks and I’ll follow you anywhere.”

We were both feeling excited, checking to make sure we had our list, our masks and our hand sanitizer.  It was a special day.  We were going out.  We were going to Berkeley Bowl senior shopping hour from 9-10 a.m.  I’m sure there was a time when going to Berkeley Bowl to shop was a usual, even often-trying event, but I barely remember those days anymore.

Susan Mara Gill
Oakland

To read other submissions from readers about how they are coping during the coronavirus shutdown, click here.

We also welcome more submissions. Whether you’re working from home, out of work or a critical frontline worker, we’d like to hear from you. Think of this as an opportunity to share with other readers. Not about politics, but about how you’re getting by and how this challenging time affects you.

Send submissions to COVID19@bayareanewsgroup.com. Please include, for publication, your name and your city, and a horizontal photo of you. Please also include, not for publication, your address and phone number. Please limit your thoughts to 250 words.