Of Rules and Common Sense

I think people in Ontario and other provinces that have suffered long lockdowns due to Covid should be given a Nobel Prize for stamina, humour and tolerance.

As cases continue to climb here in Nova Scotia, our two week provincial lockdown is going to be extended. Our Premier has stated that more restrictions will likely be added.

It's nothing like what people elsewhere have had to put up with for a great deal longer, but I am beginning to have a sense of being trapped.

It's laughable really. Unlike many, especially in urban settings, I have a lovely garden to sit in, and a wonderful view. There are no cases where we live. And I just rode my bike across the causeway traversing the Annapolis River to the hardware store. This is a trip of less than 2 kilometers by bike and it would be at most two hundred meters if I had a boat.

However, technically, I have broken the law and could be subject to a $2,000 fine since we are not supposed to leave our "municipality".

The hardware store, which I have in my line of vision from our back room, is in Annapolis Royal. This is its own separate “municipality”. We in Granville Ferry are part of the Municipality of Annapolis County: i.e., these are two separate municipalities even though we in Granville Ferry are side by side and our "Municipality" is surrounding Annapolis Royal.

Initially it was that we were not to leave our "community", which was to be defined by "common sense". Rigid rules unfortunately overshadow common sense. Admittedly, common sense is hard to enforce.

Indeed, unless I want to travel 25 kilometers out of my way within the bounds of our Municipality, I have to pass through Annapolis Royal to get to another part of our "Municipality" just three or four kilometers away. Further, our Municipal office is actually located in Annapolis Royal, as are our dentist, pharmacist, medical clinic and Emergency Department, as well as our closest grocery stores and liquor store.

It may be that the law enforcers would exercise common sense; but sadly, typically law enforcement is not prone to such a talent.

Here endeth the rant. And it's a lovely but chilly day.