Hey Longboat Key residents, need a change-up in your quaran-routine?

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, the itch to return to normal life demands to be scratched. If you’re still trying to stay home as much as possible, it’s time to get creative with your daily activities. Maybe you're not ready to hit the hair salons, but if your split ends are giving you a splitting headache, there are ways to cope. 

Embrace the new normal with these swaps for your daily activities. 

If you can't ... 

Have a fancy dinner 

Did you miss out on the chance to be part of the 25% allowed to dine at your favorite restaurant? You can still get take out, right? No, plopping down carryout clamshells on the kitchen table isn’t quite the same as being led to a splendidly set table, but you can try to mimic the real thing. Get out the good china for Friday night takeout and work with your quarantine buddies to set the table for a party of however many are in your household. Lay out the takeout menus, roll the cutlery up in a napkin and go European with a carafe of water on the table for when you need refills. I have a feeling that pesky waiter won’t be very attentive this evening. 

Get your hair done or cut 

These swap-ins are not for the faint of heart. But they may be just the thing for the desperate. Of course, there’s no guidelines on how long to go between salon visits, hair touch-ups or trims, but people are often used to monthly or bimonthly visits. Well, the month is long past, and we’re creeping up on two. Instead of going to the salon, enlist the help of a quarantine buddy, a mirror, scissors and piles of patience. Perhaps invest in a pair of haircutting shears for a good, sharp edge. If your hair is straight, dampen it to get a clean line, and if it’s curly, snip while dry to work with your natural texture. Men, you’ve got it easy. Reset the haircut calendar with a clean buzz cut, or grab a big kitchen bowl and follow its easy template! And remember, the Observer is not liable for your haircut results. 

Play tennis 

The Longboat Key Public Tennis Center is open, but if singles or no socializing is your tennis bag,  hone your skills on a smaller scale. Yes, we’re talking table tennis. No need to purchase a full table when a kitchen table works just fine. There are sets that include nets you can strap over the middle of the table, or you can just set up a few rolls of toilet paper in the middle and enlist your quarantine buddy to play across from you.   

Shake hands 

Though we see far fewer people day-by-day than we used to, you still come across another human being from time to time — when at the grocery store, while out walking or waiting to grab take out from a local restaurant. How the heck are you supposed to greet someone these days? Smiling at strangers is out, with masks covering all but the eyes, and you’re not supposed to get close enough to even bump elbows. So, if you see a friend or acquaintance, resist the urge to stick out your hand and try a bow instead. It can be formal and stiff, or jazzed up with a flourish of the arms, and you need plenty of space — make sure to keep it to at least six feet — to bow at another person and not knock heads. 

Sit in traffic

Now is about the time when season is really, truly over, and seasonal residents and vacationers head north. For those who live in the area year-round, with the mass exodus comes the relief of uncongested roads.The coronavirus pandemic hit during the height of a season in which traffic seemed worse than ever, but don’t feel alone if you find yourself ever-so-slightly missing traffic, as it marked more normal days. Hop in your car, call up a flash of anger towards your fellows, and … Sit in the driveway. Pound the horn a couple times. Never take it out of park. Feeling normal yet? 

Go to the pool 

Do you have a bathtub? If so, you can still have a nice soak. Tan not included. Seriously though, if you miss swimming for exercise, there are ways to make sure your muscles remember how to do it when you can swim in the lanes again. Try “Supermans,” a floor-based exercise that basically mirrors swimming on dry land. Lay on your stomach and raise an arm and the opposite leg, and keep alternating 10-15 times. 

Have a reason to get dressed up 

The churches of Longboat Key remain closed for in-person services and live-streaming is how worship happens these days. Your church clothes may be gathering dust and your sweatpants have maybe become your new uniform, but you might feel a semblance of normalcy if you change out of your jammies every now and then. Reach back for your favorite Sunday dress when you sit down for live-streamed church. Or, if your new big outing is scouting the Publix aisles for toilet paper, treat it as such by putting on real pants and a nice shirt.