This pandemic thing, April's end...

The tools of my trade.

And a cowbell...because sometimes you just need more cowbell.

At work I think of things I want to say here.  I get home and I'm too tired or distracted to put them down.  

I'm thirsty.  I need to make masks.  I want a hot bath.

I can't think of words lately...I pause in my speech thinking that they will come, but the pauses string out interminably...embarrassingly.

The other day I had to call our home office for some instruction on an issue I was having.  As I was explaining the situation, my voice sounded funny to me, and I blurted out to the home office associate I was speaking to, "Do I sound hoarse to you...do I sound like a hypochondriac?"  He said, "You sound fine to me.  I think we're all imagining symptoms."  LOL

I have birthday and Mother's Day cards to make this weekend, so maybe there will be a Saturday snail mail post.  I also need to make a week's worth of masks for each of us; but if I could get a few made this weekend I would be happy with myself.  And I need to trim Rudy's nails.  Those are my only plans for the weekend, and I will be ecstatic (and surprised) if I complete them all.

Seven random thoughts on the 7th...

1.  A couple of months ago I subscribed to Freshly meal delivery service for six meals per week (two individual servings of three different meals).  Their meals are fully prepared, and never frozen, and they are pretty healthy (lean meats, spaghetti squash and zoodles [zuchini noodles] instead of pasta).  I was happily surprised when Carey didn't begrudge the expense; he's just happy to have meals ready at a reasonable hour that we don't have to go out for.  I did it because I hate grocery shopping, and don't relish coming home at 5pm just to cook every night.  Now that groceries may or may not be on the store shelves, and neither of us want to pick up the virus from other shoppers, we are both SUPER happy to look forward to the Freshly box at our door.

2.  Yesterday I uninstalled three games from my phone.  They were ones I liked, but I was wasting way too much time, so I just ripped off the bandaid.

3.  We found out that two of our clients have Covid 19.  They are recuperating as I understand it.  We are expecting some forms back from them in the mail.  I know the virus isn't supposed to live on paper for long, but still.  I'm the one that opens all the mail and packages.  (Note to self:  retrieve that box of latex-like gloves that have been languishing under the laundry room sink for years and stash them in my work desk...and put some in our cars too.)  

4.  I need to make masks.  

5.  The social isolating hasn't been a big adjustment for me.  I understand how it is for a lot of people, but for me life isn't all that different.  I still go to work in my essential-industry job...our two-person staff in a large office means we have a lot of room for social distancing...and we are having appointments (but only by phone or web-conference)...so my life isn't drastically impacted.  What is hardest for me is that Carey and I are choosing to keep our distance from the kids.  I did go over yesterday just to take the girls' photo in the bluebonnets in their front yard.  No hugs!  :(  

6.  I can't say that there is no stress at all from current events.  I do think a lot about people losing loved ones, and jobs, and meals, and homes.  The idea that we can't bury all the victims seems straight out of Forever Amber.  And even in areas of low virus occurrence, families who are losing family members from other causes are unable to hold a service to say goodbye and feel the love and support of friends.  No weddings.  No graduations.  People dealing with heartbreak and disappointment.  

7.  And all I can do is make another donation to the food bank.

This pandemic thing...

Today the news reported that there is a 9th Covid-19 victim in our county, and she is in our little community.  She shopped recently at the same grocery store that we do.

Now it seems real to me.

In the county seat about 20 miles away, yesterday saw the first Covid-19 fatality in the county.  It was a 44-year-old man who had no known underlying health conditions.  Scary stuff.

I had previously scheduled a vacation day for today.  We were meant to be going out of town for my mother-in-law's 90th birthday party.  But her assisted living community is on lock down.  Her children will be having a Zoom gathering with her instead.  So I found myself at home with no particular chores planned.

The most productive, and calming, thing I could think of to do was bake bread.  That felt good.  And though we have plenty of food in the house, there were a few things that needed to be used while they were still usable.  So I thought I would use as many of them as I could to pull together our evening meal.  There were about 5 smallish potatoes that had sprouted and were slightly wrinkly, a few slices of bacon, a few links of sausage.  I knew I had onions, so I thought these might make a tasty hash.  While wishing I had some cabbage to add to it, I remembered that I had a bag of coleslaw mix...well it IS mostly cabbage...so it went into the pan too.

 A hearty hash and a slice of homemade bread made a homey supper on a rather unsettling day.

Life in self-isolation...

Pandemic.  It seems so strange to believe one is upon us.  I pray that all who check in here are safe and well.

Carey and I are working.  Both of us have heard hints of our employers putting plans in place for possibly working from home.  My heart goes out to all of the workers who are already suffering due to the restrictions on public gathering.

At my office, we are no longer seeing clients in person; phone and web-conferencing are all we are allowed.  There are just the two of us in the office, and plenty of space to keep to ourselves.

Yesterday I bought a box of fresh fruit from a vendor who stopped by the building.  It may not have been the wisest thing to do, but neither is it wise to go to the market, and fresh fruit was one thing we were lacking.  Today I washed it all in a soak of water with a bit of chlorine bleach added.

And that is how things go for us.  Be well, friends.  And wash your hands.  :)