Wednesday, April 8, 2020

SO MANY important insights (personal and external). I am even more impressed with your interpersonal and teaching skills (though I wouldn't have thought that possible)!

Devon, that is THE BEST POST I HAVE EVER SEEN ON OUR MESSAGE BOARD!

Seriously, man, that is just gorgeous -- from your reporting on Californians citizenship and sensibilities to your observations about teaching young children to every other damn thing you wrote.

MORE! Please, MORE!

Ann

P.S. It appears that currently our board's EDIT function isn't functioning. Maybe somebody will fix it???

It only works after there is another post under it (that's why I ended up with a deleted one). Weird.

Thanks, Liz. Weird, but good to know.

OMG! You are too, too kind!

I have been struck by the different regional experiences we are all having with COVID-19. I felt reaction on the west coast was at first very alarmist, but I quickly realized how, with no herd immunity, the Novel Corona virus was spreading and how randomly it killed. But still, I thought very little of flying to Seattle at the very end of February to help with newborn puppies.

Then I got sick. I got really sick. It is rare for me to have to take 4 days off of work, and had I not felt guilty about missing so much school I should have taken the entire week - something I've never done in 26 years - except for 2 surgeries. I don't think I had COVID-19, but I was scared there for a day or two.

It was that first week in March when I was sick that the **** really started hitting the fan here and things were beginning to be taken very seriously. Our Governor started holding daily press conferences. In hindsight, I'm sure we were being prepped for a Shelter in Place order. At first the call was voluntary. During the initial phase of voluntary social distancing my district cancelled all field trips and non essential gatherings of students outside the classroom, whi*****luded limited student access to the cafeteria and how they took their lunch break. It was during the last days of the voluntary phase that the six counties surrounding the Bay Area decided to take the CA Dept. of Health recommendation about limiting gatherings to its full extend and schools were shut down for 3 weeks. The situation would be reassessed the first week of April and we would go from there.

As you know, I am teaching from home. I meet online on Zoom with the students at least 3 times per week. (I met with a small group yesterday that needed a little more Mr. Allen time. It was a productive visit and share.) One of my families has three elementary aged students in grades 1, 3, and 5. I have the 3rd grader now and had the 5th grader when she was in 3rd. Mom was trying to manage three students on one Chromebook. Mom requested a Chromebook from the school district. The district allotted them one Chromebook, which then gave them two. That meant the two youngest were having to share and it was going to be just too difficult. Mom was a mess on Monday and had a complete melt down. So, I went up to school yesterday, took one of the classroom Chromebooks, and made a home delivery. I stood on the street. The family stood in the front yard. It was a great visit. Another family drove by in their mini van, turned around and came back to say hi and visit. On my way home I couldn't help but think about the look of fear, exhaustion, concern, love, frustration and sadness - all rolled into one - both of those moms carried on their faces. These are bright, powerful women. Their faces haunted me all evening. The memory of their expressions strengthens my resolve to keep it simple, but effective. I have to do that. It's the right thing to do.

Late last night district employees got notice that school will remain physically closed for the rest of the academic year. For my school that means through May 29. I mentioned nothing of this to my students today during our Zoom class meeting. Students are not ready to know this. I am unready to not see my class in the flesh again. There will be no closure. There will be no celebration of a year passed together. How sad for the children. Honestly, how sad for me, too. The end of the year is a rite of passage for both students and teacher.

I am feeling safely cloistered here in California. I speak with my neighbors from afar. Chuck, next door, is sharing his fresh greens from our local school garden with the neighbors. He is the volunteer green gardener for the neighborhood school. With no children to eat the fresh foods each day, we are the lucky recipients of the wonderful, fresh produce from the garden. There is an understanding here that we are living in a very tenable situation. The wind could change at any moment. The prediction for California was far more dire than it has turned out to be - so far. I think there is a feeling of pride here that we have stepped up to the plate and listened to the logic of science and we are doing much better than expected. There is a real pride here about mask wearing. I tell people with pride mine was made by my friend in Upstate NY who is making masks daily for the front line caregivers in NYC and she was willing to share her masks with me. People nod their heads in deference. An elderly neighbor told me my mask was very special and how lucky I am to have a friend such as she. I know I am.

I have gone from feeling fatalistic to feeling hopeful. I am no longer convinced that I will get COVID-19 this year. I may get it next year, but I know we will be ready to deal with it at the outset when it picks up again next influenza season. After that I am hoping we will have a vaccine ready for distribution.

Ann, thank you so much for the push to share more. Writing today, sharing my thoughts and observations, is taking a weight from my being.

Much love.

Devon, I would get an antibody test when they become available (no rush as the antibodies stick around!), but I wouldn't be hugely surprised if what you had was covid.

My friend who's whole family of 4 had/has it said none of them had the same symptoms and it was like they all had something different. She has never had a fever, but has had what seems like bad allergies from hell (runny nose and eyes) and a week-long headache. No coughing either. Her husband had a terrible cough and a two week long high fever, but no runny nose. The kids were equally all over the symptom map.

And oddly, the parents both tested positive, but the kids both tested negative. All tests taken by the same doctor at the same time. He said kids' tests are the least reliable and they are most likely to get a false negative, but that there was no way they didn't have what their parent's had given the cir****tances and timing.

Devon, Your students are so blessed to have you. You go above and beyond in your role as a teacher. Its no wonder they clearly adore you. As we all do x

Good Morning All,

I peeked in yesterday but didnt get time to post - hectic day at work but not complaining as I am lucky to still have a job. Last day of work before the Easter break. Will be nice to be able to potter (slowly and within my limits) around the house. DH leaves for the farm tonight as he needs to check on our cows and fill up the calves water tank etc etc - We are stage 3 and they are saying no travel for Easter break. Would you believe some people are still trying to book places to go away for Easter. The people in those communities are up in arms as they dont want an influx into their seaside towns bringing possible infections. Dont blame them. The police are pulling over many people on the road to make sure they are following the rules and issuing many fines to those who are not. DH will in essence be breaking the rule by travelling to our farm. He will take a rates notice to prove we own it and hope for the best. The cattle need to be cared for. He will leave enough extra hay etc to cover a week.

Weight 171.38 - yo yo at the moment dependant on swelling

Have a Lasagna in the oven for a friend and her family. They are doing it tough with employment losses. Breaks my heart to see them toiling away till 8pm at night on their farm. I wanted to do my little bit to help make it a tiny bit easier. Made a batch of Bacon n Zuchinni loaves last night too - DH helped. So that should help them out a little over the coming week. DH will drop it all in on the way home from our farm on Friday.

Today is pretty much work. Have physio coming in an hour. Then I will sit and cut up some rhubarb to stew up. A friend sent some down to us from her garden when DH picked up plants earlier this week. Very generous. I will likely make it into rhubarb, apple and custard pies and try and fit in the freezer. They are full - we are very lucky. I have been sending food next door to our new neighbours when I have a bit extra. She is an emergency nurse - must be exhausted so its nice to do my little bit to help out. My eldest son is coming at 4pm to mow our lawn for me and pop out the bins - he will be able to say hi to his Nan from the front deck. I saved him a serve of dinner from last night - so he will go home with food. I miss having him here. He will come back Friday morning to let the chooks out as DH will be at the farm and I wont go up there on crutches in case I fall.

Well thats about it from me. Its to be a nice sunny day today so there will be washing likely. DH will hang out.

Thinking of you all - especially you Bonnie. And Diane O so pleased to read your DD is a little happier. She is a true angel just like her mum.

Love to you all x

S

Interesting read about a possible reason for CA's lower COVID19 rate.

California's possible herd immunity to COVID-19