04/23/2020 Thursday

Hard to contribute lately. I am not at all depressed about things, but I am rather astonished by the lack of attention to science and history. I am also just disgusted by the Give Me My Personal Liberty protests going on. Simply ugly. I really do think if stupidity hurt most of. those idiots would be a morphine drip! My personal opinion about those people and the heads of some of the middle of the country states and the southern states relaxing social distancing is not terribly favorable, but of course, I'm on a coast and you know us fricking liberal commie wannabes on the coasts don't know **** Anyhow, that's kind of how I'm feeling.

I can't remember if I mentioned here about my friend who was complaining on line about how her grandkids were suffering, but something about that must have triggered me and had a lasting effect.

I have very little tolerance for the lack of scientific and historical data being utilized to move forward with relaxing some of the social distancing policies. I spoke with the Chief Medical Director of the XX County Hospital yesterday. There has been absolutely no decline in numbers of new cases in the county. As people are being discharged new ones are being admitted. Pretty much on a one to one basis. What she and most of her colleagues are fearing is a huge uptick in cases as the rules become more relaxed. We never saw the predicted peak here because of the early shelter in place orders, school closures, etc... However, the fear now is that the second wave will far surpass the first because so many people don't perceive COVID 19 as a real threat. I've done some reading about the second wave of the Spanish flu pandemic. There is some good data on Denver during that time. The second spike of the Spanish flu in Denver was more severe than the first after the relaxation of the social distancing rules Denver had initially put in place. I don't think the price of a barrel of oil should be the driver in what happens next (no disrespect, BB). Frankly, I think the collapse of the healthcare system will be harder to recover from than an economic depression. I'd like to be wrong, but the data doesn't indicate that from where I sit.

So, grumpy, pissy me has had two cookies already today. LOL! Sugar soothes the savage beast.

The cherry on the parfait of my day was the email from my principal indicating the direction of our modified report card for this last term of the year. We will be grading either P for participation or NM for No Mark (I'm guessing that means the same as AWOL???) and the vast majority of our grading will be in personal comments done from our "assessments". OMG! You've got to be ******g kidding me!!!!! We are told on one hand we can't mandate participation, but now we are grading it. We can't assess kids because we don't know if we are assessing the kids or their parents! LOL! I think the best way to assess would be to video assess every one of the kids on a one to one basis.

Okay.... I have to go take Ron on his car parade for his school.... Bye!

To your point about the Southern States: We have been mulling what to do about going home on 5/14. Our county here is still quiet but the management of everything here is messed up! Even though Massachusetts is a hot spot right now, I think it will be waning in three weeks and I feel WAY more comfortable about the management of closures there. In other words, SIL and I will probably head home.

Whew, 88 here today. 8 degrees over my personal comfort/happiness limit.

I took Ferg to the vet this morning as he has one eye that has gotten much cloudier of late. Both were cloudy as he has old man cataracts, but this looked cloudier. The vet confirmed he has zero sight in that eye and was concerned he could have a lens issue (flipping? bulging? I can't remember but it sounded bad) and possible glaucoma. So we are headed to the dog ophthalmologist in the morning. Hopefully it can be treated with meds as he said removal of the eye could be needed and I'm not sure his heart could take surgery. My two goals for Ferg are that he still has fun and he's not in pain. So we'll go into this with those goals in mind.

I also had therapy and I have decided I don't like Zoom therapy. But oh well. Then I went to the grocery store. I bought more Zyrtec as I ran out. Thinking my anxiety is much lower now so maybe I don't need it, I went a day and a half without it before I woke up in the middle of the night with my scars covered in hives. I guess the hives aren't temporary. Booooo, as Peps would say. Also may I note, so many noses sticking out of masks in the store!

We keep having protests in pockets of Orange County with people wanting to open things up. Having lost only 36 people in a county of 3.2 million, people don't feel a big threat. And our county's general dislike of LA county and not wanting to be lumped in with them, means some people here aren't looking at their awful infection and death rates and thinking it could happen here. But with today being CAs highest death day, I'm not sure why people think it's time to loosen things up.

Yeah, what's with wearing a mask and then uncovering their nose? Don't they get that it is like not wearing one at all!!!!!!!

I have spent so much time plotting my escape from Minnesota. Well, specifically, the weather. Sometimes Minnesota has not received the appreciation from me it deserves. It's solid, reliable, but maybe not as flashy as I crave. All of those not so flashy values are exactly what is keeping this state as safe as it can be in these perilous times. The University of Minnesota teaming with Mayo Medical Center are cranking up to do our testing. We are staying home, or at least keeping our distance when we can't. Even in ordinary days, 6 feet, that seems about right :) And our government is carefully, thoughtfully, examining data to see what can "open" next month, and also telling us, we can turn the dial a little, but also be prepared to have to dial it back again from time to time. Concerts, stadium events, not for the foreseeable future. Malls, nope. Small stores that can control density? Probably. Church services with distancing plans, possible. Small family groups, yes, 50 people bbq, nope. Realistic.

I look forward to loosening of stay at home orders. I am grateful it will be in a controlled manner. It's like seeing a little piece of blue sky after a long storm, it ain't over, better bring your umbrella and wear your raincoat, but here comes some sun.