Wednesday, Veterans Day 2020

Weight 128.2. I did nothing to bring it down yesterday other than walk a lot so it is up a pound. But man, those short-rib tacos were great!

Not much on the agenda today other than a walk, a zoom chat with friends, and a grocery store run. It is hot and humid today - sort of the norm lately though usually the humidity is low this time of year in Florida.

BTW, I assume you have all seen some of the recent news about the vaccine? Apparently Dr. Fauci said it might be available to most by April? My PCP had said that he wouldn't recommend any vaccine on the first round but if all goes well after that they will.

Have a safe, healthy and socially distanced day!

Veteran's Day and Memorial Day remind me of the sacrifice my grandfather's family made. He had 9 (!) Brothers, and at one time 5 of them were overseas during WWII at the same time. 2 are buried in Europe, and one returned with shrapnel that couldn't be removed. One time my Uncle was checking out at Target, and an older woman looked at him, and his check, and said, did you know Rudy Kangas? My uncle said, yes, but I never met him, he was my uncle, killed in the war. She answered, He was my first husband. So sad. They got married young, right before he shipped out. When he was killed, she left their small town, and everyone lost track of each other.

I'm working from home today, because it's Wednesday deep clean. I'll have a few more in person days with students. The entire district is moving to distance learning, even the little kids. The testing positivity rate in Minnesota stayed at 5% or under all summer, and most of the fall. Today it is at 20%!!!! My family and husband's family cancelled all our planned gatherings, small and big. DH is sad because his sister starts chemo, and with this amount of covid, he doesn't think he should see her in person, even just one to one. I suggested he could wrap up well, and sit on her deck, while she sits on the other side of her glass door. They might have to talk on their phones.

Cold day, snow cover is back, but the sun is bright, and still feels warm, streaming in the Windows.

Liz, I'd take some of that humidity. It gets arid dry here in the winter.

Weight the same.

My bff and his partner tested negative. My guess is they ate something dodgy that upset their stomachs and then knowledge of the in-laws Covid diagnosis conjured up some hypochondria. He leans that way anyway (as do I).

Coffee with my friend was nice yesterday. The weather is chilly, but the sun was strong enough to give me a sunburn in November of all things! PT was good too. Very into the exercise side of things.

Today I have lunch with a new friend from my knitting group I don't know very well, but I've really liked her the few times we've met. A meeting planning thread from the group went very strongly "yay Biden" last week and she spoke up with a different take. I thought I was the lone conservative in the group, so I reached out to her to say "hi and I agree with your statement" and we're having lunch. She's got an interesting background. She emigrated from Bangladesh as a young adult, got her citizenship, and just finished her MBA. I'm looking forward to talking with her.

Off to medicate Ferg!

Well, I got my wish to stay in bed this morning. I did not get my lazy bones out of bed until 9:00 am. I did get up at 7:15 for the dogs, but then snuggled back in under the covers and dozed.

Great workout yesterday. I admit I am very pleased with this stage of my training. The results are quite rewarding. It's pretty fun to be able to pop off 3 sets of chest presses using 75 lb. dumbbells and know I could do another set with ease. I am going to have to up the number of reps from 12 to 15 I think because I don't have a set of 80 or 85s to go to.

Weight and eating were same old same old for me yesterday. I have clearly found a maintenance groove. Much better than gaining.

Unfat... It's my new concept. I've been sitting with it since Monday. Will take some clarification, I'm sure. But it is a different perspective on the issue of weight and body image.

Must get ready for the groomings of the day. You'd think I'd take a holiday, but no.... I'm a damn co-dependent groomer!

As someone who can't lift 17.5lb dumbbells in a chest press without dropping one on myself, I am VERY impressed.

Some Covid observations: DH appears to have head cold. No fever, but congestion, headache, fatigue. So he thought he should get a test. The earliest our clinic can get him in is next Tuesday. And then it will be several more days before he gets the results. Not very helpful.

One of my students became sick on November 5, and had positive test results yesterday. Shouldn't I be being contact traced?

DH gets his temp taken every morning before work with one of those laser thermometers they point at you. Today his temp was 90.1. He told the person scanning, I could be dead for several hours and still be this temp. She said really? I thought your temp is supposed to be 89.1. He corrected her, and she said, really? Lots of people have been 89. He left it at that. The screener has no idea what a fever would be, and can't figure out that scanning someone's forehead right when they come in after walking across a big parking lot on a 30 degree day might not be accurate.

It would all be laughable if it wasn't so serious. Stop the spread with screening, testing and contact tracing. Yeah, right.

Wow! Just wow! Your story about the screening at your husband's place of business is disheartening at best. Yes, one would think contact tracing would be happening at the district level. Is that mandate in your county or state for schools reopening? We are being required to have a full time LVN at each school site to screen kids and staff and deal with students presenting with symptoms. Honestly, as much as I would love to be back at school with my kids, I am secretly praying they keep my school shut down until we have a proven vaccine widely available, which is predicted for April. I'm really not looking forward to being trapped in a room in the middle of winter wearing PPE (mask and full face shield) while teaching in a room with the windows open (required) and the heater on. AHHHHH!!!!!!!

I had the same problem in ur recent heatwaves. If it's well over 100, temperatures all show as "fever".

I think Massachusetts has improved, but it was similar at one point. By the time people were getting tests/results if they weren't diligent in quarantining they had already infected at least their household. Florida is pretty easy to get a test/results. I feel like quick testing (in addition to masks and hand washing) is one of the keys to controlling spread. IMHO

On a happier note, I just ordered some Christmas decorations from Amazon, and the 4 ft office Christmas trees my daughter and I each ordered for our respective home offices have arrived.!

We decided we're going big on decorations this year. We may even put up the lighted village that has languished in boxes since the kids grew up. Ours is Bedford Falls from the movie, Its a Wonderful Life. It's really kind of cute.