Worry Time?

It's a pity we can't really stay home. We emerge rarely, taking precaution as possible, primarily for groceries. There was even a plan to go to the local Walgreens for some  TP today. Steve went there yesterday to avoid lines and multitudes because he was out of milk, one of his necessities. When asked, they informed him the truck with their TP delivery was due today - no time known - and they would then distribute it to those who asked for it, otherwise leaving their shelves bare.

So there was one plan to go out again.

When I got up this morning he informed me he'd driven up to Fry's, our main grocery store, before 6:00 AM, when they open.  He had a small list, not the huge one he'd written out a couple days ago until I reminded him the fridge didn't have room for even half of his list. I'd been telling him that their parking lot was jam packed every morning I'd gone by around 7:00 AM, and had expectations their customers all figured out that the TP and other necessities ran out first thing.

Recall right here that the morning temperature was around 50 degrees, and the car barely warms up by the time he gets there. I'm trying to keep that in mind as I write this.

Seeing the line coming out the front door, down the front of the building, around its corner to the back road where delivery trucks unload, he changed his mind about his early morning run. He sensibly came straight home, no half hour warm-up in the store, no rise in ambient outside temperature, slight heating in the car. When I woke shortly after, he was huddled in his chair, shivering and miserable, asking about turning on the heat.

The thermostat registered one degree below where it's set. I proposed he put his sweatshirt back on, add socks and blanket, and check in an hour or so later on how he was feeling. If he was still chilled, I would turn on the heat. (It's been off for a week, with inside temps ranging from 72 to 78 regardless.) He agreed. And pulled up his blanket. An hour later, he finally got socks, put on his sweatshirt, declared he was still miserable, shivering, and going to bed - just as soon as we finished watching last night's Rachel Maddow Show.

WOW! He's a fan now! No wonder, it's the best news coverage around these days, but he's been avoiding "politics"  for a long time. Gets enough rage from Facebook.

Just before he left the room, I laid my wrist across his forehead. It was warm. Not neutral, as usual. Warm. While he was on his way down the hall, I was on the phone cancelling his afternoon doctor's appointment due to possible fever. (I think I detected a pinch of gratitude on their part over the phone.)

While he tries to sleep, or just quit shivering, I'm waiting. Trying to keep in mind this could be a simple reaction to having gotten chilled. Trying to believe all his/our precautions have been foolproof. Knowing we keep no precautions between us, counting on social isolation to do what we don't. And, because it's a particular talent of mine, worrying.

That always goes with planning. What if....? Then....? For myself, I figure my weak spot, virus-wise, is my history of cardiac arrhythmia. The pacemaker takes care of part, and the ablation has done a decent job of the rest, so long as I don't overdo the caffeine. Yesterday, thanks to my Watchman,  was even my very last blood thinner pill! But... I don't trust the ablation to "hold" in critical circumstances. So my 1st reaction, if I suspect the virus, will be increasing my vitamin C, the second requesting a short-term refill of amiodarone. It worked perfectly while I was taking it, only quitting due to early indications of toxicity, but I figure short term use won't do much harm, certainly not as much as relapse of arrhythmia.

For Steve, I work on trying to figure out how he can still get his stent removed. It's gotten painful for several days now. Just like mine did back when, it seems to have shifted to find the pokiest spot possible within the bladder. He's supposed to have both the imaging and removal appointments Monday. Today's appointment was for something else, easily rescheduled ... if he's not sick. He also - again if he's not sick - needs to go back to the ENT who fixed his vertigo in five minutes a couple years ago to get it fixed again. The hardest part of that last one is waiting for the insurance approval after his doctor gives a referral. They seem to be a little busy these days....

Oh, how I love my regular old Medicare!

The neighborhood still remains quiet. Over the last month, I've counted a total of 5 fire/rescue vehicles, about 10% of normal. The walkers are still out getting their exercise, but neighbors aren't poking their heads out much. Across the street the car sits in the driveway, indicating her job may have finally closed. I got out in the yard yesterday for a bit, pulling weeds growing among plants I can't spray, and taking the next in the sequence of pictures I'm taking to document the flowering of the neighbors' - on both sides - palms, my octopus agave, and the orange bells in the back yard. Bonuses include bees and the resident hummingbird. Other critters are getting sparse, probably meaning neighbors have quit feeding them, aka quit shopping for non-necessities. I miss the quail, but you can't feed them without also feeding pigeons and rabbits.

The cleaning out of cupboards led to finally putting out roach bait and a re-application of 20 mule team borax around gaps between counter and walls. Immediate results provided a dead roach on the counter the next morning. I can only assume hidden results are equally effective. Since Rich saw a "roof rat" last summer, I'd picked up mouse bait a while back. I finally opened that and put some out last night. It was gone this morning. Think I'll give it another go in a week or so, see it it's still being taken.

One of the RCSC employees that I've gotten contact with over several years, due to being an officer in the club, just sent out an email reminding us of forms which need filling out and deadlines. Knowing we likely have them locked up inside the rec centers, she helpfully sent copies of the forms. I responded by thanking her/them for keeping the centers closed, to which she replied they were grateful for such. It seems - predictably - that plenty of "entitled" folk are heaping criticism and abuse upon them for keeping us all safer, adding her "uninformed" estimate that the centers would likely reopen June 1. Pools again!!!!

Ancillary to that, our Governor has finally closed golf curses (and barbershops, nail salons, etc.) as being non-essential businesses. We happened to drive past the nearest course yesterday. The expected grounds crews were out. No biggie. But we also counted half a dozen golf carts on the paths. The carts were noted as keeping a 6-foot distance. Of course, they were parked, and their owners collecting around the tees.

Sigh.

It's going to be a long haul.

Rich is going through the paperwork for a new job! It'll be doing security, much like he did for several years in Minnesota. He'll be assigned a regular location, not going from venue to venue, and regular hours, as opposed to super loads part of the year and barely any other times. He anticipates starting Monday. I alternate between rejoicing for him and worrying that this job will require occasional close contact.

As for the other kids, this was to be the week Steph came down for a visit. Cancelled, obviously. And Paul, being Paul, is no doubt playing his video games. I'll know something is wrong only by his not paying the mortgage on the house. He does not answer phones or reply to voice- or emails. I have no idea whether his company is considered essential. Last time I actually talked to him was around a month ago... because the internet was down!

Yeah, that's my guy.

I have two friends in Minnesota who've recovered from what they think was Covid 19, but because they didn't register high fevers, they couldn't get tested. They've never felt more miserable while sick, but have no clue whether it's not safe for them to be out and about. Without testing, they can choose to either huddle or ignore possible risks. She has long had medical assistants come to the house, and they do still come wearing masks, possibly using them up where not needed. Minnesota is doing a relatively good job, but it's still FUBAR out there.

Hell of a job, Donnie. Emphasis on HELL!

Our Mango Mussolini insists that his signature stamp be on all outgoing checks for small business loans. This is expected to slow the distribution of those checks by about 4 weeks. This begs the question: does he insist on having control/oversight over those relief funds in order to put his name out there as if he were actually accomplishing something? Kinda like on those CDC postcards offering information and recommendations? Or is it "just" a simple grift, money going to his friends and supporters, especially ones he has financial interests in, yet another way of lining his pockets? Or is the delay meant to distract us from finding out that he has other designations in mind for the funds?

Then again, why not all three? We do know this guy, right?