Year of The Plague, Entry 7
I am trying to work myself into a cheery, positive mood for our now weekly video conversations with both sets of grandchildren.
Getting upbeat would’ve been a hell of a lot easier had I not read today’s NYT. Two stories in particular are eating at me- one details the complete incompetence of federal leadership on testing, and the other the breakdown of planning on how to build and stockpile more inexpensive ventilators, plans formulated during the previous administration that were overthrown by greed and stupidity. And can I just pause here to say that I never again want to hear how wonderful the free market system is.
So cases have doubled in our county in the last 24 hours and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I am now taking my temperature twice a day because seasonal allergies are kicking my ass right now and fever would be the only way I’d know something else is going on. My sisters are checking in on a much more regular basis. Out of the blue, my old band/roommate, Stan (some of you may remember my “scraping off Stan” entry of 2013), contacted me and we have smoothed out a lot of old karma.
I would like to get the dogs out, which always makes me feel better, but we’re having a roaring, windy March day, and that will spook both of them. After we finish with the video calls, I will make a Portugese kale and bean stew, something healthy after three days of feeding off a huge pan of lasagna. All I want to do is eat, drink coffee until about 1 p.m., then drink alcohol until bedtime. I’ve got the mouse problem under control, so maybe we can get down in the basement at some point soon and organize space a bit better. And now I am boring myself, so hang in there, stay safe and stay healthy.