Safe at Home . . .
Every day I sit down to write a post here, and every day, I don't know what to say. Then I lost a huge piece of what I had written. So I'm finishing this now because, you know, we gotta keep checking in with each other during this pandemic. So leave me a comment and let me know you're OK. OK? :-)
Since I wrote a few weeks ago, Illinois was placed under a Stay-at-Home order that initially ran through April 7th and was extended earlier this week to April 30th. It's my guess that it will be extended again.
I did go to the local grocer that I mentioned in my last post - the one that instituted "senior hour," and was recognized there by a woman who reads my blog - we were in the same book club a few years ago at our local library. She had a mask on so I didn't recognize her! K, if you're reading, it was really nice to see you :-) I didn't have a mask on, but I was wearing gloves.
I shopped well that Thursday, and have not been out other than to take a walk when the weather cooperates until today, when I decided I needed to go to the store for perishables. This is me, in my mask that my cousin, who is also a nurse, made for me. It's got a special inner layer that is supposed to keep the virus from getting through. I also wore gloves to the store.
So, I made it 15 days before going to the store again. But I was running out of onions. Apparently I use them in everything . . . So I motored over to my local fresh market - it's smaller, and not as many people go there, so to me that seemed a safer bet than one of the larger grocers. I was in and out in 35 minutes flat, and I was the first customer in the door, I think, and I know I was the first one through the checkout.
During my big shop a couple of weeks ago, I was able to buy meat that I could freeze in individual servings, and I got fixings for and made another lasagna. I gotta tell you, though, that even though my lasagna is pretty great I don't think I'm going to want to eat it after this is over for a very long time . . .
I baked some banana bread early this week, and while it wasn't bad, it gave me heartburn (which I never have). The other problem with making a loaf of a sweet quick bread, is that when you're one person, you eat it all. :-S So, I won't be doing that again any time soon. I had to toss some of it to keep from eating it.
My one cousin's test was negative for the coronavirus (the one who made the mask). I'm so grateful.
Another cousin has completed his course of radiation. So that's good news on two fronts.
My sweetheart and I figured out Skype, so that's been a treat to "see" each other a couple of times a week. The southern state where he lives just enacted a stay at home order a day or two ago - but it's full of holes, which makes it pretty useless.
When I posted on March 18th, Illinois was at 288 confirmed cases of COVID-19. On March 30th, we were at 5,057. Today, the number is 7,695. In 15 days we went from 288 to nearly 7,700 confirmed cases. Of course these more recent numbers are larger because more people are being tested, but it's sobering nonetheless.
I watched 60 Minutes Sunday night and found myself sobbing as I looked at the field hospital set up in the Javits Center in New York City. A similar scenario is playing out here in Chicago - at McCormick Place (although today I understand that it will not be a ventilator facility).
How is this happening here? We are supposed to be the most advanced country in the world, but there has been virtually no strong leadership at the federal level - the moron-in-chief and his useless family and cronies seem to be all about the states doing their own thing and they'll be there to "back us up" if needed. This seems ridiculous to me. But, thankfully, I live in a state where the governor is on top of things.
Between Governor Pritzker and Chicago Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, things are in place here that I believe are beginning to flatten the curve. Of course things change daily, but I'm hoping we're on the right track. I think we are. And, quite frankly, the rest of the country could use some Lori Lightfoot right about now. Her forceful speeches have generated a raft of memes that are just wonderful - she's even done a series of PSAs that are memes in themselves. Seriously, she's great. I think this one is my current favorite - it turned up just after she had to shut the lakefront down because we had one warm day and people flocked to the lakefront. She told people to stay in their homes. They didn't. So she shut it right down.
I always thought I was a good hand-washer, but I've now, apparently, learned how to wash my skin right off myself. Anyone else remember Madge and the dishpan hands? :-D I've learned that I have to use hand lotion just as religiously as I'm washing my hands. And yes, they did hurt as bad as it looked.
I've gotten out for a walk on days when the weather has cooperated. I take a lap around the retention pond and then head back home. So there is beauty in these days of isolation.
And spring really is here. I know this because today tree pollen was rated HIGH. I didn't even need to see that on the news, however, because my eyes are itching and I have post nasal drip causing a bit of a sore throat on one side. This happens to me every year at this time. It's just until the trees leaf out, which I think/hope is going to be pretty soon. It's possible that we could still have some freezing weather - we can't be safely free of frost for vegetable planting in my area of Illinois until at least May 14th, I think - but I'm hopeful that the tree pollen will calm down soon.
I've definitely been cooking more - I made this Black-Eyed Pea "Sausage."
It wasn't bad at all and it's definitely going into the recipe rotation.
The other day on Facebook, Dougie MacLean was doing a live broadcast from the old village school in the town where he lives in Scotland. I caught just the tail end, but was so thrilled when he played Caledonia because apparently something when wonky with the recording when he'd done it in a previous concert. It's about 40 minutes long - in case you want to listen to all of it. And I got a fan-girl thrill when he "liked" my post on the concert feed. :-) Probably it was whoever handles his media rather than him, but I got a thrill anyway :-) It starts at the 3-minute mark (it was a live feed), and Caledonia starts at the 32-minute mark.
Wherever you are, I hope you're safe at home. Because being safe is a way better way to think about it than being stuck.
Enjoy . . .
Since I wrote a few weeks ago, Illinois was placed under a Stay-at-Home order that initially ran through April 7th and was extended earlier this week to April 30th. It's my guess that it will be extended again.
I did go to the local grocer that I mentioned in my last post - the one that instituted "senior hour," and was recognized there by a woman who reads my blog - we were in the same book club a few years ago at our local library. She had a mask on so I didn't recognize her! K, if you're reading, it was really nice to see you :-) I didn't have a mask on, but I was wearing gloves.
I shopped well that Thursday, and have not been out other than to take a walk when the weather cooperates until today, when I decided I needed to go to the store for perishables. This is me, in my mask that my cousin, who is also a nurse, made for me. It's got a special inner layer that is supposed to keep the virus from getting through. I also wore gloves to the store.
So, I made it 15 days before going to the store again. But I was running out of onions. Apparently I use them in everything . . . So I motored over to my local fresh market - it's smaller, and not as many people go there, so to me that seemed a safer bet than one of the larger grocers. I was in and out in 35 minutes flat, and I was the first customer in the door, I think, and I know I was the first one through the checkout.
During my big shop a couple of weeks ago, I was able to buy meat that I could freeze in individual servings, and I got fixings for and made another lasagna. I gotta tell you, though, that even though my lasagna is pretty great I don't think I'm going to want to eat it after this is over for a very long time . . .
I baked some banana bread early this week, and while it wasn't bad, it gave me heartburn (which I never have). The other problem with making a loaf of a sweet quick bread, is that when you're one person, you eat it all. :-S So, I won't be doing that again any time soon. I had to toss some of it to keep from eating it.
My one cousin's test was negative for the coronavirus (the one who made the mask). I'm so grateful.
Another cousin has completed his course of radiation. So that's good news on two fronts.
My sweetheart and I figured out Skype, so that's been a treat to "see" each other a couple of times a week. The southern state where he lives just enacted a stay at home order a day or two ago - but it's full of holes, which makes it pretty useless.
When I posted on March 18th, Illinois was at 288 confirmed cases of COVID-19. On March 30th, we were at 5,057. Today, the number is 7,695. In 15 days we went from 288 to nearly 7,700 confirmed cases. Of course these more recent numbers are larger because more people are being tested, but it's sobering nonetheless.
I watched 60 Minutes Sunday night and found myself sobbing as I looked at the field hospital set up in the Javits Center in New York City. A similar scenario is playing out here in Chicago - at McCormick Place (although today I understand that it will not be a ventilator facility).
How is this happening here? We are supposed to be the most advanced country in the world, but there has been virtually no strong leadership at the federal level - the moron-in-chief and his useless family and cronies seem to be all about the states doing their own thing and they'll be there to "back us up" if needed. This seems ridiculous to me. But, thankfully, I live in a state where the governor is on top of things.
Between Governor Pritzker and Chicago Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, things are in place here that I believe are beginning to flatten the curve. Of course things change daily, but I'm hoping we're on the right track. I think we are. And, quite frankly, the rest of the country could use some Lori Lightfoot right about now. Her forceful speeches have generated a raft of memes that are just wonderful - she's even done a series of PSAs that are memes in themselves. Seriously, she's great. I think this one is my current favorite - it turned up just after she had to shut the lakefront down because we had one warm day and people flocked to the lakefront. She told people to stay in their homes. They didn't. So she shut it right down.
I always thought I was a good hand-washer, but I've now, apparently, learned how to wash my skin right off myself. Anyone else remember Madge and the dishpan hands? :-D I've learned that I have to use hand lotion just as religiously as I'm washing my hands. And yes, they did hurt as bad as it looked.
I've gotten out for a walk on days when the weather has cooperated. I take a lap around the retention pond and then head back home. So there is beauty in these days of isolation.
And spring really is here. I know this because today tree pollen was rated HIGH. I didn't even need to see that on the news, however, because my eyes are itching and I have post nasal drip causing a bit of a sore throat on one side. This happens to me every year at this time. It's just until the trees leaf out, which I think/hope is going to be pretty soon. It's possible that we could still have some freezing weather - we can't be safely free of frost for vegetable planting in my area of Illinois until at least May 14th, I think - but I'm hopeful that the tree pollen will calm down soon.
I've definitely been cooking more - I made this Black-Eyed Pea "Sausage."
It wasn't bad at all and it's definitely going into the recipe rotation.
The other day on Facebook, Dougie MacLean was doing a live broadcast from the old village school in the town where he lives in Scotland. I caught just the tail end, but was so thrilled when he played Caledonia because apparently something when wonky with the recording when he'd done it in a previous concert. It's about 40 minutes long - in case you want to listen to all of it. And I got a fan-girl thrill when he "liked" my post on the concert feed. :-) Probably it was whoever handles his media rather than him, but I got a thrill anyway :-) It starts at the 3-minute mark (it was a live feed), and Caledonia starts at the 32-minute mark.
Wherever you are, I hope you're safe at home. Because being safe is a way better way to think about it than being stuck.
Enjoy . . .
Comments
Oh, YES, to the change in weather and itchy eyes. I've had issues the last 3 days. Each year I'm hopeful my allergies lessen, but not this year. I try to walk each day and I return home with watery eyes, sneezing and I go right to the sink to wash my hands and face.
Stay safe and healthy. Hopefully in the future we can find a day to grab a cup of coffee and chat as well as knit! Have you used your sock machine?
I'd like that black-eyed pea sausage recipe! I think I'm gaining a bit of weight. I'm not cooking more, really, but Brian is home all the time and 'grazing' so maybe there's a bit of 'monkey see, monkey do.' Gotta watch that!
Oregon has been appropriately aggressive in its official actions and the public's responses to those actions. I was communicating this morning with someone who lives in MO; oh MY. It would seem that tRump is bent on decimating his own base with his initial minimizing of COVID-19 and his constantly changing storyline since!