As I was driving home today, I heard on the radio that the beaches in LA County have now reopened, with restrictions. As I listened to the criteria, I felt a knot in my stomach. I am still going to proceed very cautiously, and watch the numbers. I love the beach, too, but I still wouldn't risk going right now.
I went for an early morning bike ride with Lula this morning. I stopped and chatted with a local in front of his home about the virus. He told me about a man that he used to work with, they installed power lines. He mentionedd that this employee was a recluse, and lived alone. During the pandemic, he went to the store, came home, and was dead in four days. I listened to the story and felt shocked.
After finishing the tale, he came towards me to shake hands and introduce himself. "Oh, no! I can't," I explained. I told him that I follow social distancing and am afraid of catching the virus. Many people still are wanting to stand physically close to others. It makes me very nervous.
I see families mixing with other households, and people letting their kids play together. Most of them aren't wearing masks. I still wouldn't. To me, it isn't worth the risk. I recently had a flashback to my kindergarten days. I was five years old, and living in Seattle, WA. My mother received a phone call telling her that one of the children in my class had contacted chicken pox. My mother thanked the caller profusely and looked my skin over carefully. To her relief, she didn't find any marks. I remember asking her, "What's chicken pox?" I thought it had something to do with looking like a chicken.
The next morning, I woke up covered with pink spots. My mom called the woman back, and it turns out that nearly everyone in our class had it. I will never forget how quickly it had spread. It seemed to happen overnight. I remember the scabs, the itching, the lotion, and my mother fretting. At least once you had contacted it, you were immune. It was SO contagious! You couldn't see it or feel it.
With this virus, it's so much more dangerous. My sense is that it is just as easy to contact, and just as persistent. I feel fortunate that I have my own home and enjoy being in it. I am able to exercise outside at quiet, private times. I am thankful to enjoy cooking, reading, knitting and homemaking.
How are you doing? Do you know anyone who has had the virus?
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just caught up with your blog, no, i don't know anyone who has caught the virus, we're all trying to practice the social distancing here too. it is just an aggressive flu which we get every few years, some worse than others; our gov has let up on some restrictions too which i think shouldn't happen as it is winter here & high flu season & this darn virus loves the cold!
ReplyDeletei have a local soap maker here now who makes beef fat soap, it is lovely on the skin as well.
loved catching up with all your garden photos, your roses are gorgeous! my lovely blue moon rose curled up her feet & died on me, was sad about that; gosh wish i could grow lilacs here but it's way too hot for them. am trying to convert my gardens over to salvias, geraniums, aloes & succulents; pretty much anything that can survive drought conditions. it's a slow process but we're getting there.
glad you're surviving the lock-down, stay safe
thanx for sharing
I had always wanted to grow lilacs, too. selina. The temperature and climate up at the cabin is perfect for them. They grow wild there. I'm sorry about your blue moon rose. Maybe you can replace it. I had some roses get old and die after twenty years in pots. I am thrilled with the new ones that I planted last year.
DeleteI don’t know anyone close to me who had COVID 19. But one of the Sri Lankans very active on Facebook groups died from the virus. He lived in New York.
ReplyDeleteI see a large number of people completely disregard social distancing and wearing masks. I can understand the economic hardship and wanting to work, but what I cannot understand is this utter disregard for safety precautions and the health of other innocent people.
Stay safe, Stephenie.
I have many friends in New York, and it frightening what has happened there, Nil. I quickly move away from people who refuse to honor social distancing or wear masks in public places. It just makes me too nervous.
DeleteYou are wise! I would not shake hands either!! I don't even like catching the common cold or flu, let alone a pandemic. It is crazy he offered to shake hands after telling you that story. Maybe the man who always stayed home never let his body build up antibodies towards germs over the years, by never being exposed to any. I don't know anyone who has the virus. And my kids all live in different states in high virus areas and haven't caught it. We don't wear face coverings or masks outside. The sun releasing Vitamin D is very good. Our state mandates it in stores but now it seems ridiculous due to the low number of cases in our county. Stay well! Andrea
ReplyDeleteThe man who stayed home had worked for the power company for years, Andrea. This virus hits some people so hard. It's intense. I take advantage of being in the sun, too. I had a mask on a few weeks ago when I had to take the bus to pick up my car. It needed an oil change. I had to sneeze, and was glad that I was wearing it. There were a lot of people riding the bus, which I didn't expect. I haven't ridden it again. I take my bicycle.
DeleteI think you are wise to keep on practicing some physical distancing. My state of Wesern Australia has very low numbers but we are going cautiously.
ReplyDeleteThat is wise, emw. The numbers can spike so quickly.
DeleteIt's good that you are being careful, Stephenie. I don't think you are in any of the high risk groups (over 60, with preexisting medical conditions), who are more likely to die from the virus, but, why take a risk? People are supposed to maintain a certain distance from others in order to break the circuit of this virus spreading, but, many people choose not to do so for their own personal reasons. It leaves the rest of us with not much of a choice other than to shelter in place.
ReplyDeleteYes, and many young, healthy people have had tragic endings after contacting it. I don't want to take any chances.
DeleteWhat you describe in terms of behaviour really doesn't sound at all sensible and YOu're totally right to be very wary.
ReplyDeleteSadly, an uncle died last weekend - underlying health issues and elderly as well, all of which made him very vulnerable.
xx
Oh, I am sorry about your uncle, Joy. It seems like such a frightening way to die, from what I have read.
DeleteYou have such a lovely blog...love reading about your way of life...gardening, cooking, yoga, your thoughts on a simple life etc. You seem like a very disciplined person and that is a trait I am trying to develop.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading my blog and for commenting. My parents were very disciplined, and ballet is total discipline. You can do it!
DeleteYou are right to be cautious Stephanie, for yourself and others. My son almost certainly had Covid-19 early on and it was scary to see him so ill with cough, shortness of breath and a very high fever. One of his flatmates also got very ill. Neither was hospitalised, thank goodness. It is only now that we are seeing some of the longer term sequelae this infection can have, long after the virus is gone, clotting disorders and kidney problems for example. Interestingly, I just wrote a lecture about the longer term consequences of viral infections, in the context of my MSc course on infectious disease control. What a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that complacency is making an appearance here in Scotland and although we are still advised to stay at home, there are some group gatherings along the river paths, away from the public eye. I noticed on my lonely walk yesterday. It may be coincidence but I would say the groups consist of 98% men. On the whole though people are careful even 8 weeks into the lockdown. Complacency is dangerous, as is politicising the public health crisis. This virus is spreads easily and quietly and nobody is safe from it.
I am glad you are staying safe x
That's true, Christina. The long term consequences concern me. Many people in California are refusing to wear masks. I make a point to wear mine when I leave the house. Our mayor just announced that we are to wear them outside. I'm getting used to it. Fortunately, I don't need to go anywhere. (except for essentials.)
DeleteI don't know anyone who has experienced the COVID-19, but several friends have told me stories about others who have been ill with it. No one has died that I know of though which is wonderful news. I am also worried about people who engage in unsafe behavior. People can carry the virus and be asymptomatic.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, Anita. When you are young, you never think these things will happen to you or your family. As I got older, my brother had a stroke at 49, (he was a fit surfer.musician,) I had to have both hips replaced at 50 because of osteoarthritis. I never suspected either of us would have anything wrong, health wise. You just never know...
DeleteYes, I know a couple that died from the virus. The husband had gotten it first and the wife caught it from him. It was so sad as she was fighting cancer and COVID added complications that she couldn't survive. They were in their early 60s and she couldn't be with him when he died. My sister-in-law also got it but her symptoms were milder and she survived without having to go into the hospital.
ReplyDeleteI have been staying home and am lucky to have my oldest son shopping for me. Stay safe!
That is terribly sad, Ellen. Early sixties is still young. I'm glad that you are able to stay home. Some of our stores offer free delivery. It's so convenient.
DeleteHi Angela, I am glad that you are able to stay safe at home. We don't have to take risks that make us uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteI will try again to reply as my last couple of times timed out. My walking companion was very ill with the virus and I think I had a very lucky escape as I had walked with her every morning until the lockdown came into place. Thankfully she is recovering well though still a little weak.
ReplyDeleteHi Cherie, Thanks for trying again. I'm sorry you are having trouble leaving comments here. I always enjoy reading them. I'm so glad that you and your walking companion are okay. You had a close call with Tony, too.
DeleteI live in New Zealand. Our government was very proactive, closed our borders quickly, and put in levels of lockdown. Police enforced it, which we were ok with, as our police do not carry guns. We had few deaths, and a comparatively low rate of people who contacted the virus. Today was the first day, after 5 weeks of alone isolation, where I mixed with a few people, mostly family. I know of only 1 person who got covid, a 32 year old man working in the states. The virus hit the USA, he lost his job and flew back home as soon as he could. It turned out that the person in the seat behind him had the virus, and my friend was 1 of 2 or 3 people in NZ who was in intensive care. He is ok now, thankfully.
ReplyDeleteThat's excellent, srs. I think on airplanes is one of the worst places to be with this virus. All of that air is recirculating for so many hours. I'm glad that he is okay. My intuition told me to stop traveling overseas last November. I had big plans to travel the world in my fifties. I noticed I was feeling sick and weak after the flights. Now I see why. It was such a foreign sensation.
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