A Day in the Life

This weeks topic is my choice and it is meant to catch us all up on life today in the midst of a global pandemic, that as this is written has infected over 40 million people, killed nearly 1.1 million people and of which over 26.7 million have survived. Over the last several weeks we have been around the edges of this subject so lets see just what is really happening.

Woke up - fell out of bed

The first thing I do every morning is head to the kitchen and make a pot  of coffee, throw a couple of slices of multigrain bread into the toaster oven and let the dog out.  After the animals and I are fed and watered or 'coffeed", the day is in full swing. Full swing is to remain grounded in my little aluminum tube. See - I am one of those with comorbidities and pretty much under quarantine 24/7. If I do get out it is definitely with a mask and a large container of hand sanitizer. That is for trips to the Doctor's office, Cardiologist or the rare trip to a drive through for takeout. It is good to see that treatment for Covid-19 has improved - at least if you have access to treatments not yet available to the general public. Just ask 45 and Chris Christie.

No barbershop for me but I won't look like an elderly Sasquatch any time soon as there is someone here in the park that can cut my hair.

I spend most days playing Scrabble, Words for Friends 2, and being a political junkie and following the news - multi sourced of course. I must admit, though, the 24/7 news coverage and short news cycle are frustrating and stressful.
Frankly, I long for the old days - what we used to call normal. The weekends when we could pick up and head to a movie on a whim. Of course the cost these days is simply outrageous. 

I have noticed a cost increase for groceries as well - varying from 10% to 20% per order. Coupled with unemployment numbers and the inability of the government to come up with an appropriate new stimulus package, things are tougher than ever. There are 3 people here living off a single social security check. As long as nothing goes wrong - read breaks down - we are fine. Of course something always breaks down.

Things apparently will continue in this vain until we can get the Pandemic under control. We continue to lead the world in poor response to Covid-19. Nothing being presented in the news lately gives me confidence the situation will improve appreciably any time soon.

I am not particularly surprised by that as many people here are blessed - or cursed - with a fierce independent streak. One that seemingly equates the simple task of wearing a face mask as a severe infringement of their personal rights. There is as much rancor there as there is with gun rights critics. Who woulda thunk - a cloth face mask is as sore a point as semiautomatic weapons. The CDC is the right's NRA. Sensible? That is up to you.
It has been interesting to see home delivery of groceries and take out establish a strong foothold. I think those will be with us permanently as we move forward and establish a new normal. I must admit - I find the fact that I can make an Aldi, Publix, or Food Lion grocery order at 8AM and by 10AM  it is delivered. I have become a fan of Aldi and their prices while the prices on groceries are so unstable. And Door Dash is easy to use but expensive. Choose your establishment wisely as you can save money with special deals. Boy, do I miss a place called Mr. Pickles - the best sandwich shop ever. I discovered them while staying with my brother's family.

Something else that is gaining popularity is working from home. Out of necessity, many folks are discovering the joy of working from home. Commutes include  avoiding overly affectionate pets as you walk down the hall. Having spent ten years doing it at RadioShack, I am glad to see it spreading. I am even considering going back to work.

So here we sit - less than two weeks until what I consider the most important election in our lives. Essentially quarantined,, avoiding get togethers, watching way too much TV and being as careful as possible. NC is spiking in infections - but the weather is nice. So far I have managed to not lose any friends over the election but the number of folks I discuss politics with has declined. No harm there as it is a mad mad world there is always plenty of stuff to discuss. Less than two weeks to go until things settle down.

And so goes a typical day for me here in North Carolina, the place I not so happily call home these days. The unhappiness is my issue and not related to the Pandemic. We are rapidly entering the Fall season, my favorite time of year. The temperature has been falling to 43° nightly, there is definitely a nip in the air. Good news - it is much cooler and pleasant temperature wise. Bad news - the cooler temperatures may be leading us into the worst time of the Pandemic. It will cause people to congregate in enclosed areas and far too many people still have issues wearing face masks when they are out and about.  Opening the state's economies has caused new spikes in infections as beaches and bars become more accessible. Too many in our society prefer to be seen in pubic carrying their semiautomatic weapons rather than wear a mask and help protect people from Covid-19.

That's my take on this week's quirky topic. Please Be sure to check what the other 8-1 bloggers have to say.

Maria

Sanjana

Ramanas Musings

Srinivas

Conrad

Padmun & Raju