While I admit I did have a little bit more of a sleep-in this morning, my dreams were full of chaos. In one, I got into a very large fight with a good friend from high school, and I laid everything down on the line to that person. And then I retreated to my own table in the pub to listen to the actual Spice Girls singing. I’m not sure what that was all about.
Again, I was too lazy to make myself Egg McMuffins for breakfast, so I rationed out the rest of that box of Sultana Bran (Raisin Bran for my American friends and family) for a final bowl. Rationing the box made me get about 2 or 3 more bowls out of it, so that was a feel-good factor for me.
I spent the day tinkering with the Moodle site for The Place Where I Work so the display errors would have an alternative to render correctly, and that was satisfying.
I also spent some of that time putting categories and tags and proper feature images on my blog entries during the pandemic lockdown to provide consistency and variety in the posts.
By 1 PM, we received both good news and bad news for New Zealand. The confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours were 63, nothing close to the 85 and 83 we had had in the two days before; however, sadly, we had our first COVID-19 death: a woman in her mid-70s, thought to have been in hospital with flu until a few days ago, died in the early hours of today. The nation seemed upset for the loss of this person we didn’t know very well.
I spoke to my Mom in Chicago for nearly 2 hours, which was nice. Being isolated on different sides of the world seemed to make us talk longer, just in case. I admitted to her, as I have admitted to my husband and a few other people, I am anxious about going out tomorrow to get my flu shot at my doctor’s office. My doctor encouraged me (a high-risk person) to come in and get the flu immunization as soon as it was available during a clinic day so I was immunized. That day is tomorrow (Monday), so I do need to get it done. I’ll be wearing a mask and touching absolutely nothing if I can help it. While I normally go somewhere else after I visit the doctor’s office, this time I’ll be picking up my husband’s prescriptions (in the same complex), then heading home right away and scrubbing up well.
Today marks 5 days (around 2 PM) where I have not been in close contact with any other people other than my husband. I have been inside our home all that time except the 2 walks we went on, very cognascent of keeping the 2 meter rule intact at all times when around other people.
I was heartened to receive messages from some friends and family around the world. It made me feel less isolated, and that was nice. I am, of course, very concerned about my friends and family in the States (especially) due to the crazy explosion of COVID-19 cases. My thoughts and prayers and well-wishes are radiating out to ensure they are okay as best as I can make them from so far away.
Tonight, I go to bed feeling a little more optimistic. After speaking with my Mom, it reenforced the idea that I have more personal control over this pandemic in my own space than I did with the earthquakes. Wash my hands, maintain social distancing measures, clean, cleanse, sanitize — these things can protect me against the virus. I just need to remain vigilant.
I hope whoever is reading this, wherever you are and whatever your circumstances, that you are doing well, staying safe and sane, and that we get through this pandemic together. Kia kaha and God bless you.
Beam Me Up, Scotty 