The COVID Chronicle, October 16-31, 2020

 

October 18 [Saturday]

A morning walk to the pharmacy post office with [my daughter] to mail EBay sales. I want the kids to get more outdoor exposure, plus I particularly enjoy my one-on-one time with the Boogie. The kids are not going outdoors enough since the inception of Shelter In Place because, naturally, they’re not leaving the premises for school or social engagements. I don’t want them to be afraid to engage the world, but to be aware and safe, then proceed confidently into it when deemed appropriate. Anyway, we stopped at the bakery on the way home for a pumpkin spice latte for [Wife Klem] because she’s been pretty good lately and deserved a fancy coffee.

 

October 19 [Monday]

Covid seems to have induced a unique problem. With the reduced price of college this year because of virtual classes and living at home, instead of incurring the costs of the dorms, [the boy’s] 529 college savings plan is projected to be more than sufficient to get him through graduation. The tuition cost of Cal State Fullerton is considerably less than the cost of dorms and the dining commons, which was $14,500 last year in addition to tuition. There is a trade off. Cost is reduced, but so is the life-learning opportunities gained from living on one’s own. I have resolved myself to enjoy the bonus year with my guy rather than stew in my own juices over the lost life learning.

 

October 21 [Wednesday]

My evening walk today was a bit of a bummer. Too crowded. I walked to the Vons shopping center down the street for cereal and Campbell’s chunky soup, they’re both on sale! The park down the street, dubbed Dead Grass Park since when we moved to our present home in 2002,was disappointingly crowded with a soccer scrimmage or practice in session and cars parked across the street at the retail center. This was the busiest pedestrian activity I’d seen since pre-Covid. Disheartening. Walking home I masked up and stepped into the street a few times to circumnavigate fellow walkers. When Covid eventually concludes I will long afterwards think back fondly of the light public traffic during the early days of Shelter In Place, vehicular and pedestrian. But I must prioritize, let’s regain health first, only then will I gripe.

 

October 24 [Saturday]

A Safehouse visit today with [my brother’s] team, plus Uncle Joe. Fun, we remain masked and socially distanced and stayed in the backyard rather than congregating indoors.

         The drive home in the early afternoon, eastbound on the 210 freeway, was unpleasantly clogged. The traffic seems to have regained its pre-Covid status. It was thick with intermittent break lights. We were still moving, no freeway stopping, but tapping of breaks during much of the drive home east of Pasadena. Damn, I very much miss the shockingly diminished traffic of the early-Covid days.

 

October 25 [Sunday]

[Wife Klem] and I voted today, live action, in person. This was taking place at City Hall. We arrived in the morning, there were no crowds, voting stations were ample and there was no rush. A snafu occurred with [Wife Klem’s] ballot. It didn’t print correctly which necessitated that she vote with a Provisional Ballot. So technical issues were in effect. Hoping this gets contained for future voters. Then, because we were alone and the kids at home, we stopped at the bakery for a fancy coffee for [Wife Klem] to celebrate our alone time before going home.

 

October 26 [Monday]

53F this morning in San Dimas. Unless there’s an abrupt reversal in the temperatures, my breakfasts on the patio seem to have concluded for the year. We’ll see what returns first, tolerable morning temperatures in Spring 2021 or a post-Covid existence.

 

October 27 [Tuesday]

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series! They beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. The baseball season was played in nearly empty stadiums and the World Series had maybe 25% capacity. No real Covid angle other than I just wanted to document a Dodgers championship in the Covid Chronicle. I grew up in Los Angeles County and remember as a youngster when my dad would occasionally come home from work telling us we were going to the Dodger game that night! My mom also rejoiced, because she was NOT going to the game and would have four hour of peace and quiet to herself with her four boys and daughter out of the house.

         Oh, actually, one Covid note. One of the Dodger players was removed during the game, Justin Turner. We found out afterwards he had a positive Covid test. Weird. What, they tested during the game? Or they knew earlier but wanted his bat in the lineup? I won’t go Columbo, though, I’ll just enjoy the local Championship while the team celebrates with their afflicted teammate.

 

October 29 [Thursday]

The Covid traffic honeymoon has officially concluded. There’s an overlook view on one of my regular evening walks. It overlooks the 71, 10 and 57 freeways interchange. Pre-Covid this merge was heartily congested for the evening traffic commute with brake lights. Since Shelter In Place this merging logjam has been light. Tonight it resembled pre-Covid for the first time since March. It is my preference that the populace was regaining health as heartily as the Southern California traffic.

 

October 30 [Friday]

I took the day off because [my daughter] has it off, plus [the boy] has no college classes Friday. [Wife Klem] scheduled us a morning visit to the Citrus State Park in Riverside, then a walkthrough of the UC Riverside Botanical Garden. It was a nice morning walking around these well-kept landscapes, refreshing time away from our screens. But damn, the traffic stinks. I’ve mentioned before and will whinny down my complaining on this point, but traffic feels at or near pre-Covid levels.