The COVID Chronicle, December 16-31, 2021

 

December 16 [Wednesday]

Vaccination with one degree of separation! I have a direct line of someone who has been vaccinated. She’s a nurse in Colorado, [Wife Klem’s] cousin, and was prioritized due to her work. This is exciting hearing a direct vaccination story.

 

December 17 [Thursday]

We’ve modified our shopping habits during Shelter In Place to accommodate a reduced possible exposure to Covid. [Wife Klem’s] going out into the wilds this morning for supplies. My contribution to the effort has me taking Ghost dog for his morning walk instead of her. This will allow her an earlier entry for hunting and gathering when the store is less congested with the masses. I’d otherwise just be rocking the cardio machine at a similarly early hour for my morning workout. A fair trade off.

 

December 18 [Friday]

Cheryl’s dad has been diagnosed with Covid! This is the closest family touch we’ve had. He’s had other ailments, had been in assisted living, then came home with continued care and has since been confirmed as positive. Waiting to see how that turns out, plus if other family members are afflicted. Dark Christmas.

[Note: Her mom and brother have since tested positive. Mom is also hospitalized, but everyone is stable.]

 

December 21 [Monday]

My friend had Covid! He’s an insurance agent in Lake Elsinore and this is his first day back. We haven’t spoken lately, though we pick up communication frequency during baseball season with playful banter. I have no details yet regarding his experience. I hope his family has managed to stay Covid-free.

 

December 22 [Tuesday]

Covid’s been a massive life changer for many people. I know, call me Captain Obvious. For me, I’ve been lucky, very lucky. It’s been a huge inconvenience, but not awful like for so many. However, my company car’s been inactive so long in the driveway, other than its weekly spin, that a squirrel is wreaking havoc. It’s continually getting under the hood of the car, eating snails and dates leaving debris and poop, as evidenced by the empty snail shells, fruit pits, and poop, then chewing on car wires. Pulling out of the driveway this morning for the car’s weekly spin, the dashboard light activated, again. The car’s already been in the shop and fixed twice and now it’s happened a third time! I’m reluctant and embarrassed to take it back to the shop. 

 

December 24 [Thursday]

Merry Christmas Eve! We dined at home on tamales, then opened gifts, including a few wrapped presents for Ghost Dog. Then for the fun stuff, the evening, the four of us hung out like a real family! We were downstairs all together watching You Tube videos, playing video games and talking. This is unusual because the piglets are usually self-sequestered communicating online with their pals [Discord, Twitch, Text], but their friends aren’t available tonight. They must be with their families doing Christmas things. So by default, they had little choice but to stick together, as if we liked each other. And, of course, as far as I know we do, but it turns out I’m often the last person around here to find things out. Either way, I like my family and will gladly take them by any means I can get them.

 

December 25 [Friday]

[morning] Merry Christmas! I made a solo trek to the Safehouse [my parents’ abode]. [My sister] is visiting for a week with her boy and dog. I hung outside donning my mask, and three layers of clothing because it’s a chilly 63F outside. The visit extended itself to indoors, and I conservatively departed a little earlier than scheduled due to the indoor socializing. Today was a peaceful visit lacking the typically chaotic Safehouse Christmas of pre-Covid Christmases past. 

 

[afternoon] Our family tradition of a bike ride on Christmas Eve got a one-day reprieve on account of a light drizzling rain and cold weather yesterday. The four of us went to the Bausch & Lomb office park up the street. We rode today, [my daughter] and I, while [the boy] and [Wife Klem] walked Ghost Dog. A pleasant family afternoon.

 

December 26 [Saturday]

Curbside pancake pickup this morning. During Christmas break [my daughter] and I are on a mission to find the best local pancakes. She picked out five restaurants from which we’ll order over the course of two weeks. This morning was the third of five mission forays. She called in our order, we drove by, and picked up without even exiting the vehicle. Convenient and slick. The hot cakes, though, were not award winning. Good enough, I mean pancakes are almost always delicious, but today’s power ranking is only average.

 

December 31 [Thursday]

Happy New Year! A fun movie watched with [Wife Klem], Palm Springs, about two people stuck in a time loop. Then the four of us were all in bed by 10 pm Pacific Time, just the way I like it. Peace to you and this new year.