The COVID Chronicle, February 1-15, 2021

February 1 [Monday]

A local agent with whom I work got vaccinated, he and his wife, at the Pomona fairgrounds. This was their first of two shots. It is a drive-through routine where you sit in the car for 15 minutes after the vaccination, to confirm no adverse effects, in which case you’d blink your lights. If none, then you’re free to drive away. They had appointments in advance and said it was very smooth.

 

February 2 [Tuesday]

Covid. I’m thankful that children have been less susceptible than adults, though they can be carriers. Those who do contract the virus typically have only mild cases. Do children simply lack the Covid receptors? It hasn’t been adequately explained, yet, why or how, but in coming months or years perhaps we’ll find out. 

 

February 3 [Wednesday]

As we approach the anniversary of the Covid-induced Shelter-In-Place, coming up in March, there’s no victory in simply killing time and existing until regular life returns. All this bonus time gifted through Shelter In Place and the slower-paced social agendas of us non-Essential workers. It is important to be productive rather than being content with its filibuster. When this is all done, what will I be able to say I did with it all? What will I have to show other than having survived? Pending, of course, my eventual and hoped for survival.

 

February 6 [Saturday]

Safehouse visit [my parents’ house] today with mom, dad and Team Mike. I haven’t seen my  brother and his team since prior to Christmas. I miss him, his bride and the people they made. In speaking with him, sounds like we’re both on an improved state of mental health having given up politics six or more months ago. We’re both experiencing an improved mood boost since the reduction in that inflammatory newsy intake. I still peruse the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, but avoid the Opinion and Politics sections. So much of it lacks transcendent importance. I stick with the Business sections. 

The elders were asked about their progress toward vaccinations. Dad and Uncle Joe have not yet made appointments. They’re also not excited about taking two trips to get vaccinated, the two-shot vaccine routine being staggered a few weeks apart. They sound inclined to wait for the single-shot vaccination which is said to be closing in on approval. Mom holds fast to no intention of carrying through with the vaccine. She’s feisty, but also remains worth battling for. I suggested the elders can either get the vaccines on their own, or, after I’ve gotten my vaccination, my brother, me and a roll of duct tape might drop by to take them for a black ops vaccination field trip. I hope it doesn’t come to that.

 

February 11 [Thursday]

Another colleague at work had been ravaged with Covid. I hadn’t heard from him in a while, turns out he was down with the virus, a bad case of it. His autistic son, too. He lost 16 pounds while healing in the hospital and got down to 149. His wife was alarmed when he came home, he was such skin and bone. He said rib bones were showing that he’d never seen before. He has since bulked up with a high protein diet and is back to 170. He porked on a few extra pounds at his wife’s request as cushion in case he has to battle Covid again. His doctor said muscle is very nutritious so that’s what his body consumed fighting the virus. He asked about his brain. The brain is possibly the most nutritious part of the human body and he likely lost some brain cells as well. Oh well, he’s back to work and thankful he has people he can rely on when down.

 

February 13 [Saturday]

I bought a new mask today. I’ve two masks in the rotation, each worn on a weekly basis, plus two bandanas deployed for my daily walks. I lost one of the masks last weekend. Bummed. It was the baseball mask, a print with a bunch of baseballs, so I’m down to my sunflower-print mask. Plus, when it arrives, a nautical-print mask. That’s it. That’s my Covid-face covering update.

 

February 14 [Sunday]

Mom remains steadfast against the two-shot vaccination routine. In my daily email with her she has suggested that the single-shot vaccine may get her consent. I’m hoping this holds up, a slowly coming around to abide by the vaccine.

The COVID Chronicle, January 16-31, 2021

 

January 16 [Saturday]

I visited the Safehouse [my parents’ abode] this morning, solo from San Dimas, arriving with a package of delicious snacks from Panera, retrieved en route. Patrons are required to wear a mask even at the drive through. I did abide.

It was a nice Safehouse visit, my first since before Christmas. Uncle Joe and dad are on board with getting vaccinations. They are uncertain, however, where or how to get it done or where to find information. Mom’s concern is over a potential adverse reaction to the vaccine. I will follow up with a phone number for dad and Uncle Joe by which they may make arrangements for their vaccination. For mom, I’ll continue positive conversations regarding vaccines hoping for eventual persuasion.

 

[The boy] and I made an apple pie this afternoon. It was an effort to brew up positive Division Weekend playoff mojo for my Cleveland Browns in tomorrow’s game. The pie, incidentally, was tasty and uncomplicated. I enjoyed the teamwork with my guy.

[Follow up: The Browns lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Defeat despite our apple pie effort in hopes of gaining positive game mojo, but to no avail.]

 

January 18 [Monday]

We’ve been teasing Ghost Dog lately. Pre-Covid everyone was away from home during the day with school or work and he would patiently wait outside. He’d sleep all day [the Life of Reilly, as Grandma Tedesco used to say, whoever this Reilly was] or lay out by the rear fence looking down the hill. But now, with Shelter In Place, everyone’s always home, all day, and he wants more action, but we’re occupied with our own tasks and not playing with him. So he lies out on the backyard grass and watches us through the kitchen window, like he’s watching TV. There are multiple windows and he changes view from one window to the next, like he’s changing channels, pending who’s inside and what we’re doing. We tease that he’s changing monitors as he scrolls back and forth between windows. Wave to him simultaneously for interactive TV to see who he watches, which ‘monitor.’ He’s a good dog, Ghost Dog, despite having a long kill list of wildlife with whom he’s managed to interface . . . and end.

 

January 20 [Wednesday]

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been inaugurated and their term commences. Going forward will be interesting to hear what Covid angles get attributed to Trump and which ones to Biden. I’m rather burned out on the inflamed political purlieu and will not expound further here. Regardless, from here we move forward.

 

January 23 [Saturday]

Sounds like vaccine enthusiasm is possibly waning. There are virus variants that are not expected to be defeated with the current Covid-19 vaccines. People may be weighing whether to get this or wait for the next generation of vaccines. Either way, Wife Klem’s totally into this, and I’m into her, so we’ll get vaccinated for whatever’s being offered when we’re eligible.

 

January 26 [Tuesday]

The normalization of Covid gained a foothold today. I had a Skype meeting scheduled with a work colleague and received an email from him that he’s got Covid. So, we just rescheduled our meeting two weeks out. He’s still working virtually when he can, despite being afflicted. When he’s overcome with fevers and fatigue, he conks out and goes to bed. I’ll seek details in two weeks when we Skype up.

 

January 27 [Wednesday]

Mom’s girlfriend, Mrs. H, got vaccinated today. Mom is monitoring for feedback regarding any unpleasant after effects. I’m hoping Mrs. H issues a favorable review, that it may enhance the prospect of mom subjugating herself to the vaccination urgings from family. We’re quite fond of her and conspiring for her elongation.

 

January 28 [Thursday]

I selfishly admit to be progressing through Shelter In Place in good spirits. Wife Klem, mostly, too. Sure, we’d like to visit family and a handful of close friends, but we have most of what we want right here in lock down. We’ve got the four of us, plus Ghost Dog adequately playing the roll of court jester. But Shelter In Place is not amenable to the kids, for different reasons. One immersing himself in his reclusion, the other fraying from the burden of it. Look, I know, this sounds grim, but there is hope. They’re both delightful in their own way. They both sound happy when interacting with their virtual friends. Maybe this is nothing, but I worry about my monkeys and want them to be happy and good. 

 

January 30 [Saturday]

I saw my first ever double masker today, a pair of them walking together wearing a mask over another mask. There had been a recent recommendation, maybe the CDC [Center for Disease Control], for people to wear two masks. This was at Bonelli Park, I was wearing a bandana at the time, the face covering preference for my daily walks.

 

January 31 [Sunday]

There was a vaccine protest at the Dodger Stadium drive-through vaccination site. Baffling. Have people nothing better to do with their time? It shut down the vaccinations for an hour. Vaccinations in California are reportedly not going great, people are not emerging in the hoped for prolific numbers. At this pace Wife Klem and I may be pushed back from a March vaccination to early summer.