MUSINGS OF A HOMEBODY

Here in rural southeastern Washington state, we are under the same stringent rules that apply to the Seattle area, even though the virus has yet to be identified here. We’re basically the same community as Lewiston, Idaho, and over there, things continue to be a little more relaxed. However, of course, federal guidelines make it a state of emergency everywhere, and we should all exercise caution.

Here’s how Mike and I are impacted today:

·      The aquatic center where Mike exercises is closed.

·      Our yoga group has been cancelled until further notice. (Mike says I’ll be leading our home sessions now.)

·      P.E.O. meetings and gatherings are cancelled until at least May (and also this year’s state and international conventions).

·      All Washington hair salons are ordered closed. (I politely declined Mike’s offer to cut my hair.)

And – the school bus has ceased to go by at 7:28 a.m. and 2:53 p.m. Even though we aren't involved with the schools, I miss the structure that the school bus give my day.

I don’t know when I’ve ever washed my hands so much. Chapping is a problem. The cracks on my palms have healed, but now the backs are cracking. I hate to use lotion during the day when I’m just washing it off again, but I guess I have to. I have plenty of soap and plenty of lotion.

My email contacts seem to think I’m stuck at home with nothing to do, suggesting everything from making a quilt or afghan to cleaning the house. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just business as usual.  

Mike got up Tuesday morning, swallowed his apple juice, and went to Walmart for motor oil. He said he didn’t come within six feet of anyone, but I sent him to wash his hands anyway. He reported that there were plenty of shoppers at that early hour.

 

When the world is allowed to run again, I wonder what will have changed. No one knows, of course, but I think this won’t leave us where it found us, as the old saying goes. Time will tell. 

Tomorrow, I'll report on today's trip to the farm. KW

NOTES ON OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE

We had a dip into winter over the weekend with a little snow over Saturday night. It’s warming up again now but all danger of frost isn’t past.

Here we are in the midst of emergency response to pandemic, and while I’m sure caution should be practiced, it’s just so hard to stay home. We aren’t sick. We know no one who is sick. The novel virus has yet to be identified in our community. But here we are at home, trying not to go anywhere public. Of course, since I’m a homebody, I don’t really want to go anywhere except to JoAnn’s and the grocery store, but I would like to feel that I can go to those places.

We went to the grocery store again yesterday – “just topping off,” as Mike put it – and I felt guilty for going.

Probably most of us were taught to wash our hands among our first lessons.  “Nothing has done as much for world health as washing the hands,” my Mother was the first to tell me, and of course, that's a well-publicized fact. At first, I was no good at it. It was boring to stand there rubbing and twisting my hands with soap and water, so I would cut the process short and dry my hands on my towel. Because I wasn’t thorough – and evidently I was also into some very dirty activities – my dirty towel told Mother that I wasn’t getting my hands clean. “Kathy!” she called from the bathroom, “come here! Just look at your towel!” Can’t you just hear her?

To tell you the truth, I don’t think I became a meticulous hand washer until I had my first baby. Having children in the home will make a believer out of you. So glad I don't have to worry about children in today’s environment, but then, we always worry about the children.

How about disinfecting? I gave the bathroom counter a good cleaning the other day – something I don’t do often enough. I used my Clorox Kitchen Cleaner only later to discover Clorox Bathroom Cleaner stored in the bathroom. I didn’t even know what cleaning products I had on hand, so today I researched my cupboards and placed disinfectants on counters where we can reach them. It’s tough to take disinfecting seriously since it’s (mostly) just the two of us here. We laughed this morning when I insisted Mike move six feet away from me at our yoga class.

Yes, we went to yoga. The group agreed to keep meeting until further notice. That may come sooner than we think, whether it seems necessary or not. And Mike's visits to retirement / nursing facilities have been cancelled.

“Some people call me elderly,” said Mike. “I don’t think of myself as elderly.” And neither do I.

In other news, Mike bought a 2002 Dodge Ram from a used car dealership in Weiser last Friday (March 13). As luck would have it, the dealer had plans to visit family in this area and delivered it to us. We haven’t driven it much, but so far, it seems good. Because the driver’s seat is worn while the passenger seat is in good shape, we think it was probably a one-man vehicle. It has seen use but has only 108,000 miles on it. Perhaps it was someone’s farm truck. Perhaps it still is. KW

IS IT AN EPIDEMIC OR NOT?

Bare shelves at a Seattle grocery store

The present concern for the development of the “novel coronavirus” reminded me of the great swine flu epidemic of 1918. It was before my time, of course – because it was mostly before everyone’s time – but my parents remembered it and spoke about it from time to time. My mother was about eight at the time, and her family didn’t get sick, but she remembered helping her mother deliver food to the sick and quarantined.

And what did they do to protect themselves? Mother said she wore garlic around her neck, which probably didn’t do much good except maybe to keep others from coming too close, unless they were wearing garlic, too. Who knows? Maybe it worked.

So far, we have not curtailed our activities on account of the present virus scare, but a state of emergency has been declared for Washington state due to illness events in the Seattle area. Thinking the day might come when we wouldn’t want to venture out, Mike and I shopped for a few groceries. I really think we have enough food on hand so that we wouldn’t starve in the foreseeable future, but the issue might not be illness so much as the lack of available goods due to panic, whether or not it’s warranted.

The above picture was taken by son-in-law Nick at a Seattle grocery store on Sunday (March 1). Looks like shoppers anticipate the need for broth. I guess that makes sense. 

My P.E.O. chapter is sponsoring its annual rummage sale this coming weekend. Preparations continue. KW