Today, 12,624. So, yeah, this is going GREAT! Florida is I think #4 in the world now? in new COVID-19 cases? We are the third most populated state in the nation but we are running away with this virus, due to a high population of Fox-watching assholes and a truly worthless governor.
And that’s the reality we have to live with, somehow. Or die trying.
I’ve found that the thing that really is keeping me grounded is just 30 minutes of outdoor exercise a day. It’s hot AF here, heat index of 105 by midday, so I go early when it’s just hideously humid.
Usually it’s a walk to the “top” of the gently rising street near my neighborhood and back; it’s about 15 minutes up and back. I definitely feel the difference in my energy and mindset for the rest of the day. If I skip it, I’m much more miserable.
Over the last four months of working from home I shifted my morning alarm from 5:30 to 6, and sometimes 6:30. I’m turning it back to 5:30 tonight, so I can get out and walk at 7, after coffee and critter care, and shower and dress and be on my work laptop by 8.
Because the place where I work (not my employer, I’m a contractor) has slowed the “Return to the OFFICE!” plan. They’d done a sort of soft reopen with a handful of people on my floor. Within a few weeks they had to backtrack.
One of the first to return was exposed to the virus outside work and reported it; doesn’t have it at the moment, but is home and isolating again. So they sent everybody else home and deep cleaned the entire floor again, and let the first pioneers come back.
Phase II of the return to work plan with a few more volunteers is “on hold.” I was not a volunteer:
1) I’m not an employee so fuck that noise; and
2) I’m over 60 and a brain aneurysm survivor, so fuck that noise twice.
I’ll go back when they tell me I must, but they really are being very cautious. I expect to be working from home through the next three months, if I manage to stay employed. The financial damage of this is something nobody really wants to talk about yet, but as a contractor, I know I’ll be the first overboard if the budget gets bad and heads are cut.
This weekend sucked, as all weekends suck now, but I did follow up on my incredibly sweaty walk by purging crap and rearranging stuff, and putting stuff in my car to take to Goodwill at some point this week. I rearranged my small eating area in my kitchen, and flipped the bookcase of cookbooks and miscellany with the tiny cheap table and chairs. It opened up that space so much, I can’t believe I took this long to do it.
Behold! Floor Space!
I can’t believe how just switching a tiny table and chairs and a bookcase opened up the space so much. That tiny kitchen table is really just overflow seating and can sit on standby along the wall. I don’t use it myself, I prefer to sit in the larger dining area off the living room. I have parked children in the kitchen very infrequently, so tucking it out of the way and dragging it out when needed will work just fine. I hope children get to sit here again.
And it’s so weird to actually wonder when that could happen again.
So, tomorrow is Monday again. Month FOUR of this shitshow. It’s exhausting and depressing and endless, and Florida is in freefall with no leadership.
My job went two weeks ago. We were due to re-open 4th July, but got an e-mail three days before saying the boss had filed for administration. He’d actually walked into the petrol station where my colleague’s husband works and told him “All set for opening!” a couple of hours AFTER sending us the e-mail. WTF? It’s getting bloody here in the UK.
Sarah.
It’s just going from bad to worse most everywhere. Unfortunately, the dem candidate is not showing any signs of better planning but hopefully he’ll bring better minions. Better defined as having a brain and breathing through your nose under a mask. sigh.
Still desperately trying to save money here. I don’t see this ending before 24 months out. If you’re interested in the science but real and fun to listen to side of things, I highly recommend This Week in Virology podcast (aka TWIV) hosted by the American Microbiology assn. Not as dry as the name suggests and hands down the best wrap up of current research, vaccine status, real time docs and ICUs on the ground, and just everyday human. Love them madly and it’s good to knit to though watch your gauge when the news is rough… Sending hope against hope for betterment for us all. I’m glad you’re taking good care of yourself. Every time you post it lifts my day up!
I . . . feel so bad for everybody, but you get a special place because of Disney and how hot it is down there. A lot of people are getting special places.
I figure 8 more months? I’m retired and my daughter is on disability, so we’re “safe” as long as we keep hiding.
We’re hoping to. go swimming this year. I thought we could wait and go after school started, but I don’t think kids will be going to school, so . . .