Postcards from the Lake: It's Beginning to Get to Me

The past few weeks have felt very disconcerting to me. I'm back at the lake, quarantining from Rick. Or maybe he's quarantining from me. Either way, I don't like it.

If you look at some of the Covid maps, Michigan is getting in the red again and there's a big chunk of that red in Lansing where we live. You can thank the Michigan State University students for that, partying down with big groups, no masks or distancing. At the beginning of summer, our county had about 750 cases since March. In three months we now have over 3,000, over 1,000 in the past two weeks. Four times more in the past three months than in the first three months of lockdown. Fraternities, sororities and group living are in mandated quarantine; other students are advised to do so.

 

But hey, let's have Big 10 Football again, because the kids really like it. And some others. But at what price?

I will say people are being relatively  good about masks -- it's a mandate to wear one if you want to go into a store. (Of course, the clerk at Tractor Supply up here had his hanging below his nose and a few customers didn't have them, but by and large it's pretty good.) 

Try finding toilet bowl cleaner. Anywhere. And if you have rusty water as we do at the lake, good luck finding the "rust and lime" version. (Hence the visit to Tractor Supply where I scored the last bottle.) Shelves are empty. But toilet paper is in good shape, I'm pleased to say. Get it now while it lasts! Wipes are hard to come by too. But I did score some Lysol spray. 

Oh, and here's a tip. If you are stocking up on hand sanitizer, read the ingredients. The one below is only 62.5 percent alcohol. That's not enough.

It must be at least 70 percent to be fully effective. At least, that's what they said at the beginning. Now I'm hearing this would be OK -- but my doc friend said go with 70 percent. So, unless I can't get anything else, that's what I'll do.

So, why are Rick and I quarantining? Or rather, why is he? Well, he went to visit the Toddler Twosome and had a wonderful day. But he didn't know till he got there that Molly had been to a bridal shower that morning. Now, she said it was masked (till eating) and distanced because the bride has immune issues, too. But there were four people seated at eight-top tables for eating and that's too close. When Rick and the kids all had dinner later, they were eating inside at a small table.

That would maybe have been enough to start our time-out, but the day before, he got a flat and a fellow kindly gave him a ride home. Neither were masked. Too close.

It was recommended we stay apart -- ten feet outside with masks for two weeks. He will get tested this week but was told to wait several days to ensure it might be more accurate. Good luck getting in the VERY long drive-thru lines, lines you can't even see the end of, and probably filled largely with students and people from the U who were in their path.

(The best thing about that day was talking on the phone to our little guy peeking out of the bike cab. We actually had a conversation, which isn't bad for a kid two years and two months. It wasn't a deep conversation. We didn't discuss politics. But he called me by name and said "I love you," (I think) and that was good enough for me!) 

The thing that is getting to me is the never-ending pace. I get horribly angry at conspiracy theorists and Covid deniers. Yes. For some, it will be no worse than a flu. Some won't even know they have it. But for others, if they don't die, and many have and will, there will likely be lifelong physical complications of lungs, liver and heart. There's a selfishness to all of it. And yes, we're all tired of it. We want it over. But we want it done right. I feel like we're in the woods and aren't sure of the path out.

And what do we do about Christmas and Thanksgiving? 

When I think of things -- and add to it the tragedies of hurricanes in the south and on the coast and fires in the west, I get overwhelmed. Toss in some civil rights issues and add the election to the mix and it gets insane. Our country is in its biggest mess in my lifetime and I don't like it one bit.

I get bitchy. I cry, unprovoked. Like now. I have dreams. I hadn't had Covid dreams since April but now I've had them many nights in a row. 

If people would just wear the masks, keep the distance, stop attending superspreader events, wash up and follow guidelines, we might get this under enough control to wait out a reputable, fully-vetted vaccine. It won't be soon, but if everyone goes along with precautions, that time will move along a whole lot faster.

On another note, I've been looking terrible. The hair got out of control.

I didn't think it was as bad as it was till I did a selfie of the top of my head.

Thank you, Clairol. It was easier than I thought and I actually picked the right color, which is pretty good online! Lots less expensive, too!

So, that's our world these days. I leave you with someone who doesn't give a hoot about any of this...

 ...just so long as she gets fed!