Life in the Age of Corona

A Daily Diary

Thursday, October 29th, 2020

Preparing

The weather today was truly miserable. Grey skies and rain for most of the day. It was so bad I had to turn the lights on in my office, which I rarely do, but then again in our lives the office would take care of that and I have not really been home during the day.

After three days of virtual conferencing today was dedicated to working through my inbox and some thinking time, the latter was rather productive. Beyond that not much happened.

I did meet an acquaintance from church last night for a socially distanced walk around my neighborhood. I have not really been doing these walks ever since pools reopened and noticed that I miss the daily walks EM and I undertook every day in March, April and May. It was nice to check in on the houses we know so well. See the progress on the construction sites and how people’s gardens have changed from spring to autumn.

As we are heading into Halloween people in the neighborhood have gone all out, it seems, to make it more spectacular than in previous years. This year appears to be the year of blow up sculptures; ghosts, pumpkins, spiders. It is a colorful array out there making our decorations almost appear boring; though I love our ghosts floating in th ecounty tree out front.

As Halloween approaches the Listserv has been debating about the safety of trick and treating. Should one or should one not? People are ambivalent and trying to figure out safe ways for trick and treat, which is reflective of my Hood. People are coming up with very innovative ways to distribute candy in a socially distanced manner. My personal favorite is the little delivery ghost with the zip line.

From what I understand most people in my neighborhood do want to do some form of Halloween. So I have created a map in which I included every house that will be offering socially distanced treating in accordance with CDC guidelines. I think so far I have about 100 houses.

While the teens plan to sit by our portable firepit in the drive way and hand out candy with a Lacrosse net, I shall have a girlfriend or two over to walk the Hood and later enjoy some wine by the fire pit in the backyard. As is my custom I shall dress as a witch; seeing I am convinced I was burned at a stake in a previous life.

While infections are rampant at least mortality rates are coming down.Today the USA has reported 81k new infections bringing the total of reported infections to 9.2 million out of 42.9million cases reported globally. Based on tests in Orange county the real number may well be five times that. All hopes in the USA hing on a vaccine to make it all go away.

Four years of this administration has sadlydestroyed trust in the federal institutions, the latest being the FDA as interference continues. Five States and a group of black doctors have come together with a plan to conduct their own research and review trial results into whatever vaccines the FDA may grant emergency use approval for before they will distribute it. This is in addition to other independent bodies who have already announced that they will also review trial results.

Sadly, Europe is not faring any better. The current wave of Corona infection in Europe may well have originated in Spain with holiday makers carrying it back and spreading it locally. This is evidenced by the fact that current infections are largely with a newly mutated form of the virus first found in Spain in June.

Still hoping I can go home for Christmas given the all out now to control the spread.