Life in the Age of Corona

A Daily Diary

Wednesday, April 28th, 2021

Outdoor Office

Today was the first hot day in the DMV with temperatures reaching 29C.

The sun is gaining in strength limiting the lizzarding in my garden as it just gets too hot. I do have a bit of a tan already though courtesy of soaking up sun for short periods of time every day. The first hours of the day were spent in my actual office until it occurred to me that the morning was beautiful and warm and my favorite spot in the garden still in the shade. I grabbed my laptop and migrated to the love seat with a view of the glorious Azaleas in back, opening outdoor office season!

They come in all varieties of color ranging from faint pink over pink and red to a bright purple. I do not know by which rhyme or reason the bloom. Some are far along while others just have cusps. I enjoy this as it will extend their glory. Sadly, the white Azaleas in front of the house are already beginning to turn brown. However, the tree Peony, I planted two weeks ago is beginning to bloom as is the Rhododendron, both adding a splash of magenta to my garden.

After 412 days at home I am far more attuned to the changes the seasons bring, enjoying every flower, the trees with the early green and how they change my view as well as sunny and shady times in various locations. I enjoy listening to the sounds of nature, the angry squirrels, the humming of the bees and the song of the birds which will soon be joined by the harping of millions of Cicadas. Especially the Cardinals have a distinct call starting with "birdy, birdy, birdy, followed by a cheerful chirp. The birds who availed themselves of the feeders in winter are now enjoying the bird bath not just for a drink, but also for a swim. When we leave, I am sure I will have made the most of a second spring and summer at home.

There is no telling when we will return to the office, possibly in the fall, which suits me well as I have now joined the community pool, so can swim outdoors throughout the summer, save for July when we will be on our Blue Cruise.

I still track the virus development, albeit less frantically so as things are easing up and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope this will not get derailed somehow. In the US another 52k new infections have been reported over the past twenty-four hours to bring the total to 32.97 million and vaccine hesitancy is becoming the greatest threat to a full reopening. Many people have neglected to show up for their second shot.

While the situation in India is dire, the country with roughly for time the population of the USA still only reports a total of 18 million infections versus 33 million reported in the USA. Presumably Indian numbers are underreported. The current crisis in the Indian health system has at least had one positive effect: the world is rushing to help. Such help also includes the USA opening up to sharing vaccines and research with countries in need. Given the US government had invested heavily in the vaccine production they also hold the rights, so could for instance enable emerging market countries to produce mRNA vaccines.

This would be quite something.