Life in the Age of Corona
A Daily Diary
Saturday, May 22nd, 2021
Picnic in the Park
Today was the day of the IBDP Graduate picnic and it was a roaring success! It was a hot sunny day with temperatures reaching 33C.
The day started with a visit by the vet to check out Maxi and give him his shots. He is now good for another three years. I then rushed off to Aikido practice and from there to the pool, skipping lunch with the Aikidoka.
After a quick shower EM and I packed the car and headed to the park to set up for our event. We had three big picnic tables set up with yellow table clothes. In addition the two public tables were fitted with blue ones, on one of which we put the drinks. The five Chrysanthemums I had managed to save from the Prom made all the tables look a little festive.
One of the portable tables were for the presents we had made, which consisted of packets with a giant cookie and a small box of M&Ms. Two of the organizing mums baked some 100 cookies, which a third mum individually wrapped, adding the small box of BCC branded M&Ms - yellow and blue of course – which she had sponsored. Two others had sponsored yard signs for all graduates, which had been distributed two weeks earlier. Three of us had spent the day before or the day of preparing various food items ranging from Vietnamese spring rolls, to Chinese dumplings and a variety of puff pastries. This was complemented by an assortment of fizzy drinks.
The Barron banners came up as did the one “Congrats Graduates Class of 2021” banner. We also had a couple of IBDP Graduate yard signs to guide folks from the Geico parking lot to the park. All in all the park looked rather festive.
Our fabulous IB coordinator Ms. D. had sent another email to all students stating that she would speak around 16:35, a final reminder so to say. Students began arriving a little before 16:00. The turn-out was great and all kids came wearing masks, as a result all the mums donned their masks too. The award ceremony began in earnest around 17:00 with Ms. D. reading a teacher quote for each student and presenting an ib medal, turning the event into a celebration of the students’ achievements. Today marked a big step towards graduation. Another week, and high school will truly be over.
We lucked out not only on the weather, but also on the Cicadas, which thankfully did not emerge in full force today. The coming week is apparently the week when the majority will make an appearance I have been hearing theirsong at a distance for several days.
The students enjoyed each other’s company, after being apart for most or all of the school year as not everyone has returned to in person learning. Some kids had only ever met on Zoom bonding for instance in international club. Friendships, which under normal circumstances might have been going on for the entire school, were forged at the last minute.
Hanging out together proved to be what they craved. Since almost none of the teachers or students had brought food to the event, they gladly enjoyed what was provided and they loved the presents. This was rather gratifying to the organizers. The mums really rose to the occasion, not just sponsoring all of this, but mostly putting in the work. It was a true team effort and sometimes it takes a village or in this case six dedicated mums to create a lasting memory.
Half of the mums ended the night with a small impromptu small after party with adult beverages, for those who could make it spur of the moment so to speak, in my garden. All the ladies I have met on the various celebratory committees were awesome. I just wish I had met them sooner.
19k new cases have been reported nationwide over the past twenty-four hours, the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic, to bring the US total 33.88 million. The pandemic may really be over. It is hard to fathom that we may return to a pre-pandemic lifestyle.
to achieve this extraordinary measures to increase vaccination rates are now being taken. The latest effort to get people vaccinated in the US is through cash incentives. New York hands out scratch cards to the mega-million lottery with every shot. Ohio has opened a state lottery where five people can in a million each. These are randomly selected from the database of fully vaccinated people and Maryland has just announced its own lottery, the bad cash promotion. Vax Cash promotion—$40,000 daily lotteries for 40 days and a $400,000 drawing on July 4. The total jackpot giveaway is $2 million. Everyone in Maryland who has received a jab is eligible.
EM and I each have a chance to make a profit out of this disaster. That would be a rather unexpected windfall.
