No Dianne and Ashlee; No Sunday Dog Walks

This video cracked me  up!

I “bought” four hundred dollars-worth of gift cards for Home Hardware using my Aeroplan points. I’ll use my credit for “free” plants, perhaps some garden tools and other odds and ends. That was yesterday’s good news. Yesterday’s bad news was the slow trickle with which my cistern is filling—due, I imagine, to the lack of rain these past seven weeks. We’re in a drought situation, which is normally unimaginable at this time of year.

I’ll likely have to buy water to keep my gardens wet this summer—probably twice, at three hundred dollars a crack. Consequently, I’m implementing water saving measures as of today: I’ll be flushing less, washing bigger loads of laundry and saving gray water for the gardens. Now I’ve something other than Covid-19 to worry about.

But I’m worrying less about the virus, heartened by the increasing availability of food in the grocery and in farm stands, and due to my resolve to enjoy the good weather and the social isolation I’ve been practicing for years. Dianne called this morning to cancel her visit with Ashlee and our Sunday dog walking group has been suspended. I still walk with my small group, but we now walk together but apart.

I spent yesterday walking Sheba by myself, baking a cake and finishing The Overstory. I also wrote to friends who were planning on visiting, asking them not to come and everyone was very understanding and of the same mind. With Dianne cancelling, I now have a whole chocolate cake for myself and some great food on hand for the next while, so no visits to the grocery store.

With all the visit cancellations, lots of food on hand, experience with social isolation (thanks to my four years of intense anxiety), the stunning sunshine and plenty of good reading material, I’m feeling safe, happy and optimistic; it feels good to enjoy such peace of mind.

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Bruce sent me an article written by a healthy young man and runner, without any health issues, about having the virus. It was terrifying to read:

A couple weeks ago I contracted COVID-19 after spending a weekend with friends, including my sister Liana and friend Annabelle. The three of us became sick shortly thereafter. On Tuesday, my sister developed a fever of 102. A couple days later, I felt like I had been hit by a bus. I had a sore throat, severe muscle aches, lethargy and overall weakness. I found it difficult to get out of bed. I’ve had persistent chest pain that feels like shards of glass in my lungs. I find it difficult to talk because I’m short of breath. One night, my chest pain and shortness of breath became so severe that I took an ambulance to the hospital because I was afraid I would stop breathing in my sleep. I’ve lost my sense of taste and smell. I’ve had no fever, in fact low body temperature of 96 degrees. I’m on Day 8 with some improvement in symptoms, but still feel lethargic and weak. My sister and Annabelle have had similar symptoms. We are all healthy, young adults and this virus has wiped each of us out.