11 Weeks Behind Us

Well, 11 weeks have passed since our lives turned upside down due to coronavirus, and I guess posting a picture of the ocean is appropriate now that summer has basically arrived here in Georgia. I'm not sure Doug, Bri and I will actually see a beach this summer, but if we do, we will drive to our destination. Right now, we are deciding between taking a trip somewhere or maybe doing some possible upgrades to our house instead - Doug and I are in discussions now about it.

The pictures of our dream trip to Hawaii have finally started popping up in Facebook and Timehop. I knew they were coming. It's tough seeing how much fun we were having at this exact time last year - especially when the world seems so out of whack now...

It's pretty tough, but at the same time I am so grateful we experienced this last year. It would have been heartbreaking if we had to cancel this year.

As I do quite often now, I sit on my screened-in porches soaking in nature and thinking. And my furry partner in crime is pretty much with me at all times...

 Since Doug works with his office door closed and Bri spends a lot of time between her two rooms with her doors closed, I am the default option for Mei. LOL! She always wants to be with someone - and I'm usually the one she hangs with...

Here she is right next to me on the floor in my office. I have been putting a soft cone on her periodically because she is excessively licking again. And her hair is coming off her belly, legs and tail. She does it every single spring and summer. Every time I bring her to the vet, they cannot seem to find a reason for it. She isn't hurting herself and her skin doesn't look irritated. They think it is "stress." Well, she's my cat - so it makes sense! She is due for a checkup again soon, so I'll ask once again. Maybe I'll inquire about allergies again. It's weird because she actually seems at ease with a cone on, so I don't feel super guilty putting it on her (maybe just a tiny bit guilty).

Bri and I had a nice social distancing visit on Friday with Gramma and Papa. Gramma baked Briana some delicious 8th grade graduation brownies and Bri has decided to share them with absolutely no one. LOL!

Wednesday afternoon, Doug, Bri and I were pretty excited about watching the NASA/Space X launch on TV. It was nice actually being excited about something! But then it was sadly scrubbed due to weather...

Saturday afternoon was "take two" (we were excited once again)...

And it actually happened!!! (And it was super cool!!)...

It was really something to see!

Ok - it's that time again. My take on what's going on in the world. Feel free to read - or skip. You know the drill. ;)

(I still like to give you the option whether to read my opinion or not. A lot of times on FB, as I am scrolling through my feed, I am not really given an option to not read or look at something because it's "just out there" for me to glance at. That is why I prefer to come over here to my blog to talk about my thoughts instead)...

Here you go... the GA coronavirus number update. Case numbers have been going up in Georgia (graph is from the GA DOH). The lowest number of cases was on May 10th. The 7 day moving average uptick started happening exactly two weeks after the governor lifted restrictions (and it will most likely keep going up now)...

I saw this meme online the other day and dang if it isn't true...

Who would have thought wearing a mask would become such a divisive issue? Such a huge political statement. I would have never thought it in a million years.

I think the biggest thing that upsets me nowadays is the constant spreading of disinformation. It is literally everywhere. About everything. I think I get the most angry when I read something that I know is completely untrue, yet it is written or posted as fact.

For example, if a medical mask could actually suffocate someone, there would be doctors and nurses dropping all over the place...

It's just not rational.

Let me say this about the mask thing though...do I want to wear a mask for hours and hours at a time? Heck no. Do I feel the need to wear a mask if I am outside when I am able to properly social distance? Nope. Do I worry that Bri might be asked to wear a mask for hours at a time at school next year? Absolutely. Masks are very uncomfortable. They aren't super easy to breathe in. I can't imagine working in a hot kitchen with one. They do cause some people to feel claustrophobic. I'm sure it is practically impossible to get younger kids or special needs kids to wear a mask and not touch it over and over or try to take it off. Believe me - I get all of that. It is not an easy ask.

But I'm still going to wear a mask when it's appropriate. To protect others - because it doesn't really protect me. I feel it is a responsibility.

According to some people, mask wearers are supposedly "living in fear." That's a really tough one for me to swallow. I openly admit that I experience anxiety. I have had a lot of crap thrown at me over the years - which is why I experience anxiety today. I fight through my anxiety every single day and keep going.

I've had to conquer fear so many times in my life...

I got in a bad car accident when I was 20 years old and got back behind the wheel of a car. Doug and I continued to fly on airplanes after Doug's oldest brother perished in one. I injected more scary needles and medicines into my body trying to overcome my infertility than I even want to talk about - only to have it fail over and over and over again. I boarded a plane to a foreign communist country to adopt a child, with zero parenting experience, and had to figure it out on the other side of the world with my equally inexperienced husband. And the list goes on.

But when an unknown, dangerous virus emerges and starts spreading quickly around the world, I see nothing wrong by playing it safe until more is learned about how to treat it or until a vaccine becomes available. Especially when so many medical experts are telling me to do so...

It is just what I choose to do.

And it's true, you may not die from coronavirus. But if you get a moderate to bad case of it, it can really mess your body up in so many different ways even after you recover.

Now I am going to talk a little bit about the racial tension going on in this country. The tragedies of George Fl@yd and Ahm@ud Arbery make me feel sick to my stomach. And I know there are so many more incidents like this that happen all the time that don't make the news.

I saw these two images on FB the other day and they really made me sad and angry at the same time...

They express what is going on better than I ever could. :(

Something has to change.

Friday night, I watched people causing havoc in Centennial Olympic Park area of downtown Atlanta on the local news and I was horrified. Doug, Bri and I have enjoyed this particular part of downtown (the CNN Center, State Farm Arena, McCormick and Schmick's, Hudson Grille, Centennial Olympic Park and Mercedes Benz Stadium) many times over the years...

And below was that area of town Friday night - cars on fire, windows broken, restaurants and stores looted, people screaming at police officers, tear gas, the mayor telling everyone to "go home"...

I do believe the true protesters, who were peacefully protesting that afternoon, had already gone home. The ignorant, reckless people breaking and stealing stuff later that night in Atlanta were just given an excuse to cause chaos and destruction. Destruction accomplishes absolutely nothing. If anything, it just feeds the current problem that already exists.

But...

This might explain a small part as to why what happened last night did...

Something has to change.

And with all of these large group protests, I wonder how fast the coronavirus is going to spread now.

I am not going to end this post on a negative note though. The morning after the looting happened - this amazing thing happened...

There IS a lot good in this world.

And I do hope the world can eventually heal from all this craziness somehow...

Well, I know I could write and vent about so many more things for a whole lot longer, but I think I'll leave it there for now. I always wonder if I'll have something to blog about the following week and somehow, I always do.

Oh - make sure you VOTE in November. It's the best way to try to change things.

Thanks again for reading. I pray that I won't have to keep writing about bad things like this. Be back next week.

10 Weeks Behind Us

Well, it's another update from me. Ten weeks have now passed since the coronavirus rocked our world. We don't have too much going on around here, but I'll go ahead and fill you in on the few things we have done.

I totally forgot to post pictures on my last post from our ice cream sundae night. Briana does know how to make a beautiful sundae...

Last weekend, Doug, Bri and I watched "The Princess Bride." It was the first time for Briana. She really enjoyed it...

Full disclosure, it was my very first time watching it as well. I know what you are all thinking...

But it's true. I have finally seen the light. Heh.

So last Tuesday morning, I went to retrieve Briana's locker belongings. She had taken home everything she could carry that last day she was physically at school, but there were a few things she had left behind. We obviously had no idea at the time that Bri would be finishing out 8th grade at home.

I had to sign up for a time to pick up her things and parents were allowed in the building 10 people at at time in 10 minute intervals. It was requested for parents to come only - no students/kids - and for parents to wear masks. I signed up for the earliest slot in the day so I could just get in and out quickly.

Here is Briana's school...

Me and my mask...

I was actually nervous about trying to get into Bri's locker. It's been a LONG time since I've had to do that! But I got in first try (yay me)...

I snapped a quick picture of the empty hallway and classrooms (so sad)...

I was in and out in about 10 minutes. I have a bit of a vent about the whole experience, but I'll address it later on in my post.

Bri's teachers all sent farewell notes, so I decided to put them all on one sheet of paper for her to keep...

The school sent a sweet video of all the teachers waving goodbye.

And the school also sent out a video with the award announcements.

Briana did finally make the "all A" honor roll and she was so excited. Three of her core classes (math, science and English) were honors, so she received high school credit for those. Her social studies class was advanced (no honors class was available). And she had PE the whole year and an elective each semester. She worked so hard this year to get those As. I'm really proud.

Here is her name...

And a surprise award Bri received was the "outstanding buddy" award. About 10 to 12 kids in her grade were chosen to get it. These kids lent an extra hand to the special needs students out of the goodness of their hearts...

Bri's head got cut off in the video - heh...

 Though Bri was finished with all her work two weeks ago, last week was the "official week" of final goodbyes and awards.

And now truly I have a high schooler. Makes my stomach flip a little. How did this happen?

Speaking of growing up, I had to get a new ID card for Bri to get into the neighborhood amenities. When a kid turns 13, he/she needs to get a new card with a picture (and they get some extra perks). She's growing up...

We had a nice rainy day one day last week. I enjoyed it on my back porch...

Listening to the rain...

Mei has a little chipmunk friend that is her big time entertainment right now...

She also loves watching all the birds...

I do a lot of sitting on my porches now. More than I ever have I believe. I sit out there and think. Feeling lots of different things.

This brings me to my weekly personal take on what's going on in the world (feel free to read or skip; proceed with caution)...

Well, I guess I'll start with what happened when I went to get Briana's things from school. In the notice the school sent out about "moving out" day, it was requested that parents wear masks and to not bring students/kids to the school.

The first man standing in line the day I went not only had no mask on, he had his kid with him too. Most of the other parents in line - also not wearing masks (though we were standing six feet apart). I think I saw one other parent besides me with a mask on. Both staff members letting us in had masks on, but only after they entered with school without having them on. 

Nothing was done to enforce what was asked of us.

It's not that I thought I was going to get covid standing there, but the school told us what they wanted us to do beforehand. And I was just trying to figure out why these parents felt they were special somehow. Why did they feel they had the right to flagrantly disregard what was asked of them? It was just another big "middle finger" to people like me I guess...

 

I mean - we have a US president who'd rather ingest an unproven drug (supposedly) when he's not even sick than simply wear a mask to protect himself and others. I feel like the world has flipped on it's axis. But what the heck do I know?

And if schools refuse to enforce rules now, how am I going trust them with my kid in the new school year? I just don't know.

 And a lot of you may have heard, the Georgia DOH got caught manipulating data (they are calling it "errors")...

States accused of fudging or bungling COVID-19 testing data

Georgia's Lastest Errors In Reporting

When you compare the data the GA DOH reports to a number of other different sources, there are some pretty big differences. I could have told you GA was manipulating data weeks ago. Kemp wanted to open early and his people "made" it happen.

And it is true, new cases aren't really "exploding" right now in GA. They still might still go up though. They might not. That's why I am watching and waiting. But I'm already seeing a slight uptick in cases. There is no way it can't happen with everyone moving around unprotected and congregating in large groups.

I do have a small group of friends who are in the "wait and watch" camp like me. But I'm feeling very much in the minority here in Georgia. And it is making me VERY uncomfortable in my own skin. 

To be honest, I am feeling kind of defeated. I am feeling a bit beat down. I am feeling so very tired.

This pretty much says it all...

Despite what a lot of people seem to be doing around me right now, I am continuing to listen to my gut (and Doug's gut too). My gut tells me to keep social distancing as much as possible, be super careful and not take any unnecessary risks. That doesn't mean I won't go to a doctor's appointment or maybe even visit with a fellow cautious friend here and there. But it may take my family many, many months to feel comfortable making certain types of physical connections again.

And just please remember, Covid is deadlier than the flu...

(The above graph is from an article written on May 2. The death toll is now 97,249 in the US.)

I just wish people cared as much about these deaths as those who were lost in 9/11 (and these names are only 1% of those who have died)...

 Well, I think that is all I have in me for this post. I'm super drained. Not really sure what this week will bring. If I have anything interesting to contribute next week, I'll be back with another post. :)

9 Weeks Behind Us

It's been nine weeks since the world was completely turned upside down in Georgia. Doug, Bri and I are surviving (as best as we can)!

Last week, Bri's school sent out the 8th grade "virtual walk" video. This is what I said on FB about it...

 Here is the introduction...

There's my girl!!!

Bri's teachers also started sending out their goodbye messages last week - and that was also bittersweet.

Bri's English teacher (who is leaving middle school to teach for a magnet program at a different high school in the county) sent a sweet video message to the kiddos...

A message from her science teacher...

A joke from her math teacher...

From her social studies teacher...

From her art teacher (except Bri's in 8th grade and sadly won't be seeing her next year)...

Speaking of art, here are a few of B's last art assignments.

Birds...

A flower...

And this was her final assignment...it was to draw a wolf (her school is "home of the wolves"). Very appropriate I think...

Bri did this drawing just for fun...

And here is B's drawing calendar from April (we survived April!)...

I am a bit sad that Bri won't be receiving her "all A" honor roll certificate in front of her classmates. She's worked so hard to get all A's this year (she's been on the A/B honor roll the last two years) and really wanted to get it at the award ceremony. She did say she should still get her certificate at the beginning of the next school year - I really hope so. I told her I'd make her one if she didn't get it.

I have been able to see her receive a number of certificates over the years, so it's really ok. I'm so very proud of her...

So what else were D, B and I up to last week?

Doug's work has been crazy busy - which is a blessing. Bri was very happy to be done with school. She basically just chilled the whole week. She facetimed and texted with some of her friends. But otherwise, she just kept to herself. I'm usually a bit worried with how introverted Bri is, but it can be very useful during a social distancing pandemic - heh. Me - I've been catching up on a lot of things around the house.

This past weekend, we worked a lot outdoors.

 We burned some stuff we needed to burn...

I washed off and weeded the back patio. Doug ordered some new Adirondack chairs and he put them together (our other ones were getting super worn out)...

Doug took Bri out to wash his car...

I spent a lot of time chilling on my back porches. This was me and Miss Mei chilling on Saturday evening...

I spent a lot of last week organizing and filing away paperwork and getting some things together for donation. I came across Bri's service log for beta club. She was just a half an hour away from completing her volunteer hours for the semester before the school went to digital learning. Ugh...

Bri downloaded a coloring book app on her phone to keep busy. She colored in this picture (she didn't draw it)...

The "big" excitement around my part of town right now is the black bear (or possibly bears) that keeps roaming neighborhoods up and down our main road. People keep posting pictures of this poor guy who seems hungry and confused (I snagged these photos off of FB)...

Another exciting thing - FB added avatars! (Ok - that's not really all that exciting, but it's fun)...

So I guess that brings me to my complaining whining semi-informative weekly perspective of what is going on in the world right now. Once again, feel free to read or move right past...

So, here is the graph once again that I check on new Georgia coronavirus cases...

Numbers are still zigzagging a bit, but not as drastically as earlier on. No huge spikes - which is a good thing (hopefully). I'm still waiting to see if numbers start to increase with all the movement happening right now. We are at the two week (plus) mark now of Georgia opening up and I am very curious as to what this week will bring.

If television/internet/social media is giving me any sort of a gauge as to the activities of others (since I am still sticking close to home right now), it seems as if a very large number of people believe this virus has completely disappeared somehow. I have seen more unprotected, lack of distancing, large group gatherings in the last few days than I even want to talk about.

Look, I'm all for people getting back to life cautiously. I totally get that people need to make a living. People want some sense of "normalcy." It's the "reckless abandon" that I am seeing after the "re-opening" that is really getting to me right now.

This was tweeted on May 15th by an Emory Hospital anesthesiologist...

So, I am going to continue to be super cautious right now, protect myself and others, and keep on keeping on. Especially now that I am hearing that children are not necessarily immune to this virus. There is just so much we are still learning.

Caution ~ slight venting ahead...

Those who are in the extremely cautious camp (like me) are being ridiculed and called "sheep" by the "just open everything up" people. Yet, those who are ridiculing us could be just as easily called "sheep" for only listening to those who feed their own belief system. Those who choose to continue to social distance are looked down upon as wimps and scaredy-cats. Right now, Doug, Bri and I go out on a very limited basis, and we are privileged enough to be able to make that choice. I'm just trying to protect my small family that took so long for me to build as best as I can. Some people are proclaiming "I don't have to wear a mask!" and "America is a free country and I can do whatever the heck I want!" I'm really struggling to find where that line is between freedom and self-entitlement.

All the bickering back and forth is overwhelming. Some people are downright hateful. I have to remind myself to stop reading the dang comments - on everything!

It's hard not to feel this way sometimes...

Kind of harsh, I know. But it gets the point across I guess.

Doug sees me get riled up quite often. I know it frustrates him. I wish I could be as calm and logical as he seems to be about all of this. I'm just not wired that way.

So, he sent me this meme to cheer me up the other day...

I think I am getting better at that second one lately - heh.

Is that why Doug got carried away ordering from wine.com the other day?

Do you think he's trying to mellow me out a bit? Maybe? Possibly?

Lastly, I am not going to get into what I think about the president again. If you've read my blog long enough, you already know how I feel. No need to rehash it.

Let me just address one thing though. What he did to Weijia Jiang last week was inexcusable. I had to explain his words and actions to my Asian daughter yet again. There is so much more I could say, but I'm just going to leave it at that...

So when I get overwhelmed by life, I am going to try to remember this...

It's hard to for me to take things day by day. It's hard for me to not take things personally. It's hard for me to not get riled up. But I'm trying. I really am.

Once again, thanks for reading. Be back next week! Hope you'll be too. :)