15 Weeks Behind Us

15 weeks behind us now since coronavirus hit Georgia. Living in the very populated metro Atlanta area, our family is continuing to live like there is a pandemic going on in the world. Lots of other people - not so much.

Bri hasn't been leaving the house all that much, so I took her to grab some fast food last week and we sat in the car - eating, chatting and people watching...

I also had Bri's friend Meredith over on Friday afternoon for some social distancing fun...

Bri and Mei continue to bond...

Staying at home has definitely forced me (and Doug) to cook a whole lot more. I cooked quite a bit before this virus, but now even more so. We usually cook 6 nights a week now - reserving takeout to one night a week (and we have takeout lunch sometimes too). I am not even close to a gourmet chef, but I do a pretty good job (I think). It can get pretty tiring at times though. I actually write on my calendar what we eat each night so I will know how much time passes before I serve a particular meal again. I really try to not to cook the same things over and over again. One thing Doug has perfected is air frying wings. Oh my gosh - they are the bomb. So much better than a restaurant!

Now for a quick update on my health...

I am still really struggling with my ear blockage. It's been almost three weeks now. I have an appointment with my ENT Tuesday afternoon to see what I can maybe do about it. I really think it could be TMJ related. I hope he can help me, but I don't have the best luck when it comes to diagnoses.

Ok, now it's time for me to get real again. Stay around or stop reading at this point. Same drill, different day...

I am on the struggle bus right now. Big time. So much so, I am taking a bit of a break from social media. I am going to try to continue to restrict my time being on it for my mental health. It is not only because of the continuous arguing back and forth right now, but I seriously cannot look at one more non-social distanced large group photo (birthday parties, gym meetups, sporting events, etc) on my FB feed during this pandemic. So many still refuse to social distance and are totally cool with the world knowing it. This may sound a bit overemotional, but to me, those photos feel like a middle finger to those of us who believe social distancing is important. Rationally, I know those photos have nothing to do with me, but my irrational side still can't help feeling slighted...

Coronavirus numbers are sharply increasing in Georgia...

 Number of new cases - each day.

And I took this picture on Friday...

Look at that 7 day moving average (going up, up, up)...

I'm honestly not surprised. I've just been impatiently waiting for it to happen. It was just a matter of time.

More and more cases are now starting to pop up in my neck of the woods - including a lifeguard who works at one of the neighborhood pools (who is most likely a student at the local high school). Yes, those pools that I talked all about in my last post. This is why the pools have safety measures in place. Wish I didn't have to say "I told you so" but "I told you so."

And yet, lots of people around here still refuse to social distance and wear masks.

It's probably because our VP tweets pictures like this...

No masks, no social distancing. (Tweet was deleted by the way.)

He stood there during the most recent task force briefing, with no mask on, saying the US isn't doing all that bad - no need to stress. The drastically increasing numbers throughout the country were not alarming to him. It's a kind of denial I can't even wrap my head around. He refused to condemn the large indoor rallies the president has been holding. He rarely wears a mask himself, but he still urged others to be careful...

The campaign is a huge part of the problem.

Yeah - things are really great right now...

I think the thing that has me upset the most right now is Bri's school situation. It's looking like schools will open up in my county in early August with no real safety precautions (not surprising). We will most likely have the option for Bri to do virtual learning from home (which is good), but it will be her freshman year of high school, and I feel sorry for her that she may have to forgo going to school physically this semester/year. One huge reason is because they are only "recommending" mask use, and the high school she will be attending is very overcrowded - which does not allow for any type of social distancing. So now, Doug and I have to take matters into our own hands.

Doug and I haven't done all this distancing "work" for it to be blown by her going back to school. We did talk to Bri about Doug or I possibly distancing (in the house) from her if she really did want to go to school in August and that was a big "no go" for her. And this is a kid who would really love to go to high school normally. Of course, everything is still up in the air right now and we've made no final decisions. I think that is where we are probably headed though.

 I have prided myself over the years in trying to give Briana the best summers possible - a good mix of outside fun and fun at home. When she goes back to school, I always like her to look back and think how much she enjoyed her summer break. I've set up a handful of social distancing activities/get togethers for her this summer (which I am grateful for), but overall, I feel I am really failing her this year. And unfortunately, there's not much I can do about it. It still have a month to go, so I'll see what I can try to do for her.

I've stated before that I'm not on the "left" - I consider myself a moderate. And this below is a bit dramatic, but the message still spoke to me...

So Doug, Bri and I continue to be super careful. And I'm still all about continuing to weigh risks - just trying to navigate this "new normal."

We are just trying to avoid something like this...

18 Members of North Texas Family Tested Positive For Coronavirus After Birthday Party

Well, I think that is all I have to say for now. I need to concentrate on trying to feel better. I need to focus more on myself and not worry what others are doing. And I also need to focus more on the good things in my life verses the things that frustrate me.

Thanks again if you made it to the end of this post. I truly wish my posts could be 100% positive, but it's not the times we live in right now. I'll be back soon.

14 Weeks Behind Us

Fourteen weeks have passed since coronavirus came to Georgia. Fourteen long weeks.

This post is going to start off upbeat and then it is going to shift in a different direction. I'm just telling you now.

So, let's start with all the good stuff.

I celebrated my 47th birthday on Friday and my friends and family really spoiled me...

Thursday night, I wanted Mexican food and Doug was sweet enough to pick some up for me (fajitas - yes please!) And then he surprised me with cheesesteaks from Philadelphia for my actual birthday...

They come wrapped and frozen - we just needed to warm them up in the oven. They were so good!!

Doug and Bri made me a delicious cake and they put up some decorations. My friends and family gave me some beautiful gifts. I got so many wonderful calls, texts and FB messages too...

Here are some of my gifts and all my cards (I'm really blessed with an amazing family and friends)...

Briana used paint pens to draw butterflies on this plant pot (filled with air plants). And she made me a card to match. It is so special and beautiful...

Saturday morning, two of my besties, Amy and Val, came by bearing birthday gifts and social distanced with me for a while. It was so nice to spend some time with them (you can see me wearing the necklace Doug bought me for my birthday). And Mei was a little stalker the whole time - heh...

Sunday was Father's Day. I cooked Doug a nice breakfast and then he opened gifts from family...

Briana drew him a picture of "Ducktales." He watched the 80's version and she watched the new version. It is something fun they have in common. Doug loved it so much.

Doug wanted to grill that evening - so we had a delicious London Broil (and I totally forgot to take a picture).

Since this whole virus thing started, Bri and Mei have grown a lot closer. They have spent a lot of time hanging out together...

Bri did tell me that she is starting to struggle a bit finding things to do now. She's been a rock star keeping busy on her own. I pulled out a spin art set she'd gotten forever ago as a gift that I had almost forgotten about and she made some fun pictures...

I also had a Lego set of the White House tucked away that I pulled out for her. She put that together in just a few hours...

I've got to see if I have any other things I've tucked away that I've possibly forgotten about.

So, that is all the good stuff that's been going on.

Now it is time for my "venting" portion of the post. It does touch a little on the political. Feel free to read or stop now. You know the drill...

Well, here is the update on Georgia coronavirus numbers. A whopping 1800 new cases on June 20 (and it's not only due to more testing). That number is even higher than the highest March number Georgia had - when we started to close everything. June 22, we were at over 1200 cases.

But by all means, let's keep opening everything up, gather in groups, not social distance and not wear masks...

I hear a lot of people say "well, why don't we talk more about those who have recovered from Covid?" Yes, a lot of people do recover. Not everyone is hospitalized. Not everyone gets hit hard. But many do go through hell (even if they tough it out at home) before they eventually get back to "normal." Some people after Covid are considered "recovered" when the main symptoms subside. But there are a group of people who exist now called "the long haulers" when it come to Covid...

The Long Haulers

You have to understand something. I have had many "chronic" type illnesses over my lifetime. Illnesses that have lasted for months upon months. It takes me a long time to get over anything - even the common cold. With Covid, sometimes people have weeks of fever. Lingering coughs. Shortness of breath and burning lungs. I don't know about you, but I don't want to deal with a fever or a cough for weeks. I already did that once with the pneumonia I caught after my trip to China. I'd rather social distance and wear a mask to try to avoid it if at all possible.

And please, if you are out and see someone wearing a mask and trying to social distance, be respectful and just freaking back off. Even if you don't believe it's a "thing." I'm hearing about people not backing off and it is so rude. People have their reasons as to why they need to wear a mask and social distance. Respect their space. Stop making it about you.

(And by the way, I'm still dealing with my blocked ear issue I talked about in my last post - so I'm feeling a bit grumpy. I'm almost done with my antibiotics and I've slightly improved. It's not completely gone though. I've been dealing with this ear issue for TWO weeks. So possibly adding Covid on top of that isn't really ideal for me right now.)

Remember I told you how frustrated I've been watching all the venting about the amenities in my neighborhood? I've never seen so much bellyaching in my life. Some neighborhoods aren't even going to open their pools this summer. Our neighborhood has five pools open - just with some restrictions. But they are freaking open. And people are still complaining - here are just a few examples I just have to share...

All I can say is "wow." This is where I live. It's not exactly how these people want things to be, so they continue to whine and complain.

(By the way, the HOA did finally open the basketball courts the other day. They just did it slowly. The courts and pool close at 9PM. And you know what? People will still probably complain about it.)

One lady in my neighborhood finally blew a gasket. I don't agree with how badly she snapped, but I do understand where she is coming from (I had to blur some of the language)...

So...it wasn't pretty. She didn't handle it well.

Know what you don't see here? All the comments responding to what she said. I cannot tell you how many people in the thread called her "Karen" and "Libtard." No joke. This is my "family friendly" neighborhood. I personally don't feel like hanging out with any of these people at the swimming pools. Especially during a pandemic.

And finally, I have one thing to share about the rally on Saturday (though there is SO much more I could say - believe me)...

Yes - he made yet another racial slur. No - it shouldn't be ignored or glossed over. No - I'm not overreacting. No - it's not funny. And I don't think the families who have lost loved ones to Covid thought his "jokes" were funny either. Don't try to justify what he said or defend him. I can't tell you what to do, but please - think about my kid for just a moment before you submit your ballot in November. Please.

End of vent.

Oh - I did have to laugh when I saw someone post this on FB...

It's very true. LOL!

Thank you to those that made it to the end of this post. I always think I won't have anything to complain about - and then I do. Sorry about that.

And thank you to my friends and family who made me feel so special on my birthday.

Hopefully when I write next, I'll be feeling completely better with my ear. Looks like I may be calling the ENT in a day or two. Who knows. It's me we are talking about.

I'll be back soon.

13 Weeks Behind Us

I guess it is really more like 13 and a half weeks now since coronavirus entered our lives in Georgia, right? 13 long weeks.

I wish I could say the world is healing itself right now, but sadly it's still not really. The world is just as divided as it was when this whole thing started.

I'm going to start off with a "mini vent" I guess. I promise I won't dwell on this for the entire post. I have some uplifting stuff to share as well. Just bear with me.

From what I have been observing in my neck of the woods over these last few weeks is that a lot of people are refusing to adapt to any type of "new normal." And I sadly I feel the Georgia governor is encouraging that attitude...

I honestly don't understand it. We are still in the middle of a pandemic. (And I have stated before that all of these protests have been making me super nervous.) No one is saying we can't eventually go back to the way things were before the virus hit. What is so wrong with being cautious until there is a good treatment and then eventually a vaccine? Why the need for instant gratification? Are we so used to getting everything "right now" that we don't have any patience to wait for anything?

Virus numbers are increasing yet restrictions are still being lifted. Look at Georgia's seven day moving average (in orange)...

Our numbers in May were just about as high as they were back in March when everything closed. It doesn't matter what the numbers say - the governor has chosen what he is going to do. And now I have to figure out how I am going to proceed to protect myself and my family. I'm not sure we will actually have a "second wave" here in GA because we never really tackled the first one.

A restaurant less than 5 minutes from my house just announced they needed to close because of covid...

This virus hasn't gone anywhere...

 Believe me, I would love my life to go back to the way it was before. I just know it shouldn't right now. And I am for opening things up - just safely.

So Doug, Bri and I continue to weigh what "risks" that we are willing to take verses ones we are not. It is a learning process. But we are finding that it is possible to have a life, do some necessary errands and see a few friends "social distance style." It is possible to embrace a "new normal." At for at least a little while.

(On a side note, please don't tell people who believe that safety measures should stay in place for now to just "stay home." That's not really not fair. Are people just supposed to lock themselves up in their houses until this virus is under control? Herd immunity is a long way off. If everyone just followed simple safety measures and continued to social distance for now, then everyone could go back out and try to live life again. What if you had a loved one with a compromised immune system? Since a lot of people are refusing to follow simple safety measures, many of those in the "safe measures" camp feel uncomfortable going out at all. Shouldn't we all be trying to look out for each other? Please - just be kind.)

So now to the fun stuff! What have Doug, Bri and I been up to since my last post?

It's the busiest and most social we have been since this whole thing started. I can't believe I'm even saying that, but it's true!

Before I get into all the fun stuff we've been up to, I unfortunately have another health issue that has popped up recently. Last Wednesday, my right ear blocked up for some reason. I waited until Monday to see my GP about it, and of course, my doctor saw no wax or any significant swelling in there. So it's another big "I don't know." He gave me an antibiotic to try to help with the fullness feeling, but if it doesn't help, I will to have the see an ENT yet again. I feel sick even having to say that. It makes me want to cry a little. What makes me nervous is that I have TMJ on that side, so I am hoping it isn't related to that. Please say a little prayer for me that this subsides. Here I am the day I saw the doctor...

I think I look kind of fierce in sunglasses and a medical mask. Heh.

Here is some lighter updating now...

Last Wednesday morning, my friend Laura and I met over at my friend Val's house (while she was coming home from out of town) to decorate her front yard because she was celebrating a very special birthday...

The plan was spearheaded by my friend Amy, but she wasn't going to be in town to help with the decorating. So, Laura and I helped put the plan into action. Valerie was very surprised and delighted!!!

In order to get some balloons for my friend Val, I went to my first store in months (with a mask!), and I also stepped into my first restaurant in months to quickly grab an online order...

Friday, Bri and I went to my friend/neighbor Jennifer's house and had a social distancing swim date with her and her daughter. It made me so happy to see Bri in the sun and water again...

Then on Sunday afternoon, we had a social distancing get together with my friend Kathy and her family...

Bri and Chani were so happy to see each other again.

Saturday, my mom and dad quickly stopped by my house to drop off a few gifts for me and Doug. (My b-day is on Friday and Father's Day is on Sunday.)...

 

And the big thing I did - I got my hair done today. I really debated about it and decided to go forward with it. Yep - I was kind of nervous, but I wasn't going into my 47th year of life looking like I did. LOL!

My hairstylist and I were the only ones in her suite and we both wore masks the entire time. I actually felt quite comfortable with the whole experience. And now I look presentable again!

See, I told you I am ok with branching out and attempting to do some things as safely as I can!

I am still stressing about how school is going to proceed in the fall, but I'm trying not to think about that right now.

One thing that I have been enjoying each week since this whole virus thing started are my zoom meetups with my friends Amy, Val and Laura. Amy got us these adorable wine glasses...

Ok - here is my Mei Mei update...

I bought her an anti-itch powder that people are raving about. Reviews for this product are fantastic. Mei loves me putting it on her belly and I brush her daily. But I don't really see her fur growing back. And she is still licking quite a bit. So, I'm not sure her issues are itch-related. I think she may just be a mental patient. Heh.

I need to mention how beautiful the weather has been in Georgia the last couple of days. It has felt more like spring than summer. It's been so nice that Bri and I sat on the porch yesterday afternoon...

We found out that "Zoey's Playlist" is returning next season and Bri and I are super duper happy about it...

So, I think that is all the news I have for now.

Like I said earlier, Doug, Bri and I are trying to figure out our "new normal." Still no sitting inside restaurants yet for us. Still no larger group gatherings. Still no hugging anyone but each other. I think "weighing risks" will be our m.o. for the time being.

I still feel so blessed that I have these two in my life. They have really gotten me through these last few months...

My next post may be a bit less interesting because I don't have too much on my calendar right now.

Stay safe everyone! Hope all you dads out there have a very happy father's day! I'll be back soon!!