Monday, March 16, 2020

the noose tightens

My bedtime routine is to scroll through my facebook feed before turning off the light. Normally this is a benign activity but last night was different. First was the post written by a student in Spain about the progression of collapse there. I’d read others like it but they always seemed so distant and remote - this one slapped the hypothetical out of my brain. CBC articles were suddenly more ominous. I was overwrought. Sleep didn’t come easy as reality tumbled within my dreams.

This morning there was more apocalyptic prose, including a message from our city’s health officer that we should stay home and curtail all non-essential outings. What does this mean? Should we be totally isolating ourselves, even from friends and family? Maybe we shouldn’t get together with Kirsten for lunch, or see our neighbors for suppers? I’ll likely cancel Adia’s school as that is certainly non-essential.  I’m not really sure what to do and am feeling somewhat overwhelmed by what may come.

I figure that if a few people are self-isolating like we are, surely we can socialize with them? Oh, our local grocery store is offering free delivery to online orders. This is fantastic and takes the panic away. Every now and then I get the feeling that we don’t have enough food, and have been fixating on mushrooms. Why didn’t I think of getting a bunch of packs to cook and freeze? I put humongous quantities of mushrooms in everything! Anyway, a walk down to the basement pantry assures me that we won’t starve… we might get sick of rice and pasta, but we won’t starve!

I watched our PM on the news this afternoon… he looked tired and concerned as he shut the borders to everyone except Canadians. I don’t envy him his job as the whole situation is a moving target and what seems like enough today may not be tomorrow. I wish the haters would cut him more slack.

Trump on CNN: “Among the new recommendations: Over the next 15 days, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided.”

Some are saying to take a ‘wartime view’ against the virus. I think I’m watching too much TV as my freakout level is rapidly escalating. It may be time to shut it off and crack open a bubbles!

For a blast to the past in a totally different topic, here’s a photo of Carm with Data from 2008.



For the first time in ages, Spike ran around outside with Adia. He stuck close to the house after the first snowfall but I think the melting snow banks and bright sunshine energized him into running down to the barn. Hurrah!

(note: just read a message from Dog School that it is cancelled until further notice)


“...it begins with isolation - demons always inhabit desolate places...”
~John Geddes

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