March 9, 2020:  Our lives right now – some of the changes.
• We live in Woodinville, Washington – a mostly retired couple in our 60’s. The Kirkland Care Center, they call ground zero for the COVID-19 invasion is a few miles from our home. (My heart goes out to all of the people associated with the Care Center. No one expects anything like this to happen to their families. I am thankful for the people that have stepped up and helped the people in spite of the fear that must be in their minds as they care for others in an unknown situation.)
• If we were to have any issues that required hospitalization, we would normally go to Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland, WA – where the first person in the U.S. to die from COVID-19 was being cared for. Don’t want to go there.
• We avoid heavily populated areas. If we have to go somewhere, we go at a time that there are fewer people around. Two days ago, a Sunday, we were at our local grocery store. Not many people and shelves were basically stocked. Missing items? Hand sanitizer & chicken. We thought about going Joe’s Hamburgers for lunch, which is only outdoor eating, then, on our way there, I thought – what if the people making and serving the food are sick? We came home and had homemade chocolate shakes & grilled cheese sandwiches.
• No more going to the gym for a while. No more working out, swimming or Pilates classes for the time being. We try to get out for a brisk walk and work hard in our garden, which in the spring is more like physical labor than pulling a few weeds here and there.
• Having lived in an earthquake prone area previously, we learned early on to be prepared in case a time of isolation occurs. Even though there are extensive lists on emergency preparedness, it is a heady experience to think in terms of what is necessary, our family needs in order to survive – somewhat comfortably in a crisis. So now I have updated the food stores and medications in the event that this may be necessary. Now I want to plan menus so that I can see exactly what to do with food we’ve purchased.
• For the next few weeks or more, our grandson’s elementary school is offering online learning only. I am excited to be a part of this. It’s been 1 day so far and I am impressed as to the resources that are given out to those of us home-schooling these students. Our grandson is a good student and is interested and willing to do the online classes. There have been video chats with the principle which are interesting and informative.

The classroom teachers have done an amazing job with curriculum and lesson planning. There are video teaching sessions & more videos of them reading to the kids.These are the things that seem to keep our grandson tethered to the “real school” experience… not to mention calming because he recognizes his teacher! I think a lot about the people who need to be working and how can they do that and educate their child. It has to be tough. Poor kids. Poor parents.

• I’ve been following the mapping of the COVID-19 spread through the CSSE & JHU website/info graphic. Link. It is both informative and alarming. It is such a strange feeling to be in the middle of the unknown. The numbers are increasing by the hour.

• I’ve been asked, are you afraid? Heck yeah, in a way – but I’m not panicking. The feelings I have are the momentum behind getting prepared. I’m not overly prepared though, I’m pretty sure. Example? We have about 2 tablespoons of EXPIRED hand sanitizer. Sure, I have some little BZK wipes from my first aide box so that will have to do, but it is odd that likely in this emergency I’m missing a primary ingredient!  Still – I try to be part of the solution, not adding to the problem.

Nothing worse than trying to sleep underneath another person’s squeaky floor. We fixed it.
Purchase the $20 kit at the hardware store: “Squeeeeek No More”
Watch two quick videos:
• floorscrews.com
• This Old House

I felt as though I was being watched.

The neighbor boy.

This was our Christmas gift - what a great idea! Look closely at the dates on the bottles.

Mt. Hood from the car window

What a delightful weekend from beginning to end. Staying at McMenamins Edgefield near Portland,Oregon was a wonderful destination. An incredible soaking pool – huge, beautiful gardens, entertaining murals on every wall of the old poor farm – way too much to include here. I suggest scheduling a massage right away so you get a full hour. Our half hour set the stage for a great day. The food is okay and their beer is great. If you’ve never had milk-chocolate stout, this is the place. I wish I had taken pictures of us playing darts. I didn’t do too badly – actually had a sore arm the next day. HA! For brunch one day I was able to connect with a dear friend, whom I had not seen for 20 years , which was an added plus. On Saturday night I had the best Southeast Asian food I have ever eaten at Pok Pok Restaurant in Portland. We lived in this city when we were in our 20’s, so we had to drive by the old abodes. Nothing stays the same, but it brought back great memories. On the way home we stopped at the FishTale Brew Pub in Olympia. Good food, great brew. We picked up a couple of growlers for the Super Bowl Game. What a weekend.

Ruby's spa at McMenamin's Edgefield

our first Portland apartment missing the leaded glass windows

our first house - not the same anymore

It was 19°F when I got up this morning. Since the sun was already up I knew it had been colder during the night. I was worried that our outdoor cat, Forrest, was too chilly last night. Because of a midnight visit from the neighborhood raccoon I knew he had been driven from his warm bed at the bleakest hour of the night. However, when I checked, there he sat in his heated little hut. He was fine. His water was almost frozen solid. Mixed guilt leads me to cater to what (I think) he needs. When the guilt is the strongest, I warm up his 1/2 can of Weruva Asian Fusion – with tuna and shirasu – in aspic, then bring him in for a little pet. With a full belly and weird little burps, he purred yet never quite relaxed – always just a little stiff. Ever since we rescued him as a kitten from the dumpster ten years ago, I’ve called him our cardboard kitty. He is a good cat – he does his job with the rodents and shares his food (arghh…) with Rocky (or Rockina?) the raccoon. Never a dull moment.

Forrest... warm.

water sans bowl