This is the update for the weekend of Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, 2020.
I spent most of my time this weekend working on a piece of writing that is past due. I made considerable headway on it, but it’s still not quite done. Unfortunately I’m not feeling well today. I took a sick day and I am not sure I am up to accomplishing much of anything beyond feeding myself.
The weather was beautiful this weekend. I went out in it twice, briefly. On Saturday I drove to Shane’s to pick up my lunch curbside. On Sunday I drove to Smoothie King to get smoothies for Sean and me (they also do curbside pickup now). I didn’t go for a walk or anything, and I didn’t sit on the patio, but at least I got to see some green. I should have gone for a walk on Sunday like I did last weekend, but I didn’t get up early enough to feel comfortable doing so. People are out in force now, as if the pandemic were over. It’s not over, y’all.
The longer this lasts, the more worried I am about everyone. Mom, Aunt Sally, AJ, Connor, and Logan all live in the same house. Mom and Aunt Sally are older and more susceptible. They’re all being careful. AJ, Connor, and Logan are visiting Uncle Steve regularly but maintaining social distancing. I think it’s good that they’re taking care of him (they mowed his lawn this weekend) because he’s all alone, and he’s older too. But I get nervous about them leaving the house at all. And then Ben visits the house sometimes, and unfortunately he’s an essential worker and has to go out in public. So…lots to worry about there.
I am extraordinarily lucky to work for a company that puts its people first. All of corporate has been empowered to work from home. Front-line associates are getting hazard pay, and the stores have been optimized for personal protection and social distancing. At-risk associates have received extra sick time to use at their discretion. Any associate who contracts coronavirus will continue to be paid while they can’t work, and it won’t count against sick time. It’s so much better than so many people’s situations. I feel thankful, helpless, and guilty all at once. I’m the breadwinner, so for now all I can do is keep working and trying to help where I can, through donations mainly since I can’t leave the apartment. But it’s not like my situation has really changed; we’re still a one-salary household, so I don’t have a lot of extra money to spare. It’s frustrating and scary.
According to CNN’s US coronavirus updates for today, there have now been 1.1 million recorded cases of COVID-19 in the US and at least 67,000 COVID-19 related deaths. This is terrifying. I don’t understand why more people aren’t terrified. It’s like some people are reacting like I am, trying to stay safe, and other people just don’t care, or think it won’t affect them. And there are way too many of the latter.
If something doesn’t change, this is going to last into 2021.