Not going to lie, Covid-19 is really freaking me out right now.
Today the numbers for the county next to us (remember, we live right on the border between two counties) where my kids and cousin live and we do some of our shopping were 120 new cases! We also had another death in our county along with other new cases. That is in one day folks! I have never seen the numbers so high.
The governor of Idaho just sent the entire state back to Phase 2 of the plan due to so many cases in the state and limited gatherings to 10 people or less. Our governor of Washington state, along with Oregon and California, just implemented 14 quarantines for people traveling between states and into ours. We are also being told no more than 5 contacts a week outside of our own immediate family. Oh, and there will be more restrictions coming on Monday.
Jeff and I got ahold of the kids and my cousin to let them know that we would not be joining them for Thanksgiving...we just can't risk it. They were sad, but understood. Chris then told me that a lot of their police department was either out with Covid-19 or were on quarantine because they had been exposed. Chris luckily has been home recovering from Lasik eye surgery at the moment but he also told me that they had been transporting people to the hospital with Covid-19. Both he and Heather are EMTs. Even though they wear PPE while tending to patients with known Covid, there is still a chance that they could have been exposed and may get it. UGH! Thank God Steven tested negative for Covid-19 and just had the flu that is going around his daycare. Jeff seems to either have a cold now or is still fighting that sinus infection and the triage nurse did not call him back Thursday afternoon nor all day Friday. He does not have a fever or coughing so we are not worried that he night have the dreaded virus. I am super ticked off at the doctor's office though for not getting back to us. You have to go through the triage nurse to even get an appointment right now.
Anyway, I decided that since I had all this nervous energy, I might as well put it to good use. I made 2 loaves of bread and used the leftover bread to make croutons for Jeff. I cleaned out the refrigerator and I refilled the flour container that I use several times a week. I took inventory of what we had and what we needed for personal care and made a list of those things while I organized and reorganized everything. I researched generators along with Chris to see what was the best fit for our home to keep our pellets stove running if the power went out (it's going to be a bad winter and a generator has been on our list for years...this will be our Christmas gift to each other). I topped off the toilet paper rolls with spares for each bathroom (yes, this helps me with anxiety as strange as it may sound). Leftovers were for dinner so that I did not have to think to hard about making something from scratch. I also worked on my different points programs so that I can cash in for a $25 Walmart gift card from Swagbucks to use on things that I can order online and have sent to us.
While I wait for the croutons and bread to cool I am going to work on a menu plan for this coming week. I want to be very careful and not waste things. I already pulled butter, cookie dough and some peaches out of the freezer earlier. Cookies are very needed right now...stress comfort eating and all you know. 😕 Who knows what all this next week is going to bring restriction wise? I need to be prepared with chocolate chip cookies!
Jeff and I will be taking a trip into town to look at the generators at Harbor Freight and stop next door also to pick up some fresh produce and a few other items from the Grocery Outlet. We will go to Pullman, WA and not Moscow, Idaho since there are less confirmed cases there at the moment. Let's be real though, for every case that is tested and confirmed, there are 4-5 more out there wandering around and spreading it. Jeff and I are both very happy that we have the Christmas shopping done already for the grandkids and our kids who do not live close to us and I have homemade goodies ready to send off to my parents and brothers already. That only leaves my cousin Jeremy and our kids here and we usually do mostly homemade goodies so that works for me. I have also stocked up on things that I need to make the additional goodies, so I will not have to fight the holiday crowds. There may not be holiday crowds anyway if we have to go into another lockdown. Either way, I am covered.
At this point I don't think there is a whole lot more we can do to protect ourselves other than taking care of the last minute things and then hunkering down. I know things are getting bad when Jeff says let's buy a generator, cancel Thanksgiving plans with the family and make one last run to pick up a few things this weekend. If the anxiety is getting to him (he is the calm and steady one) then you know things are just going to get worse and he wants to be prepared for the long haul. Praying that anyone reading this is also prepared for what is to come and hard times.
My husband and I will be home alone for Thanksgiving. It is a bit risky for us to get together with our daughter and her husband and our Grandson. Our daughter and son in law both have rather high risk jobs and I and my husband feel it is too risky to get together this year. This virus is so dangerous because so many people carry it without having symptoms. I feel pretty sure with my medical issues I would not survive it. I have fairly severe asthma, among other things. These are stressful times. I am having a heck of a time keeping myself from stress eating. I have been eating for comfort and my blood glucose levels were showing it. I have done pretty good controlling myself this week, but who knows how I will do next week. Trying to keep from stress eating is stressing me.
ReplyDeleteI have been bringing up the subject of getting a generator for our house with my husband, but I don't think we can afford it right now. The way this virus is spreading now I am concerned about the people who keep our electricity up and running being able to go to work. Here in Missouri, in my area where the electric lines are still above ground, the weather takes the electricity out enough to be a concern.
Take care and be well.
Well your post has given me the energy to maybe do something?.... anything?
ReplyDeleteWe bought a generator before the election - just in case. Times are crazy and people are crazier. Those PPE's are not fool proof - my son has covid19 and he wears the complete gown along with shield and n-95 and he still got it.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say I am "freaked" but I am very much aware that this covid virus is not something I want. I am concerned about the future as well. As for thanksgiving, it will be small and intimate. Christmas...I can't even think that far in advance. Gift cards for everyone as to limit my shopping exposures. I pretty much have marked the whole year of 2020 as a complete wash! Then again, 2021 might not be so good, in the beginning either.
Hang in there -
I hope you and your loved ones will be safe during this pandemic, Debbie. The new cases daily totals for my county continue to be over 2,000. The vast majority of those new cases are in my city and within the city, I live in the neighborhood with the second highest number (nearly 500 cases per 100,000 persons). I check all the boxes for the high risk groups, so, I am staying home as much as possible, and only going to the most essential medical appointments.
ReplyDeleteOur state (Indiana) had over 8,000 confirmed cases today. The county I live is sending schools back to virtual. They have until the 30th, but it seems most are ending next week. I'm almost done with Christmas shopping. I have orderd most to be delivered. Hubby and I plan to go out early Friday morning and finish it up. Trying to be prepared so we don't have to go out as our numbers rise.
ReplyDeleteHello from Kansas. I think we are about to start hunkering down again for the cold months. The covid cases are increasing around here and it does make me think it's time to stay home as much as possible. I can keep cleaning and organizing the house. It needs it. Blessings to you, d
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