COVID-19 and How We've All Lost Our Minds

As I write this, many folks throughout the world are sick with the coronavirus - COVID-19. I won't diminish the severity of the disease or the situation. What I will do is state that the rest of the world seems to have lost their mind.  Truly! Lost. Their. Minds!  Yes, the disease is severe - mostly to those over 60 years old and with compromised systems.  Its symptoms include dry cough, temperature, and difficulty breathing.  NOT diahrea, NOT runny nose, NOT lack of baked goods. 

If that's the case, WHY then are the grocery store shelves totally empty of toilet paper, tissues, flour, sugar, eggs, chicken and beef stocks, water.  Who is hoarding these items.  You don't bake during the best of times, why did you need to stock up on sugar and flour now?  Here at Pieceful Harbor, we have enough food to last us a good long time in the event of a emergency.  By about week 2, the selection from the pantry might get pretty slim and we will probably get tired and bored with the same meals over and over again. But we won't starve.  Just out of habit, there is probably enough toilet paper to last the 3 of us for about 3 weeks to a month.  

The virus - I refer to it as The Plague - is airborne but also travels on other surfaces for several days.  Hence, the recommendations to use disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers.  I have always loved the little scented hand sanitizers from Bath & Body Works and found that I had 9 of those little purse-sized containers throughout the house.  Mom had a couple, too. So I put one in my car and one in my purse.  Mom has one in her purse as well.  Thank goodness for those little bottles of hand sanitizer...there isn't a drop to be found anywhere - not at the stores, not online, not anywhere!  I found a bit of alcohol and some aloe vera gel and will make our own if and when the supply here at the house runs out.  

We are washing our hands regularly, even though we aren't going out much at this time.  With me being retired, there isn't a lot of necessary leaving the house these days.  I've told mom she is grounded for the time being.  I feel guilty keeping her at home for the forseeable future....she relies on me to take her to Walmart and to get some other scenery besides just looking outside her window.  But I'm not willing to have her succumb to the COVID-19...just not gonna happen on my watch.  She's grounded and that's that!  I took her with me the other day when I went to the dollar store but she stayed in the car and watched the people.  That's the extent of her outings!  

We only last week had the first case of the virus in Missouri....it's coming, just not sure how badly. Schools are being closed and work is asking people to work from home offices, and meetings are being cancelled.  When folks are being asked to self-isolate they think their rights are being taken away.  I read an article about the difference between how China handled the crisis vs. how other countries are doing it.  Chinese thinking is all about the good of the people regarding how to handle things.  Folks have ID's for the areas they live and when they need to leave their areas - perhaps to pick up a pizza for dinner or a bag of groceries from a local store - they must undergo several checks (temperature readings when they leave and enter their section of town, ID checks to make sure they have a reason to be there in the first place, more temperature checks as they go into their apartment building or neighborhood, more ID checks, ).  In the US, we are all about the individual and our rights - we've always been rather ethnocentric as a nation, haven't we?  Well, folks, the Chinese have almost licked this scenario.  And in only 2+ months.  I am not sure the US can lick it in 6 months!  There will always be those people who think they are immune, or entitled or just plain don't care!  

My advice to anyone who faces the current situation, ie, EVERYONE!  Ready, here it is.....

WASH YOUR HANDS!  Don't touch other people.  Social distancing of only 6 feet is not gonna kill anyone, but standing closer than that just might.  Wash your hands. Stay home if you don't feel well - read a book, drink some tea, take a nap, watch a movie, write a letter to a long-lost friend or family member.  Do a crossword puzzle, clean out a closet.  Wash your hands. Just don't be in a crowd - including the Mall, or the library, or a rock concert.  If you have to go to the market, use a wipe to clean off the cart, get in, get out, and use a wipe again once you get into your car.  Wipe down all the items you brought home before you put them away and then WASH YOUR HANDS!  Sounds like a lot, doesn't it?  Well, what's your life worth, or the life of your loved ones?  

I only have a couple more things to say - Here they are:

This is a simple chart to determine what your symptoms might be.

And this shows the last 20 years of We're All Gonna Die situations:

I plan on being like Bob. How about you?

On a happier note, I was able to complete my pair of socks to qualify for a team in Sock Madness XIV. I had my doubts for a while - some of those stiches in the foot just about kicked my butt!  But I finished them and they were accepted to go on in the game.  

Am now awainting Team assignment and the release of the first competition pattern...hopefully sometime this week.  Of course, I will post my progress for you to see!  

I will leave you with this:

Yes, most crafters - particularly knitters and crocheters - have been training for self-quarantine for years!  I could knit on my stash for years to come!  As long as I don't run out of toilet paper!

Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for listening to my rant.  I'm okay....I'll just go over here and quilt for a while.