April 8, 2020

Yesterday (I think - all the days have run together) they cancelled the school for the rest of the year.  And by cancelled, I mean that remote learning will happen from April 20 - June 19, 2020.  I go back to work on April 27, so we will be joining the ranks of 2 working parents trying to also homeschool our children during a pandemic when all we really want is to hang with our friends have some "family distancing."  We need luck, and wine, and maybe a margarita or two.

A riff on below has been circulating on social media, so thought I'd document it here so we can remember what was really happening in our world this week.

• Gas price at our local Costco is $2.39/gallon. To this point, our milk and wine weekly consumption has greatly exceeded our gas consumption since we aren't going anywhere!  I've driven a total of 8 miles in the last 3 weeks. 
• School cancelled for the rest of the year, aside from remote learning a little bit each day. We are leaning on what the boys are interested in rather than the rigor being sent home.  For now at least.  On 4/20, graded work starts coming hoe.  
• Self-distancing measures on the rise. Staying 6' from others on my daily walk is getting more difficult as the weather gets nicer.  Not everyone crosses the street or hops off the trail to get more distance.  
• Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other. They have also implemented 1 way aisles.  Costco has a line to get in as they limit the number of shoppers. 
• Parks, trails, entire cities locked up for the most part.  The power line trail by our house is still open.
• Entire sports seasons cancelled.  Corbin especially is crushed to miss out on this year's Lacrosse season.  We are hopeful that he can play Fall ball.  
• Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
• Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
• No masses, churches are closed.
• No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 10 or more.
• Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
• Children's outdoor play parks are closed, however, we have made do with doing RC cars in random empty parking lots. 
• Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.  This is the primary reason I am furloughed from my job right now.  My fingers are crossed I go back to work soon.  
• Shortage of ventilator for the critically ill nationwide.  Seattle just dismantled the filed hospital set up by the Army at Centurylink Field the day it opened.  We have flattened our curve, and have the hospital capacity to care for the ill, yet have not yet beat COVID 19. 
• Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer, nationwide.  In Redmond, no coconut milk, no green chilis, no rice flour, and no Dal.  I really do love our diverse community, and the fact that because of this diversity my kids request things like Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken frequently. 
• Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
• Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
• Fines are established for breaking the rules.
• Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
• Press conferences daily from the President. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
• Government incentives to stay home.
• Barely anyone on the roads.
• People wearing masks and gloves outside.
• Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
• Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families

Now, for all of the positive things that are also happening nationwide, and in our little Redmond corner of the world. 

 

Truckers said, we will drive days on end getting supplies to the stores.  High schools are now opening up as a place for drivers to park and sleep.  They can also shower in the locker rooms.  

🏭 Store workers are stocking the shelves all night and store managers said, we are letting elderly people shop first in the mornings.

🛳 Carnival cruise line told Trump we can match those big Navy Hospital ships Comfort and Mercy with some fully staffed cruise ships.

🚘 GM said, we can make those ventilators where we were making cars starting next week. We will retrofit our manufacturing equipment immediately.

🕋 Restaurants said, we have kitchens and staff we can feed kids who's parents need some help.  Our school district is offering free breakfast and lunch to anyone under age 18 in the district.

🏀 NBA basketball players said, hold our basketballs while we write checks to pay the arena staff.

💰The wealthy said, here we will donate funds for the research and support of beating this virus.

📚 Teachers said, here let me help you virtually to teach your children, we will do online lessons and I will help parents enrich their children.

🎼 Celebrities said , let us read books to your children and sing songs on Twitter live feeds for those of you stuck inside.

🧵Crafters said, we will sit at our sewing machines for hours a day, sewing masks and caps for the nurses and home health care workers.

👩‍👦Moms said, here are my blogs and activity ideas for your children. Let's stand together in staying home with our kids.The moms coming together is amazing!!!

👬 Young Americans said, let us volunteer to run errands, and get food for the vulnerable.

👩‍⚕️🥼 Nurses and Doctors putting themselves at risk to help the infected.

🚔 👩🏽‍🚒 🚑 Police, Firefighters and First Responders, Military standing strong and continuing to protect, serve and work while everyone else is safe in their homes.

⛪️ Churches are finding creative ways to bring a message of hope over social media to keep people connected and safe in their homes.

🇺🇸 We look like a nation divided sometimes. But we are a nation that will stand and will fight together.