The saga continues, and Nero fiddles.
Fortunately some beautiful spring weather has made it pleasant to be out and around the neighborhood. We find our screened porch to be a great daily source of peace and solitude.
One of our bartender friends dropped off a bottle of his homemade Old Fashioned Syrup the other afternoon. But he just left it on the porch then emailed me later to tell me it was there. I replied to object that we had been hoping to say hello – and to pay him. His reply to me was moving and I wanted to share:
“I know me too.
I’ve been a social distance steward.
Plus it’s really hard seeing people and not hugging them.
It hurts my heart.
Hope you guys love it and it makes quarantine a little bit bearable!!!!
Cheers!”
Cheers!
Nota bene: this is not my opinion, only a thought I’ve been pondering. Keep that in mind when you read it.
One of the things I wonder about as this virus thing chugs along, is whether the long-term economic impact of all these closures will ultimately be more devastating to a larger portion of the population than the health impact. In U.S. alone in the last two weeks, 10 million people filed for unemployment, vs. (as of 4/5/20) 311,536 confirmed cases and 8,499 deaths.
It sounds crass to suggest the possibility that the lives saved are not worth the cost, and I’m not actually suggesting that to be the case. But there has to be a breakeven point in terms of cost/benefit. We’re doing all this quarantining to stave off a capacity crisis in our healthcare system. I get that. But at what point does the long-term economic cost – that is impacting everyone, not just the ones who get sick – outweigh the lives saved? And perhaps more importantly, if the same thing happens again in a few years, then what?
To apply the medical terminology to the economics, isn’t this a bit like infecting everyone with the virus, then depending on the strength of our personal immunity and an overwhelmed healthcare system to cure us?
What’s better than 20% off a case of wine? 20% off TWO cases of wine! When our grocery store offers their case sale, we often stock up. Our new Harris Teeter has a really nice selection of wines under $20. James The (Retired) Wine Guy will recognize some of these old friends!
I’m a bit puzzled by this whole thing about masks. Many health experts have been saying for a long time that they aren’t necessary. Now all of a sudden we are being “encouraged” to wear them in public, while health care professionals who desperately need them still can’t get them. Yeah, you can make your own or have someone make one for you. I’d like one in red flannel plaid, please (don’t you dare). The rationale for recommending them seems tenuous. One doctor was quoted as saying “it’s better than nothing.” OK, perhaps. Another person stated that “the effect is greatest when masks are used along with hand hygiene and social distancing.” But isn’t that like the claim on a health food product that says it promotes weight loss when combined with sensible eating and exercise?
Over the last few days the weather has improved and started to warm up. I’ve seen a number of our neighbors – many that I never see outside the house unless they are in their cars – out walking around the block. I know that a lot of folks are going stir crazy sitting around the house and getting outside is a good way to overcome that. But I tell myself that maybe I’ve inspired a few of them by my own walking. Except that most days I’m out and about and never see a soul!
I had an interesting email exchange with a friend yesterday. He commented about how Kathy & I always seemed to find the silver lining in things, even when the outlook seemed bleak. We do consider ourselves to have a positive outlook, and I’m often surprised when others’ comments seem to reflect the opposite. Sometimes the silver lining can be hard to see, but there is almost always something to latch on to.
It’s been interesting to see how people and businesses are responding to the forced changes in their lives. Many people have found ways to adapt. Some have not.
The owner of a restaurant that Kathy & I frequent when we travel recently posted on Facebook something along the lines of “well, our food doesn’t translate too well to takeout, so we will remain closed for duration of the coronavirus situation.” So now he just spends time posting photos of his tattoos and sharing articles about how the government is going to have to step up and make loans to all these businesses that are affected by the shutdown. Meanwhile, two of his neighboring businesses – also very fine restaurants – are offering takeout meals and posting words of thanks to all of their friends that are responding positively to their efforts to provide takeout. When I read the stuff that the one guy posts, I think, “dude, you need to figure it out!”
On the flip side, I was inspired by a recent article about a Michelin-star chef in NYC who “created a menu that eschews complex, hard-to-deliver items like tuna tostada in favor of homey offerings like chicken — a food he never thought he would serve.” The article goes on to say that “he has also had to get used to seeing delivery drivers mishandle his carefully assembled dishes. And he has learned to package certain orders in foil containers so the dishes do not have to be removed from their delivery vessels to be heated in the oven.
“Before, we were a Michelin star restaurant where people would have a bunch of mezcals and hang out for a while and spend money,” Mr. Steele said. “Now we’re sending chips and salsa and soup to people.”
This is a guy who has figured it out.
I know that my criticism might seem a little unfair, because this is hard for everyone. But we see examples everywhere of people figuring it out. Locally, our local breakfast/lunch diner has setup a drive-up/pick-up service. They figured it out. Many other restaurants, including our favorite fine dining restaurant and favorite Italian restaurant, have set up online ordering so you can do “contactless pickup” of their dinners. They figured it out. A bartender at one of those restaurants has started preparing mason jars of pre-mixed cocktail ingredients to sell with their takeout orders. You just have to follow instructions and add your own booze. She has figured it out. Our favorite bartender, who just happens to enjoy concocting many of his own mixes, has come up with a line of bottled Old Fashioned mix that he is delivering – reasonably priced – to anyone who asks for it. I won’t be surprised to see him expand his offerings. He has figured it out.
No one is coming through this unscathed, and unfortunately a lot of businesses will not survive. By the time this is over though, we’re all going to need haircuts! Many of us will be looking forward to that first sit-down meal, wherever it might be. And we’re surely looking forward to planning and setting off on that first adventure, whether by land, air or sea! But in the mean time we all need to figure it out, in whatever way works for us.
Considerable time was spent “contemplating” the proper way to photograph this particular subject. Take comfort in knowing that I was actually seated on the floor for this photo. 🙂
This photo is appropriate for these times, and also for the fact that for practitioners of the faith, it’s April Fools Day. 😉
I walked at least 5,000 steps per day – usually many more – for 30 days in a row in March. I took the 31st off to break the streak. To my way of thinking, there is little to be gained with streaks, and the longer they go the more the pressure builds to continue. So by purposely breaking it, walking becomes just something I do, and not something I have to do. And I was back at it again this morning! 🙂
It’s been a cool & rainy day here today in NC – a good day to find things to photograph for this project. I’m hoping to create a bit of a stockpile, just in case I run out of ideas. 🙂
Kathy & I made one of those “essential errands” today with a jaunt to one of our favorite destinations on the other side of the SC border. Yes, it was a liquor store. 😉
On the way there we took I-485, which circumnavigates the city of Charlotte and is the most efficient way to our destination. On our return, we made an intentional “wrong turn” and took the rest of the loop which results in about a 65-mile journey. But what else is there to do? 🙂
Along the way, we were excited to see the green popping in the trees, white and pink Dogwood in their spring splendour, and relatively empty roads. A reminder that, for Mother Nature, life goes on with or without all the pandemonium that we mere mortals are dealing with.
To top it off, I used “Fuelpoints” from our local grocery store and filled up the gas tank for $.80 a gallon!
Kathy & I love to eat out but we had already cut back a lot in order to offset all of the “travel eating” we have done lately. We aren’t big fans of “takeout” food, generally preferring to “dine in” or just cook at home. About the only things we’ll do takeout with are Chinese and pizza. Last night we had planned to get Chinese from our local restaurant, but they didn’t answer their phone so we don’t know if they are open or not. We talked about alternatives, including driving over there to see, but in the end we just decided to eat in. In “normal” circumstances we would never have hesitated to just go somewhere else, but these times seem to be far from normal.