In a cruel twist of irony, an organizer of a North Carolina group calling on the state to ease its coronavirus restrictions was unable to attend two rallies because…she has tested positive for the disease.  She (thankfully) is “asymptomatic” but still.  Irony is irony.

Kathy & I drove into town yesterday for a doctor’s appointment, and were surprised by the number of cars on the road.  Traffic was lighter than usual, sure.  But it doesn’t seem like people are actually staying home, rather using their “free time” to venture here and there.  It will be interesting to see what things are like when stores start to reopen.

For those who don’t know, What the Duck was a photography-oriented comic strip that ran from 2006-2016.  It is now published by Universal Press Syndicate under the name W. T. Duck.  There are a number of sources, but one is GoComics.  I bought this plush W.T. several years ago, and he sits on my desk in this mini beach chair.  He has a twin that hides in a closet somewhere in the house.

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A New York Times article (yes, I read a lot of the Times and the Washington Post) about the reopening of restaurants was interesting.  It’s worth the time, as it delves into a lot of the strategy and planning that goes into re-opening a restaurant under strict virus guidelines.  The article states that a restaurant in Atlanta is planning to open Monday, and that “it intends to sell what will likely be America’s first dry-aged porterhouse steak served by a waiter at a white-tablecloth restaurant in the midst of a global pandemic.”

The article goes on to talk about all of the precautions that restaurants will need to take in order to operate safely.  I don’t know about y’all, but that’s not the restaurant experience I want to return to.  I’m getting along just fine without restaurants, thank you very much.  And if going out to eat means “an experience that is more like a trip to the dental hygienist” I think I’ll keep cooking at home, thank you very much!

All this good eating has resulted in a 10 pound weight loss – the last restaurant meal we had was 6 weeks ago today. 🙂

I’m constantly amazed by the images produced by the Hubble Space Telescope.  It’s even more amazing to realize that Hubble has been orbiting the Earth for 30 years.  Here is a link to a recent NYTimes article about that history, along with a stunning “Birthday Photo.”  Also be sure to follow the link to the 2015 article where various astronomers talk about their favorite photos.

On my walk this morning I was musing about how life is sometimes like a walk in the forest.  Sometimes there is a trail, clearly blazed.  Other times the trail is obscured, either by fallen leaves or by mud, rocks or water.  When the trail is hidden, we can’t see it more than a few feet ahead.  But with each step, the next step becomes clear.  Funny how our eyes always manage to tell our feet where to go next, while keeping an eye out for obstacles.  One step at a time.

Our governor announced yesterday that he is extending our stay-at-home order until May 8, at which time he hopes/expects to be able to implement a phased return to opening businesses. and getting people back to work  Based on that it may be June before we can return to many of our normal activities.  It’s a little frustrating but ultimately seems like a wise approach given the uncertainties.

It’s been interesting to read about the results of these so-called “antibody tests” that show whether or not you have had or have been exposed to the virus.  Evidently the numbers are suggesting that there are far more people that (a) have had the virus but didn’t know it, or (b) had symptoms which were not indicative of the virus but actually had some form of it.  It’s also interesting that the data suggest the virus may have been prevalent in our country a lot earlier than previously thought, and at a surprisingly high level.  I’d love to be able to get the test to see if either or both of us had been exposed.  Assuming that there is some level of immunity from previous exposure, it would be nice to have the peace of mind of knowing that maybe we had less to worry about.  I also think it is a key for getting people back to work again.

As far as these other states that seem to be jumping the gun on opening things up, I’m exercising my best Southern Hospitality and saying, “Y’all go ahead, I think I’ll just sit here and watch for a while and see how it works out.  Bless your heart.” 🙂

In the mean time, it sounds like I’ll be looking for more things to photograph around the house!

Every household should have a Curtometer.  We have two! 🙂

What is it, you ask?

This chair is part of a dining room set that we bought when we lived in Ohio 30 years ago.  Interestingly, it was manufactured by the Cochrane Furniture Company in Lincolnton, NC, just 30 miles from where we live now.  It is woefully out of style, but it suits our house nicely, is well made and we still love it.

Here’s a story of our government’s ineptitude.  We have friends who have been on the Pacific Princess cruise ship since early January.  He is an entertainer, she is a port lecturer. The ship finally made it back to Los Angeles yesterday, after having been at sea for nearly 2 months with no port stops.  No one on board is sick, no one on board has even been to a place where the Coronavirus is.  When it came time to disembark, she is allowed to leave because she is on the passenger list, while he is required to stay on board because he is on the crew list.  They are married, have been sharing the same cabin for nearly 4 months and are going home to the same place.  But he can’t go.  Rules is rules, the CDC says.  No wonder people are getting upset.

The SC governor is lifting the order that closed the beaches in South Carolina.  Some of the officials in those beach towns, however, are saying “not so fast!”  We’ve got our eye on Hilton Head, because if we can get down there in May or June, we can “social distance” there just fine.  It’s just like living at home, but with a beach!

Good coffee almost always means a good start to the day!

As we approach the end of the original 30-day shutdown of North Carolina, a lot of folks are understandably anxious about whether the shutdown will be extended, or whether all or part of it will continue.  Much like cars sitting at a red light that start to creep forward in anticipation of the green light, I feel like some folks are getting a little antsy.

I tend to be more of a Rule Follower.  Even though I consider myself to be a pretty smart guy and capable of forming my own well-reasoned opinions and decisions, I typically seek and rely on the advice of others for subjects in which I don’t have expertise.  I read the statistics about illness and death and compare them with unemployment numbers and deaths from other diseases and it feels like we are seriously overreacting.  I drive past businesses open and closed, and wonder how come I can stop at the auto parts store and buy a new air filter but I can’t stop at Dick’s and pick up a new pair of shoes.  Thankfully my coffee shop is still open so I can buy beans!

I default to the idea that “people smarter and better informed than me” are making the best decision they can.  It might or might not ultimately turn out to be the right one, but there is only one way to know, and that is to ride out the storm and see what’s left when we’re done.  I see people protesting, seeking to “liberate” their state or county, and I wonder “what makes you think you are smarter than the smart people?” and “liberate from what?”  My gut tells me that maybe those are the people that need to stay home the most!  If they are that sure that they’re invincible or aren’t concerned about their own health or safety, I probably don’t want them standing behind me at the grocery store or visiting a restaurant I’m planning to go to.

Day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month remains our motto!