* Tomorrow is April Fools' Day, if for you, like it has for me, time has mostly lost meaning. Be extra aware. I think it's kind of a jerk move to post pranks that could easily take people in, especially right now. (I am okay with silly animal pictures or things that are abundantly obvious they are jokes, but I also know not everyone online is nice)
* I got a lot done today - finished the next chapter in the intro class, posted the week's material for advanced biostatistics, wrote my first ever online test. Tomorrow I need to do two more online short tests, and maybe start reading for the next biostats topic and mmmmmaybe start the next set of soils stuff. I'm keeping busy which tends to keep the loneliness and slight terror stuffed down. I still miss my students. A couple have e-mailed me but I still have not heard from most and I am still concerned some people will have trouble accessing the system and I frankly do not know what I can do about that.
* Also, Thursday is faculty meeting. I miss my colleagues too. And fellow-congregants though there are devotionals posted (the interim minister is quite good at videography and video editing)
* Someone on BBC news (I get it over an app on my phone) interviewed a single, childless older woman who was staying home because of asthma and she commented on the loneliness and said that every day feels like two days and you know? They really do. In my case it's partly being busy but it does get long.
* Not getting much sewing or knitting done. I am crocheting a bit on the big afghan. I've bought a lot of yarn, first it was when I was worried I'd not be able to get it, but more recently, it's to throw a little business to my favorite purveyors (currently: Loopy Ewe and Simply Sock Yarn) but hopefully they will persist seeing as they are mostly-online businesses. I do worry a bit about the future of the nice small businesses that make life happier but are not....necessary.....in the sense that groceries or pharmacies are. I've bought a few patterns from Ravelry, figuring maybe if a number of people do that, it will help support the designers.
Of course I am still worried about my own job for the future, but whatever happens, happens, and if I'm out of work not spending $10 on patterns every couple weeks won't make that much difference any way. (And I presume I'd get unemployment? If I lost my job because the university closed? While I was looking for a new job?)
* I should take a break-time from working and wind off some of the new yarn, and maybe just start a pair of all-stockinette socks so I can knit and read. Most of my projects now require more attention or that I be LOOKING at them, and that's not so good for sitting and reading and knitting.
* I might knock off working at lunchtime tomorrow (if I can be efficient in the morning) and mow the lawn and do some more brush cutting in the yard).
* Made a grocery run today. Well, a pick-up run. I had placed an order with wal-mart and amazingly, they had everything except the brand of little bottles of orange juice I wanted, so that was okay. (I normally don't drink orange juice - too much sugar and the whole fruit is better for you - but I had been craving it for some reason). I thanked the guy (same guy as on my previous run last week, perhaps they put the same people on that job regularly) for his help. Because yeah, I am grateful for this chance, that I don't have to walk into the big store and maybe get coughed on or something. And I got what I needed - I have almost 2 gallons of milk in the fridge now, and some more canned goods and I can probably manage for 10 days now without a trip out, especially if I limit how much milk I consume. (I have the UHT milk if things get really bad, but maybe the shortages are alleviating? Anyway, the guy mentioned that they got milk deliveries on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - and again, maybe this is the reward of being friendly and polite; you get a little insider info.).
And I got more cheese. And another brownie mix. I am very aware of "morale" foods, things that might not be strictly nutritious but which you kind of need to keep your spirits up.
Oh, and a big thing of salad greens and wow was I glad to just have a giant fresh salad for lunch today.
I will say I was incredibly grateful to be able to get milk. I will confess I shed a few tears on the way home because NOW I HAVE MILK AHEAD and yes, that means something to me. I tend to be a "have a bit ahead" person anyway, I suspect I will be even worse after this. Though maybe it's not bad having a dozen cans of black beans (all with expiration dates several years in the future) ahead, and slowly using them and gradually replacing them as you use them?
I will admit seeing flour sold out everywhere is unsettling - King Arthur, and Bob's Red Mill, and Target online, and Wal-mart, and Amazon....I know it's a supply chain thing (flour is bulky) and a people-panicked thing, and I am telling myself I have plenty flour ahead, but there's that tiny voice in my head that says "what if you use up what you have and there STILL isn't any more to buy?" and while I guess we figure that out when we come to it....maybe....I don't like it.
I will say places have gluten-free flour and a few have high-gluten flour and bless me but I wondered if you could buy a bag of each and mix them and get "normal" flour, but I suspect not.
* I will be very happy if we can get a good blood-antibody test, so we can get somewhat of a handle on how many people may actually have had low-symptom cases. I've read hypotheses that Germany's low death-rate with this is that they're testing the heck out of the people, and getting a lot of cases, but few of those are very serious ones, comparatively, whereas here, we are mostly testing the seriously ill. (And I am not at all sure ANY testing is going on in my state; there is still 1 case reported from my county and I am sure there must be more).
* So it's not BAD, it's just mostly a bit lonely and tiresome and I have a few worries about the future that might not come to pass. But the busy-ness of putting coursework online and keeping up with cooking (you have to be a bit more creative with no opportunity to lightly run out for some forgotten ingredient). And no, I am not going out except when I utterly HAVE to, because I don't want to get sick (and on a lesser level: I don't want to have the swab test, I have heard it is exceptionally unpleasant, and I figure avoid the risk of one is the best route now)
But I will be very happy when this is all over, I hope I never again take for granted just running out for groceries without worry, or meeting my colleagues in person, or teaching my classes face to face....
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