The Adjusted Normal, 53. Uncertainty Rules
The number of contagions continue to grow, especially in Madrid and Catalunya. Most of the new cases here in Galicia are brought by tourists from there and other parts of Spain, sometimes from abroad. In the last instance, there was a Belgian couple who went to the hospital in Ribeira because they weren't feeling well. They had come in their caravan from Portugal, and had indulged in water sports in our area. But, they got up and left the hospital before they could be tested for Covid-19, leaving behind their ID cards. Police assume they left the area, and drove home, across Europe, spreading infection wherever they stopped and mingled with people.
Locally, some towns are being confined once more. Since a nationwide state of alarm hasn't been declared this time, it's the courts which can give permission now to do that. Around here, we know of a nurse who is infected and in quarantine, along with her husband. So far, there's no one else we are aware of. Still, cases are increasing, and, just in case, I've been stockpiling, again.
The stockpile I created back in March, when we were put in lockdown, has diminished to the point of being non-existent. Months with less income, weeks of not wanting to go shopping, have worn away at the nice pantry I had stocked up. So, today I went shopping, again. I bought mostly stuff that will last, like pasta, rice, meat to put in the freezer, long-lasting UHT milk, bottled water, cat food. Saturday, I will do the weekly shopping, and buy a few more things, such as paper towels and toilet paper (no, I will not buy twenty packages of twelve rolls, but our daughter is home now, and she must eat it, it disappears so fast).
It's not such a bad idea to have extra on hand to avoid leaving the house much. Last week, a group of young tourists from Madrid went to a small concert by a very local group in O Grove. There, they were maskless, got as close as they could to other people, drank in the street, spit out drink, and laughed and shouted they were going to infect everybody in the town. Where's the police when you really need them?
I was lucky I went to Puebla de Sanabria when I did at the end of June. Few people, nice weather, and a general absence of cases. Now, I'm reaching the point where I doubt school will open in September. If it does, it might quickly close once October gets under way. And I doubt very much that I will make my September road trip, either.
I keep telling myself, it's one year, at most two. After that, either there will be a treatment, the virus will be better understood, a prophylactic might be found, or a safe vaccine do the rounds. Some day, we will look back on these times, like we look back on 1918, and wonder how there could have been so many stupid people. At the same time, we will discover how much we learned about ourselves. Maybe some of us might become wiser. Or we might just brush it off and call it water under the bridge.
Life continues.
Locally, some towns are being confined once more. Since a nationwide state of alarm hasn't been declared this time, it's the courts which can give permission now to do that. Around here, we know of a nurse who is infected and in quarantine, along with her husband. So far, there's no one else we are aware of. Still, cases are increasing, and, just in case, I've been stockpiling, again.
The stockpile I created back in March, when we were put in lockdown, has diminished to the point of being non-existent. Months with less income, weeks of not wanting to go shopping, have worn away at the nice pantry I had stocked up. So, today I went shopping, again. I bought mostly stuff that will last, like pasta, rice, meat to put in the freezer, long-lasting UHT milk, bottled water, cat food. Saturday, I will do the weekly shopping, and buy a few more things, such as paper towels and toilet paper (no, I will not buy twenty packages of twelve rolls, but our daughter is home now, and she must eat it, it disappears so fast).
It's not such a bad idea to have extra on hand to avoid leaving the house much. Last week, a group of young tourists from Madrid went to a small concert by a very local group in O Grove. There, they were maskless, got as close as they could to other people, drank in the street, spit out drink, and laughed and shouted they were going to infect everybody in the town. Where's the police when you really need them?
I was lucky I went to Puebla de Sanabria when I did at the end of June. Few people, nice weather, and a general absence of cases. Now, I'm reaching the point where I doubt school will open in September. If it does, it might quickly close once October gets under way. And I doubt very much that I will make my September road trip, either.
I keep telling myself, it's one year, at most two. After that, either there will be a treatment, the virus will be better understood, a prophylactic might be found, or a safe vaccine do the rounds. Some day, we will look back on these times, like we look back on 1918, and wonder how there could have been so many stupid people. At the same time, we will discover how much we learned about ourselves. Maybe some of us might become wiser. Or we might just brush it off and call it water under the bridge.
Life continues.
My daughter claims I am right she eats TP and it is good with chocolate sauce.
ReplyDeleteI think my daughter uses vanilla sauce, but with the same result.
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