MARCH 31, 2020 – A rainy and very chilly day.  No pressure washing.  Hubby on another conference call all day.  So again, I do what I can around the house, keeping dishes washed, dogs fed etc.  Bathroom breaks, lunch breaks and spending time checking in with co-workers.  Making sure sanity hasn’t already gone out the window.  This is only day 3 of no work but I just wanted to make sure they know I was thinking about them and their welfare.

Had to make a few calls because the Governor has locked us down more now. A “travel restriction” until April 30.  That ruins our plans for a vacation we had already moved once.  Now we had to coordinate with friends and campgrounds to get dates in May.

I did manage to break out the screen printing and work on my t-shirt designs.  Things didn’t go so well though.  Might have old emulsion or exposed the screen too long. Will do some more research and try again, maybe.

Now, I am going to rant a bit here.

Folks….please.  Quit thinking about YOURSELF for ONCE in your lives.  If you cannot stay at home, you are just making it worse for EVERYONE.  Quit having ‘corona virus’ parties, or going for joy rides in large groups meeting on the side of the road to take photos or going to the ‘painted road’ to spray paint your mark on the road.  Your mark on the road, and the photos you take will be the only thing left of you one day soon enough, why make it sooner??  STAY HOME!!

As I told someone, you have worked like all of us for years for a roof over your head.  You are just like everyone else, always at work and never home. Why not spend this time where your money had been going all these years and embrace the time with the family you have?  I’m very proud of my crew.  We have picked up game night again.  We have played video games.  We have been crafty.  We have cleaned.  We have done our part in the #socialdistancing and we are still sane.

I posted in a group something like that and got a private message from a police officer.  They took a snap shot of my post and sent me a “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT”.  So I’m not crazy – this time!  I’m not being petty or ridiculous. I’m being realistic.  As I have said, I am blessed with good health.  Other than the aching body, I am very rarely sick.  The last time was 2016, also a leap year, and 3 of the 4 of us got the flu.  It knocked me off my feet for a week +/- a day or so.  I tried to go to work after my fever broke but I felt and looked like shit.  Needless to say, they sent me home.  I knew better, but like many of us we are so accustomed to pushing through the sniffles.  I had sick time but I didn’t want to take it.

I realize this is NOT us using sick time or vacation time…many, many, many of us are not even getting paid (unemployment is an uncertainty).  I also watch the numbers climbing for the infected and deceased from this damn virus, as of this post we are at 857,388 infected, 42,106 deaths in 203 countries and territories.  The fact that so many of you are out there as if this is a vacation shows me exactly HOW and WHY this keeps spreading.  It isn’t about YOU not being sick it is about YOU going out and potentially getting the germs and spreading them to loved ones close to you.  You don’t know where others around you have been.  Think about the “6 degrees of separation”, the idea that all people are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other. Also known as the 6 Handshakes rule. As a result, a chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps.  Look at your social media people!!! How many times do you see a friend that shows you have 2 mutual friends with and they have a mutual friend?  I have seen it recently and let me tell you…it is a small world when you look at it like that.

Remember the dollar bill you write on and see how far it goes?  Imagine that dollar bill being the virus and it is passed around without anyone realizing it is even there.

Being BORED is not a reason to go for a joy ride.  Maybe you are lucky and have bottles of sanitizer and you never see another soul nor touch another surface other than your own car.  But, who is to say that while you are walking along the waterfront with your loved one, another person does not arrive to do the same but as they get out of their car they suddenly have a major sneeze attack, nature does that to us.  They unknowingly spray their germs all over your door including the handle, it’s just a car no one will know they sneezed all over it.  While you are out enjoying the beautiful sunset and peacefulness your car was potentially covered in the virus germs. So you return to the car and go about your day.  Sadly, you are not alone on the road.

On your way home, you encounter the other BORED individuals that thought getting out for a drive would be harmless and you are involved in a car accident.  Medical staff are already exhausted from this virus, that you were told to STAY HOME because of, and now you have to have medical attention.  As does the other parties involved in the accident.  When medical arrives they are fearful of exposure.  They have seen it up close for the last few days.  They are frustrated that you were even out and now taking their attention from patients that needs them.  Now you have to go to a hospital where the virus is going to be and wait your turn.  You may be lucky to get out of this without exposure, but the accident and potential exposure would have been avoided if you had done as you were told – STAY HOME!!!

OK..rant over.  It was just a scenario I play in my head over and over.  I know folks are going to be selfish and immature and I cannot fix it.  I can, however, NOT contribute to the stupidity.

Natural selection will do the work.

I will be here for another day of lockdown, God willing and the sun rises.  Time for some TV before bed.