Day: July 3, 2020

I am 62 years old, and I have not witnessed a pandemic  the scope of COVID – 19.  World wide there are currently documented; 134,235 Coronavirus cases.  Of the virus cases there are 4,965 deaths.  Thus far, 68,898 have recovered.

All of us live in our own little bubble.  We know and are close to what our friends and family and colleagues, tell us.  Perhaps we have no, current, illness or discomfort…now.  Some of our friends tell us that COVID – 19 is overblown.  Others assure us that it is a political plot.  While many more are certain that the virus could be no worse than a bad case of the flu, and that they have lived through more than one case of this type of illness.

I would point to the famous and political leaders who have already tested positive for the virus.  These are people from both political…

During the mid 1960s I religiously watched the television show, Lost In Space, where the Robot that accompanied the Robinson family on their intrepid journey through space often warned Will, the young man of the family, when he detected a danger on the horizon, ‘Danger…Danger…Will Robinson…as he flayed his arms akimbo.  I am reminded of my favorite show, along with the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits, when I consider our current reality of our 2020 pandemic.  There are 40 thousand new cases of COVID-19 across the United States within the last 24 hours.  There are spikes in Texas and Florida.  Texas is closing its bars due to the uptake in cases.  

I think that I could best describe the danger of our current susceptibility to the Coronavirus with a metaphor, COVID-19 has been hiding behind our face masks and has not learned to jump far enough to reach the next human host due to the 6 feet of social distancing.  Illinois has entered…

Summer has arrived in Little Egypt.  Today promises to be the hottest day of the year.  Along with the heat has come increased social activity.  People are enjoying al fresco dining with social distancing and a law was passed, yesterday, that permits bars and restaurants to sell mixed drinks to-go.  The drinks are placed into a plastic container and sealed and must be housed in the trunk of your automobile…until you arrive at your destination.  I bet you thought that we Southern Illinoisans would be imbibing as we leisurely walked the sidewalks of Carbondale?  Remember this is Illinois…not New Orleans, Louisiana!  When we visited New Orleans, a few years ago, we did enjoy an adult beverage as we toured Bourbon Street…and drank in the freedom…and the abundance of excess!

I felt like a child as I waited for my first haircut…in a long time.  I first drove past my regular…

I began this Tuesday by pressure washing our screened in porch.  It is amazing the hidden dirt that high velocity water can reveal.  It has been a good spring for pollen…that is if you enjoy pollen!  The focused water pressure and the hum of the motor of the machine has a bit of a serene melody…if you do not have to do too much of it.  We are enjoying the gift of another day.  As I have grown older it has dawned on me that there are no ordinary days.  Just being a participant in the game of life is…extraordinary!

As a nation we are struggling with the correct formula of reopening our businesses and childcare facilities and churches.  Our flagging restaurant industry and bars are proceeding with innovative ways to keep their staffs and the public that they serve, safe and healthy.  The reason that we are struggling so…