Quarantine Log - April 5 - April 11

Sunday, April 5 - Palm Sunday
I got up with the goal of making more masks - 2 maroon for Park & Cindy, UT Orange for David.

Weather was beautiful.  It hit 79 today.  We grilled outside.

The numbers at 6:40 am
US: 312,245 cases, 8503 deaths, 1344 new cases
TN: 3321 cases, 43 deaths
LoCo: 13 cases
Knox: 99 cases; 1 death

1. Connecting with Laura & family; long phone call with Anna
2. Letting go: Sunday church services
3. Outside: grilling on the deck
4. Moving: not enough
5. Creativity: I found a UT bandana which will make 4 masks.  Completed 1 for David and 2 maroon masks from a dinner napkin
6. Self care: thinking of loved ones as I made masks
7. Grateful for loving family and safe home.

Monday, April 6

Another gorgeous spring day.  What a contrast to the grim news.  In the morning Bill worked on digging for the outdoor faucet repair and I cleared the last bed in the garden and mowed the paths.

In the afternoon I worked on masks for Anna and Jake, Mike and Bonnie.  Mailed the completed ones to Park & Cindy and David & Trisha. Delivered a mask and steak/potato to Bonnie.  Filmed the wren's nest again and found that the eggs are hatching.

The numbers at 8:30 am  

(cases are confirmed cases and deaths are confirmed deaths, not tested are not included)

US: 337,000 cases; 9653 deaths

Global: 1.289,000 cases; 70,356 deaths

25% of the economy is idle

Tuesday, April 7

It didn't rain as predicted earlier.  Warm day with some sun and clouds, still in the 70s.   No yard/garden work today.  I finished the masks for Anna & Jake.  Picked up Amanda for a walk up the hill to sunset point.  She and I also took video of baby wrens and bluebird nest which has 4 eggs.  After lunch Claire came over and we tested fabric scraps in microwave after the one I gave Bonnie burned up this morning.  Fried rice for supper.

Numbers:

LoCo: 15 cases; 8 recovered

1. Connecting: Claire and Amanda; long phone visit with Bonnie
2. Letting go ??
3. Outside: walk up the hill with Bill & Amanda
4. Moving: ditto
5. Creativity: still sewing, sent patterns to Cindy for Eric T
6. Self-care: morning Disciplines reading
7. Grateful: for the opportunity and place to walk, for fun time with Claire & Amanda

Wednesday, April 8
Up early because I couldn't sleep.  Learned that John Prine has died in Nashville of complications from coronavirus.  We loved his unique music.

Today's reading is Hebrews 12:1-3. Paraphrasing - run the race laid out before us, throw off extra baggage, get rid of sins (habits) that trip us up.  This admonition is part of what Lent is about - getting rid of baggage, rooting out temptations.  This year with quarantine the lesson has been brought home in a tangible way so --- don't be discouraged, don't give up, endure!

I spent most of the morning cooking - banana bread, 2 loafs; pinto beans and cornbread for supper.  Later I added Old Glory canned turnip greens (I've used up all from my freezer) and salmon croquettes plus some leftover Allen's canned green beans (I've used all my home-canned).  Good country pantry supper.

Matzek family came by later afternoon after their hike.  Mike is only working 2 days/ week now.  Bonnie stopped by with more steaks for the freezer and I gave her another UT face mask to replace the one she burned in the microwave.

Numbers:
US: 398,785 cases; 12,893 deaths  by noon the US count was 401,059 cases; 13,725 deaths
TN: 4139 cases; 72 deaths; predicted peak is Apr 18 with 25 deaths/day then tailing off by mid-May.

1. Connecting: Matzek family
2. Letting go ??
3. Outside: only briefly to update the baby bird video
4. Moving: not much, although my FitBit gave me 3190 steps for the day and 5/9 hrs moving
5. Creativity: pantry supper
6. Self-care: noon Zoom prayer meeting
7. Grateful for a quiet day.

Thursday, April 9

Cool breezy day but not too much for a walk.  We have changed out route since the park has closed all but the boat ramp.  We go up Grub Rd, past the Brocks to "sunset point" or a little beyond.  

Today I spent a good bit of time on a church web/email problem.  And sewed more masks.  I want to take some tomorrow for our video team.  I filmed another episode of baby birds.  Wonder if my skin rash (bad today) is thyroid related.

At 6 pm I had TWO Zoom meetings.  Trinity Maundy Thursday worship/communion.  A most unusual way to take communion, on my deck with my wine and cracker.  Just the three of us joined - Sandra, Kristie and me.  Kristie also broadcast it on Facebook Live so I don't know if others partook that way.  Communion is always a communal act, even though in its essence it is deeply personal.  The UMC gave special dispensation to receive communion in this way.

Afterwards, I joined the Loudon County Democratic Exec Committee (I represent 5th district) in progress until 7 pm.

Numbers: (8 am)
US: Tests - 2,222,441; Cases- 426,222; Deaths - 14,652
TN: Tests - 56,618; Cases - 4362; Deaths - 78
LoCo: Cases - 15; 9 recovered

1. Connecting: Zoom communion and Demo Mtg
2. Letting go: ?
3. Outside: walk with Bill
4. moving: same
5. Creativity: sewing more masks
6. Self care: Communion/worship
7. Grateful to be safe and able to get outside

Friday, April 10

For some reason that I can't identify, I'm not sleeping well.  Friday is worship video day, so off to church to video Easter Sunday.  Pastor Kristie did a good job.  Ed takes the audio recorded on our sound board and merges with video and still images to produce an movie that is uploaded to our church YouTube channel.  We then share that link on our website, Facebook and via the church email list.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IWX59bN3WQ&t=24s

By the time I got home, had lunch and uploaded video it was 4 pm and time for a walk.  Bonnie showed up at the end of our walk, Kathy came over and we had a great time enjoying mint juleps, laughing and talking in person at a proper social distance.

Numbers: 

US: 465,329 cases; 16,672 deaths

TN: 4635 cases; 94 deaths

LoCo: 15 cases

1. Connecting: lots of connection today to produce the video, then in-person visit with Bonnie & Kathy
2. Letting go: ??
3. Outside: Walk and deck cocktail party
4. Moving: above
5. Creativity: video project
6. Self care: all above
7. Grateful for friend connections

Saturday, April 11

Spring!  Awake too early, slept too little.  Made a Saturday breakfast/brunch and then made pimento cheese to take on our outing.  We drove the RV to the Matzek's lake lot where they were cleaning and mowing.  How great to get out and do something fun and different. Claire had discovered a deer skeleton and showed off her forensic skills:

https://youtu.be/3pBaLidHb-Y

We had a good time, took a walk down their neighborhood road before we left.  They have the lot listed for sale for $99,000.

Lowe's was too crowded to stop.  Home for leftover supper.

No Numbers

1. Connecting: long phone talk with Kathy and fun with all the Matzeks
2. Letting go:  running into the store
3. Outside: Visiting around the firepit
4. Moving: taking a walk with Matzeks
5. Creativity: created 2 FB posts for Easter and uploaded worship video to website
6. Self care: all above
7. Grateful for freedom to move around