Pandemic Times, November 22 - 28

Sunday, November 22

After much agonizing all week, I decided to attend Sunday School but not church because of the level of Covid spread in Loudon County.  Our SS group is fewer than 8 people, we meet in the fellowship hall so we can space far apart and everyone keeps their mask on.  My group size comfort level is keyed on the local positivity rate, with masks and spacing.  So 12-13% pos rate is about 1 in 8, so group max is 8.  It works for me.

Bill went to Dick's Sporting Goods in Oak Ridge while I was out.  He came home with a new treadmill.  He shopped for weeks before settling on this model and it went in sale this morning.

I went back to the church at 5 pm where a small group of us decorated the sanctuary Christmas Tree with Christmons made by youth of years past.  The ornaments are humble but the tree is beautiful when fully lighted. This picture is from a previous year showing the gifts that the church has donated for the Santa Helper program.  We adopt five children through the LC School FRC program.

Monday, November 23

After breakfast, I went to the grocery to buy the turkey and other goodies for Thanksgiving.  I'm not sure how I came away with a bill for more than $200 since we are not having a big dinner.  Mid-afternoon, Bill and I went for a walk on the 'other side' of the river.  We enjoy the sunny and relatively flat walk in the winter.  From the parking lot near the dam, out to the highway and back is a 50 minute brisk walk, about 2.5 miles.

Fried rice for supper, finally using that leftover chicken.

Numbers: 

from 11/22  TN Dept of Health
    +4074 new cases since yesterday; 344,500 total cases
    4301 total deaths
    age 0-10 - 16,983; age 11-20 - 45,947

Loudon County
    2184 total cases; 259 active; 18 deaths
    39.4 case rate/100,000
    15% pos rate

from 11/23
    US - 12.5+ million total cases; 179,067 new cases today
        1,032 deaths
    7-day avg of new cases = 173,165 an increase of 49%

    Loudon County
    37.5 case rate; 15.7% pos rate

Tuesday, November 24

Tuesdays start early when I pick up Amanda at 8 am.  This one started even earlier.  I've been waking up very early lately, so today I got up and mixed the levain that I made last night with flour and water to start a batch of sourdough bread.  The bread-making is an all-day, off & on thing.  I had it laid by to proof shortly after noon.  I went to get Amanda for lunch with us.  After lunch, Bill took her home and I rested for a while.  I didn't work on masks, or write postcards as I had intended.

Covid news goes from bad to worse every day. Political news is getting a little better as Trump has exhausted most of his challenges but he presses on.  Key states and certified their votes.  Late yesterday Trump finally admitted that the formal transition process could begin without actually conceding.  There is HOPE on the horizon.

Yesterday, I bought a 14-pound fresh turkey and today I put it in a dry brine - salt, brown sugar, sage, and pepper.  I double-bagged it and put it in a cooler on ice to marinate for about 24 hours.  I also made cornbread and cooked biscuits for the dressing.  Cornbread cooked just before I started the bread loaves. The day ended with a spectacular sunset.

Wednesday, November 25

I had a long overdue appointment to have my eyes checked this morning.  All is well and not change in my prescription.  I'm glad and relieved.  By the time lunch and errands were done, it was 2 pm - time to put the turkey on. While the turkey was cooking, Bill and I managed to get in a walk, enjoying this beautiful fall day.  We are trying to take advantage of as many mild fall days as we can.

I chopped the celery and onion chopped, the bread crumbled and the sage 'rubbed. The ingredients will be ready to put together for dressing tomorrow morning.  The turkey came out looking pretty good.  After it cooled a bit, I refrigerated it to be divided among our three families tomorrow.

After a long day, I rewarded myself with a Bloody Mary. Yum!

Thursday, November  26 - Thanksgiving Day!

The weather looks promising for an outdoor dessert party and bonfire later in the afternoon.  Food exchange is planned for noon, so I had to get busy to complete my share - cornbread dressing, turkey & gravy, green beans and cranberry sauce.  The Brocks and Matzeks each got a breast half and Bill and I kept the good parts.  Laura provided sweet potato casserole, rolls and Amanda made the pies for our dessert.  Kathy furnished ham and made her own favorite bread dressing, mashed potatoes and green vegetable.  All of it was delicious!  We have much to be thankful for in-spite of Covid and politics.  We are especially grateful that our family is healthy, so far and Claire is home safely from her first semester of college.

Before lunch we had a good ZOOM visit with the Missouri Whitakers. The kids were all in good form and talkative.  They were excited about the prospect of their Thanksgiving feast with friends coming over and especially about the bonfire and marshmallows they were planning.

Dessert at the Matzeks was great fun!  The pumpkin pie was excellent and everyone raved about the pecan pie (but of course I couldn't taste that one!).  After a slow start, Mike got the bonfire going.  We enjoying sitting outside, Brocks included, for a non-traditional Thanksgiving dessert.

Friday, November 27

I've been trying to do better about practicing yoga, so I woke up determined to start this morning.  The practice is challenging after not doing it for months.  After I recovered, there was the turkey carcass with plenty of meat to be "picked" and broth to be made.  I put in the freezer enough turkey to make a gumbo, a recipe of turkey a-la-king and plenty of leftovers to tide us over for a few days.

My black-Friday shopping was online, but I didn't actually buy anything.  I made a wishlist instead.  It is time-consuming and hard to know what the kids will enjoy.

The lovely afternoon called for a walk.

Red-Oak leaves

Saturday, November 28

Today was spent much like yesterday - yoga in the morning and a walk in the afternoon.  I worked on masks today.  I'm trying to get some Christmas/winter ones made for the family and in the mail on Monday.

We finished the last of the leftovers for supper (except for what went in the freezer).  I might have to cook again tomorrow!