Papa Bob and I were among the 321 folks that don’t have symptoms and feel fine, but who voluntarily were tested by the SEARHC clinic yesterday. I think that’s how many there were.The information-providing people are a bit swamped, to say the least. We will need to wait 5-7 days for the results.
We waited two hours in the car, moving very slowly in line from way back at the Hotel Halsingland to the clinic down by the church. But we had hot cocoa and peanut butter sandwiches and my brother-in-law Norm on the radio playing country tunes and keeping us company. I brought my book. Dad napped. It was fine. We are just grateful to be getting tested– and that so many people showed up.
Everyone dealing with the Covid outbreak on an offical level here is stretched really thin, so there is a big time lag on the official numbers for any of this. I hear that we have at least 57 active cases as of tonight. There are a lot of sick people, but hopefully not too sick. So far, the news is quiet, and that’s heartening. No news is good news when it comes to Covid. Literally. If you test negative, you won’t get a call from the clinic.
The main push has been to ask everyone to stay home if they can, and if they can’t wear masks and don’t stand too close to anyone. Most people are doing the right thing. It was really quiet when we took a drive down Main Street on our way home.
Still, I have been told by my husband that there are two or three bare-faced folks insisting on making political statements showing up at the post office or the grocery store, or pushing their way past the mask mandate at our store, which is really too bad. (As he said, arguing with them makes more breath in the air, so he just tries to get them out as fast as he can… and the doors and windows are wide open.)
The vast majority of us are caring for each other very well. Many businesses are closed, but ours, as I said, is open, carefully, because people need hardware, lumber, plumbing and electrical supplies — and maybe after the rains tonight– pumps and sand bags. I hope not. ( We are still waiting for that atmospheric river of rain. It’s blowing a gale from the south and there is a flood warning and a concern for mud slides between now and noon tomorrow.)
In the meantime, I am trying not to worry. Everyone I love is okay– or at least treading water– Distractions are good. I made chili and cornbread this afternoon, and we just watched the Field of Dreams baseball game.
I need to learn to be more like my dogs. They love the stormy days as much as the calm ones.
