Covid in China

The genie is out of the bottle, folks, and there ain't no puttin' it back in.  

I'm referring to COVID and our lame attempts to try to stop the spread of the virus through restrictions including providing proof of vaccination or a negative test for traveling or attending large gatherings.

 Here's the kicker:  None of this will work.

The virus is most contagious before the carrier even knows the virus is in their system.  Case point:  I was feeling the sniffles and took a test.  It came back negative.  A couple days later I was positive.  My scenario is not rare.  So many people feel a little crumby, take a test, and the result is negative.  A day or so later they test again and they are positive.  During that time they are grocery shopping, at the gym, going to parties, thinking they have a little cold.  Oh, and dare I say flying on planes. 

I have been vaccinated five times.  I still got caught the virus.  Granted, it did not land me in the hospital probably because I did have the vaccinations, but I caught the virus just the same.  

Imagine this scenario playing out across international travel.  Providing a negative test means nothing.  The virus could be incubating.  

The only way to stop the virus from mutating and spreading would involve the entire world to shut down.  That ain't gonna happen.  People always put their own needs first.  

The only thing we can do at this point is to mask up.  Spoiler alert:  The virus is mutating faster than the vaccines can keep pace.  Expect to catch the virus multiple times - like the cold and the flu - it is here to stay.

When the virus first came out three years ago, I mentioned that the world was going to have to deal with it forever as viruses mutate.  I was accused of being a downer.  

Sorry if I don't blow sunshine up your corn-holio.  People can't handle the truth. 

 

Where Did Christmas Go?

 Ever since before Labor Day we have been bombarded with Christmas hoopla at Costco.  It was especially disturbing to see Halloween, Thanksgiving, AND Christmas decor all at once.  Here is what I find strange.  Last week we made the trip to Costco to garner up food stuffs for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  This was December 22.  

What was shocking to me was upon entering Costco there was no sign of Christmas anywhere.  No trees, no wrapping paper, no home decor, no candy canes,  nothing.  What is going on?  No sign of Christmas just a couple of days before the big holiday?  Why are we subject to Christmas at Labor Day and not during the actual season?  

On Christmas Day I was tuning into the yule log channel (yes, there is such a thing) and a commercial came on that stated, "Now that the holidays are over......"

Wait.  It's Christmas Day.  We are smack dab in the middle of the holidays.  

We are so busy hyping the holiday that when it's here nobody is actually enjoying the moment.  

So yes, the war on Christmas is a real thing.   Halloween and Thanksgiving are leading the charge.  Labor Day is blowing the bugle. 

Earthquake!!!

 Well, I blogged yesterday about my nephew and his bride wanting to shake down money trees to fund their wedding months after the fact.  

Truth is stranger than fiction.  Trees were shaking, buildings were shaking, everything was shaking.  Sadly, the shaking of trees did not yield any money.  There was an earthquake up near where they live in Eureka that caused extensive damage.  They are now without power and their walls in their apartment have significant cracks.

I will be extra nice to them on Christmas taking into consideration what they are going through, as I have a feeling they will be here early because of their lack of electricity.  Living without electricity gets old very quickly. 

Christmas Cards

 Believe it or not, after a hiatus of several years, I'm sending out Christmas cards this year.  I have them all addressed and ready to be dropped off at the post office tomorrow.  Why did I stop sending cards?  I suppose because for a while social media took the place of sending something snail mail.  Since I don't post anything on social media, I figured I would send something via snail mail to let people know I think of them despite not seeing them on a daily basis.  It's amazing how many people have touched my life and I don't think they realize it.  

On the snarky side of Christmas cards, I got one from Bridezilla who married my nephew back in early October.  That was the Eureka wedding reception where we drove 4 hours each way through Sasquach Territory.  We gave my nephew and Bridezilla a handsome gift for their wedding despite my reservations.  Personally, my nephew can do better and I think Bridezilla is an opportunistic gold digger.  I bit my tongue, swallowed my thoughts, attended the wedding reception in Eureka, smiled, and wished them well.  

Duty done.  We attended their Eureka reception, participated, chatted, smiled, mingled, gave a generous gift, etc., etc., etc.  What more is to be expected? 

Well, according to Bridezilla duty is NOT done.   We got a Christmas card in the mail that had two skeletal hands that were joined together with the slogan, "'Till death do us part, The Rumplestiltskins."

Rumplestiltskin is HER last name.  Damn.  My nephew did end up changing HIS last name to HERS.  

The card had pictures of them along with a long monologue of how they "eloped" earlier in the year, but had a reception afterwards and how happy they were.  Great.  Wonderful.  Yipee.  Blow horns and throw confetti.  However, the card went on as to how they want people to continue to contribute to their GoFundMe wedding site. 

Really?  Still begging for wedding money?  Begging has taken on such unseemly angles these days disguised as a Christmas card greeting. 

Well, I did send them a Christmas card.  Nothing else.  Rumor has it they will both be here Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  I will welcome them in my house and gladly feed them...and I WILL be happy to see them.  However, if they are looking for a money tree, they will have to go somewhere else to shake it down.  

All My Boys Are Gurleys

It's the 81st Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.   I write this in memory of J.H. Gurley, who was on the USS Arizona December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, and died.

Who was J.H. Gurley? 

Years ago, when my husband's Aunt Gertrude was still alive, she would tell us stories about that fateful day of December 7, 1941.  Aunt Gertrude knew the Gurley Family when she lived in Nebraska.  The Gurley Family was a farming family who lived outside of Omaha.  From what I remember, the Gurley Family consisted of five kids - all boys.  Mrs. Gurley would tell people, "All my boys are Gurley's."

Aunt Gertrude was very adamant that when we went to the USS Arizona Memorial back in 1992 we pay respect to J.H. Gurley as his name was on the wall.  Back in 1992 there was no internet or anything to piece together Aunt Gurtrude's recollection to the Gurley Family and even if his name was really on the wall.  Aunt Gertrude did not lie.  His name was listed just like she said it would be. 

It seems fitting to honor J.H. Gurley on the anniversary of the bombing in Pearl Harbor.  

Help! I can't taste nor smell!

 A symptom of COVID is losing the ability to taste and smell.  Everything was OK until last night while making dinner.  Granted, I don't have a lot of energy these days.  I went to make an easy but hearty black bean and pablano chili to help us with our COVID congestion and loosen things up a bit.  

I went for healthy, spicy, flavorful, and easy.  It's something the doctor would be approve of you eating along with all hairy-armpit, vegan fascists. 

Sigh.  I digress.

Anyway, I was making my black bean pablano chili and, like all cooks do, I taste to "see what else it needs" as far as seasonings.  Hmmmmm.... could use a little more spice.  Add spice.  Stir.  Simmer another 10 minutes.  Taste.  Hmmmmmmm....could use a little more spice.  Add spice.  Stir.  Simmer another 10 minutes.  Rinse and repeat.  

At that point hubby comes into the kitchen wondering when dinner will be ready.  I told him that I just can't get the seasoning right on the chili.  He tasted it and I thought fire was going to come out his mouth like a dragon from Games of Thrones. 

I have no idea when my sense of taste and smell will return.  All I can say is that it completely sucks the joy out of cooking AND eating. 

Guess What????

Look!!!!  I'm pregnant!!!!  NOT!!!!  After dodging the virus for nearly three years, it finally caught up with me.  I had my updated COVID booster shot the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  The following day I felt kind of meh.  I still prepped food Wednesday despite feeling a bit off from the booster shot.  Thursday (Thanksgiving) was when I was exposed.  I did not have the vaccine in my system long enough to ward it off.  

The night before Thanksgiving is a notorious for Sonoma County going to the bars as everybody is home.  It's like a huge multi-generational class reunion of sorts.  Both my adult kids, and their spouses, were out mingling at the bars and came in at 2:00 AM.  The virus hitched a ride home with them as well at the end of the night.  

Thanksgiving was a houseful as always.  I would not have it any other way.  My son and his husband brought along a couple of strays for dinner.  My son-in-law also brought in a couple of his friends who were home from out of town for dinner (neither one of the friends wanted to have dinner with their own family - long story).  

The turkey was perfect thanks to a special brine recipe and a smoker that was followed with a low-temperature roast.  Thank you JT for the recipe!  The green bean casserole was also extra good this year for whatever reason.  All of the other traditional sides turned out as well.  The bonus was that my daughter baked a perfect pecan pie, apple pie, and pumpkin pie courtesy of the instruction of her mother-in-law.  My daughter's mother-in-law is a Southern Belle (as in Scarlett from Gone With the Wind) and nobody can bake pies quite like they can.    I don't even really like pumpkin pie and the one my daughter baked was delicious.  

After dinner we sat around the table and laughed, played games, told stories, and poked fun at each other.  Wine was flowing freely.  Nobody wanted to leave. 

The next morning I served breakfast burritos.  Nobody leaves my house hungry.  That's my mission and life purpose. 

Now.....getting back to COVID.  It was Saturday night when my daughter kept saying she was not feeling quite right.  The next day she tested positive for COVID, and it's been like falling dominoes with everybody who was at our house for Thanksgiving since.