Tuesday, July 14
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 244 (+7) cases 12,805 (+367)
This is the 110th day of our record keeping, so it’s time for another update of our Oregon curve graphic, now based on 11 consecutive 10-day averages. As you see, the latest ten-day average is equal to the previous high back in early April. Looks like a second wave to us.
Wednesday, July 15
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 247 (+3) cases 311,111 (+276)
Tertulia in our back yard this morning. We baked scones. And because it’s berry season, we filled our scones with luscious semi-sweet chocolate chips. Yum. Later a little yard work, a little sewing, and a little reading. A warm summery day. It was nice to stay indoors for most of the afternoon. We did some searching online and ordered E a stand for her iPad mini. She’s been doing a lot of Zooming of one kind or another and her cobbled together holder had finally failed. For dinner E arranged take-out from Ba’s in Albany. Ba’s is run by a wonderful young couple who offer what they call Vietnamese comfort food. It’s delicious. After dinner we watched a little of our Turkish soap, but then moved on to a new jigsaw puzzle.
Thursday, July 16
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 249 (+2) cases 13,509 (+428, new Oregon record)
Nice day, definitely summer. Errands and a short hike in the morning: first Bottle Drop, then the Shell station, thence up the road to the Calloway Creek trail. It was still cool in the forest in the late morning. After the hike M donned his gloves, picked up some cutters, and went out to our sprawling blackberry bush to see if he could bring it under some semblance of control. It’s a native variety, very thorny, one that is used to surviving in hostile conditions. In the relatively benign environment of our garden it becomes very enthusiastic, sending out ridiculously healthy new canes in all directions, including up over the fence, where it could threaten the physical safety and mental tranquility of the entire neighborhood. Hence, action was required.
Friday, July 17
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 254 (+5) cases 13,802 (+293)
Last night we went out around 11:00 to see if we could see the comet Neowise. We knew that we wouldn’t be seeing it from our house because the comet was low on the northern horizon and there are wooded hills just north of us. So we drove to a place where the land was flat to the north and sure enough there it was, dim but visible to the naked eye, and even more visible through E’s binoculars. It was pretty cool. Neither of us could remember when we’d last seen a comet–if ever. Neither of us had been out after eleven for a while either.
Oregon COVID news continues bad with little sign of any impending improvement. Fatalities have now reached 254, a rate of 5.91 per 100,000.
For reference, total Oregon fatalities in the 1918 influenza pandemic totaled 3,675. Oregon’s population at that time was approximately 781,000, which yields a fatality rate of 471 per 100,000. That rate is far higher than any reported figures for COVID anywhere in the world. One explanation for the large differential is that the influenza virus caused its victims to develop a number of fatal secondary infections and conditions for which no treatment was available in 1918. COVID can cause similar secondary problems, but in the intervening 100 years medical science has advanced, and many of these associated conditions can now be managed.
Saturday, July 18
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 257 (+3) cases 14,149 (+319)
M’s birthday looms on the horizon. A birthday present has been ordered and there has been discussion about ordering a pie. Before that, though, we’re having guests over for dinner on Sunday. E is planning another paella, out on the patio of course. And speaking of food, we have now gone more than a week without pain au chocolat. It’s all right. We’re OK. And our take-out meal today was from Sybaris–such a lovely restaurant. E loved her brie and almond croquette over salad greens; M had deviled chicken, which consisted of half a bird, mostly deboned but still in one piece, the whole thing roasted in coarse crumbs. It was served with a salad of warm white and sweet potatoes with fresh arugula, green beans, snap peas, and summer squash, all with a Gubbins sauce dressing. Awesome. Has M now fallen in love with Gubbins sauce (made with cream, tarragon vinegar, butter, and English mustard?) No, he has not. But just this once, it was grand.
Sunday, July 19
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 260 (+3) cases 14,579 (+430)
As we continue documenting the pandemic, here’s a photo showing two different consumer items that are all the rage these days. First, jigsaw puzzles. Everyone from NPR to WSJ has noted the jigsaw puzzle shortage. Puzzle makers cannot keep up with demand. “We have never seen anything like this,” said one manager. “Oh my God, how could we have been prepared for this?” asked another. Both of those comments translate as “If only we’d stockpiled 500,000 more units, we’d be rolling in it!” E and M have contributed to the surge in demand, having bought this puzzle a month or two ago, picking it up curbside from an otherwise closed bookstore. It has turned out to be a good puzzle for us, 1000 pieces and just challenging enough.
And then there is the market for Zoom-related doodads. Plenty of those being purchased. E just got herself this tabletop stand. She found a dizzying selection of stands and holders, but fell in love with this one, partly because it seemed sturdy and flexible and mostly because it was the best looking of the bunch.
Now she wants wireless earbuds.