Tuesday, July 21
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 269 (+7) cases 15,139 (+292)
The number of Oregon residents who have been tested for COVID has risen to 352,000, which is about 8% of the total population. As of today, the overall positive rate since March 30 is 4.37%. The volume of testing has increased greatly over the last four months. In April, Oregon reported an average of 1,407 test results per day, in May the daily average was 2,435, in June it was 3,605 and so far in July it has been 5,216.
Michaelsday, July 22
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 271 (+2) cases 15,393 (+254)
A lovely day today. M got to install a new induction cooktop. First the electricians came and installed the new wiring, then M put it into place. Besides sawing and drilling, this process involved a lot of cursing and groaning, so we know he was having a good time.
Meanwhile E went to a doctor’s appointment and got some good news. Part of it was that the doctor saw no need to fire a laser torch at her big toe. That’s always nice to hear. Another part is that he gave her a couple of those individually packed squares of Ghiardelli chocolate, which is also nice, especially during those times when your dentist is temporarily unable to give out cupcakes.
Today’s food was generally excellent. Our tertulia with J&R was at Bodhi’s Bakery and we were able to sample their version of chocolate chip scones while seated outside on a nice cool morning. Hearty and delicious. Then there was that smoked salmon for dinner followed by Chambers sized pieces of birthday chocolate pie from the 57th Street Grill, aka Taylor Street Ovens. (Which is to be found neither on 57th St. nor on Taylor, of course.)
Later we watched two hours of Intersection, a.k.a. I Am Blind, our Turkish soap opera. Pediatrician Naz and race driver turned businessman Ali Nejat have been engaged for a while now. As far as we know, they haven’t had sex yet. The Pandemic Diary stylesheet says to avoid the expression ‘have sex’ and prefers ‘slept together’ cuz it’s classier. But Naz and Ali Nejat have slept together in the same bed several times. It’s just that in all cases adorable little Kaan slept in the same bed right between them, which has made adorable little Kaan very happy but has made E start to worry a little about just how they’re going to deal with this kid in the long run.
But there’s been a lot more going on besides that little triangle. Naz’s mother Ayşen, who runs a real estate business, is becoming involved with Ali Nejat’s friend Ayhan. Ayhan is a cheerful and charming restauranteur who has been married four times. He mentioned this to Ayşen early on, saying something along the lines of “I’m trying hard to be a good guy and I think I am, but I have to tell you that if you talked to my ex-wives you might get another story.” That was a wise move on his part because Ayşen is smart enough to have already figured out some of that for herself.
There has been a lot of action involving Ali Nejat’s sister Feyza and his father Tarik. Feyza, whose young son was killed in a car accident that occurred when Ali Nejat was driving, has just got engaged to the sinister Murat, who has gotten all chummy with her father and has dragged them into an investment scheme that promises Tarik a new level of wealth and power. Ali Nejat has come to distrust Murat and will have no part of it. He has sold his shares in the family business, which has estranged him from both sister and father. He continues the warn them about Murat, though, from time to time, which just angers them both.
Feyza’s ex-husband, Enver, has returned from a long exile in Dubai. He had fled Turkey several years ago when a warrant was issued for his arrest for something or other. Resourceful fellow that he is, he has somehow arranged for the case to be dropped, allowing his return. The motives for his return to Istanbul are unclear. He has, in the past, been a mentor for Murat. But he has told Feyza that he still loves her and wants, more than anything, for them to be together again. So there are two men who say they love Feyza, but can she trust either of them? We in the viewing audience have started rooting for Enver, as we see more and more sliminess from Murat.
And here comes another figure from out the past–Ali Nejat’s first love, Eylül, who happens to be Enver’s younger sister and who has been living in Germany working for a design firm, the same firm that–oh lord never mind. Needless to say, she still carries a torch for Ali Nejat and he’s not entirely over her either. And what about Gokçe and her boyfriend Emre, he of the white Porsche Panamera? Lots happening there. She dumped him after one of her friends texted her a photo of Emre kissing another girl. But Emre refused to accept dismissal. We will always be together, he says, until I say we’re not. He confronted Gokçe’s friend who sent the photo and roughed her up a bit. Then, a few days later, he really let loose on Gokçe herself, punching her several times, cutting her lip and bruising her cheek and left eye. Gokçe is in shock and doesn’t want anyone to know, especially her brother Umut (Naz’s ex) because she thinks that if he finds out he’ll just kill Emre and then have to go to prison. She knows, as do millions of viewers, that impulse control is not one of Umut’s strengths. But she finally does tell Genco, Umut’s old friend and assistant mechanic. Genco immediately wants to have some direct conversation with Emre, but Gokçe begs him not to do anything because then he will get into trouble. At this point Gokçe knows that Genco is in love with her and she’s starting to wonder how she feels about that. Anyway, Genco tells her not to worry about it and that nothing’s going to happen. He tells her he’s got to go off to work, but instead goes and finds Emre, stuffs him into the trunk of a borrowed car, and drives back to the garage where he works. After putting up the closed sign, he takes Emre out of the trunk and into the back room where he proceeds to spend some time beating the crap out of him, pausing when he gets winded but then going right back at it. (Or so we assume–not all of this is shown. But the initial blows were fairly graphic, as were the several blows that Emre dealt Gokçe.) To see what happens next, we must go on to the next episode…if we can find the strength.
Thursday, July 23
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 273 (+2) cases 15,713 (+320)
It’s 4:33 in the afternoon and M is having difficulty concentrating amidst the raucousness of the Laughter Yoga class that is Zooming into the living room. Part of today’s lesson seems to be How to Imitate Animals Laughing.
Friday, July 24
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 282 (+9) cases 16,104 (+391)
As this is the 120th day of PD record keeping, it’s time to update the Oregon curve chart. Grim news today on the virus front. There were nine deaths reported, the highest total ever for the state. Deaths per day in the last ten days averaged 3.8, also a record high, as you see.
Saturday, July 25
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 286 (+4) cases 16,492 (+388)
In the fantasy world of I Am Blind, Naz has broken off her engagement to Ali Nejat. Lately it seems that she has been more of a baby sitter for Kaan, while Ali Nejat goes off and does what he does, which includes things like finding out who murdered his nephew, trying to save his father’s company, and, just by the way, having soulful conversations with former lover Eylül, whose intention of leaving Istanbul and returning home to Germany has first weakened and then finally dissolved. Hmm. Now, Eylül is taking care of Kaan–that was quick–while Ali Nejat goes to an important meeting. Kaan, the fickle little beast, thinks Eylül is wonderful because she took him to a stable so he could ride a pony.
Umut and Genco were pretty pleased with themselves for beating up Emre and then dumping him in a vacant lot; but now they’re nervous. When they dumped Emre off, he may have been much the worse for wear but he was very much alive. Later that day, though, he was found very much dead by a vagrant searching through a nearby dump. Darn it! Why does life have to be so complicated?
Sunday, July 26
Oregon Health Authority: deaths 289 (+3) cases 16,758 (+266)
A nice Zoom meeting today with with the three J’s: Jim, Joanne and John. E took her iPad out to the back yard and we sat under the apple tree for a bit. At one point Joanne noted that we should all be going out for ice cream, a sentiment of which we all approved. We also got an update on John’s new little house at the lake, which now has plumbing and an appliance or two. He claims that a Certificate of Occupancy may be signed within the week. Hopefully, we will be able to travel sometime and go see it. Also during the meeting we picked up the iPad and gave a quick tour of our yard, in the course of which we noticed that our wireless signal reaches to the farthest corner of the garden and also that the our rhubarb patch was flourishing. Well. After the meeting E went out to pick some and then later in the afternoon she turned around and baked a pie.
