Monday, September 28 Deaths 547 (+0) Cases 32,994 (+174)
Grocery shopping day. We went to the Co-op together (bad) but we did separate once we got in. That got us in and out fairly fast. Just so you know, the frozen salmon at the Co-op is way, way cheaper than at Market of Choice. Once we’d got our stuff loaded into the car, E set out for home on foot to get her steps in. M went over to Natural Grocers to get some particular things that they’re good at. Then later E went out to the Peoria Road farm market searching for tomatoes and peppers that meet her standards. We haven’t eaten them yet, but they look pretty good. Later E had Zoom yoga and M didn’t do anything except open his box that arrived from the Walgreen’s online. On the plus side, he did manage to get through a whole day without ordering anything else.
Tuesday, September 29 Deaths 555 (+8 Cases 33,291 (+297)
It was the first day of E’s new Better Bones and Balance class. The teacher introduced each student and had each one say hello. E was a bit upset. If she had known what to expect, she would have worn a nicer tee.
Later she met a friend for a socially distanced, bring-you-own-chair meeting at MLK park. She says they had an enjoyable wide-ranging conversation, which included the topic of what dating must be like these days, compared to what it was when the two of them were starting out. While they were talking, some folks began laying out a soccer field just next to them, using a bunch of orange plastic markers that she swears looked liked little caps or beanies. E left before the game started, but not before seeing the two teams arrive, several gaggles of seven or eight-year olds and their support staff. How is that allowed these days, she wondered, soccer being a sport that does involve some close contact?
M attempted repairs to the back lawn by over-seeding some dead spots. He then provided E with salmon, steamed potatoes and green beans for dinner, which seems to have satisfied her. After dinner, we watched episode one of a British series called Bodyguard, which features the actor who play mama Durrel in the The Durrels on Corfu. This new role makes a change of pace for her for sure. The drama is a little too tense for us old folks, but whole thing is quite well-done.
Last, and maybe least, it was a red letter day in the world of garbage containers. Of our three containers, two were getting terribly shabby and broken down, so M had requested new ones. As if by magic, they appeared today. M feels so much better now. Plus, E need no longer be ashamed of her trash containers when friends come to the back yard. (Which we suspect she has plans for.)
Online shopping update:: two articles of clothing arrived
Wednesday, September 30 Deaths 559 (+4) Cases 33,509 (+218)
The Oregon COVID death rate has reached 13 per 100,000. This compares favorably to some places–New York 137, Florida 70–but not so favorably to others–Australia 3.55, Japan 1.24.
Busy day today, starting with a twenty-minute walk around town just before tertulia. At Bodi’s with R and J, we had one chocolate orange scone, one beignet and two half-caf coffees. The latter gave us more of a jolt than we’re used to, so we had to rush off and do more crazy stuff. First E went off for another walk while M went to the grocery store for emergency essentials such as party supplies and tonic water. E then spent a couple of hours in the garden, dead heading, weeding, lavender trimming and generally cleaning up to prepare for having guests on Thursday. M joined in to do edging and lawn mowing. After lunch E made gazpacho. She had to do it early so as to allow it time para reposar tres horas antes de cenar. Just before dinner she made croutons and chopped up a couple of boiled eggs for guarnición. We also finished the leftover fish, washing it down with a sort-of-local pinot noir. Beautiful!
Online shopping update: M’s Turkish coffee maker arrived.
Thursday, October 1 Deaths 560 (+1) Cases 33,862 (+353)
Hazy morning. We often get early morning fog this time of year, but now we are also getting smoke from California wildfires. There’s a weather system that is blowing the California smoke out to sea, circulating it north and then moving it back inland 450 miles from where it started. Most of the smoke seems to be up high; air quality at ground level is moderate.
M took the Porsche on a drive out, first west to Alsea, then back to Monroe via Alsea Falls. Very little traffic on that leg, three cars oncoming in 30 minutes of driving. The road is narrow and curvy and runs through thick forest. Great fun in the Boxster, but it was even more fun years ago in the Miata. The lack of visibility around the turns makes going fast a fool’s game. Instead the route rewards liveliness and lightness of foot. Whereas the Boxster is an athlete; the Miata was a dancer.
But as it happened this drive had something for everyone. After a sedate jog south on Highway 99, Porsche and driver slipped over to Harrisburg (via Lancaster) to cross the Willamette. From there we crossed over I-5 into some out-of-way farm country. First there was a miles long stretch of flat straight road. No traffic at all, perfect visibility in all directions. The Porsche liked that fine. The old Jaguar XKR would have liked it just as much if not more. The Miata would have been gasping, groaning and bored stiff. After that came a sort of miracle, a giant, sweeping S-curve on an otherwise featureless plain. The Porsche became very happy, as close to carefree as a Porsche can get. Go ahead, it was saying, go as fast as you want, I’ve got this. And even if we die, so what? That’s part of what the both of us were born for. Fortunately M knows a siren song when he hears it and sailed through just fine. Anyway, soon after the big curves the road turns north and runs through a different kind of farm country with curves, straights and rolling hills to keep things interesting. We arrived in Brownsville all too soon.
In the late afternoon E hosted a backyard gathering of the Lemon Meringue Pie Society. The pandemic has been a challenge for LMPS. They’ve tried various ideas, including meeting via Zoom, but these have not been completely satisfactory. Also, some of the members have health issues. But the LMPS spirit is strong and E’s solution–masked, distanced and at individual tables outdoors–seemed to work well. Masks came off for pie eating and for a passing photographer, but otherwise stayed mostly on.
The pie, by the way, was not lemon meringue. Instead, E got a ladder and picked some apples off the better of our two trees. She peeled, cored and dewormed them, then followed the JOC recipe exactly. The results were spectacular.
M had a bit of pie, but also made himself a haloumi pita with tomato, cucumber and cilantro. That was pretty good too.
Online shopping update: One article of clothing arrived.
Friday, October 2 Deaths 563 (+3) Cases 34,163 (+301)
Found out early this morning that Donald and Melania have tested positive for COVID. A later update put DT in the hospital. No one knows quite how to respond, at least for the record. Heather Havrilesky posted “I want to scream and drink boxed wine and eat bags of salty shit and dance.” Her accompanying graphic was The Triumph of Surrealism by Max Ernst:
E went to the eye doctor after breakfast and reports that the old air puff into the eye has been suspended for the duration. When she got home, her eyes were still dilated, but she wanted a walk in the forest anyway. M made a lunch and off we went, just for a little stroll up to the lake. Nice morning, sixty-something degrees when we left home but in the lovely low seventies when it was time for lunch. On the way up we ran across a pileated woodpecker just ten feet away, perched on the side of a tree at eye level in full sun. Yo! How often do we see that? After a few seconds it flew to a higher and more distant tree where it perched on the shady side. Here’s a not very good photograph of that view, just to lend a hint of credibility.
E noticed this pattern on the pond as we were leaving. Said it reminded her of snowshoes.
After dinner, watched the final episode of Ted Lasso. Quite satisfactory. Will there be another season?
Online shopping update: One large pantry cupboard arrived. Two boxes, 43 kilos each. Yikes! Have E and M gone mad?
Saturday, October 3 Deaths 571 (+8) Cases 34,163 (+348)
Yesterday was the 190th day of the Pandemic Diary. In the last ten days, average daily COVID fatalities in Oregon were 3.1, up from 2.8 in the previous ten-day period. Here’s a long term chart.
Despite this grim picture, E and M had chocolate croissants for breakfast again! While E went off to get them, M made coffee using beans from Cauca, Colombia. Cauca is the area around Popayán, the mountain town where we lived for three months once upon a time. We remember seeing coffee being grown there, mostly on small holdings and always growing in the shade, often under banana trees. But we had never seen any specifically Caucan beans until just a couple of weeks ago. Is it good? You bet. We could describe it as tasting like coffee with hints of more coffee. Not much banana.
In the late morning Eve did her Saturday dog walk out in the country while M started assembly of the pantry cupboard and making preparations to install it where it goes. After lunch E joined in and much progress was made. Not quite done yet, though. The cupboard is starting to take shape; it just needs its doors, shelves and anti-tipover strap.
The rest of the garage is a mess.
Online shopping update: An empty box from Tennessee. (E has to fill it and send it back.)
Sunday, October 4 Deaths 572 (+1) Cases 34,770 (+259)
E has a Zoom meeting with long-time friends S and Mrs. H from back east. We did of bit of outdoor work and M finished assembling the pantry cupboard. It’s still empty though; everything that’s supposed to fill it is sitting in various boxes in the garage. We haven’t stocked it yet because we have to prepare for two momentous events tomorrow. In the morning we have our first day of Turkish class and in the afternoon we head off to stay at the coast for a couple of days. Much to do.