WFH: Week Two

My decision to walk into town, despite the occasional rain shower, was an unexpectedly lucky one. There were a handful of others out and about, including parents leading two young kids. (”Where are we going? Why?“) Everyone gave each other plenty of space.

I stopped at the post office, finally recycled some old eyeglasses in the Lions Club's collection bin, and was the only customer in a large clothing shop. I had a gift credit to spend, and expected there would be few shoppers early on a Monday afternoon. I was the third customer of the day, they told me; and I might have been the last.

Shortly after I got home, our county issued a “shelter in place” directive, shutting down all non-essential businesses as of midnight.

That order spawned raging debates on multiple cycling mailing lists about whether cycling was, or was not, permitted, and whether a six-foot gap between cyclists would be an adequate protective distance. Outdoor activity was considered an “essential activity,” but cycling was not specifically mentioned; it took a few attorneys to clarify what “by way of example and without limitation” means. Our club canceled all upcoming group rides. Solo rides, or rides with members of your own household, would be fine.

But, what if you crash? This would not be the time to add to the burden on our already-stressed healthcare system.

More of my colleagues were adjusting to working from home, which went from voluntary, to recommended, to mandated. We're trying to preserve the social structure of our team, gathering most mornings and afternoons for 30-minute coffee/tea breaks. Getting to meet their children, as well as their pets, helps to lift everyone's spirits.

A couple of years ago, one of our colleagues completed a curriculum for professional pastry chefs. (To relax, he insisted.) He'd share his assignments with us; what a joy it was to find some wonderful treat on your desk in the morning. An experienced instructor, he has decided to give us a weekly lesson. This week, chocolate soufflé. It looked so straightforward ... especially with his electric mixer to whip those egg whites.

As the week progressed I felt anxiety mounting. How will this end? Is it just a matter of time before every one of us falls ill? And recovers, or ... doesn't?

For my cinematic distraction of the week, I watched He Named Me Malala, from which I learned more than the facts of her story, but also gained a window into attitudes and beliefs that are utterly unfamiliar to me.

The week opened with 114 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our county, and closed with 302 (a 165% increase).