5/31/2020 of COVID-19 Home Life

Chel Owens

I went to the hardware store yesterday. Although I was unable to record actual numbers, I estimated about 1/3 of the shoppers and nearly all of the workers wore masks. I don’t mind the more-conservative, DIY-types; I figured those hardworking sorts would be very likely to shop for their own building supplies and gardening equipment. What concerned me is what always has: they don’t think distancing is important, so they aren’t minding their space.

I also went to Costco, for the second time since they severely increased their rules. Last time, everyone wore masks and adhered to restrictions. This time, even the workers seemed more relaxed. “Place your purchases on the conveyor belt,” the cashier told me, though she was still scanning the items of the person in front of me.

Costco Sign

The temperature’s rising. Birds are singing. Our lawn is burning where the sprinklers are broken (hence, the trip to the hardware store). People are out jogging, biking, walking, and hopscotching.

On the drive to the two stores, I passed a splash pad. They’re more recent inventions. Basically, water squirts out of tubes and holes in the ground all across a cement park. The splash pad was PACKED.

sophie-dale-ibD7j7IXXAs-unsplash

I’m not blameless; I took four of the boys to a public park for the first time on Tuesday. They played in dirt and on the playground and had a wonderful time. I visited with a neighbor who also happened to be there. She told me they weren’t doing “inside playdates” yet, only “outside playdates.” In point of fact, she said they’d been to the selfsame splash pad I’d observed being crowded.

Furthermore, she and her family are planning a road trip to Mount Rushmore. Don’t worry -they’re renting an RV and will be outside for all their activities. She knows that the Founding Fathers and Roosevelt aren’t likely to contract Coronavirus in their condition.

Several friends and neighbors have traveled or are planning on traveling. I don’t know of any who are flying …yet. I can’t say the same for SpaceX, but they looked pretty protected in their suits.

jet cloud landing aircraft

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The official officials of COVID-19 in Utah aren’t sure if moving to Yellow Quarantine has led to more cases. We did have a spike in cases reported after Memorial Day weekend. We also did have people unable to test during that weekend, so those numbers might be a catch-up situation.

Ambivalence aside, Coronannoying is still around. It’s apparently devastated our Navajo community and wreaked havoc amongst any nursing homes it visits. I know it’s old news. But if there’s one thing pregnancy taught me, it’s that wishing uncomfortable situations away doesn’t work.

The biggest news, however, is not of contagions. The biggest news involves a very sad, divisive event in Minneapolis. I stay moderate on politics; the protesters in Salt Lake City, yesterday, did not.

The wall outside our Capitol Building, ©2020 ABC4 News

I’ll likely get more vocal about my opinions and ideas as I age. For now, I will say that I disagree with violence, hatred, and destruction from anyone.

On that note, I hope for resolution and return to peace. I hope people calm down and work together. I hope restaurants open again, stores open again, tourist destinations open again, and SCHOOLS OPEN AGAIN.

Between what super-conservatives are saying on a super-conservative Facebook group someone added me to (who knows how that happened?) and the proposed state guidelines on education, I’m not sure we’re heading toward …reasonable yet.

“The guidance for K-12 education addresses the resumption of school activities, including sports, under jurisdiction of district and school authorities in adherence to indoor and outdoor guidelines. Additionally, hand sanitizer will need to be made available to faculty and students in each classroom and regular hand washing routines will be instituted. Faculty and staff will need to wear face coverings when social distancing is not possible. Updates regarding face coverings for students will be provided by local school and charter boards in consultation with health department officials.”

-Governor Herbert’s Executive Order of May 27, 2020

I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt, and assuming they are referring to colleges and universities with these guidelines. Most adults can put on a mask or sanitize their hands. Most children can barely wipe their bottoms.

I fully intend to drop all media for the summer, but promise to pop in with news like this as appropriate. I hope news from your corners of the world is better, and continues to become so.

 

©2020 Chelsea Owens

 

Photo Credits: Me, Photo by Sophie Dale on Unsplash, Pexels, and ABC4 News

29 thoughts on “5/31/2020 of COVID-19 Home Life”

  1. the UK are as confused as you, really; there are those who want us to stay locked down, those who want a lot more of the old normality and everything in between. Some primary school years start tomorrow as do wider groups meeting outdoors; in two weeks all shops can open as can dentists and some others. Pubs, bars and restaurants and hairdressers remain off limits for now. Given we’ll not have a vaccine, nor herd immunity nor a track and trace that is foolproof I think we need to ask people to be common-sensical and minimise contact but treat them as adults. We can’t stay in stasis for much longer. At heart I prefer personal responsibility as a libertarian with conservative leanings… but its all an experiment. Looking back its clear our policy makers have made a number of mistakes but they won’t be alone in this and I think they realise public support for the extreme measures is waning, hence the relaxations. We shall see…

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I believe your second-to-last sentence is an excellent summation of the reason for reopening. People are not behaving very sensibly in terms of distancing; by my observations, they assume an immunity to Coronavirus or an assumption that it doesn’t exist.

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  2. We had protesters not giving a moments thought for anyone’s health in regard to covid, as cramped together the protesters chanted pushed and shoved. For the sake of mankind. They rallied against discrimination and for the justice to be for all, regardless of colour or creed. I do not know how it can help when so many thousands of miles from the point of eruption. Except they will see that we feel the pain they feel. We too want equality fairness and justice. Peace and kindness will not come from violence hate and destruction. I hoped the world would learn from covid, be closer, kinder, better more tollerant than before 🤔😢

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Perhaps they’ve all been too cooped up and high-strung. I do not understand being violent for a cause unless it’s war. Even then, those were often a few power-hungry men putting a nation at risk.

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  4. Splash pads are the new FUN thing. (If you like water splashed all over you.)
    The protests that turned violent has many reasons, but generally not intended by protestors. Outside agitators.

    So… how long is summer? Start day to end date?
    😘

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Sigh, i sure don’t agree with the violent reactions from some of the protests (although for the most part the people creating that destruction are agitators mixed within angry yet peaceful protesters) those that aren’t “agitators” i understand the violence begets violence malcom x attitude…how much longer will these senseless murders/racist behaviour go on ? Black Lives Matter. My nephew is half black, adopted and raised by gay Dad’s I want a peaceful future for him, for everyone.

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  6. Most of our stores still don’t allow people in unless they are wearing a mask. One of our restaurants opened for sit down dining this weekend, though I think there are fewer tables and more space.

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    1. Costco said they won’t, and enforced it. A FB friend complained about another store not letting her in because she can’t wear a mask with her asthma.

      I saw people’s posts joking about how customers will still wear masks while eating at a sit-down restaurant.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. We had 1 km distance from the house 1 hour maximum with a piece of paper. You got a fine for being further than 1km and over an hour. (a note of course for shopping was ok) Many of us did a morning and an afternoon but everyone was sensable. Shops closed accept food/ supermarkets and eventually shops where you could buy seedlings. Only a certain amount of people inside at once. 3 weeks ago it went to 100km radius from house, all shops, 10 people together max at home etc.. Still no restaurants, that is on the 3rd they open. So quite strict but looks like they are opening quickly.. cross border travel is not quite there yet.. 😉

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  8. I still wouldn’t get rid of the pitch forks just yet… The super wise Tan has covered the UK. We might disagree slightly over it. We are still officially at threat level 4 (5) is the max. Some of the stuff which is being relaxed is according to the government own rules only supposed to happen when we get to level 2 or 1. I fear we are easing too soon and too haphazardly. It’s one thing starting to now open shops and workplaces safely its another thing allowing people to cram together on packed beaches and trains when we are stilling at 8000 infections a day and 200 deaths. It’s a gamble. Banking on enough people acting responsibly. Hopefully we will. A gamble based on a government which has lost authority and control over its own rules. Which I guess is the same in a number of places.

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  9. I agree! So much hate and anger. And I appalled at the thought that anyone thinks violence on either side is the answer. I think it’s even deeper than race this time. We are all feeling the helplessness of our freedoms being taken away…. And our desperation is starting to show.

    But on a lighter note, I have also noticed our restrictions in Canada lightening up a bit. It’s is like a breath of fresh air.

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  10. The protests/riots/whatever are very worrisome to me, too. I’ve got a politically charged post locked and loaded, but I can’t bring myself to push that publish button lest I want everyone to hate it and bring me down… le sigh…

    Good luck to you and yours with not getting diseased.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Have a great summer! I’ve been biting my tongue and deleting posts before I post them. Just too volatile right now. No one cares about anyone’s opinion but their own, so I save my breath. I need to get in a habit of that.

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