The View from the Hermitage, Day 107

"I'm very concerned, because it could get very bad." Bad news, especially coming from Dr. Fauci, who also said that the current 40,000ish new covid-19 cases daily could very well become 100,000 new cases daily. Right now, four states account for half of each day's new infections, and hospitalization numbers are increasing in 12 states. As older son would say, "Yeah, we're boned." The timing fits given that four of these velcro patches arrived in yesterday's mail.

That pretty much sums up the year so far. I've distributed the extra three, one to older son and two in the mail to younger son and his spouse-equivalent in Richmond.

Pondering the year that is now half over of course reminds me that halfway through the calendar year and my entering my own new year is a good time to check in with those nasty new year's resolutions laid out in this post from January 2. So, for what it's worth, here we go.

Under Health and Fitness, I wanted to drink more water and eat less meat. I'm doing fine on the water one, though my vision may be clouded by the fact it's been hot as balls here lately, and walking the family dog after my own hour-long workout without a water bottle (and, if we're at the park, a small water bowl) can be quite unpleasant. I was doing okay on the meat one until we locked down to get through the pandemic. I have come across several meat-less recipes that I will be making again, but on a day-by-day basis, I'm eating more meat than I was in January or February.

Under Carbon Footprint, I had asking servers not to bring me a plastic straw and using as few single-use plastic items as possible. I did fine on both through the start of the pandemic. Saying I'm doing fine now would ignore the fact that I haven't eaten out or gone shopping myself since early March. Of course, I'm using no plastic straws and fewer single-use plastic items; I'm pretty much not using any of either.

Under Emotional, I wanted to use my mind before I used my mouth and learn to "seek serenity in silence." (I had to put that in quotes because it's just so pretentious.) Again, the pandemic messes with this one. Both of those are made so much easier by the fact that I deal with so few people these days  and live in a silent world unless I choose to break that silence.

Finally, I needed one more category with two items, so there was General. Yeah, the pandemic helped here as well. It's easy to do things more slowly when there are no hard deadlines. And making good art is quite easy to do when one has even more spare time than usual calling out to be filled.

I considered for a moment feeling guilty in that it's been so easy to do all those things I wanted to do or thought I should be doing this year. But no, there is enough negativity in the world as a whole and in the world each individual inhabits. I don't need to add to it. Tomorrow, I shall enjoy my pancake breakfast, which will come after my birthday workout of 65 minutes NordicTracking, 65 push-ups, 65 sit-ups, 65 squats, and a 65-second plank. Why all the 65s? I'm turning that perfect square of 64 years, plus one to grow on. The birthday cake comes on Friday night when older son joins us for a dinner of steak on a hot rock, corn on the cob, and salad.

We shall also fly the Maple Leaf flag tomorrow and do a once-through of O Canada. Happy Birthday, Canada! The Great White North looks better and better the longer things are going south on this side of the border.