Stay Home, Stay Safe Day 14 ...

The last time I was outside of the house (well, I've been on a couple of walks around the neighborhood as well as sitting on the porch and deck) was March 20 - that means I've had no contact with anyone other than:

• Charlie;
• Molly;
• Melissa (I've borrowed jigsaw puzzles);

So, a full two weeks and no contact. At least today, not infected with Covid-19. Not that I'm really that concerned. Should I be? Yeah - I should. But, damn it - I want the powers that be to finally take control and get the appropriate equipment and materials to the people that need them. That way, I don't have to be concerned - we'll all get the care we need, when we need it. 

Have you watched the most recent version of "War of the Worlds"? It's uncomfortably like living through this reality shit-show - but earth is attacked by extraterrestrials - call it what you will - Covid-19 is as close to an extraterrestrial as most of us will experience. Humans survived the Black Plague, this too, is survivable. 

I feel like I'm in a bubble - and perhaps I am. The neighborhood is "good citizens," practicing appropriate social distancing and we really don't see what is going around in the city. I feel a little paralyzed - the immediacy around me is fine - but what about 2 - 3 miles from me? As a "progressive" city are we really figuring out the solution to this thing and doing what's right and containing it? Man, I hope so. 

On a personal note, I'm still drinking too much. It's a binge drink problem - I'm good until about dinner time and then it's who cares. Bring me wine. Maybe, tomorrow will be easier. 

Another 30-days

So...Trump finally figured out that this Coronavirus thing is real...

Nope, he didn't. He had his experts tell him that best case is 200,000 Americans would die and worst case is 2,000,000 Americans would die. You really think he was thinking about the country? Nope, again. He was seeing BODY BAGS!  And body bags is BAD optics! Yes, I know, plural with "is" is not grammatically correct!

This is a man who has NO EMPATHY or feeling for anyone other than himself (read: NARCISSIST).

He called himself a WAR president because the coronavirus is a War! But, he's merely trying to secure himself in history as a war president. He's a coward! My brothers both served in wars. He's no hero, no war president. The best thing that can happen to this country is that he is defeated in November. War presidents meet body bags - prepare yourself, Donald Trump - the body bags are coming!

lt's my mum's secret recipe....

That's one of the Geico commercials that I'm sick of...in addition ...

• Buick/GM and their "we'll give you free On-Star and three months no-payment/no finance; 
• All the drug companies: A-1-C, metastatic breast cancer, 
• Lexus - we're here for you; 

I just want normal to return. I'm still drinking more than I should - it's one thing to drink because you like the taste of the wine/beer/scotch/etc.; but I'm fearing I'm drinking to just escape. 

Tomorrow, I really have to get outside, to the park - I need to see the sun, the outdoors. My indoors has given me the opportunity to clean more rooms of the house, but I really have to get outside. 

I'm on the verge of talking to Duane about a puppy....

It's a new world? (Is it, really?)

So, it's official (as of yesterday)...the governor declared a "Stay home, stay safe," order. Sort of a mealy-mouthed quarantine. The good news: Duane and I don't really go anywhere - so, other than the grocery or other provisional locations, we're good. The bad news: you know when they say you can't go anywhere and suddenly you really, really, really need to go somewhere - anywhere?- you can't! That's OK - here's how I'm dealing:

• Clean the office. OK, so it's not quite to the "OMG! There's a hoarder living here," point. But, almost. Today, I spent about 2-hours and I'll spend another 2-hours tomorrow and probably 2-hours Thursday, also. 
• Did you know you can actually become tired of watching television? Well, you can! 
• Books - I can read with my eyes (not so many books available in the house) but I do have an almost unlimited number of books I can listen to - thank goodness. 
• Baking - I'm going to bake something later this week - Duane and I can only eat so much so I have to wait until I can foist it onto someone who is willing to visit us. 

Our illustrious president Trump (notice I did not capitalize president?) has announced he wants that in order that the economy be saved that businesses should just consider opening up again by Easter. OMG! Please, Moses, come back and dictate that the pandemic be over, "Covid-19 - depart! Begone! Make sure the economy is restored!" The man believes that to restore the economy insures that there will be a workforce to man it! At the same time, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York states, "Pay attention, we are your future!", as New York crumbles under more and more victims of this horrible disease. 

Not to only spread bad news - Duane might be getting a contracting job! CDK may be hiring him to do some contracting work for about six months! The beauty is, as the stock market crashes (oh, yes, there was a 2000 point surge today, but let's not get too excited, yet) we may actually have a supplement to our income so we don't have to tap IRA monies to live on. This is good news! Our advantages: we own our home, we have no debt, we're healthy 64-year-olds. Americans - our own relatives - have endured worse - and we'll be fine! 

Covid-19 !?!

Anxious? Hell, yeah, I'm anxious! So, I've decided to re-boot the blog.

I went to Costco today to get what I typically get at Costco - wine, cheese, a few snack items, some tuna fish, some laundry detergent... and it was just a little weird - some folks getting two baskets full of stuff (honestly, I go about every month, and NEVER see one person there with TWO baskets for product).

I"m trying to keep everything in perspective, but I'm not certain I can. 

OMG - I'm Reese Witherspoon in Little Fires Everywhere...
OMG - white, upper-middle-class guilt is real!

31-days - No alcohol?!?

Yep, it's true! I have made it 31 days - the entire month of January without so much as a glass of wine. OK, so I've tasted a couple of beers (truly, just a couple of tastes) but I've had nothing to actually drink. I'm in training for Las Vegas! Six more days, then the SuperBowl (and face it, the SuperBowl without some kind of drink borders on treason) and we're off!

I have been baking lately, though. Tried my hand at a caramel pot de creme (not as difficult as I anticipated), chocolate chip espresso shortbread (I prefer just your plain shortbread) and then baked the last of the giant Mocha Jack chocolate chip cookies I had in the freezer. This week I think I need to restock the frozen chocolate chip cookie supply in the freezer.

Next Sunday, we'll host a small SuperBowl party - all meat chili with chips, guac, dip and chex mix - that ought to be enough to keep the few of us happy. Then it's off to Las Vegas, Disneyland and the beach. Mr. Hinkelgruber figured out that I'll be gone for half of the month of February. I guess if there's a month to be gone, the only the month of January would be better!

Well, almost one year!

I thought it might be fun to just wait until it had been a full year to begin posting again, then realized I would be out of town on February 15, 2016 - so, this will have to be  close enough to a year being away.

What all has happened? Oh, a lot - and since this isn't a holiday "Get you all caught up on our lives" blog, let's just say 2015 was primarily good (we probably had some bumps along the way, but since I can't remember them, they must have been minor or I'm just getting too old to remember) and Mr. Hinkelgruber and I are happy and healthy.

I'll try to do better with posting the menus - but just like posting to the blog - no guarantees there, either. But, that said, Happy New Year, and Happy Eating!