Rhoneisms

Last night, as we exited the freeway there was a homeless person at the side of the exit. Beatrix, age 12, insisted I roll down her window so she could give him a granola bar she’d brought for a snack but had not yet eaten. He seemed truly grateful for this act of kindness by a young girl. As we drove away she said, “We should always have granola bars in the car for them. I like being extra kind to the homeless to make up for all the people that just pass by. It’s like I’m doing those other people’s kindness for them.”

We were supposed to be leaving for Amsterdam and then Berlin this upcoming Monday for our Spring Break. It was to be an 11 day trip. We’d decided to cancel those plans this past Monday. We’d been following the news from there, gaging the societal temperature surrounding the outbreaks in Europe, and decided conditions were changing too quickly to risk the trip. Too many unknowns.

We came up with a plan B. We’d drive to my hometown of New Orleans instead. See my Sister and Brother there. Maybe make some stops along the way. Perhaps hang out on the beaches along the Gulf shores for a few days. Perhaps that’d provide enough social isolation, allow for some relaxation, and let us take a vacation.

But now this pandemic is fully upon us here in this country. Conditions and recommendations seem to be changing not daily but hourly. Almost every public gathering is being canceled here. My daughter’s school is on late start for the remainder of the week so the teachers can meet in the morning to develop an online learning strategy. Her school has already hinted that it may close and switch to this following Spring Break. Those families with travel plans outside of the United States have been strongly advised to self-quarantine their student and themselves upon return.

An aside: In the time since I’ve started writing this less than an hour ago, a local Twin Cities, MN) school has closed because a parent has tested positive for Covid 19. With what I’ve been reading, if the parent had it it very likely means the kid did too and has been spreading it and that entire school — kids, faculty, parents, etc. — should get tested (but, of course, the collective “we” do not have the capacity for that yet).

So, our only solid plan now is to have none. To wait and see. I’ve been trying to stay abreast of the best balanced science-based information that comes across my radar. This one by a scientist (virologist?) is informative. As is this data rich one. We are trying to follow the sound advice given. You should too.

Now, I have to go wash my hands.