The death toll from COVID 19 has now surpassed 100,000 worldwide. It now stands at 102,800. New York state alone has more cases (174,489 total) than any other country in the world outside of the United States. (The closest is Spain with 158.273 cases.) Scientists now say the virus may stay viable in the air longer than was originally thought. 18,777 have already died here in the US (Yesterday alone, more than 2,000 people died here from it), with many more deaths expected. New York City is starting to bury bodies in mass graves. Yet, yesterday, President Trump said he will announce his new task force, whose aim it is to re-open the economy. Shocking... An article I saw suggests that the president may not even understand why we still need to test people. How is he still in power?
Speaking of the economy, the IRS now says the stimulus checks should now start coming starting next week for those who qualify.
My friend Art in Boston alerted me to these news items. Massachusetts has seen a huge jump in the number of COVID 19 cases. Boston alone had its biggest single-day rise in cases. The state is now recommending that anyone who cannot shelter in place to wear a mask when in public.
My friend Kevin, also in Massachusetts, sent me an article about Sweden. They are going to be in for a heck of a mess, as they are being very laissez faire about the virus, letting things take their course and not really doing much about it--yet. They are keeping their most vulnerable at home, but everything else is open and "normal" as usual.
A 15-year-old boy in a remote Amazonian tribe died from COVID 19, demonstrating the virus' far-reach. There is almost no place on Earth not affected by this disease (except Antarctica).
Here in California (and elsewhere), the state is helping hospital staff on the front lines of this pandemic by offering vouchers for hotel rooms, so healthcare workers do not have to worry about going home and possibly spreading the virus to their families. AWESOME! (Well, except President Trump's hotels are NOT helping out.)
Locally, Fresno is is making their Shelter In Place order mandatory, with fines up to $1,000. Clovis is following suite. Thank goodness. While most are complying, too many are not. I don't get how people can be so cavalier about social distancing. Perhaps because there have not been that many cases here yet? When and if it starts to hit here, people will be regretting their actions, especially when grandma or Uncle George gets sick and potentially dies. But the Central Valley is largely Republican and I am sure many of them still think this is a "hoax" or just "the flu" as FOX, the president, and other right wing outlets had first been saying.
In nearby Los Banos, 10 healthcare workers at a clinic tested positive for the virus, resulting in the clinic being shut down for disinfection.
Easter is tomorrow. My friend Christa in Santa Monica informed me that Andrea Bocelli will be singing on Easter Sunday in the empty Duomo Cathedral in Milan. She listened to an interview him on NPR to get the details.
Finally, the saga of the fence goes on. I heard back from my neighbors. Their response is below:
Hello,
The Fencemen are coming on Monday to put up a new fence. Are you willing to meet with him and have him give us an estimate to repair the fence? Based on that quote, would you pay 1/2 of that?
We would be fine if you paid us back in 60 days.
Thank you,
Susan and Chris
*****
Clearly, they are still planning to put in a new fence. The ruse of having the fenceman give an estimate to repair it is to get me to agree to repair costs (which would probably be inflated) to help cover the cost of the new fence. These people are so insensitive and clearly want this for themselves, despite their letters that make it sound like it's desperately needed now and mutually beneficial, etc. BULL. And the gall of them doing this and demanding money from the other neighbors during the virus outbreak when there are millions of people unemployed. Shocking. The family on the other side of them, I am sure, is hard pressed for money. It's just rude and selfish.
This was my response:
Susan and Chris,
Hello. Your fenceman can send me a quote. That is fine. I don’t want to meet with him as I am social distancing. However, I have several other fence people coming out over the next few weeks to give bids for repairs.One guy I spoke to said he thought it wouldn’t be much, perhaps $300 or as little as $200 for the job. That would be $100 or $150 each, which is far closer to what I can afford.
Thank you for agreeing to having repairs done.
SG
******
Of course I know they are not going to settle for repairs. However, their letter to me implied that they were. I can play their games, too...
I wonder if the stricter laws for sheltering in place will ruin my neighbors plans. If they try to go ahead with the fence construction and get busted, I have proof I wanted no part of it. It's all on them, baby.
Stay SAFE. Stay SHELTERED. Stay ALIVE.
CHEERS!
Continue to the next part HERE.
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