There are now 9,609,262 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the USA. There have been 234,937 deaths from the virus here as well. President Trump complained that all the media ever talked about was the coronavirus. He said it would all disappear after Tuesday's election. On Wednesday, we had a record 102,831 new cases . Just yesterday, we saw another record of at least 121,054 new cases nationwide, and at least 1,187 deaths. Trump was wrong again. Expect things to only get worse...
VIRUS NEWS:
U.S. coronavirus cases have surpassed the summer peak and are climbing higher fast.
VIRUS NEWS:
U.S. coronavirus cases have surpassed the summer peak and are climbing higher fast.
The White House's Coronavirus Task Force has warned that new coronavirus cases are increasing 'exponentially.'
At least 1,130 new coronavirus deaths and 92,660 new cases were reported in the United States on Election Day. Over the past week, there has been an average of 88,168 cases per day, an increase of 46 percent from the average two weeks earlier.
A typical virus replaces less than 1% of the software in the cells it infects. With COVID-19, about 60% of the RNA in an infected cell is of viral origin—“which is the highest I’ve ever seen,” says a virologist.
A typical virus replaces less than 1% of the software in the cells it infects. With COVID-19, about 60% of the RNA in an infected cell is of viral origin—“which is the highest I’ve ever seen,” says a virologist.
Dr. Anthony Fauci says that we 'could not be positioned more poorly' on COVID-19.
Last week, the White House unleashed on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading infectious disease expert, following his comments to the Washington Post that criticized the Trump administration's response to the pandemic, including Dr. Scott Atlas, the radiologist who the President has relied on for advice on handling the coronavirus.
Trump suggested he might fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after election.
Why is it so hard to raise the alarm on the coronavirus and get people to take it seriously?
Face coverings could save 130,000 American lives from COVID-19 by March.
Dr. Fauci on masks: "It almost becomes a political statement. We've got to get away from that."
The 'dose' of coronavirus a person gets may determine how sick they get. Masks could help.
A study found an asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier who shed virus for 70 days.
A woman in the UK shared her story. ‘I caught COVID twice and it was just as bad the second time.’
It may be time to reset expectations on when we’ll get a COVID-19 vaccine.
There's only a 'small chance' that the Oxford COVID vaccine will be ready by Christmas.
AstraZeneca expects its COVID-19 vaccine test data this year.
Is Novavax about to achieve warp speed in the coronavirus vaccine race?
Pfizer made it quite clear that it doesn’t need the U.S. government to help distribute its COVID-19 vaccine, should it be authorized by the FDA.
Will a small, long-shot U.S. company end up producing the best coronavirus vaccine?
The time is now to develop a testing strategy for asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, the CDC director says.
Nanobodies from llamas could be a powerful weapon against COVID-19.
With a coronavirus vaccine still in development, doctors and nurses are improving treatment methods for a virus that continues to spread.
Aspirin could be key in helping COVID-19 patients recover.
Scientists have developed an app that detects COVID-19 through your cough.
Is COVID-19 a disease of the blood vessels?
Children make up 11% of all US COVID19 cases, which is up from 2% in April. Over 61,000 children in the U.S. were diagnosed just last week—which is a new record.
Children make up 11% of all US COVID19 cases, which is up from 2% in April. Over 61,000 children in the U.S. were diagnosed just last week—which is a new record.
A 13-year-old Missouri boy died from COVID-19 complications.
COVID surges in Iowa school districts.
30 more school outbreaks of coronavirus have been reported in Minnesota.
More Utah high schools had to pivot to online learning as COVID-19 cases flared up.
Coronavirus cases linked to ‘large’ Halloween weekend gathering forces a New York high school to close.
Nearly 150 kids and teachers caught COVID-19 at New Jersey schools, state officials.
Oregon reported 26 new coronavirus cases linked to schools, 5 of them were in schools with previous cases.
A college student was found dead in her dorm after testing positive for the coronavirus.
A university in Massachusetts had to shift to remote learning after a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Ninety-one Portland students and staff are in quarantine after a new coronavirus case.
Relatively few colleges have released guidance for student travel over Thanksgiving, even though the COVID-19 pandemic is surging nationwide and the holiday is less than four weeks away.
Nearly half of COVID-19 patients in some hospitals are likely to have caught the virus after admission.
Nearly half of COVID-19 patients in some hospitals are likely to have caught the virus after admission.
Don't get a false sense of security with a negative COVID-19 test. Here's why you can test negative but still be infected and contagious.
Pregnant women with COVID-19 face a higher risk of severe illness and death, a study shows.
A majority of 1918 flu deaths occurred in the fall of 1918 — the second, and worst, wave of the 1918 flu. We could face a similar fate with COVID-19 if some people continue to ignore what a century of scientific progress has taught us about pandemics.
A majority of 1918 flu deaths occurred in the fall of 1918 — the second, and worst, wave of the 1918 flu. We could face a similar fate with COVID-19 if some people continue to ignore what a century of scientific progress has taught us about pandemics.
A man with a flu-COVID co-infection has been found in the US – but he's not the first.
Cold, flu or coronavirus? How to tell the difference, and when to get tested.
The coronavirus is spreading rapidly through workplaces – here's what is needed to make them safer.
A hospital in New York state quarantined 36 doctors after they were exposed to the coronavirus at a Halloween party.
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller doubled down on the baseless allegations leveled by the president that U.S. doctors are inflating coronavirus deaths for profit.
An investigation of 17 Trump campaign rallies found that 14 of the host counties -- 82% of them -- had an increased rate of new COVID-19 cases one month after the rally.
Trump's rallies may have led to 700 COVID-19 deaths and 30,000 cases.
Florida's retirement mecca, The Villages, a site of a Trump campaign rally two weeks ago, saw a "significant jump" in coronavirus cases.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham said that Trump's superspreader rallies were “important for the psyche of America.”
A recent study found COVID-19 to be the top issue among voters.
The uninvited guest at Election Day polls: The COVID-19 virus.
A coronavirus cluster has been tied to an early voting site in New York, an official says.
A Missouri poll worker was positive for COVID-19 and still worked a shift, then died after Election Day.
Poll workers should get tested for the coronavirus, a public health official says.
COVID cases have been climbing in battleground states, as the final presidential votes are being counted.
Counties with the worst COVID-19 surges overwhelmingly (and shockingly) voted for Trump.
A Republican in North Dakota has won a seat in the state legislature — nearly a month after he died of complications from COVID-19.
America's jobs crisis is nowhere near over. Last month, the economy was still down 10.7 million jobs from February, before the pandemic forced businesses to shutter.
Re-elected Senate leader Mitch McConnell says the new coronavirus stimulus bill is the priority when the Senate returns following the fall break.
Is it safe to have Thanksgiving? With COVID-19 hospitalizations rising, the risks are high for traditional celebrations.
Donald Trump Jr. claims generations will be hurt by a COVID-19 lockdown — but doesn't he realize that they already have been?
Two thirds of Americans now personally know someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a new survey.
England's Prince William ‘struggled to breathe,’ as he secretly battled the coronavirus.
A Texas emergency room doctor died from the coronavirus on election day.
England's Prince William ‘struggled to breathe,’ as he secretly battled the coronavirus.
A Texas emergency room doctor died from the coronavirus on election day.
A Trump-loving pastor, who blamed COVID-19 on fornication, died from COVID-19.
More than 2,000 New Jersey inmates have been released to slow the spread of the coronavirus in prisons.
Frozen food packages in China keep testing positive for coronavirus.
Another shortage of a grocery store staple may be coming.
A meat processing plant in New Mexico was shuttered amid a COVID-19 outbreak.
The cruise industry is 'voluntarily' continuing its suspension of sailings.
More than 3,000 mink are dead from the coronavirus in Wisconsin.
A UK rave organizer was fined $13G for violating coronavirus restrictions.
Divorce filings have skyrocketed during the pandemic.
GLOBAL:
There have been 48,697,192 confirmed cases of the virus around the world. There have been 1,233,583 deaths from the virus globally.
In the United Kingdom, the entire city of Liverpool is set to be tested for COVID-19 in an attempt to break the lockdown cycle.
Residents of the UK flocked to pubs for £1 pints before the second coronavirus lockdown began.
Germany is investing $488 million in improving ventilation systems in schools and public buildings to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, German coronavirus cases climb to a new record.
Germany is investing $488 million in improving ventilation systems in schools and public buildings to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, German coronavirus cases climb to a new record.
Belgium is in the midst of a COVID-19 health care collapse.
Spain is looking at potential collapse of the nation's healthcare system under the weight of out-of-control COVID-19 Things are so desperate, the coronavirus is putting the poor at the back of the line.
Denmark plans to slaughter its entire farmed mink herd amid COVID-19 mutation fears and the spread from animals to humans.
Hungary wants to impose more restrictions to curb the COVID-19 spread.
Australia has recorded no new COVID-19 cases for first time in five months.
Australia has recorded no new COVID-19 cases for first time in five months.
Brazilians are protesting mandatory COVID-19 immunization using a Chinese vaccine.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is imposing new restrictions across Pakistan's airports as coronavirus cases rise.
Mount Everest is virtually free of climbers as COVID-19 strikes tourism in Nepal.
STATES:
Five states—Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine—have hit single-day records for coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
Maine had 151 new coronavirus cases reported on Wednesday. The state's CDC reported 183 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, which was another new single-day record.
There were 2 more deaths and 252 new COVID-19 cases in New Hampshire yesterday.
There were 1,761 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Massachusetts and 23 additional deaths yesterday. New restrictions in the state start today.
New York reported 2,395 new positive cases yesterday.
New Jersey reported 2,472 new COVID cases on Wednesday. 2,104 new COVID-19 cases and 12 new deaths were reported yesterday. The state is ‘close’ to ordering new coronavirus restrictions as cases surge.
Maryland reported 1,198 new cases on Thursday -- which is the state's highest one-day total since July.
North Carolina reported 2,859 new cases Thursday.
Georgia added 368,368 infection cases on Thursday.
Florida reported 6,257 new coronavirus cases, the most it has seen since August.
In Pennsylvania, there were 2,900 additional positive cases of COVID-19 yesterday.
4,961 cases were reported yesterday in Ohio as the state broke its daily record for third time in a week.
Michigan officials reported 5,710 new COVID-19 cases and 51 deaths yesterday.
Indiana had 3,756 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with hospitalizations at a new high.
Wisconsin reported 5,922 positive new cases on Thursday.
Illinois' daily case count set a new record high at 9,935 on Thursday.
Minnesota had 31 deaths and 3,844 additional cases on Wednesday. The state is on 'red alert' for hospital ICU beds in Twin Cities amid the COVID-19 surge.
Iowa reported 4,562 new COVID-19 cases and 20 deaths yesterday. The University of Iowa hospitals enacted its first stage of surge plans as COVID-19 cases skyrocket.
South Dakota added 937 new COVID 19 cases on Wednesday.
El Paso, Texas reported 3,100 new COVID-19 cases in a single day on Wednesday, shattering its previous record. The entire state reported 9,048 new cases that day.
ICU capacity in Colorado could be exceeded next month if COVID-19 trends continue. The coronavirus is circulating in Colorado, which is at its highest rate since the pandemic began, health officials say.
El Paso, Texas reported 3,100 new COVID-19 cases in a single day on Wednesday, shattering its previous record. The entire state reported 9,048 new cases that day.
ICU capacity in Colorado could be exceeded next month if COVID-19 trends continue. The coronavirus is circulating in Colorado, which is at its highest rate since the pandemic began, health officials say.
New Mexico added 862 additional COVID-19 cases and 23 deaths yesterday.
Utah's COVID-19 cases increased by 2,110 on Wednesday. The state reported a record-high of 2,807 new cases yesterday.
Washington state records its highest-ever daily number of COVID-19 cases with 1,454 on Thursday.
The Oregon Health Authority reported four deaths and 597 new cases on Wednesday. Oregon reported a record-shattering 805 new COVID-19 cases and 5 more deaths on Thursday.
Utah's COVID-19 cases increased by 2,110 on Wednesday. The state reported a record-high of 2,807 new cases yesterday.
Washington state records its highest-ever daily number of COVID-19 cases with 1,454 on Thursday.
The Oregon Health Authority reported four deaths and 597 new cases on Wednesday. Oregon reported a record-shattering 805 new COVID-19 cases and 5 more deaths on Thursday.
Hawaii reported 156 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
CALIFORNIA:
Orange County holds out in red tier as the coronavirus case rates climb -- almost pushing the county back into the purple tier.
CALIFORNIA:
Orange County holds out in red tier as the coronavirus case rates climb -- almost pushing the county back into the purple tier.
Riverside County’s coronavirus metrics have moved further from the less-restrictive tier.
Stanislaus County fails to meet red tier coronavirus criteria. Now its tier status is in jeopardy.
San Diego County moved towards the dreaded ‘purple’ tier of the COVID-19 system.
Contra Costa County is seeing a 'marked increase' in coronavirus cases and issues new health orders.
A court has ordered a church in San Jose to stop holding large indoor services in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions.
The City of Los Angeles plans to toughen its mask ordinance as coronavirus cases rise.
San Francisco may require travelers to quarantine over fears of a possible coronavirus spike.
Eight California mayors have signed off on a letter asking Governor Newsom about the reopening of California's theme parks.
LOCAL:
LOCAL:
Fresno County retained it's red tier status this week even though coronavirus cases are creeping higher in Fresno area.
A charter school in Downtown Fresno welcomed students back with new safety precautions.
The owner of Fresno's Ghost Golf, says he's afraid he might have to close his business for good and is suing Governor Newsom.
A Downtown Fresno parking lot is turning into a pop-up drive-in movie theater this weekend.
POST-VOTE:
The owner of Fresno's Ghost Golf, says he's afraid he might have to close his business for good and is suing Governor Newsom.
A Downtown Fresno parking lot is turning into a pop-up drive-in movie theater this weekend.
POST-VOTE:
The president, as predicted, called out the vote counting process, declared victory and threatened to go to the Supreme Court (which he has packed).
Joe Biden's campaign is quietly raising funds for a possible post-Election Day legal fight.
Fox News legal analysts agree: Trump hurt his chances in his post-election court cases by claiming victory.
Keith Olbermann predicted Trump would attempt a coup by claiming that Democrats are stealing the election the day before Election Day. (See below):
Footage from inside of a mail room at a post office in Miami-Dade County in Florida reportedly shows weeks-old piles of mail and many ballots sitting undelivered in bins and on the floor. Thank you, President Trump and Post Master DeJoy for being such scumbags and trying to cheat voters out of their rights.
A federal judge ordered the post office to sweep through and deliver all ballots waiting to be delivered on Tuesday.
DeJoy and the United States Post Office did NOT comply to the court order to conduct ballot sweeps in 12 postal districts after more than 300,000 ballots could not be traced.
On Wednesday, a judge gave the United States Postal Service more time to complete ‘sweeps’ after an ‘apparent lack of compliance with the court’s order.’
The GOP's efforts to block 'cured' Pennsylvania ballots received a chilly reception from the judge.
The Trump campaign is seeking to halt vote counting in Michigan.
The Trump campaign requested an immediate recount in Wisconsin.
Trump escalated his attacks on election integrity by expanding his attacks to a Senate race.
Trump’s legal filings are ‘trash’ and read ‘like an elementary school student’ wrote it, says MSNBC’s legal experts.
The most dangerous moment of 2020 just arrived: Trump's family is asking legislators to ignore voters.
Vote counting resumed in Pennsylvania alongside observers from the Trump campaign.
With no evidence of fraud, a judge threw out the Trump campaign's lawsuit in Georgia.
The GOP now seeks to withdraw its Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, lawsuit.
Trump will make the transfer of power ‘as destructive to the country as possible’ if Biden reaches 270 first.
As the president seems to be losing, the nation appears on track to repudiate Trump, but not Trumpism.
Joe Biden has received more votes than any other presidential candidate in US history.
While Joe Biden appears to be the president-elect, THE ATLANTIC pointed out that a large portion of the population chose the 'sociopath,' as they called him. That's worrisome.
Joe Biden has promised to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement on Day One of his presidency.
Control of the Senate now appears to hang on the Georgia runoffs in January.
New Mexico made history by becoming the first state to elect all women of color to the House.
Mitch McConnell plans to block all of Joe Biden’s Cabinet picks and obstruct everything, according to this article (and, based on how he acted under Obama, I'd say it's not far off).
Fences around the White House went up over election night in anticipation of possible unrest should the president win the vote.
Deutsche Bank plans to cut ties with Trump after the election and could seize his assets if he can't pay back his debts, Reuters reports.President Trump has apparently been telling advisers that he fears prosecution from not only the state and local investigations already underway, but from also possible new federal probes if he loses the election.
Team Trump is already talking about running again in 2024.
Mary Trump pumps the brakes on the Trump 2024 Train: It is ‘absurd’ that he thinks he can ‘run a campaign from prison.’
While all eyes were on the election, a federal agency dominated by appointees of President Donald Trump revoked the collective bargaining rights of the nation's immigration judges.
Trump’s tweets are being blocked from misleading the public.
Republican lawyer and Lincoln Project co-founder (and husband of ex-Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway) George Conway noted that it’s fitting that the biggest liar in White House history is going out screaming lies about voter fraud.
Georgia likely removed nearly 200,000 people from voter rolls wrongfully, a report says.
Former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, told Trump to stop inflaming and show the evidence of the voter fraud he says has occurred.
Republicans implied that Pennsylvania should throw out the popular vote and line up behind a fraudulent lie.
Donald Trump’s adult sons are spreading election disinformation to discredit the vote.
A high school made this video, GERM BUSTERS. It's also just okay--but reminds me of something our school would have done when I was teaching:
Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are pushing a bogus theory that Trump lost Arizona due to his bias against Sharpie pens.
One report says that Eric Trump rivals his father as a ‘disinformation superspreader.’
Ex-FBI head of counterintelligence warns Americans about Eric Trump and his spewing of disinformation.
At a press conference in Las Vegas announcing ballot counts, a Trump supporter shouted out that Biden was "stealing the election" -- echoing the president's false statement.
A Facebook group called Stop the Steal garnered more than 300,000 subscribers overnight. The site was asking for donations and was made up of the usual Trump grifter subjects like Steve Bannon and others. It was taken down by Facebook for spreading misinformation and growing concerns of inciting violence.
Trump supporters are already trying to tank a potential Biden presidency based on the lies of Trump and his supporters about "fraud."
Police are investigating an alleged plot to attack the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia where votes are being counted.
Detroit had a ‘mob-like scene’ of poll watchers outside its vote counting facility. A Detroit ballot counter recalled the scary scene when Trump supporters attacked: ‘They could have broken the glass.’
President Trump is struggling to face the possibility that he lost.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper has prepared his resignation letter. (The rats are starting to flee from the sinking ship...)
America’s youngest-ever Congressmen is already drawing controversy.
Trump’s spiritual adviser Paula White humiliated herself and the entire nation with an insane prayer for Trump and his election prospects. (You MUST see the video! OMG!)
As Trump’s electoral prospects grow dimmer, Fox News stars have begun throwing every baseless conspiracy, debunked lie, and undemocratic demand at the wall to see what sticks.
Sean Hannity said that counting the remaining ballots in Pennsylvania is “an absolute disgrace.”
Fox's Chris Wallace shot down Trump and Fox News stars’ election ‘fraud’ lies.
USA TODAY ran a piece covering three decades of Trump...and the 4,095 lawsuits he has been involved with.
How long until Trump's lawyers say that ballots have been discovered on Hunter Biden's laptop?
Kanye West notched some 60,000 votes. The singer hinted that he will also have a 2024 White House bid.
CREATIVITY:
Here's a video made at a hospital in Texas. It's okay. It kind of reminds me of the videos my hospital occasionally made---but this is just a bit long-winded. It's the COVID SHUFFLE:
Kanye West notched some 60,000 votes. The singer hinted that he will also have a 2024 White House bid.
Ex-Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale is trying to stop Florida from obtaining his psychiatric records so they can't take his guns away.
In a brilliant piece of satire, Jared Kushner insists Trump can still win if his parents make a big enough donation to the Electoral College. Ha!
As I go to post this, it is expected that Biden will be declared the winner in Nevada, Georgia, and Pennsylvania at some point today. (No link---just what I read and have been seeing as I watch the election results trickle in.) Trump is refusing to concede, but he's a loser---and he will GO eventually...unless he somehow stages a coup and really turns our country into the banana republic he's been pretending to be dictator in all along.
CREATIVITY:
Here's a video made at a hospital in Texas. It's okay. It kind of reminds me of the videos my hospital occasionally made---but this is just a bit long-winded. It's the COVID SHUFFLE:
And this one on Wednesday:
I ran across this recent snippet from SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in which they wonderfully poked fun at Donald Trump's dancing to the Village People song YMCA at his rallies:
MAIL:
I had a quick email from my former co-worker from my newspaper days, Jenny:
"Your pirate outfit reminds me of fun times at the Bee," she said. "I am very sorry for your diagnosis - although finally finding it out is helpful. Hope for good news on Tuesday."
I received a surprise Halloween gift from my friend Eric in Costa Mesa, CA. It contained a creepy GOLDEN GIRLS Chia Pet, a strange package of Asian candies, some sardines (!!!??!!) and a cheesy unicorn card. Thank you, Eric!
I had a quick email from my friend Christa in Santa Monica, CA:
"Hi there," she said. "I just rushed to the end of the blog to find out about your medical condition. I'll go back and read the rest later. I guess good and bad news. Good news: You finally know what you have and there are treatments. So don't lose hope. Bad news: You'd rather not have it. Just a hint: Besides the regular medical treatments, don't ignore things such as acupuncture. They may help with the pain and they don't replace but complement regular medical treatments. But you know all this. In spite of it all: Happy Halloween, my dear friend. We'll talk on the phone one of these days again."
Sue in Agoura, CA, who sent me the tiki rubber stamps, sent this emailed note:
"Yesterday was not only Halloween, but I received a surprise in the mail," she said. "Your FABULOUS THANK YOU card! The thing that made me happiest was seeing that you used your new Tiki stamps on the card and envelope. That’s what I intended. Hopefully they’ll get a lot of use. Stamping is such an immediate, fun form of art. They can bring every page to life.
"I just finished reading your COVID Diary. Who knew? I’d never heard of CIDP. I do know someone who got GBS following a flu shot a few years ago. But she was on arthritic-suppressive drugs and they thought that contributed to it. At least you FINALLY got a diagnosis after endless exams, tests, opinions. The only thing worse than having something is not knowing what it IS! At least a diagnosis lets you plan a way forward and determine a way to beat the odds...
"I’m so grateful that you have Mom, your brother and the exquisite Whidbey Island as a permanent refuge to look forward to. Being surrounded by beauty and family is the best. Truly a perfect place to re-boot and rejuvenate.
Sending healing thoughts as always…and love."
Kim, my CNA friend in Wisconsin, sent a note:
"I hope that you had a great Halloween," she said. "Saturday was one of my only days off. I spent it watching THE CONJURING and TRICK R TREAT. I was supposed to do a real paranormal investigation that night, but my friend's dad came down with COVID. She is on day 7 of isolating herself. We will try again on November 14th to do this investigation. Hopefully she is well and no one else gets exposed or sick.
"So far, my immune system is working good. I still remain healthy. Wisconsin is still doing horrible. Yesterday was another record-breaking day. I am afraid that Dr Fauci is correct when he says winter is going to be bad. I cannot imagine the hospitals getting any fuller. All of the hospitals in this area are at almost maximum capacity. SCARY! I am getting so many hours at the hospital that I am unable to help the nursing home out this week. They are hurting as well. Some of the staff being off for 2 weeks is really hard for them.
"I did get out to vote early. I am so hoping this nightmare that we have lived through for 4 years will be over. Now to dig us out of this hole. though..."
SHIRLEY:
SHIRLEY:
I thought Shirley was asleep for the winter. On Friday morning, she was out of her shack and restless.
Even though it was October 30th, it was only just beginning to feel like autumn a little bit. It was warm, but there was an underlying coolness. Since she was awake, I thought I'd put Shirley out one more time.
She wasn't having it. She was only out about an hour or an hour and a half, before she came back up on to the patio and wanted to come inside again.
She went back to her corner and back to sleep. She should be out now until sometime in February.
Sweet dreams, Shirley.
ME:
On Friday, I had an appointment. I was just about to jump in the shower, when I saw this nasty wound on my thigh. Oh my stars. Two days in a row, I had into the living room when it was dark and basked myself on this piece of furniture--in the exact same spot. OW!
On Friday evening, my friend Nedra came to visit. I have known Nedra nearly 40 years. We meet in high school in the early 80s. She came bearing the gift of a Halloween-themed reversible mask. Mine has bats on one side (as shown) and cats (just like Nedra's mask) on the other. How very thoughtful of her.
Halloween is my favorite holiday. I think Nedra came down to make it as fun as possible---considering my recent diagnosis. Just before she came, she had a COVID scare. She had seen her friend, who later informed her that her boyfriend that he had COVID-19. He was being tested, but as a possible exposure, Nedra got tested as well. She came back negative.
The night she arrived, we went to meet her sister, Leila, at Lazy Dog, a restaurant that allows guests to bring their dogs with them if they choose to eat on the patio.
Leila was flying to Nashville the next day, so this was her only chance to see Nedra this trip.
Here we are, sporting our boss Halloween tattoos. Zowie---except for being old (me--not Nedra)--this picture totally reminds me of our younger years.
I'd gotten a loaf of sourdough bread, which Nedra attacked with the bread knife (after I cut myself. Oops!)
We had other stuff for the picnic---that we had forgotten to bring, but we still had a nice time. I had trouble sitting. I couldn't sit flat on my butt with my legs out in front of me or folded. So I had to lay on my side---which made it difficult to eat the soup. But I ate it.
Our first stop was the old mining town of Jamestown.
There are two old hotels a block apart in Jamestown. The most famous is the National Hotel that was established in 1859 (although the current building it is in was built in 1927). We headed there first.
We walked to the next place, the Jamestown Hotel. The hotel dates back to 1858. While it wasn't as nice at the National Hotel, it was a heck of a lot friendlier.
I did think it was odd that the COVID 19 signs said that face masks were "encouraged" and not "required."
While we didn't find pie there exactly, we found a decent alternative. At least, Nedra did. She had this monstrous, amazing brownie a la mode thing. I opted for a slice of plain cheesecake...which was old and a bit stale. Oh well. The waitress had been very bubbly and enthusiastic.
I took a look around. I didn't expect to see (and didn't see) any old tiki mugs or vintage movie posters, but it didn't hurt to look.
The store had an upper story, I liked how the second floor was limited to the sides, leaving the bulk of the store with a very high ceiling.
I actually did buy a few postcards there...five for $1. Whoo hoo!
It was nice of the homeowners to go all out decorating, especially in the year of the pandemic.
Our next stop was in another old gold mining town. Columbia is very well preserved and is actually a state park (with operating businesses within it as well as preserved displays).
Nedra and I, separately, had previously visited Columbia as children in the 6th grade. It had been a part of a big, multi-day excursion the schools took every year back in the day.
I had been back to Columbia at least once (possibly more) since then. It is a unique experience.
One of the shop proprietors was outside of his store and dressed like a sheriff. He let me take his photo.
If the buildings are not housing real businesses in them, you can walk into them and see various displays.
The City Hotel is an actual hotel (and is supposed to be haunted, too)! However, it was closed (probably due to the pandemic) while we were there.
I don't know the significance of this place, the Wilson-McConnell House. I don't know if it is ever open to visit or just sits there. It looks like something from a movie studio back lot, I thought.
I took pictures of some houses that were real homes and not part of the actual park, such as this place. There was just something about this rundown old place with it's lean-to add-on and ancient shutters that spoke to me.
We went in the door and found ourselves in this little viewing alcove. There was a cool, old fire engine on the other side a metal barrier. Oh yes! I totally remembered it then.
I found another decaying house with a tin roof and a very interesting tree (the photo doesn't do it justice) to photograph.
We visited the old jail.
You really couldn't see inside. I tried to take a picture and got this. You can see a wooden chair and some bars. The thing is, where the bars are on the inside is where the rock wall is on the outside. I didn't understand how this was possible. Huh? Exactly!
Holy LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, Batman! It was an amazing recreation, er... preservation of a vintage mercantile. The store owner was even dressed in a period dress.
There were a few necessary modern touches (such as the row of refrigerated cases along one wall).
The front counter, with it's bottles and notions on shelves behind and built-in bins in the front was so picture perfect.
The owner was super nice and talkative. Nedra asked about hot sauce and she had several to choose from--along with funny stories about people trying them.
Nedra bought a bottle of one hot sauce. She also got us each a bottle of sarsparilla. We both remembered having sarsparilla for the first time when visiting Columbia as kids. However, we both recalled having it served in a glass instead of a bottle. Still, it was nostalgic (although terribly sweet! Ha!) to try it once again.
Some of the buildings have shops that act as mini-museums, preserving them as they were (and as I believe they were kept/found when the place became a park). I remembered this old drug store and dentist office.
The drug store had all sort of old lotions and tonics.
There were also lots of bottles filled with various compounds and ingredients.
The dentist office is a bit of a horror. A push-button narration says that the only anesthetic available back then was alcohol. Oh GEEZ! No thank you!
And just look at those sleek and modern dental tools. OUCH!!!!!
Even though it was the first day of November, it was very warm---almost hot.
Another interesting mini-museum was the Chinese Store.
Here and there were storefronts with other mini-museums, attempting to tell the story of the area. This was one of those. Among the items inside was this banner from Bakersfield which is a long, long ways away.
Of course, we had to visit the old candy store. This was something we both also remembered from our childhood visits.
There were lots of great-looking store-made sweet treats in the place.
I asked Nedra if, when she was a kid, did she and her classmates all buy... I didn't even get to finish my question. She knew what I was going to ask. All of the kids on her trip and my trip had all bought giant jaw breakers there. They still sold them all of these years later! Zowie!
You couldn't go in them. They were blocked off with wire. I took pictures anyway. Zowie! They certainly weren't very private...and where are the toilet paper hangers?
The school was closed for the restoration. That didn't stop me from taking pictures through the windows.
Seeing it, I think I remembered this from years before.
I also think I remember going up the back stairs at some point trying to see into the second floor way back when---but there was nothing to see or no way to see in.
Most of the graves were old, but some had dates up into the 1970s. The oldest birth year Nedra spied was from the late 1700s Yowza!
A lot of the graves had little stories about the person, usually about where they were originally from and/or how they died.
One particular grave that Nedra found detailed a long fall down a mine shaft as the way the person died. Oh man...
Some of the graves simply had interesting carvings on them. What is the significance, if any, of the wilting/leaning flower on this carving, for example.
There were actually several simple wooden crosses planted around with the other graves.
Since I can't walk that well (and had already done more walking that day than I probably should have), we didn't get to explore the place that thoroughly. Still, what we'd seen was rather interesting.
Despite it being an authentic gold rush-era bar, I was kind of disappointed in the interior.
It was okay---but could have been so much better---I thought.
At least they had a few Halloween decorations still out.
We sat at a table outside and split a sandwich. Nedra had a glass of wine and I had a regional beer.
We did make one stop on the way back. Nedra hadn't seen Shookie in years. So, we stopped by Shook's place and had a brief, socially distant chat in her front yard. 
On Monday, there was a package on my door step. Hmm. Inside I found this:
It was the heart monitor my cardiologist wanted me to wear. It was interesting. The kit was divided into three sections. The actual monitor is about as big as a container of floss.
There is a cell phone you have to keep with you at all times. The monitor apparently transmits the readings to the phone. Every time I need to charge the phone and monitor, I have to take it off. I have adhesive monitor stickers to get me through about a week.
It's so much easier and more compact than the old ones that required you to be all wired up like some wild lab experiment.
Nedra went home on Tuesday. It had been swell to see her. Her visit made Halloween special this year--especially since I had already written it off.
It, too, had some Halloween decorations up.
We walked around the town a bit. This gold mining shop had a man in a face mask hanging out front, which was rather gruesome and weird. (Perhaps he had been a customer at the National Hotel? Jeepers! Maybe Nedra and I had just barely escaped with our lives...)
Nedra wanted to check out the beautiful, old Emporium building almost directly across the street from the National Hotel.
It is a very cute antique store these days.
On the way out of town, we passed this house all decked out for Halloween. I had to stop and get a few pictures...
I didn't remember the old fire station until...
Old school? Yes, I may have been speaking about Nedra (or, more likely, myself!). It turns out there is an old school house nearby. It is up on a hill, so instead of walking it (there's no way I could do that), we decided to wait and drive up later.
Back in the town, we stopped at an old grocery store.
There were people there, but it wasn't too crowded. I was able to get plenty of pictures---and most of them were not polluted with random strangers.
We eventually made it up the hill to check out the school. It was undergoing restoration and refurbishment--but we checked it out even though it was closed.
There were two large, community outhouses on the grounds.
Right behind the school house is the Columbia Cemetery.
Of course Nedra and I had to check it out...
After leaving the cemetery, but before starting the long, long ride back home, we went back into Columbia to visit the Douglass Saloon.
Soon it was time to go. We had to get an early start as I didn't want to be driving the mountain roads in the dark.
I had another physical therapy session Tuesday. I also had a call from the coordinator for my IVIG infusions. He had a list of questions for me and he will facilitate the home health nurse (I'm apparently having it done at home), the pharmacy the meds are coming from, and my insurance. I don't have dates yet---but I hope it is soon. Every day I seem to lose more and more. I've started cramping really bad the last few days and I always seem to feel stiffer than I was the previous day, rustier--like the Tin Man in THE WIZARD OF OZ in need of a good oiling. The steroids did nothing for me. My fingers are crossed the IVIG will work some magic -- or at least arrest this thing from doing more damage.
This is the 100th (!!!) edition of the Coronavirus Diary. Now that the election is more or less over, I can just focus on the pandemic. However, since not much new happens (besides endless infections and deaths), I'm going to take a step back even further, It's getting really hard for me to just sit at my desk for all of the hours I need to put these together. So, instead of weekly editions of this thang, I'm going to pump them out every other week. (Besides, I have to get crackin' on my Christmas cards. If you knew how many I make out every year...well, let's just say I should have started them back in April. Oh my STARS!!! I'm not kidding.)
Jeepers! My computer seems to have blown up or is slowly dying. I literally just got this done in time as I can no longer see my pictures/videos and it keeps crashing/freezing. Do I have a virus...or is it just messed up? Who knows? But I have two weeks to figure it out.
I'll see you then. Hopefully!
Stay SAFE! Stay HEALTHY! Stay ALIVE!
CHEERS!
CHEERS!
Continue to the next part HERE.
Comments
Hi! I am glad you liked the post. I am also glad I am going to take more time between future posts, now that the election is over (Or is it?). The trip was fun, but would have been better if I could walk and move properly. It utterly exhausted me. I had to run to Costco today for a few things only---and it did me in for the day. Fingers crossed I get my treatment soon. It is really getting bad---really getting painful---and I've read about others who have this who have gotten so very much worse than I am now. The steroids I was on last week did NOTHING! I sincerely hope the IVIG works. As you said, it has to. There's not a lot else they can do...
CHEERS!