Tag: Crocus

Constantly Changing

This time yesterday, our city had only implemented a ban on certain size gatherings with our state having followed not far behind with the same as a suggestion. Within a few hours, that gathering size number had reduced for our city. A few hours later, our city mayor closed schools, restaurants, theaters, and bars and put in place a ban on gatherings larger than 10. The mayor. Our county and state government has not.

Have I mentioned that our city doesn’t have a single confirmed case? There are a few in surrounding counties, so a part of the metro area, but not our city itself. Some of those surrounding counties are following our mayor’s lead. Other cities in our state do have cases, yet they aren’t implementing these measures and our governor isn’t doing anything other than suggesting the earlier limit on gathering sizes (that does not include businesses or schools). A suggestion, not a ban.

I’m thrilled our mayor is being so aggressively proactive. His stance forced our kids’ school to move to an online program after spring break because of the closure even though the district itself isn’t in the city, but part of a cooperative of districts in the area.

We got word this morning that Hubby’s work is moving to a work from home model for all employees that are capable of doing so. Even BG’s dance studio is implementing classes via a video app so they can learn the remainder of their routines. While there is still a very real chance that the recital will end up canceled or, at the very least, postponed, the kids will be ready to go however this pans out.

I am just extremely relieved all the way around. It all looks very different, but life is still going on. I will be utterly heartbroken if recital and MC’s graduation end up canceled, but I would much rather see those things canceled if it means we are flattening the curve and if it keeps anyone from being put at risk.

Rain Kissed Crocus

It is cold and rainy today, which made for some phenomenal photos, even if it is more crocus. I would have gotten more, but it was actually still misting and I really wasn’t in the mood to get drenched, so I only got a handful. I WILL have some hyacinths for you soon as they are almost open.

As I’m sure many of you are in a similar situation, my state declared a state of emergency. This is a full day after my city did so on its own, without any guidance from further up the government chain. Sadly, my city is doing a better job of actually trying to make a difference in banning certain number of gatherings (though still probably not enough), whereas my state has only made the declaration to free up funding. They have not imposed any restrictions or canceled schools, leaving it up to local heath departments.

Honestly, I’m frustrated by the whole thing. The people at the top that should be guiding the rest of this country in best practices aren’t doing squat, leaving it to those downhill to clean up the mess, but the people downhill aren’t doing any better.

I do my damnedest to keep anything political off my blog, but this is just too much. Where I live, there are no cases in the immediate area, but a few on some of the outer lying areas with more popping up every day. We are in a perfect position to stop or at least slow down this spread, at least in our area, but the people that should be making the decisions to close down schools or other major centers that are basically petri dishes are passing the buck to someone else.

The kids’ school has a plan in place to go online after spring break, but they aren’t making the decision themselves, waiting for someone to tell them they have to. I get that they may not actually have the authority to make those kinds of decisions at the district level, but someone should be stepping up and making the responsible decision.

I really try not to jump into the panic and hysteria, but this isn’t something that people are going to be able to fix or even improve on at an individual level and those that are at high risk shouldn’t be considered disposable because no one wants to step up and make the probably unpopular move to say we should shut all these things down as best we can.

Can we please just be concerned about our fellow humans for a change?

Beautiful Stripes

I should have some hyacinths to share in the next couple of days. Until then, I’ll bombard you with pretty crocus. Hopefully it will add a little beauty to the chaos that is going on in the world today.

We had to go to the grocery store last night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. The parking lot was completely full and that never happens. While the shelves weren’t entirely bare, there were definitely some bare spots and quite a few things on The List provided by the CDC on the recommended types of things to stock up on were really close to being bare.

I was just a little surprised that everyone was at least acting like decent humans and not a bunch of assholes. I didn’t see anyone with a cart full of nothing but one or two things being the sole reason something was wiped out. For the most part, people really were just getting those few extra things for the “just in case” scenario.

It is such a strange thing to see such a massive range in how people are responding to this. You have those that are utterly paranoid and ready to hole up in a bunker in the middle of nowhere with their 10 year stock of supplies, all the way down to those that think the whole thing is just a joke and are more pissed that they don’t have their sports to watch. It really kind of blows my mind. Especially those that really aren’t thinking about this in any serious context and are being stupidly careless.

In my house, we are in a position where we might have to make the decision to massively disappoint MC by canceling a planned trip so he could take his girl of 3 years to her prom. We had already bent over backwards to make this happen before the insanity hit, but now there is an additional personal layer of concern to this in that MCG’s (MC’s girl) household has a potentially at risk member of the family and I refuse to be the cause of someone getting sick.

I plan on talking to MCG’s mom to get her take on it, but after seeing the major changes going on all around just this morning, there is a very high likelihood that the decision will be taken out of our hands. The only reason we haven’t just canceled yet is that both our area and theirs are not currently problem areas and are relatively safe, but we are leaning heavily towards canceling. As much as I hate feeling like I’m taking this incredibly important moment from my son, I also know it is about so much more than whether or not he is disappointed.

It really is past time for people to get their heads out of the clouds and take this more seriously. Wash your hands. If you are sick, stay home. I get that not everyone has this luxury and I really do worry about those people and how they will get through this. There are enough of those that do have this luxury that aren’t taking advantage of it and being reckless in ignoring the advice of those that have the education and background to know how to help slow the spread. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.

Purple Striped Crocus Bud

I didn’t post yesterday because I was doing my best impression of being a zombie.

In an attempt to try and reset my sleep schedule to something that even remotely resembles normal, I got the wild hair to just stay awake the previous night and all day yesterday. I cannot remember the last time I attempted an all nighter like that. Probably back in my early twenties when my body didn’t rebel quiet so easily.

I actually managed to make it to about 8:30 am before my body couldn’t handle it and crashed for about 45 minutes. After that, I was awake until I headed to bed around 11 pm last night. So, in a roughly 36 hour time frame, I only got that 45 minutes of sleep. This on the tail end of getting an average of maybe 4 to 6 hours (at best, but more often 3 to 4) of extremely restless sleep for several weeks.

What’s really messed up? Even after being awake that long, when it came time to go to bed, I was still wide awake and needed to take something to help me actually get to sleep. I’m not sure that the whole adventure actually managed to fix anything.

I did get some solid sleep when I finally fell asleep, though. It’s probably the first full night I’ve gotten in well over a month (if not more, I honestly don’t know anymore). Sadly, I think I’m more tired today than I was yesterday after no sleep. Dang! My poor body and brain is so messed up.

The upside to that? I think I read something like 3 books over that 36 hour period.

Yesterday was also release day for one of my favorite authors and is the other big part of why there was no post yesterday. Because of the no sleep marathon, I was still up when the book dropped into my reading ap. Of course I started it pretty much the second I could and there was going to be no putting it down once I started.

I’m going to need to try and find some more active things to do today to shake the remaining sleepies.

 

And… More Crocus

I’m really hoping to have some different flower photos for you soon, but I’m only seeing some tiny buds that still have a ways to go before there are flowers. I think the next ones I’ll get will be my other batch of crocus blooming or the hyacinths will flower out. Not sure which one will pop first.

Of course, there is a chance of snow later in the week, so there is also the possibility that even those won’t actually happen. Or if they do, they won’t be very pretty. I’m just going to have to wait and see.

Sunny Crocus

I love it when I’ve worked out a plan for a day or even the weekend only to realize at the last minute that, Oops! You have something else to do!

I had planned on getting groceries while BG was at dance today, which is a long one, and leaving open the rest of my day today and tomorrow to try and get caught up on some things. It wasn’t until this morning when I was getting ready that I realized it was a watch day and I’d be at dance with BG and my grocery run would have to be put off until tomorrow.

Seriously… love the old age brain.

While it feels like I’m never going to get all my stuff done that is on a massively long to do list, I actually did make a lot of progress getting things crossed off that list this week. Even with the hiccups and flat tires. I still have a massively long list, but it is now a slightly shorter, massively long list.

And… I have pretty flowers coming up, so that makes everything better.

 

I Have Crocuses!

I knew I was close as I’d seen the little leaves popping up. I swear I just checked the day before and didn’t see any buds. Then yesterday, BG tells me I have something purple blooming. I expected maybe one small bud where you could see some color. Nope. They were all almost fully open. At least for this bunch. I planted a couple, so I should have another bunch blooming soon.

Hello spring! Glad to see you finally showing yourself.

I’ll be busy in my studio again today. I promised Sam I’d try to get some photos of my PMC project along the way, though it probably will just look like an ugly lump for a bit yet depending on how far I get today.