More pandemic diary, scrolling back in time

To get started a couple newspaper article links

Seattle Times March 10 about Retirement Communities
Seattle Times April 18 about testing and retirement communities

RantWoman is looking for an article that appeared according to RantMom on Sunday April 19. RantWoman has decided to give up looking and move onto other things. RantWoman mostly greatly appreciates how many things have been handled at the retirement community were RantMom lives. This is not to say whether or not RantMom is a little impatient about a number of things. RantWoman spends a lot of phone call times suggesting "Well, call the front desk and ask." But RantMom and RantWoman are birds of a feather about getting more edge and anxious than is helpful in customer service interactions. Well, RantWoman has decades of customer service cool left over from lots of early career tech support. Sometimes even this fails RantWoman and RantMom is old enough and retired enough that if customer service cool is fading, that just gets noted as data, data for now no one has to think too much about while #CoronaVirus is occupying everyone's brain space.

Also distressing: Bus Chick, Bus Chick who is featured in the blog roll to the right wrote on Twitter today that she has stopped riding transit, for her and her family's safety, for the community's safety, for the safety of the drivers; she posted wanting bike related info. Biking is not an option for RantWoman. That is one reason RantWoman is now working hard to be consistent about wearing a mask. RantWoman also deeply hopes that a new normal will still include transit and drivers being appropriately compensated and service and all the community that happens on buses.

Monday, Monday

RantWoman woke up trying to be motivated.

RantWoman needs to clean off a desk. Not that motivated today.

RantWoman was tempted to cook something but the fridge and freezer are full enough RantWoman needs to declare a moratorium on cooking until she eats a lot of what she has already made. But the squash? RantWoman will cook at least one in the next day or two.

RantWoman so far has worked two 15-20 minute spells just walking the breezeway into her day.

RantWoman has been testing which apps she can install on her hand-me-down iPad running iOS 10.? Not Twitter. Not Gmail. But Facebook and FB messenger. More adventures pending.

RantWoman is probably just going to break down and order a new microwave.

RantWoman also realized she might appropriately order some clothing to replace items removed by the wardrobe purge.

Saturday, Sunday:

RantWoman has added walking circles at Martin Luther King Jr. park to her daily routine. Not as much exercise as preferable, at least not yet. But get better conditioned.

Sunday RantWoman walked in circles in a nearby park for 30 minutes.

RantWoman also braved the drive-through at Taco Time.

Wearing masks gets tiresome but seems important for various reasons.

RantWoman has TWO lovely hand-sewn masks but what turns out to work best is the bandana plus ponytail holders option: RantWoman folds the bandana on the diagonal and then folds again a time or two to create multiple layers and to ensure that loose points to not fall out. Then thread the ends of the folded bandana into two ponytail holders. Loop one ponytail holder over each ear and then adjust the mask for coverage and comfort. In RantWoman’s experience this option is much easier to put on than the masks with ties. It is also easier to adjust if something slips.

Now if only RantWoman can figure out how to cut down on steamy glasses.

Friday Postcards:

wherein RantWoman’s quest to turn cash into laundry quarters leads her to many more bus segments than she would have hoped and likeways to many more tirade-worthy moments.

--Bus segment 1 because the bus rolled up just as RantWoman arrived at the stop on the way to the bank. RantWoman could have walked that segment.

--A tirade about “Why isn’t the bank branch open?” and why must any pedestrian have to brave the #CarOwnerVirus to try to get service?

--Two bus segments to get to a UPS store to return defunct phone. Choose travel route based on which bus comes first. Plan to ask for quarters a couple places on route.

--After UPS Store visit to nearby grocery: RantWoman wanted two rolls of quarters. She scored one.

--Visit to nearby pharmacy. Oh good. There is laundry detergent. Might as well buy a bottle in case there are shortages later. Also buy chocolate covered protein (Almonds. Peanuts)

--Bus Segment to Trader Joe’s. RantWoman figured she would buy catfood and get another roll of quarters. RantWoman did not figure on a line of people nicely doing #SocialDistancing all the way along the block. The cat won’t starve for a few days and RantWoman has friends who are willing to let RantWoman make shopping requests. Head for the bus home, another walk segment. Change mind and go to Safeway. Score another roll of quarters, as well as ice cream, various other dairy things, and an avocado.

Wednesday Thursday postcards.

Thursday’s biggest excitement: RantWoman walked across the street catty corner to a park, found a place to sit and did a 2-hour Zoom call out in the sunshine. That does NOT mean RantWoman really got the preferred amount of exercise, but RantWoman does feel well sunbathed.

Next biggest excitement: TELEMEDICINE. In particular, a teleconference with someone who can prescribe medication to talk about options.

RantWoman forgot her password for the e-care system and was really grateful for the human who called and said “here, let me text you a link.” RantWoman has also been thinking how much easier it was to talk about what is going on to provider who is behind screens, not just sitting and staring in the same room. Maybe this perspective is just something about RantWoman vision and visual interaction issues, but RantWoman just wants to note it.

RantWoman had a really helpful appointment with the provider. Provider was very well-informed and able to answer many RantWoman questions. Provider was also able to handle RantWoman saying “I need to think this over. Can I contact you tomorrow about which option I have chosen and then have you write the prescription? YES!

Food

RantWoman keeps meaning to post something about her pandemic food strategy. RantWoman has little experience making say a summer’s worth of canned garden produce last through the winter. In fact, RantWoman cannot even keep her refrigerator in decent order to find things before they turn to slime.

RantWoman has LOTS of pasta, legumes, rice. RantWoman can probably make these stretch for several months. RantWoman’s cupboards also contain an assortment of food items that RantWoman should either use up or purge. Last week it was the valentine’s hearts. They made a nice syrup for a few days for RantWoman’s tea. Stay tuned for the condiment inventory.

RantWoman is trying to be consistent about mask whenever she goes out of her apartment. Mask: nuisance to put on but important.

HAVE NEW Cellphone. Shipped to mailbox and not to home as requested. Oh Well

Made appointment for telemedicine to deal with a suggestion from another provider.

Solve / note more techno blips.

Really nice walk to bank and among plants at Lowes. Lots to trip over and only flat panel microwaves but nice to be among gardening plants. Awesome exercise. See below for quest for quarters at bank.

First bus driver noticed RantWoman fumbling w mask and cane and TYVM opened ADA door. Also easier for social distance.

Second bus: RantWoman was running from behind so just grabbed the second door. People accumulated there. Glad to be wearing mask and could hear announcements.

Third bus: Driver saw cane and opened ADA door. No wheel chairs.

4th Bus #8 Courtesy area full as in stroller and wheelchair. Bus driver in SLU told passengers at several stops there was another bus coming and his was full meaning full by social distancing standards, not full by usual SLU SRO standards.

a good walk yesterday in search of laundry change. RantWoman will have to repeat today because bank had a sign which thankfully RantWoman could read: branch staff probably on lunch break or something so please use the drive through. Ummmm. #CarOwnerVirus . RantWoman’s money is just as green as  that of the people using the drive through…!

“RantWoman, easy. CALM DOWN! Breathe…”