Festive Spirit Suppressed by Covid in California

December 14. A historic day in the USA. The Pfizer vaccine has been rolled out. Today front line health care workers will start getting inoculated. Back in the spring when I fantasized about this day I imagined we'd be uncorking champagne and dancing in the streets. But the daunting logistics and practicalities of vaccinating an entire population - a process requiring many months - takes the magic out of this miracle that promises to rescue us. Can't deny that it is most uplifting to know that each day will bring more bright news. More countries beginning their vaccination programs. More vaccines getting FDA clearance. Our individual turns to become inoculated drawing closer. The dismaying daily case numbers and deaths on Worldometers conjure up Dickens' famous lines. It was the worst of times. It was the best of times.

Covid numbers continue to skyrocket in California as well as in the USA. Worldwide, with some exceptions, the situation is also gloomy. Germany isn't succeeding in curtailing its numbers with "lockdown light" so from Wednesday the country will observe its strictest lockdown since the start of the pandemic. Christmas celebrations will have to be small and intimate. I know that things will soon turn around. When will that be? A month from now?

There's another reason that today is an important day in America. Members of the electoral college are casting their votes - a final procedure to confirm the president-elect before inauguration day. The Trump rascals will undoubtedly continue making mischief. We're 5 weeks away from inauguration.

Winter solstice is a week away. Had to don an additional layer on my morning 3 mile run due to the chill. Pandemic restrictions in the winter are so much harder to endure. With so many hours of darkness, a total absence of entertainment outside our home, and unable to entertain or be entertained by friends indoors, we are forced to confront solitude. Daryl and I have each other. We're able to keep sane. It must be hell for people who live alone. Thank goodness 21st century technology provides boundless opportunities for individual entertainment. And it's true that there is no reason at all for boredom. But we are social creatures, gregarious by nature. We thrive on interacting with our species even if its superficial. Now, more than at any previous time during the pandemic, I crave normal life with a manic desperation. Just a few more months. I can do it. And life for me will return to its technicolor splendor. Many in the world can't say the same for themselves. For many the aftermath will be awful -unpaid bills, job loss, grieving for lost ones, living compromised lives due to permanent effects of the disease, PTSD, and a host of other problems that don't even register in my life.

This year has taught me the importance of seeking out mood boosting activities. Bingeing on unhealthy food, though tempting, leaves me depressed! But splurging on fine wine and gourmet cuisine works. Nature immersion and brisk hikes are essential. Sunsets, the hooting of our resident Great horned owl, watching hawks in flight, the crashing of waves on a deserted beach, the sight of dolphins - balm for my soul.

December 17

Every morning this month we've been awakening to dispiriting Covid news. Record breaking numbers nationwide, statewide and countywide in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. California recorded a staggering 61,000 cases yesterday - almost double the previous day's new cases. There were more than 248,000 new infections in the USA with 3,600 deaths. We had 407 deaths in California yesterday. Germany recorded 29,000 new cases and 749 new deaths yesterday. Even South Africa is experiencing a frightening surge. After dropping to 18th place on Worldometers for holding steady at a low infection rate, they recorded over 10,000 new cases yesterday with 166 deaths.

Thankfully, another vaccine, Moderna's candidate is about to get FDA approval for emergency use. We know that things will get better. Other vaccines are expected to become available in early 2021. The tide will turn. But it looks like we're going to have to hunker down in our homes for a while.

Back in the spring when we watched how China was handling the impact of the virus we felt hopeful. They were able to get back on their feet and maintain an essentially Covid free existence. I imagined we'd get there too - though not as efficiently. While Australia, New Zealand and a handful of other countries had success, much of the world fell prey to the microscopic organism that aggressively latched onto hosts in order to create countless copies of itself. Interestingly, some countries escaped serious illness and fatalities. I gather the virus burned through Mexico. The government has been testing for antibodies and so far are finding 1 out of 4 to have been infected. Though many became mildly sick, the country endured a concerning number of Covid deaths.

Earlier in the week there were reports of a mutation of the virus in southern England where large clusters of infections were found. Questions of its transmissibility and change in the spike protein arose and so far not much is known. A mutation is unnerving. Will it respond to our current vaccines? This is why we have to eradicate the virus. Only possible with herd immunity conferred by effective vaccines. But it's necessary for everyone on this planet to understand this.

December 21

The new UK variant of the virus hogged the news in the last 24 hours. London and the regions south of the metropolis are under lockdown. EU countries are closing their borders tot he UK. There's palpable concern about the exponential rise in cases in England, dominated by the new mutation. 

A new variant in South Africa, identified a week ago, has triggered concern too due to its numerous genetic changes, including a change on one of the spikes. Though it spread rapidly within the country this new variant hasn't appeared anywhere else. 

Roll out of the newly authorized Moderna vaccine has been overshadowed by the new worrisome Covid developments. I think we'll always remember this period as a time of simultaneous hopeful and distressing news. We are witnessing the beginning of the end to the pandemic, but that doesn't translate to a less restricted, more relaxed existence.

It's the start of the 3rd week of lockdown in the Southern California region. Covid numbers here are still explosive. LA county is about to run out of ICU beds. New daily case numbers this week are now between 32,00 and 45,000 - a drop from last week, but still frighteningly high. Santa Barbara County's hospitals aren't overwhelmed yet, but our trend lines are the worst since the start of the pandemic.

It's the winter solstice. Today is spookily warm - a high of 80 degrees. It's been mild much of December. Dry too - with no sign of rain. Most dispiriting. But our weekend beach strolls were pretty uplifting.

Heavy surf, crashing waves, flocks of pelicans, a lone Great Blue Heron, blue sky, and a deserted beach - a great way to start our weekend.

Getting onto More Mesa Beach requires effort - an interminable flight of steps to negotiate from the bluff - but so worth it.

On Sunday morning we headed to a different beach - the stretch between Campus Point and Coal Oil Point. It too was surprisingly deserted. Students have probably left Isla Vista for the holidays.

Winter solstice ended with 2 noteworthy events. Congress finally - after months of deliberations - passed a Covid relief bill. $900 billion to enhance unemployment benefits, expedite vaccine distribution, and provide $600 stimulus checks for individuals.

The other big event was a rare astronomical phenomenon. The two biggest planets - Jupiter and Saturn - aligned together with the shortest distance between them and appeared in our sky as a big, bright star - the "Star of Bethlehem"!  

Covid Winter in California

 December 7, 2020

At midnight we in Southern California went into lockdown. We're back to spring restrictions with some exceptions. 

Months ago I was sure the worst had past. I was wrong. We have entered the bleakest phase of the pandemic. Hospitals are in danger of running out of beds and ICU units leaving the governor no choice but to issue a "Stay at Home" order. The state's daily case numbers have exploded this past week. Now the state is recording 25,000 and above daily new infections. On December 4 the state recorded its highest death toll at 204. We are so worn down by this virus. I don't think people are going to go into isolation like they did back in March. We know so much more now and this gives us a false sense of control. Dr. Fauci, medical experts and governing officials fear that with winter celebrations things could easily spiral into a bigger crisis.

Rudi Giuliani has been hospitalized for Covid. Yippee!!

Vaccines are about to rescue us but it'll be at least 6 weeks before the impact will be felt. The UK will be rolling out the Pfizer vaccine tomorrow. There's much excitement around that.

I generally hate being home this time of year. Ever since I retired in 2014 we've spent winter holidays somewhere warm and beautiful. I hoped to escape to Hawaii for the month of January, but it doesn't appear wise to do so at this point. Darn! The best way to keep my spirits up is to divert my attention toward big projects. I've taken on the huge task of scanning our photos from the pre-digital years. I've been enjoying resuscitating memories of adventurous trips as well as home events.

Dec 8

Historic day. V-Day. Today the UK began vaccinating the general public, with over 80 year olds at the front of the queue. 

The FDA is about to green light the Pfizer vaccine so the US will soon start its mass vaccination program.

December 11

Mum's 81st birthday. Had a Skype chat with her. She looks incredibly good but complained about the intense heat in Ladysmith. Luckily for her she has her grandsons to fuss over her.

Here in Goleta, we awoke to a chilly morning. After a week of obscenely mild weather, today I didn't rush out the door for my morning run. This resulted in elevated anxiety from checking out the news. Covid seems out of control everywhere. In California we are recording record new highs in daily infections and deaths. Same is true nationwide. Europe is having difficulty managing its surge, especially Germany where daily new infections are over 20,000 and daily deaths are over 500. South Africa is experiencing a new wave with steep rises in the past week. A nightmarish scenario as we head into Christmas.

Fortunately my morning runs ensure high levels of endorphins. At Stow Grove I've been seeing red shouldered hawks everyday. I've also been listening to Padma Lakshmi's memoir on my run. Enjoying it more than I expected. A talented writer, honest, observant, with an interesting life worthy of sharing with the world.

Festive baking has helped keep my spirits up too. I made Stollen using brandy soaked dried fruit and marzipan so of course it's a huge success. As with all yeast breads and cakes it swallowed up most of a day, so it'll be a year or two before I attempt it again.

 

Thanksgiving in the time of Covid

November 27, 2020

It's the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday. Traditionally the day when the hordes flock to the shops for bargains. Today, we aren't hearing horror stories about crowds pushing and pummeling their way to snatch electronics or whatever the latest craze is. One of a few bright sides to the pandemic!

Yesterday we made a somewhat traditional Thanksgiving meal consisting of Trader Joe's holiday tofurkey roast, roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. We shared it with Premi and Sri who brought over home made ciabatta. 

We ate this meal out on our patio early in the day - at lunch time. The weather cooperated - sunny, mild temps, no wind. Yes, it's odd to have a holiday meal at separate tables, spaced out, but we probably had a better day than many around the country.

Election news has calmed down, mercifully. It's wonderful to peruse news websites and the New York Times and find more Biden coverage than Trump. Fifty more days.

With Covid now so out of control in the USA we have no hope of returning to a less restricted life until vaccines are widely available. I'm horrified at the numbers in California - twice as high as our July highs. What happened? We were making such good progress. If Europe can succeed in flattening their curve for the 2nd time, surely we can too.

Weekend morning walks spiked up our dopamine levels as usual. On Saturday after a pancake breakfast, we drove further than usual - to El Capitan - for a change of scene. It's within a state park so we had to pay $10 to park. We had no regrets once we stepped onto the deserted and delightful beach.

Cloudless sky, warm air, and the sound of crashing surf and sea birds provided a dream like setting for a morning stroll. A pair of dolphins close to shore greeted us at the start. A rocky headland forced us up to the cliff along the bike trail where a hawk perched on a tree gave us a curious stare. 

The campground buzzed with a few families feasting on celebratory meals.

Quite the perfect location to escape the reality of a pandemic and a messy presidential transition.

After a short stretch on the paved path we descended back down to the beach to enjoy its magical isolation.

On Sunday morning we hiked on the little trails around Lake Los Carneros. The air was chillier than we'd ever experienced this year. I had to wear gloves! But it was quite a delightful way to start the day.

It's December 2. The day began with the exciting news that the UK has approved the Pfizer vaccine and will start vaccinating health care workers next week. Here, in the US, there's much excitement about vaccines too. Pfizer and Moderna are awaiting FDA approval and anticipate a roll out in a matter of weeks. It's a weird time of the best and worst news of the pandemic. Experts are warning of an impending bleak situation due to family gatherings over Thanksgiving. In California Governor Newsom is grappling with how to avoid a lockdown similar to the one we had in the spring. Hospitalizations and ICU units are filling up. LA county health officials are urging people to stay home. The day ended on a sombre note. A new record of daily Covid deaths was recorded - over 2,800. New cases were over 200,000. Over 100,000 people are hospitalized.

Adding to our misery is another dry winter. Every year as fall transitions into winter I study the weather forecast hoping desperately for a chance of rain. So far we've been waking up to clear blue skies with not even a hint of moisture forecast. Fire danger remains high. This annual anxiety is my least favorite aspect of living in southern California.

Covid Diary as Winter Approaches

 November 19

Another "grim milestone" - 250,000 Americans lost their lives due to Covid. The situation just keeps getting worse. Now daily new infections hover around 180,000 and daily deaths are climbing toward 2000. In California our daily new cases are back to early August highs with daily deaths between 150 and 200. Our county, along with most of California, is back on the purple tier. We've lived with this level of restriction for most of this year. It doesn't affect my personal life and daily routines much. But it's heartbreaking that small business, especially those running personal services, have to shut up again. New York City closed its public schools today to stem the rise in infections. Yesterday, I saw a photo of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center. Unadorned, it looked sad, a reflection of our national mood.

In Europe, the curve for daily new infections is flattening in most countries. Their mitigation measures appear effective. Daily deaths in England, France and Italy are about 500 each.

This will no doubt be the last big wave of the pandemic. In the next months vaccines will become available. Today, AstroZeneca (the Oxford vaccine) announced successful results with an older population sample. Widespread infection has the advantage of speeding up trials of therapeutics. Things will soon improve.

Thanksgiving is coming up a week from today. The CDC and Dr. Fauci are urging small celebrations and limited travel. We are planning to prepare a big lunch to share with Premi and Sri.

As if the pandemic isn't enough cause for high anxiety, the political situation still has us on edge. Trump continues to pursue corrupt means to throw doubt over the election results. Georgia conducted a hand recount which verified Biden's win though by a slightly smaller margin. The senate race is heating up. The democratic candidates are hands down more qualified and competent. But that's not what matters in a red state. Trump still denying the Biden team access to the information and means essential for transition. It's shocking that nobody has the power to right this wrong.

November 23

Started the day with good news. The Oxford vaccine has shown success in trials where they experimented with different doses. The lower dose produced 90% success. This is especially welcome as Covid infections escalate in the US. Daily new infections in much of Europe are now on a decline. South America has improved considerably too. In California we hit record high daily new cases a few times last week. But we are 36th in the nation in cases per million. On Saturday Governor Newsom announced a curfew starting at 10:00 PM and ending at 5:00 AM. Striking a balance between the economy and infections is impossible.

Despite the advice of Dr. Fauci and the CDC 2 million Americans were on flights this past weekend to get to their families for Thanksgiving. With festive celebrations coming up, things can only get worse ...

I feel less anxious than I was in July/August because I realize I can cope with the restrictions in place. I'm not worried about running out of essentials and I have the ability to do food shopping at Sprouts and maybe even Trader Joe's as long as I go either at opening time or at closing time.

We had a great weekend, considering the circumstances. On Saturday morning we woke up to a clear blue sky and mild temperatures. After a pancake breakfast we hit the road, driving out of town for the first time since mid-March. The big excitement of the day was a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch out of Vandenberg AFB. At the exit off 101 we were astonished at the backed up traffic. We were clearly not the only ones with this idea! Once we entered Highway 1 it was smooth sailing. In Lompoc we drove down Ocean Avenue until a road block forced us to park in a shopping center lot. From there we marched past flower fields to a very decent viewpoint. Considering the number of cars lining the roads around us and the crowd on foot, we were able to easily keep our distance and enjoy the experience.

It was a breathtaking sight to see this marvel blast into the cerulean sky. The purpose was to launch an oceanographic satellite to measure the rise of sea levels - a joint project of NASA and the European Space Agency. What made this even more exciting was that we got to see the booster return to land.

Hours later Stephen and Jacqueline joined us for lunch on our patio. We hadn't seen them for months so there was a lot of catching up to do. They are now settled in their new home and the one they had lived in for 40 years is now empty and about to appear on the market. We have so many precious memories of meals with them in a dining room designed especially for Jacqueline's dream round table. So we now turn to a new chapter to make new memories.

We ended the day with the final 2 episodes of the 2nd season of "The Hour", about a team of BBC journalists researching and reporting on important issues of that time (1957). A talented and endearing cast - sad for it to be over.

Sunday morning was less exciting than the day before but I can't complain about the 6 mile beach walk under a blue sky. Mild temps, few people, soothing scents and sounds - a beautiful start to our day.

In the afternoon Katya and Hugh joined us for tea and cake. They brought along their own tea in a thermos and home made poppyseed cake which they shared with us. We made a cranberry loaf to share with them. Like us, they've become disillusioned with the state of democracy in the USA. The GOP's shift toward uncompromising issues and refusal to respect venerated norms and traditions has moved the country toward a frightening brand of nationalism. The Democratic Party has an increasingly harder time to gain control of Congress and their progressive agenda doesn't have popular appeal. This is mind boggling and distressing. A lot of our conversation was about moving abroad. We weighed the pros and cons of living in the UK and mused about the choice of city and region. What about Portugal? They are currently pursuing the option of maybe a home here and another in the UK.

For evening entertainment we started watching Season 4 of The Crown. Everyone's talking about it so we decided it was time to see how Maggie Thatcher is portrayed and take a trip back to the late 70's and early 80's.

Today, as the work week started, there was much tension while we awaited Michigan's confirmation of Biden for president. One of the two Republicans on the electoral board which included two Democrats abstained, bowing to pressure from Trump and his supporters. Shocking and unprecedented, but the other 3 cast their votes and saved the day. In the late afternoon I was relieved to hear that GSA (General Services Administration) cleared the way for Biden to officially begin his transition.

Now we can turn our attention to other matters, like Thanksgiving coming up this Thursday.

Covid Times Post Election - November 2020

 November 9, 2020

We woke up to the momentous news of Pfizer's successful vaccine candidate. A greater than 90% success rate has been seen in their trial so far. They are in partnership with Germany's BioNTech and their trials are taking place in 4 different countries. The German husband and wife team of Turkish origin were quick to point out that they aren't funded under Operation Warp Speed. Pfizer has been promised federal funds for production after all trial criteria are met. What a great feeling to envision a Covid free future! Twinned with a post Trump era in just over 2 months, things are finally looking up.

November 12

I found myself humming and whistling a chirpy tune when I woke up and performed morning rituals. Unusual for me this year, and I realized it's due to elevated dopamine levels. Anticipating a Biden presidency and a Covid vaccine overshadows all the grimness of the moment. 

The Covid situation is spiraling out of control in the US. Even in California our daily infections are trending up. Nationwide, we are seeing record breaking daily new infections. In some places hospitals are close to exceeding capacity. No help or acknowledgment from the White House. PPE promised for the anticipated winter surge isn't available.

France is in lockdown and they're seeing close to 50,000 daily new cases. Italy is struggling with high numbers too. 

Trump still claiming the election was rigged and he's the real winner. Hasn't conceded. Continues to file lawsuits in states where the margin is slim. The nation's democracy being put to the test. How will this play out?

November 16

Eight months ago we went into lockdown. And right now the Covid infection rate and state of things is worse than ever in Europe and North America. Worldwide 55 million cases have been reported. The USA has now recorded over 11 million cases. Almost every state is experiencing a surge. Hospitals are in danger of running out of ICU units. Governors are reimposing restrictions such as curfews and gym and bar closures. Families are being urged not to travel over Thanksgiving. Locally, statewide and countywide numbers are returning to July and August numbers. In California currently daily new cases are between 8000 and 10,000. Daily deaths between 50 and 80. Our county is sure to return to the purple tier soon. Most depressing!

But, unlike in the spring, we now have an idea what's in store. We woke up this morning to the delightful news that another vaccine will soon be available. Moderna's candidate has demonstrated a 95% success rate in its late stage trial. It won't be available for wide distribution until spring of 2021, but at least we can see the finish line.

Meanwhile, a full week after election results were called, Trump still hasn't conceded. There's much anxiety regarding national threats and urgent domestic matters such as the pandemic and the economy. Biden and Harris aren't given access to the usual stuff to enable a smooth transition. The chaos and rot is sure to continue until January 20, 2021. 

Democrats have a small chance to control the senate due to less than 50% wins in Georgia resulting in both positions going for a run off in early January. The 2 Democratic candidates are solid. Jon Osoff has impressed me with his knowledge, confidence and charm. But Georgia is a red state. Biden won the state - just barely, but the senate race is a long shot. Stacey Abrams has been phenomenal with her "get out the vote" effort. Please, please, please, Georgia!!!

With the transition to fall I've adapted my daily routine somewhat. I still go on a daily run and spend a chunk of the day on writing and reading. But I now have to do gardening chores before dinner prep. It's dark at 5:00, forcing us indoors for too many evening hours. Our meals are different. Soups and stews feature a lot. Fall vegetables appear in our CSA box - yams, butternut squash, leeks, spinach. At Trader Joe's I've been please to find Brussels sprouts on the stalk. Young, tender, they are delightful shredded and roasted.

Our weekend morning walks are more enjoyable with the cooler temps. We went into the backcountry on a new trail - the Snyder Trail which starts on Paradise Road. It was necessary to have breakfast first - carb heavy almond croissants freshly baked (bought frozen from Trader Joe's) - in order to take on the steep climb. The air was crisp - we had to layer up, but we quickly peeled off layers. At first there was plenty of shade, but then the trees disappeared and a hot sun made the climb tedious. So we had to abort our goal of going all the way up to the top where, on a few occasions, we had begun this trail, doing it in reverse - also only half the way. 

Three and a half miles to start the day outdoors, immersed in nature, felt satisfying. 

On Sunday, at Coal Oil Point Beach, we witnessed a king tide for the first time. The first bit of beach was covered with water. Luckily the bluffs above provided an alternative way to access the wider stretch of beach where we were able to get down to the sand. A couple walking past us enthused about cavorting dolphins, but we weren't successful in glimpsing them this time.

The pleasant weather this weekend - after a chillier than normal week - was most welcome. We were able to enjoy drinks and nibbles with our friends Anna and Petar on their deck on Saturday afternoon. It's rare for us to have physical contact with people and when we do it's like a breath of fresh air.

It's Monday and a new pandemic week has begun.

Election Time During Covid

 November 2

On this day before the most critical election of our lifetime we can't allow ourselves to feel optimistic. Even if the polls are right and things go well for a Biden victory at the outset we are terrified of consequences. Cities all over the nation are preparing for unrest. Stores are boarding up with plywood. Both sides are volatile and fiercely desire victory. This is what it must feel like in chronically corrupt developing countries. The majority of Americans long to wake up from our four year nightmare. Now election day may mark the beginning of a new nightmare. Maybe it will all go well. Biden will win by a landslide and Trump will give his concession speech and we can then breathe and pop open the champagne.

November 3

Election day. We're all on edge, waiting for the results. Media warning us it may be days or weeks before we know the result. I think I can handle that. Much prefer every state carefully counting the ballots to a rushed affair and chaotic consequences. So far it appears there's calm around the nation. No reports of unrest yet.

It's a sunny day, mild temps, with signs of fall everywhere.

At 4:00 I'll meet up with my book group to discuss Alta California, a travel narrative of our state with historical context layered into the current account.

November 4

In 2016 Huffpost headlined with "Mourning in America" the day after the most disastrous presidential elections in US history. We've been in mourning ever since, willing time to speed up, desperate to live in a Trump-less future. Four years later, instead of a sweeping landslide to fire the most disastrous president, the race turned out to be scarily close. It speaks volumes about this nation.

Today we're still on pins and needles. When the results started coming in last night we were alarmed at the red electoral band across the country. All solidly Republican states remained loyal to Trump. After an awful night's sleep, tossing and turning, a sickness sloshing in my tummy, we awoke to hopeful news. Mara Liasson, national political correspondent on NPR, stated there's a clear path to victory for Biden. From the current state of things I'm worried that it could go either way though the NYT and CNN are predicting a Biden win. At the moment Trump is ahead in Pennsylvania, but as absentee ballots are counted Biden is closing the gap. It could take days for PA to finish up its count. If Biden wins this state it's one path to victory. Another path would be clinching AZ, MI and WI. Trouble is WI is showing a tight margin and Trump is already making noises for a recount.

We could be in this limbo state for days.

November 5

Starting the day with a headline like this helps cope with the tension that hovers over us. The whole world is holding its breath. Five significant, battleground states are still counting ballots and the difference in every case is razor thin. Arizona has been called for Biden by some news outlets, but ballots there are still being counted. Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are hard at work. Every news outlet projects a certainty of a Biden win. Doesn't help my anxious state of mind though. If Pennsylvania finishes its count today and Biden wins it, we'll crack open the champagne.

Yesterday's NYT columnists, in their post mortems of the tight race, shared my disbelief. This election was no repudiation of four disastrous years. How do you explain why half this nation can't be bothered by what we endured? In the middle of a historic pandemic that is outrageously mishandled! Who are these people? They care about their own wallets, their guns and their desire to rob women of their freedom to choose abortion. Nothing else matters to these idiots. The scary realization is that had it not been for the pandemic, the economy would likely have held steady and Trump would have been re-elected. It's beyond shocking.

Another topic dissected everywhere was the polls. Why were they so far off reality? They suggested a landslide and wider margins in battleground states. Didn't happen. Even congressional races didn't go especially well for democrats. The Senate is always elusive - more red states than blue ensures that - but when a Democrat is favored in a presidential race, the democrats are able to wrangle a slim majority. Not this year. We are saddled with Mitch McConnell again! Worse, Biden's agenda will be crippled and in the midterms his inability to deliver will be used against him. The electorate isn't astute enough to see through this deception. Republicans will dominate Congress and so the pattern will repeat.

Meanwhile the USA recorded 108,000 new Covid infections yesterday. The experts are warning us that the pandemic is about to enter its darkest phase. Dr. Fauci's pleas for safety measures to bring the numbers down before winter fell on deaf ears. People everywhere in the world have reached saturation point. They resist the advice of experts, but if the central government supports the experts it's a huge help. Governors struggle on and in our state Governor Newsom's strict measures have made him unpopular. Our state is doing better than most of the country. This week the trend line is creeping up again.

A Biden win will help us get through the remainder of the pandemic. Sanity at the federal level will keep our dopamine levels up.

November 6

Still holding my breath. Progress on ballot counting in the last 5 battleground states going at glacial speed. More good news to start the day. Biden is now ahead in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Nevada appears solid. Arizona tenuous - gap narrowing. So hard to focus on anything else. Though every media outlet conveys a Biden victory the race is too tight for comfort. The best outcome right now would be a decisive win in Pennsylvania and if that happens before the day is over we'll be celebrating.

Trump sank to new lows at a White House press conference, disgorging wild claims of voter fraud and generally condemning the country's election integrity. TV networks, appalled at this attack on our democracy, walked away in the middle of the rant. Trump is pursuing several lawsuits, making demands to stop counting votes, and claiming fraudulent activity at polling places.

The Covid situation would've been the main news. The USA recorded over 118,00 new cases yesterday, and about 1300 deaths. France recorded over 50,000 new infections. In California and in our county new case numbers went up yesterday. There's frustration in the state that theme parks are closed as well as entertainment venues. Counties aren't progressing sufficiently to move to tiers allowing fewer restrictions. People don't want to follow safety guidelines.

November 7

We heard the ecstatic result at 9:30 this morning when we returned from our morning beach walk. Though media outlets conveyed confidence of a Biden victory in the past days it was a tremendous relief when Pennsylvania came through for him. Phew! Our four year nightmare coming to an end. Undoing the damage is going to be a monstrous task but for now we are savoring the moment. A historic moment with the first woman, black and South Asian, as our Vice President. There has been some unrest in a few cities during the week, but not at the level we feared. Today celebrations erupted in cities all over the country. So heartening to see this catharsis. Of course we still have to endure two more months of an unhinged Trump.

Covid news keeps getting worse. In addition to frightening surges, a new, mutated strain has appeared and it may not respond to the vaccines we're waiting on. This new strain migrated from mink farms in Denmark. Millions of minks will be culled. With few travel restrictions out of Denmark this new strain with an altered spike protein has been detected in a few other countries. Not good news at all!

Covid in the Fall

October 26, 2020

Covid alarm bells are ringing again with the urgency we witnessed in the spring. The expected fall wave is here after a summer reprieve in Europe. France is the worst hit with daily infections now close to 50,000. Partial lockdowns, curfews, earlier closing times for bars and restaurants and mask wearing are some mitigation measures. In the USA the heartland is having its turn, bringing our daily new cases close to 80,000. This third "wave" isn't a surprise. Epidemiologists have made the siren calls that without strong centralized government policy different parts of the country will be affected at different times. Utterly frustrating to hear the experts like Dr. Fauci urge safety measures and Trump the infant doing the opposite.

Fall is definitely here. Mornings are chilly. We've had to turn our heating on when we get up. Outdoor exercise is delightful in cooler temperatures. On Saturday at sunrise Daryl and I strolled on More Mesa Beach which we accessed from Mockingbird Lane. We had the beach to ourselves - so serene and magnificent - and we welcomed the strenuous climb up the many steps back to the mesa. On Sunday we drove to the backcountry onto East Camino Cielo Road to access the Fremont Ridge Trail. Cloudy cool weather was ideal for a good trek through the chaparral. A dense layer of mist obscured the normally breathtaking views, but we didn't mind. We went further than in the past, to a section where the trail narrows and drops steeply into the Santa Ynez River valley. The return, all uphill, gave us quite a work out. Normally, a 5 mile strenuous hike before breakfast drains me, but I stuffed myself with a scone from the previous morning's breakfast and that sustained me pretty well.

Cayden update: All evidence points to the acne treatment he has been on for a month. For some reason the prescription medication he'd been taking affected his liver and spleen, caused inflammation and persistent high fever. Biopsy results and blood tests exposed another issue - tuberculosis. Not the usual contagious kind that affects lungs and makes you cough. His is a latent form, which he might have been able to fight off had his immune system not been compromised. He was immediately put on a course of medication and all would have been fine had he not developed an allergy to one of the medicines he'd been given. He broke out into a full body rash so all medication was halted. He was thankfully released from hospital after a full week there. Now his rash is gradually disappearing and once his skin is fine he'll resume medication. We're all having an awful 2020 but for Cayden it's worse! Poor guy!

Eight days before election day. A tense time. Due to the pandemic states have opened up polling centers for early voting and turn out everywhere has been robust. Also many people are voting by mail this year.

I tracked my mailed in ballot and pleased to see that it's been accepted.

We are obviously hoping for overwhelming results in Biden's favor so that we won't have a long, drawn out fiasco after November 3.

The Trump team hoped for an October surprise similar to the Comey announcement last year. They tried to feed a Hunter Biden corruption story to the FBI and the Wall Street Journal. But only right wing fringe media went with the story, so it backfired. Hurrah!

Pleased with the lawn signs I've been seeing in my neighborhood!

For escapism at the moment I'm watching the Netflix series Norsemen. Farcical and satirical, it's hilarious. Just what the doctor ordered for these bleak times.

October 31

Three days until election day. We are nervous wrecks, wanting to believe the polls but the trauma of November 2016 keeps us wringing our hands. A Trump win will be unthinkably horrifying.

As the month ends the global mood is again one of anguish. In the USA daily new infections broke records with over 100,000 new cases reported yesterday. That's twice as many as India, 2nd on the Worldometers list. Europe's surge has exceeded Latin America's daily new cases. All of France will go into strict lockdown next week. So will England and critical parts of Germany and Spain. In the USA, mitigation measures are obscure. California is maintaining a low infection rate and my county's daily numbers are as low as they were before the summer surge. So I'm not despairing despite the fact that the country has now exceeded a total of 9 million cases since the start of the pandemic. 

We're ending the month with a week of summery daytime temps. Halloween today is subdued. Trick or treaters can't do their usual knocking on doors in their neighborhoods. Poor souls.

Almost 8 months of pandemic life and we've adapted to our restricted lives. No visiting friends at their homes. Nobody has come inside our home. Leisure shopping doesn't happen. Trips to the grocery store are infrequent, quick and guarded. Mask wearing is normal. Entertainment venues have remained dark. Though most of the world is in a state of limbo there are places where normal life continues. New Zealand, Australia, China, Taiwan, South Korea and a handful of others. We're all so desperate for normal. We're assured that vaccines will soon be available. Currently, the experts predict we'll know by December of a safe candidate. Then starting in January the public will start getting vaccinated, but it will take at least 6 months to reach everyone in the country. This puts us at June for a somewhat back to normal scenario.