It's not just me.

Everyone was, is, or will be sick.

Virus season roars back with "quad-demic" of illness (Axios)

The spread of influenza A, COVID and RSV is "high" or "very high" across much of the U.S. at the same time norovirus cases are well above normal levels, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and wastewater surveillance data shows.

If you click on the link to the article above, you will see a graphic that shows the Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report for the week of January 4-11 prepared by the CDC. It shows that the activity level of visits for respiratory illness that includes fever plus a cough or sore throat was high or very high for most of the country. If you go to the CDC website now, you will see that illness activity is down in many places (although still relatively high in California). 

Walgreens also has a flu index map which is compiled using retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations nationwide. While both the CDC and Walgreens show improvements they also indicate that California had high rates of influenza this flu season.

Put it on your calendar now for next September or October:

• Get a flu shot.
• Inventory your cold and flu remedies and stock up. (Take old medicines to a Walgreens or other disposal kiosk.) 
• Make sure the pantry and freezer are full of quick and easy meals. (Don't forget the chicken soup.)
• Consider getting a puzzle or craft items to keep you busy in case you need to stay home.
• Above all, try not to get sick in the first place. Consider digging out your COVID mask especially for times when flu activity is high. (Check the CDC and Walgreens for more information.)

Again, from Axios:

Saskia Popescu, a member of APIC's Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force, told Axios.... "All of those mitigation efforts that you can do — washing your hands, covering your cough, cleaning, disinfection, being mindful of ventilation in shared spaces — that's all going to help."

Be well, people, and see you in the Spring. 

My $4,000 staycation ...

... has just ended.

I've been home for a month. Almost exactly. My last driving day was December 20 and my first day back on the job was January 22. In between there were two major holidays and time with family and friends, although it turned that Winter Break went by way too fast. We enjoyed spending relaxing days at home, reading, playing games, and pursuing hobbies. A very nice time. 

And then we both got sick and our holiday extended longer than we expected in the form of a self-imposed quarantine. If it wasn't for the getting sick part, it would have been great. Between the coughs and sniffles, we still managed to do a lot of relaxing and generally enjoying each other's company. We had stocked up on food and hobby supplies so we didn't really need to go anywhere or do anything. We just settled in and got very comfortable in our own little bubble.

I don't know that we saved $4,000 by staying home but I can tell you we did save a lot of money by not going anywhere. We were getting alerts from our credit card company saying, "Are you guys all right? Do you need to buy something?"

We couldn't plan time like that - a whole month's vacation - until maybe May. Wouldn't that be great? Maybe I'll just stay at home again in May. Just take it easy.

The ridiculous part of this is I'm retired. I could take it easy any day. The problem is, I don't which isn't a bad thing. It's good that I'm keeping busy. But, for the last month, I've been reminded of how nice it is to just slow down and enjoy my own company. And, isn't it great that I can spend a month just hanging out with Hubby and want to do it again?

And the savings is pretty grand too. Which is to say we live a pretty good life the rest of the time.

I'm feeling grateful. Lucky to be alive and have the life I have. I'm grateful for my family and friends and the time we spend together. I'm grateful to have the freedom to spend my time alone, too, if that's what I want to do. I'm grateful for the beautiful space and place I live in and that I'm fortunate enough to afford living here.

I'm grateful for my "job," too, which is driving the Littles around from place to place so their parents can work. It keeps me busy and it keeps me connected to people that matter to me so I'm okay with that.

Another half marathon in the books.

Not mine but, you know, somebody's. 

I was training to walk in the Arizona Rock 'n' Roll half marathon. I logged countless hours and countless miles. (That's a lie. I counted them all.)

And then, to celebrate the new year, I got sick with the flu or some damn thing. My first symptoms appeared 11 days before race day. I had time to recover.

Which, I did. But not in time to do the race. Hubby has it too. Has - as in the present tense. Actually, I'm not really sure. He had it - whatever it was - and now he has something else: a persistent cough. He's been sick, literally, for all of 2025 so far. And I don't know if "sick" is the right word anymore. But he just can't shake this cough.

In any case, between the two of us, we thought it best to just stay home.

But I'm just wondering. Do I still get a medal?

It's like Quarantine...

 ... because it is quarantine.

Hubby has been sick for three weeks and I have been sick for two. We've barely been outside of the house or spoken to another human being in days. And it seems the whole neighborhood has been affected. Many of our neighbors are also at home trying to shake this thing. We are nearly out of food while we are well stocked in toilet paper. 

Any of this sound familiar?

I don't think we have anything more serious than the common cold or flu. Not that we tested because it didn't really matter: We were dropping out of society regardless. Our symptoms are not severe. Not in the slightest (although they were worse for Hubby). They are annoyingly persistent, however. The tail end of this thing seems to be a dry cough which Hubby is struggling to shake. 

And yet, like Quarantine, it's not all bad. There have been pockets of boredom but in other ways it's been a lot like a staycation. We are playing games in the evening. I'm reading books, cooking things from scratch, kitting a blanket. And we are saving a ton of money by not going out. Not anywhere (except for essential services like coffee [jk - I meant groceries]). It's intimate and cozy.

But there are some things I miss like people. Sunset cocktails with the neighbors in the driveway. Hanging out with our besties. Taking the kids to school (my hobby). Going out for dinner!

The other side of the coin is sleeping in and perpetual pajamas.

If it wasn't for the getting sick part it would be a toss up, really.

Maybe I should consider becoming a hermit.

[Editor's note: The office of Chocolate Chip Mint is encouraging everyone to come back to the office. Actually, we're pretty much through it now and have been out in the wild. All good here.]

My watch has a hold on me.

If you've ever seen an Apple Watch, you may have noticed three rings on its watch face - concentric circles in red, green, and blue. Watch faces can be customized so not every one will have it but it's common. Those rings are part of what is know as the Activity app and it keeps track of your daily physical activity. Each ring represents a different goal: calories burned, exercise minutes, and how many times you stand in a day. It's this last one - the Stand goal - that makes me a little crazy.

The overall goal is a daily physical routine that will close all three rings by end of the day. When I first got the watch, I found the Stand reminder in the Activity app to be a little annoying. The watch will alert you at 50 minutes past any hour in which you have not taken the opportunity to stand for at least one minute. When I was working in a high pressure job, I found the hourly reminders disruptive. But then, I got to appreciate it. My job was sedentary and it was probably a good thing for me to get up from my desk and walk around a little. My work performance may have even improved as it allowed me to clear my head and relax a little.

But then, as I am wont to do, I became obsessive about closing all three rings every day and I know I'm not the only one. If that meant I had to march around the house for six minutes just before bedtime, so be it. I was closing that goddam ring. If I hadn't satisfied my Stand ring, I would just stand while watching TV. This was only slightly awkward if I was a guest in someone's home but often they were Watch wearers as well so everyone stood up at fifty minutes past the hour.

Near the end of the day, the Watch will alert you with a chirpy "You can still do it!" reminder to let you know you still have time to close your rings. It will follow up with a suggestions such as "A brisk, 12-minute walk should do it" or "Time to stand!"

When I started training to do a half marathon, closing the rings became easy. But there's one little catch: The Stand ring doesn't care how long you stand. It only records how many different hours you stood and moved around for at least one minute. Meaning, you only have to stand for twelve minutes but in twelve different hours of the day.

So, you can imagine how annoyed I was when, a couple weeks ago, I walked 13.1 miles, was actively on my feet for three and a half hours burning over 1,000 calories, covered over 26,000 steps throughout the day and then while sitting down to watch TV, my watch chirped "You can still do it!" Despite all the day's activities, I had only stood for 10 minutes during 10 different hours.

And I thought, "You, bitch!"

But damned if I didn't stand up anyway.

Twice.

What are my hobbies?

 This was a question my grandson posed one day. I started listing off the things I do. Namely, walking (training for a half marathon), learning Spanish and ASL, taking care of the house. All boring stuff. So boring, in fact, that I have nothing to say at a cocktail party. 

I never really have. Keep in mind, I was previously an accountant before I was a full time grandma. Not terribly interesting, unless I'm in a room full of other accountants.

As usual, the better response came to me several hours later. (Does that ever happen to you? The snappy, witty response never appears in the moment.) It was, "You. You are my hobby."

Alright. Maybe that's not snappy and witty but it's the truth. And, it's not full time but I do spend some time with the littles nearly every day driving them around because it's a lot. I don't know how parents could manage multiple kids' schedules without help.

I do those other things too. Walking, Spanish, etc. I started knitting a blanket once. It was meant to be a Christmas present. Three years ago.  

Maybe I could pick that up again. 

That would be a good hobby.

[Editor's note: Between the time I drafted and posted this, I did finish that blanket and started another one. And it is a good hobby.]

I’ve had some time on my hands

Cold and Flu

Nailed it!

I saw this quote and it spoke to me:

"... if this is your preferred way, you are likely an older sibling and you file your taxes in February."

Correct on both counts.

Not an online personality quiz, this quote comes from an article from Bon Appétit: How to Soften Butter - Quickly - According to a Pro Baker.

I tried the method called "The Only Adult in the Room" but I think I'll go with "The Rule Breaker" next time.

Or maybe I should just plan a little in advance.

On Getting Old

I don't know the half of it, I'm sure. (Considering my age, I think I should know at least the half of it.)

So far, getting old is a little like high school. Consider where I live: a 55+ community. The one I live in is about 1,000 homes which makes its population about the same size as my high school. There are the same cliques: jocks, stoners, band, choir, student council. There are popular kids and outcasts. And rumors. So many rumors!

Then, there are the surprising and unexpected changes in one's body. For example, when I look in the mirror, I sometimes don't recognize who is staring back at me. Sometimes, I see the me that's always been me. Other times, I just see an old lady and I wonder, "How did this happen?" I think about my granddaughter and what she sees when she looks at me. "Old" can be the only answer even when I feel as young as ever (mostly).

Body parts ache or don't work the same as they used to. Flexibility and physical capacity are diminished even when my mind believes otherwise. Why don't things work like they used to when I don't feel any different on the inside?

Speaking of inside, there's a betrayal going on. My body - the one that's been with me my whole life - doesn't respond the way it used to and it doesn't recover as quickly. Take the common cold or flu. I used to be able to brush it off, push through it, hardly miss a beat. Now, it takes days or weeks.

In our community of old people, a cold or flu spreads quickly and thoroughly. Texts are exchanged to share symptoms and to find out how long whatever sickness lasts. Quarantine is self-imposed and we miss seeing neighbors for far too long.

That's the current situation. Hubby and I are both at home waiting for wellness to return for it can't be rushed or coaxed. My current cold/flu symptoms are mild so far but I've seen the neighborhood text network. It could get much worse and last for another week or more. My kids, however, aren't worried about it. Maybe I'm contagious but they're still invincible. They might get it but no biggie. And the littles - if they get it, they'll get over it quickly or even go to school in spite of it.

Well, my children. You will get old one day, too.

Back to Square One

I'm not in the Grinch Onsie so maybe we're back to Square Two. I'm back to lounging around in sweats all day without a bra, however. 

I just came down with the "icks." I don't know exactly what I have or how long I'll have it but Hubby has been sick since Day One. By that, I mean January 1. So far he's been sick for all of 2025.

And now I have it. Whatever it is.

I'm on day two (meaning, I just started feeling icky yesterday) and my symptoms are mild: a little bit of a runny nose, a little bit of post nasal drip, and a little achey. Not bad enough to crack open the cold medicine (although I stocked up jic). But it is bad enough for me to disengage from society again. If I have what Hubby's been struggling with, things could get bad for a couple of days and I wouldn't want to give that to anyone.

One complication is that I'm signed up to do a half marathon in ten days. All training has ceased so I can concentrate my energy on getting healthy but I don't want to lay around long enough to lose all the progress of my training to date. 

It seems one or both of us get sick around this time of year which isn't too alarming since it's cold and flu season. It's also tourist where I live. Around the holidays, people from other parts of the country - many of whom traveled through crowded airports - make their way to the grocery stores and entertainment venues that surround us.

A few years ago, I was more sensitive about wearing a mask during trips to the store. Now, things have gotten more casual. Even when I go to the doctor's office, not everyone wears a mask - in a place where sick people go, as a general rule. 

NOTE TO SELF: Somewhere around Thanksgiving, start wearing a mask again. Self, you can take it off when the entire neighborhood is no longer quarantined due to the common freaking cold or whatever new virus is getting passed around.

It's not all bad, being mildly sick. It sort of extends my holiday vacation. Plus, I got the yarn for my next knitting project so I'm reasonably content.  I just don't want it to get worse and I need it to get better soon. I've got a half marathon to do!

Still on the right track.

I was dressed in street clothes before noon today. Not much before noon but 11:30 still counts as morning. I did this even with no intention of leaving the house.

Yesterday, I finished the knit blanket and a book that I had been reading. Today, I started a new book and started a new blanket project. At this pace, the blanket will be done in 2030. (While I am a slow reader, I expect I'll finish the book before February.)

Around dinnertime, I decided that I had been in street clothes for long enough (a few hours, it was) and went to change my clothes. I reached for some green and blue flannel Seahawks pajama bottoms and even pulled them on before I realized the backslide. From the corner of my eye, I saw the Grinch onsie hanging on its hanger and I knew I was that close to putting it on. (I have to admit, it's very cozy.)

I resisted and put on yoga pants instead. Some people think that counts as street clothes. I don't but it should count for acceptable relaxing clothes. 

Tomorrow, I plan to be dressed before I go out into the world at 8:30 in the morning. 

Probably.

Okay, maybe.

Today, I'm impersonating a functioning member of society.

 Not any particular member, just in general.

I took a shower, washed my hair, and put on clothes that are acceptably worn in public, including a bra. Never mind it was mid-afternoon. I want credit for having done it at all.

Mind you, I'm not actually going out in public today, meaning since I showered. I figure that's extra credit: getting dressed without any particular reason to do so. That should offset the fact that this morning I went out in public wearing sweats and no bra. I will note that I did brush my teeth and hair before going out. Maybe all of that averages out but I'm thinking I'm ahead at this point.

I ate a healthy breakfast and a reasonably healthy lunch (if a cheese sandwich counts) and have avoided sugar (other than some raisins but that's fruit, right?).

I also did two banking-like chores and washed some dishes. I have a plan for binding off the knit blanket that I completed yesterday and I'm almost done with my book - just a few pages left which I can take care of after I start a load of laundry. I also have a plan for dinner (which is one of the reasons I went out earlier).

And I haven't played any solitaire! So not bad, right?

At least I'm getting there.

And then there was sugar.

 So much sugar from friends and family wishing us a new year full of diabetes, apparently. Sent with love, I feel obliged to eat at least some of it. Okay, all of it. It's a little here and a little there so that by the end of January, I'm not only not sober (a bandwagon I have not jumped on yet) but I'm fat.

Fortunately, January coincides with my peak marathon training so I'm hoping the extra miles offset everything and makes things more or less even.

How long can you wear the same pair of sweats before you have to wash them?

 Asking for a friend....

What day is it?

2024 skidded to an end like going over a cliff - the first few days of 2025 falling, falling, suspended in air. The last month of the year was a blur as we raced and raced to prepare for - no, not the apocalypse, quite the contrary. We raced, stressed out of our minds like preppers for the endtimes, to - ironically - what's intended to be quite the opposite: a celebration of life, love, family, and togetherness. And, apparently, presents, large meals, and copious amounts of sugar that is both distributed to and gathered from the people we love.

When it's over, the momentum of December launches us into January and a new year with no particular purpose. So, we make them up. They are called resolutions. But I don't have any so these last few days have been directionless inertia like floating in jello.

What's know as "the holidays" suspends my Monday through Friday routine for two weeks. For the first week, and the whole prior month if I'm being honest, Monday through Friday carries the extra burden of a deadline for all this cheer. No wonder everyone comes down with something as soon as it's all over. We're all exhausted and physically drained leaving our immune systems exposed to the elements and/or each other.

When the hustle and bustle is stripped away and the Monday through Friday is still suspended, I quickly found myself losing track of what day it is, wandering from room to room in sweatpants and no bra. I haven't worn a bra for nearly 10 days now and I'm concerned I may never go back. (This is not something I've ever experienced before and now I'm wondering what took me so long to discover this new joy.)

"Snap out of it!" I keep telling myself. (In my journal, it's in all caps with a lot more exclamation points!) Monday is literally around the corner and I will not only have to find a bra, I may have to shower, wash my hair, and wear actual clothes instead of my pajamas.

There's a very real part of me that doesn't want to go back to "normal" even though I know that's what's best for me. I could quickly devolve into a bowl of jelly if I don't learn to interact with other humans soon. Alas, I downloaded a solitaire app to my phone and I can't make myself stop playing it. This, when I have a perfectly good book to finish, soups and stews I could be making, and a knit blanket project that is literally only a couple of rows from being finished.

I am managing to exercise every day and we are feeding ourselves - mostly leftovers, however. We are not totally lost. 

But we still don't know what day it is.