Pandemic, Week 58 (Back to Reality)

 

This week policeman Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all three counts of murder. He was immediately taken into custody to await sentencing. The Justice Department has subsequently launched a civil investigation into the practice of excessive force by the Minneapolis Police Department. While the verdict was being read, a 16-year-old girl in Columbus, OH was shot and killed by police, who she had called, in response to her attacking another woman with a knife. President Biden met with other foreign leaders on Earth Day at the Leaders Summit on Climate where they announced the US would halve its 2005 level of emissions by 2030 (misguided climate activist, arguing that this doesn't go far enough, protested by dumping cow manure outside the White House). The House passed HR 51, which would make the District of Columbia the 51st state. The Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, took the first powered, controlled flight on another planet this week. On Sunday, 12 European football clubs announced they would form a new "Super League," replacing the current UEFA Championship League. After a massive outcry from fans, the plan was abandoned by Tuesday. Former Vice President Walter Mondale died.

The world hit 147.2 million COVID cases and 3.1 million deaths this week. The US accounted for 32.8 of those million cases and 586,000 deaths. The CDC announced that it was lifting the Johnson & Johnson 10-day pause, and would allow the resumption of vaccinations of the drug immediately with additional risk warnings. 42 percent of Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 28 percent are fully vaccinated (which now includes Allen and I). But while more people are vaccinated, the rates are declining, suggesting we may have reached saturation points in certain parts of the country, who have started decline vaccine shipments.

Our world continued to slowly return to some version of normal. We had Meeting at the Meeting House (though in the garden and masked). We celebrated Makayla's 18th birthday. While Owen had a pause in in-person learning this week (he starts going two days full-time next week), Nora entered Stuart-Hobson for the first time as a middle schooler on Wednesday (for a non-instructional afternoon of tutoring and socialization). She got to go back on Friday for a class meet-up at the field. Allen celebrated Earth Day by watching Biden's Summit while Nora took a more grass-roots approach by making and posting signs encouraging people not to litter. We had the Cluster Auction remotely again, but this time there was at least the possibility of getting to use some of the gift certificates we won.

But the big news is that this week both Allen and I got our second vaccine shots. I had a rough Friday morning (resulting in my calling it a day by noon) whereas Allen mostly just needed some extended napping on Saturday. But having recovered, we're now counting the days until we actually can have a date night outside of the house...

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)

Pandemic, week 57 (We Were on a Break)

This week the defense rested in the trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, accused of murdering George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes. A few miles from the courthouse, police accidentally killed Daunte Wright after pulling him over because an air freshener was hanging from his rearview window and an officer confused her taser with a gun. Meanwhile, Chicago police released body-cam footage of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, shot by police after tossing his gun and putting up his hands. Protests related to all three incidents occurred across the country. A 19-year-old former employee killed eight people and himself at a Fed-Ex facility in Indianapolis with two legally purchased assault rifles. President Biden announced that U.S. troops will fully exit Afghanistan by September 11, 2020 (twenty years after they arrived). Bernie Madoff, purveyor of the largest Ponzi scheme ever, died in prison.

The world reached 141.3 million COVID cases and 3.0 million deaths this week. The U.S. accounted for 32.4 million of those cases and 581,000 deaths. 39 percent of the US population has received at least one vaccine dose and 25 percent are fully vaccinated. The CDC recommended a "pause" in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six women, out of 7 million vaccine recipients, developed life threatening blood clots. India, the worlds largest producer, is out of COVID vaccine as another wave of infections hits.

It was the kids' spring break, so we took the opportunity to head to St. Michael's with Mom Mom (and special guest, Aunt Katherine, with cameos from Grandpa Don and Jeff) for a few days. The house we rented came with kayaks and bikes, so we made great use of both (though we quickly decided the tandem bike might not be the best mode of transport for us).

Katherine had originally planned to stay with us the whole time, but after Kiwi came home with her the week before (and escaped from the yard multiple times), she decided that she really could only handle a few day trips away from her. But in those few days, we managed to fit in cocktails, a wine tasting, kayaking, a swim, yard games, and some meals (some more successful than others).

On Sunday, Don and Jeffrey graciously offered to fly in some fresh sage (for some less-than-successful gnocchi) and once there, let Owen take the wheel (since Nora got to last time) as the kids and Allen flew to Ocean City and back. Monday we explored St. Michaels by bike and built a lovely fire to ward off the spring chill. On Tuesday, Katherine joined us for a second visit to St. Michaels, where we dined by the water (and befriended the locals) before we heading back on Wednesday.

But the adventures didn't stop there. On Thursday, Allen and Owen went to their first in-person National's game since game five of the 2019 World Series (they lost this game too). The kids finally assembled their Easter present from Mom Mom (and incorporated it into their full Hogwarts world). And on Saturday, Nora had her first in-person DCPOY rehearsal in over a year (while Owen had climbing and then hung out with a friend).

It was a nice diversion that gave us a taste of what the post-Pandemic world might be like. We can't wait for the real thing.

(To see all the pictures, click here.)

Pandemic, Week 56 (Hopping Along)

It was Infrastructure Week this week, or rather it was "Biden Rolls Out his American Jobs Plan" which includes in its $2 trillion price tag both traditional examples of infrastructure – roads and bridges – and also education, housing, internet and electrical grids, thus sparking a debate on what is infrastructure.  Republicans (and Senator Joe Manchin) also pushed back on the President's plan to partially offset the cost of the bill by raising corporate taxes from 21 percent to 28 percent. President Biden also issued a series of Executive Actions to curb gun violence, in response to multiple mass shootings in the past month. Arkansas banned doctors from providing gender-affirming treatment for trans children, overriding a veto from its Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, who argued it was government overreach. The All-Star game has been moved to Denver, prompting Mitch McConnell to warn corporations to stay out of politics, while still making political donations. Amazon workers voted roughly 2-1 against unionization in an Alabama warehouse. Prince Phillip, consort to Queen Elizabeth II, died at age 99.

This week the world hit 136.0 million cases and 2.9 million deaths. The U.S. Reached 31.9 million cases and 576,000 deaths. America has averaged 3 million vaccine shots per day with 35 percent of the population having received at least one dose and 21 percent being fully vaccinated.  President Biden announced that states must expand vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 years and older beginning April 19th.  DCPS announced that schools would fully re-open this fall with everyday in-person learning for all students.

We celebrated Easter this week, first with an egg hunt and Ukrainian egg-decorating (pysanka) at First Day School. After a quick-stop by the house to make spring rolls and pick-up Grandpa Fawcett, we made our way up to Mom Mom & Grandpa Don's for another Easter egg hunt for the kids and an adult beverage hunt care of Katherine (we won!).  After a lovely dinner, we headed back to DC to face the last week of Term 3 (which involved a lot of make-up work for Owen), and a flurry of cooking projects (more gnocchi!) before the start of Spring Break and a trip to St. Michaels.

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)

Pandemic, Week 55 (Shots in the Arm)

This week a man rammed his car into a Capitol checkpoint, killing one officer and injuring another. The driver jumped out of the car wielding a knife and was killed by Capitol police. Controversial Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) went on the offense when news broke of a federal investigation and claimed that he has never paid anyone for sex. It was Opening Day for baseball with in-person fans – except in DC where the game was delayed after multiple Nationals players tested positive for COVID. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball announced they would move the All-Star Game from Atlanta in protest of Georgia's restrictive new voting law. The Suez Canal reopened after the container ship, Ever Given, was unstuck.

The world reached 131.2 million COVID cases and 2.9 million deaths this week of which the US accounted for 31.4 million cases and 569,000 deaths. The U.S. averaged 3.0 million doses of the vaccine per day with 31 percent of the population having received at least one dose and 17 percent of the population being fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had to be destroyed after a batch was contaminated with AstraZeneca ingredients.

It was a beautiful in DC this week. We were able to get out for bike rides and walks to take full advantage of the peak of the Cherry Blossoms. Owen recorded his parts for Duke Ellington's Carmen performance with Denyce Graves.  Nora led her team in the class debate on the merits of immigration in the book, Inside Out & Back Again (she was anti- and it was a draw). But mostly, it was pretty great week because both Allen and I got our first dose of the vaccine (though it still seems weird to get it on April Fools Day) and should be fully vaccinated by May. Now the kids...

 

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)