For the last few days my cell phone has sported an emergency alert message from the state, noting the public health stay-at-home order. The infection spike has grown quite spectacular. For December 15, Buttehole County reported 471 new cases. Since the daily average for the previous two weeks was only 124 that's quite a jump, but I'm sure it's the result of a backlog of cases that didn't get reported over the weekend, so it should be lower today. Not low enough to make me comfortable, though, I'm sure. Given how many people were out when I went shopping a week ago Monday I can't say I'm surprised. What does surprise me is that while Buttehole County made it to number two in the state during the spike we had back in August, this time it's only in 31st place, despite that high infection rate. California as a whole is currently doing very badly indeed.
Naturally, I'll be staying in. It occurs to me that there's probably a good chance that the pandemic has saved me from being run over by a texting college student during the last few months. Chico is a very pedestrian-hostile place, and thinking back I realize that it's a wonder that in BC times (Before Coronavirus) I crossed busy Pillsbury Road at points without traffic lights several hundred times, and also walked in the bike lane along that street for a total of what must be about ten miles, and wasn't run down by either motorist or bicyclist. Thanks, China.
Now I think I'll make some grits with butter and cinnamon sugar, and a glass of chocolate milk, for second breakfast. I already ate today's donut for first breakfast. I'm not even going to think about lunch until afternoon.
