We are starting to see the turkey problem appear in decision making.

Because you haven’t had major problems in the last little while, you assume things are going to be just fine.

Of course this depends on what you describe as “major.” The macro numbers are grim and incredible.

We are all in the mood to fool ourselves.

Magical thinking.

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My topic of conversation with the kids at breakfast this morning.

Kids, I want you to remember that I don’t want to get sick.

I’m counting on you to continue to be smart.

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Our local Elk’s Club is gearing up for social distance lap swim.

• Book an 80-minute slot
• Swim for an hour with ten minutes before/after to come/go
• 1-2 people per lane, same household only
• Outdoor pool, open gate, no change rooms, no surfaces to touch

Something to think about if your community has an outdoor pool. They built a simple website and the income will be useful to keep the lights on for a community organization.

This is the longest non-swimming block of my wife’s life. She started as a toddler.

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Our state stay-at-home order expired yesterday.

Boulder County (and most other Colorado counties with lots of people) extended the stay-at-home order.

Significant pop in Colorado’s positives over the last three days. Seeing the five-day average jump upwards for the final week of lockdown is not what I expected.

Perhaps it’s a timing issue with reporting.

It doesn’t bode well for the summer.

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Related to the lockdown stuff, Ax and I have started wearing masks on the trails. I got him on board by telling him that it “makes other people feel better.”

I noticed a spot on my thigh last week – irregular shape, multi-colored, slightly raised – most definitely not what you want to find on your skin during lockdown!

All I had at home was Bacitracin Zinc, Neosporin and Clotrimazole => left over stuff from diaper-days.

Thankfully, one of them did the trick, or I healed on my own.

Phew!

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Australia and New Zealand turning the corner, perhaps.

What do they have in common?

• Ability to isolate => no long land borders
• Early imposition of quarantine on international arrivals
• Cultural pride in self-sufficiency and a lack of stupidity
• An understanding that nobody is coming to save them
• Experience making trade-offs with limited resources

American social distancing is leaky and we have highly connected internal/external land borders.

We should expect our experience to be different than the best of the city-states of East Asia and islands of Oceania

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Two things on my “to do” list for this week:

1. make a list of “things that are obvious” about the virus
2. draft a basic week for a summer without camps or swim league => online education is going to end May 21st

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Aside from University Education and Medicine => what are other admin-heavy sectors that have benefited from money pouring into them?

Look for sectors with long-term price inflation far ahead of the mean.

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Weekend Highlights

The kids take comfort in having a schedule. Even on our unstructured day, our youngest wanted me to type out a game plan.

Recent movies:

• Incredibles – done as a day movie on Sunday – gives an option for a parent nap!
• A Monster in Paris – all three kids were rapt
• Episode 2 of the Star Wars franchise
• The Willoughbys – weird one, but girls watched

Our oldest did a FaceTime call with a buddy, teaching her how to make masks. Kept her occupied for a couple hours!

What can your kid teach other kids?

Saw our neighbors filled their “Little Library” with canned goods for anyone passing by.

Saturday & Sunday I write myself three items of cleaning to get done. The weekends remind me that being online is usually a distraction from doing what needs to be done.

Kids are required to do one session of cleaning each week (usually on Sunday). Beyond that I pay. Last week’s cleaning bill was $10.

Sunday afternoon was pea planting for Axel, while Bella washed a car.

Bella’s car wash, $5 a vehicle!

Finished The Body by Bill Bryson – entertaining read – much lighter going than the last book I read.

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Monday highlights…

I’m figuring out my 80-pound sandbag – links to sandbag getup exercise.

Getting up off the floor with a weight on your chest and shoulder => functional!

Another week of shopping => done!

I learn about myself by tracking my perceived difficulties.

Much of what I thought was difficult pre-Corona turned out to be quite useful during Corona!

Can you remember your problems from February?