Friday, July 3, 2020
Effective today, you must wear a mask in public in all Texas counties with twenty or more confirmed COVID-19 cases by order of Governor Abbott. According to the news, you are warned the first time and could be fined $250 the second time. I don’t think anyone’s really enforcing it, but most businesses have signs stating face coverings are required inside. Many people still aren’t wearing them, here in Mineral Wells anyway. We went to Sutherlands and Tractor Supply this morning.
Many cities have canceled July 4th festivities. The government suggests people should stay at home. Mineral Wells is still planning to have a fireworks show. I will stay at home and play it safe.
We know an elderly couple in Mansfield who have both tested positive for COVID-19. So far, their oxygen levels are good, and they are expected to recover. They said they were careful, but the virus still found them.
Palo Pinto County is up to sixty cases and the number grows daily. 300 children in Texas daycare facilities have confirmed cases.
My video for the contest is done and my screenplay is ready. I will probably submit it tomorrow. That will leave me a day just in case it doesn’t load or something.
For now, First Baptist Mineral Wells plans on holding a live service this Sunday. I’ll be watching from home.
Monday, July 6, 2020
I needed some paint for a project, so I went to Walmart this morning. When I got home I realized my paint was still at Walmart even though I had paid for it. I called the store and had to return to pick up my missing items. Ray and I have discussed many times whose responsibility it is to make sure you have all your items in your cart upon exiting the store, and the jury is still out. The extra trip to town wasted all the time I had to work on my craft project. Walmart is dead to me again.
Stephanie and Hayden must be having fun. I haven’t heard anything from her in a few days.
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Governor Abbott has pushed back the start of schools for two weeks, and he says if anyone tests positive, that campus will close for five days for cleaning. That’s ludicrous. What a nightmare for working parents to have to scramble for childcare at the last minute throughout the year. And what about daycares?
Around 3pm, Ray yelled through the kitchen door, “Lauri, I need your help now.” I remembered his tone of voice from prior emergencies, and images of the time our car caught fire flashed through my mind. I raced to see what was happening. Matt was unresponsive, and I threw open the door as Ray half carried and half drug him from the truck.
They had gone to Tractor Supply and realized once they were there that they only had one mask. Matt chose to stay in the truck which has no air-conditioning. Although the windows were down, he got too warm and passed out. When Ray got back to the truck, he thought Matt was just sleeping. On the way home, Matt went limp and Ray couldn’t wake him, so he checked for a pulse. He could only find a faint pulse.
Once we got Matt inside the kitchen, on the floor, he was still unresponsive. Ray stripped him down to his underwear, and ordered me to get wet towels. I’m not good in emergency situations. I didn’t think to pray. My thoughts were of curse words, my dying son, my husband who let this happen and wasn’t calling an ambulance, and this stupid ranch and all it’s cost us. But I did wet several dish towels like I was instructed.
Ray shoved towels in Matt’s underwear and under his arms. “You cool down the groin area and armpits first,” he said.
It did not matter in the least to me that Ray is a licensed EMT. I’m married to him—been married to him for 33 years—so I am familiar with his IQ. My son was dying and I needed a professional.
Matt started breathing with short, shallow breaths. My anxiety escalated.
“He’s having a seizure. We need to call an ambulance. He could have COVID. He could have a fever,” I said. I was freaking out and thought it was COVID-19 at the very least, if not the zombie apocalypse.
Ray said calmly, “No, it’s not a seizure.” And he kept calling Matt’s name.
This eternity actually took place in about five minutes. Matt motioned to his throat. We got him some water, and helped him sit up. He drank and asked where he was. Ray asked him, “What’s the last thing you can remember?”
Matt said, “I remember my eyes burning and feeling really tired, so I thought I’d take a nap.”
They decided to take it easy for the rest of the day. Ray strung our wet kitchen towels from Matt’s boxers and arm pits over the backs of the bar stools and we watched YouTube videos until time to cook dinner.
I knocked a bottle of teriyaki sauce out of the pantry. It broke, and I cleaned it up with the lavender paper towels. I finally used up a roll. Only five more double rolls left.
The guys went back out to work on the ranch around 8:00. Ray said it had cooled off a bit. I think it was still 93 degrees.
I mopped the kitchen while they were gone.
If that wasn’t enough excitement, Ray decided he had time to make one more mess. Matt’s dorm fridge has been here since he came home from school due to COVID-19. We filled it with canned drinks, and a Sprite in the back froze. The can expanded in a dome-shape at the top and was lodged in the fridge. The shelf couldn’t be removed without being lifted, and the can was in a bind. Ray planned to poke a hole in the can enabling him to squeeze it and free it. We took everything out of the fridge, placed a square Pyrex dish in the bottom, and Ray stabbed the can with our ice pick. I waited nearby, exhausted, and dreaded mopping again. The can was frozen solid. He jabbed it several times and very little liquid escaped. It took some work, but he finally removed it. Then he cut the can open and drank the Sprite by pouring another drink over it to melt it. No waste and no mess, just had to wash the shelf and the dish.
We reloaded the cans on their sides to avoid future problems.
The kitchen floor is still sticky from the teriyaki sauce.
Monday, July 13, 2020
After suffering from heat exhaustion, Matt wrote a family slogan:
“Dad is sorry for everything.
Mom is scared of everything.
Matt is the cause of everything.
Hayden builds everything.
And Steph misses everything.”
That sums it up.
Today was uneventful, thank God. I went to Brookshire’s. A man was wearing a red and gold Avenger’s costume mask. It was a little unsettling to witness, but he was compliant with the law.
Stephanie called. They are having a good time. A friend from Denver arrived and is visiting them for a few days.
Today felt cooler. It was windy and overcast for much of the afternoon.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Palo Pint County broke 100 positive cases for COVID-19. We are officially at 101.
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Today is Matt’s birthday. He’s going out with a friend.
The weather’s been hot, sunny, and dry.
You have to make an appointment to use the public library during the pandemic. I have not made an appointment to browse, but I assume it is possible to do that. I reserved my items online at mypcla.com (Parker County Library Association) and scheduled an appointment for curbside pick-up. The items were waiting in a crate on a table on the porch for me. They had already checked the materials out to my card and bagged them. If you don’t have a library card, shame on you. Contact the library, I’m sure they can issue you a card. There was a sign with my last name on it attached to the crate. Trust me, I touched everything to discover the process when I picked up my stuff. The librarian was watching nearby, probably cringing and gathering disinfecting supplies. I’m surprised I’ve been able to put off going for so long. That’s a good indicator of how many books are waiting in my TBR (to be read) pile. If you don’t return your items, they recheck them out to you and send you an email alerting you of the new due date.
I noticed something new—at least I think it’s new—on my library receipt. They tally the value of your items. According to my receipt, I saved $64.99 today by using my library. I have saved $1,030.46 this past year and $5,660.75 since I began using the library. That’s pretty cool.
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Matt is sick today. He has a cough, sore throat, and dizziness. No fever. He and Ray worked with the cattle yesterday, so all the dust they kicked up likely irritated his lungs. It’s so dry and dusty.
It was overcast this morning, but we got a short shower this afternoon in spite of the sunshine. Thank you Tropical Storm Hannah.
Steph called from a town near them this morning. They are working and playing. They caught a lot of fish last night. We had planned on meeting them in September in Ruidoso, but we’re unsure what we’ll do now due to New Mexico issuing their 14 day quarantine for all out of state visitors.
Friday, July 31, 2020
School districts have the right to decide when they reopen and most are offering an online option. Schools have made adjustments for social distancing, such as Plexiglas guards around desks. Announcements of new rules and school openings have changed almost daily, but they are finalizing decisions since August begins tomorrow.
Palo Pinto County has 206 confirmed Covid-19 cases, and six deaths.