We celebrated Jason’s birthday yesterday. He’s now 38. Very low key, as everything these days. He spent the day playing video games, and I, working on poetry and scanning family photos from my parents’ albums. For supper, we ordered pizza from Gabriel’s. Me, a small combination with bacon, Diet Pepsi, Jason, a medium pepperoni with bacon, Ginger Ale. The restaurant portion of Gabriel’s is closed up again, because of the latest lockdown.

In a certain way, we’ve gotten quite used to the lockdown, being homebodies anyway these days. Even Pot is delivered during a lockdown, as opposed to me or J having to bus downtown. We’ve been buying regularly off Dutch Love of late, the closest store at Bank and Nepean. When bussing it, we can go down...do our business...and be back home in an hour, at least around 10 in the morning, week days, with little to no traffic on the road, thanks to the pandemic. There’s talk of new stores opening up, different companies, so still hoping we can get something closer in the South Keys area.

Premier Ford declared a State of Emergency today for the province of Ontario, having decided against a curfew, as Premier Legault did for Quebec. What it means is essential travel only; groceries, medical appointments and emergencies, pharmacy, work. Even the box stores like Walmart can only sell groceries, no flat screen TVs, etc. Which is kind of scary when you think about it, though there’s always online shopping if your toaster or coffee-maker breaks down.

All in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, including variants, which in Ontario is reaching frightening proportions, and threatening to completely overwhelm the hospital system, especially ICUs, while tragically, surgery, elective and otherwise, including hip/knee replacements, heart, and Cancer related, etc. have been postponed, as those front-line workers must assist with the flood of COVID patients. And that‘s not even discussing the mental-health repercussions for anyone affected.

Most school kids never made it back to a real classroom after the holidays, having to learn online till things change/improve, as an increasing number of young people have become infected since Christmas and New Year’s.

Even before the Premier used it in his speech today, everyone already knew the next two months are going to be tough.

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01/13/2021

Posted on 01/13/2021
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti