COVID Numbers Update

 I haven't done a numbers update in a while. The July surge (despite nearly 100% public mask compliance, and most remaining at home under SIP order) was pretty crazy but the numbers are tapering down now. 69 deaths with 51 of those being patients in nursing homes. Schools will be closed likely into the new year. 

Marin County COVID-19 status update: August 26, 2020

COVID-19 activity in Marin:

Marin Confirmed Cases:                 3,729 (298 currently)

Marin Deaths:                               69

Tests Completed in Marin:              67,000

Marin Cases Recovered:                 3,431  

Marin Hospitalizations cumulative:   130 

Marin Hospitalizations currently:      12

The Hills, They Are Burning

 

Ok so what we said about the hills, don't take to the hills right now. They are either on fire, about to be on fire or filling with smoke. We woke to the sound of our UPS beeping as it kicked in during a power outage while we were sleeping a week ago. The house was otherwise silent and of course pitch black but I had a bad feeling the outage was due to the storm we'd heard was on the way. Dry lightning is the enemy of anyone who lives on the West coast of Canada or the US. Late summer heat and dryness in the forests makes for a dangerous place for a strike to land. In 2008 we were here for the last dry lightning event in California and it was pretty catastrophic. 

I looked out over the valley saw in in distance some flashes of  lightening and when I stepped outside the dry hot wind kicked up and started to pull on our awning over the deck. The air smelled like sulfur. Joel got up and began manually cranking in the awning which is very difficult without the electric motor. The storm rolled closer and some drops of rain started and I had to run outside to cover the generator with tarps and huge rocks to hold them down dodging flying branches. Our phones lit up with alerts about fires from the storm that had started in Mill Valley, Pt Reyes, Forest Knolls/San Geronimo (very close to us) and I believe there were a few other strikes spots around the Muir Woods side of Mt Tam. Even with the rain starting we knew there was enough build up of dry tinder, these fires were not going to be easy to attack. I sat up with my phone and our wireless hotspot (the only way to get a signal in an outage here because we are just out of regular cell phone company range).  Our local firefighters heroically put out all the fires overnight except for the one in the Pt Reyes National Park which they could not reach. That is the one that is now nearly 3,000 acres and now drawing resources from Montana. 

 A week went by with over 650 fires raging across the state from the lightning event and then we had advance warning of ANOTHER lightning complex coming our way and were advised to be ready to evacuate if a strike were to land near us. So, along with all our friends in the area, we began to organize the plan for evacuation and pack up essentials in the car. A massive Red Flag warning covering most of Northern California was declared. Extra resources started to pour into the state. Luckily when the storm hit it has mostly dispersed at sea and there were just a couple of strikes near existing fires. Our Red Flag was lifted and life returned to our strange normal.  

Fairfax with unhealthy smoke levels still had a concert in the parking lot and diners sitting on patios

It's hazy out there but the sun makes it through. We usually have clear air in the afternoon & evening.

We're so fortunate to have central air conditioning (powered by our solar array) which pulls in fresh air from outside, cools it and then filters it before sending it around the house. Very little smoke gets inside. We had the system updated just a couple of years ago and are very glad we did. It has saved our lungs and sanity the last few years. 

Taking to the Hills

 As we watch the historic exodus out of San Francisco we see the highest rents in North America plunge and the city's real estate market flood. It's something I never thought I'd see living here. With everyone working from home for five months with likely another year of this on the horizon, people with means are making choices to head for the hills. 

In our circle alone we know folks buying rural properties in Northern California, Washington, Oregon and either building a house or working with what's there. Others are building up tiny homes on truck chassis and driving them off into the sunset. Expats are biding their time debating repatriation or a new country. It's not like kids are physically in school this year. It's not like we're likely to see any of the friends we might miss. We're living in one of the most desireable spots to retreat to but that also means we could name the rent price (likely 6,000+ a month) and head further out for a while. It's definitely crossed my mind. 

We miss you California

We're missing so many places, people and happenings while we wait in lockdown. This is a time of year we often make our way down the Pacific Coast Highway through Carmel and Big Sur to Santa Monica and LA seeing friends all the way. I miss those palm treed boulevards, sparkling beaches and long sunsets. Evenings outside under a canopy of grape vines, enjoying feasts with dear friends and so much champagne. We took one last trip into wine country just before the lockdown which I am very grateful for. We'll miss the fall wine tasting and stocking up the cellar too. 

Results at Last

It took a full week but my test results arrived on Sunday. Negative. Phew. 

Through the past week I attempted to isolate from the family for the whole 6 1/2 days. At first, because I was so feverish and exhausted I was 100% in bed in my room, door shut. Joel was working 16 hour days in the office and running up and down the hill to check on kids watching movies or he'd have them in the office playing at my desk on an old computer of mine. It wasn't very safe and it was hell for Joel who was on the phone leading teams and negotiating through some crazy business things with the kids there.  By day 4 I felt the antibiotics may have kicked in and each day was better after that so I felt like COVID diagnosis was extremely unlikely. I decided to try to watch the kids while we are outside (me in a mask all the time of course). And I tried not to touch anything as I moved through the house to get to outdoors and only directed A to make food (which he did) so that I did not touch anything in the kitchen. I figured even if it's just a flu, we better make extra sure it doesn't rip through our family next. I think I must have done a good job because everyone is fine. Fingers crossed. 

We re-joined our pod family today. The kids were overjoyed to be back together. My two were like two feral street kids after a week of fending for themselves and all that screen time. I had a feeling it was going to be a rough week of re-establishing boundaries so I created new visual schedules for each kid with a points system to get them through the re-set. So far so good.