COVID-19 - Still Red

Well, it's Memorial Day weekend 2020.  I haven't felt much like writing about here-&-now for a few weeks.  We are past the worst of what is probably COVID-19 Wave 1 (we're likely to have Wave 2 next winter).  Case numbers are coming down in Luzerne & Lackawanna County.  The most illness and death has involved, sadly, lower-income people especially in Hazleton (many of whom live in larger family groups, and some of whom work in warehouse businesses and meat packing plants), residents of nursing & assisted living facilities, and health care workers.  Fortunately, all of us are healthy - so I won't complain about some recent boredom with staying home so much.  I am very amused that our Charmin Plant has gotten more publicity:

NPR: Charmin Factory Keeps Humming

TheWorldNews: Always Busy Charmin Factory

Alex, you have been fine so far, to my relief.  Gerrity's is pretty serious about protecting store workers.  Rob, you just stay home mostly all the time.  I am home a lot too - since he's not working, Steve is out more with careful stops at home stores & grocery stores.  There are limitations on how many people can be in stores, carts & other surfaces are cleaned regularly and wearing masks is a "must" (as you told me Alex, shoppers are asked to leave or sometimes get arrested if not wearing one at Gerrity's).  With help from YouTube, I am now capable of simple men's haircare....  with beard & hair clippers and a couple pair of scissors, I have managed to get Rob's beard & hair mostly under control, and trimmed Steve's hair fairly well.  Quite proud of myself :-)  Here is Rob after his initial "do" looking suspiciously like a mushroom cut, before I got the thinning shears so I could even it out the ridge along the sides/back.  What a handsome boy !!!

So what's new with you?  Rob, you took your APUSH exam about a week ago - yay!  it's over!!  The exam was modified, and involved writing out one essay in just 45 minutes.  Your topic was Slavery From 1754 - 1850.  You said you were not thrilled to have an exam that was limited to an essay, but you Absolutely have learned the APUSH material and clearly deserve to get credit for that.  You won't know the score for a while, but I cannot imagine that you didn't pass.  The AP Computer Science testing requirements are due to be wrapped up next week - without a timed exam.  So you're getting close to being done with Junior year AP work entirely, then school will be wrapped up on June 18th.

Alex, you finished the spring semester at Misericordia with, I believe, 3 finals.  You are Very Happy to be done, as online classes were very demanding.  Plus you have senioritis (you're not taking a summer class and just 1 semester to go!).  This summer it's going to be weekend shifts at Gerrity's and also an internship at Volunteers in Medicine, Wilkes-Barre (www.vimwb).  I am so glad your college experience includes this opportunity.  It's at least beginning as a remote internship, which is definitely unique.  I expect you will learn a lot, at least partly due to being involved during the midst of a pandemic.

I am working many hours for Prudential, still remotely from your old bedroom Alex (it has been super useful to have this extra space, and still nice to know you're happy at Wildflower Village).  I don't miss traveling to CT and NJ.  But things are kind of crazy as workload demands have grown steadily over several years - and now with stock market volatility and the sudden job losses & likely economic recession as a result of COVID, there is additional significant strain with volumes of customer phone calls and loans & distributions that employees are taking out of retirement plans.  The unemployment rate is now about 15% across the US (in your lifetimes, the next worst was a 10% unemployment rate during the 2009 global financial crisis).  Steve is pursuing a good job opportunity, but doesn't think it would materialize until offices begin to re-open.

When will things re-open?  Governor Wolf has announced that Luzerne County will go "Yellow" on May 29th.  More retail businesses can open and gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed.  So Grooming Cottage can re-open and JLA will get a bath.  (Salons will have to wait at least until "Green", sadly for me.)   Rob and I took a roadtrip to Wyncote yesterday, to celebrate Grandad's 83rd birthday.  It was nice, but disconcerting to be with so many people at once - even just family.  Everyone is well, in fact Meagan and Anthony are expecting another baby is December, to join big brother Julian.  Rob, you seemed to enjoy Julian and time with Lu.  As one final interesting note, there are still some empty shelves at stores including for all-purpose flour.  Apparently many people are spending extra time baking, including us to some extent.  I made Spice Drop Cakes this morning, a Rivers family favorite - as you can see below.  (I've also included a picture of a Carroll family favorite which was originally Aunt Gloria's recipe, Cherry Pudding - this time the cherries floated to the top.)  Yum!  Alex, we're bringing yours over in about half an hour along with your bike that Steve is currently working on to inflate tires and clean up.  SYS !