Self-isolating in Grand Rapids: week 1

self-portrait in a straw hat, detail, 1782 by Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun

Since we started self-isolating -- strange times, eh? - 100 cases have been confirmed in Michigan, up from just 2 cases a week ago, with 5 cases in Kent County. So far three deaths in Michigan have been attributed to the virus.

We're pleased to hear that friends and family, both near and far, are well and in good spirits and trust you will all stay that way. But we do worry about our friends in Italy right now. Like many others Susan and I spend pretty much all our time at home. She's cancelled her teaching gigs and a couple of pastry orders for later this month. Her mom is presently under full quarantine at nearby Pilgrim Manor so we can only wave to her from outside her window. Nevertheless, she's doing well and is in good spirits.

We've upped our home movie rentals: the past week we've revisited American President and Dave (reminding us of what truly great federal leadership could be), feel-good Doc Hollywood and the rather plodding 2019 film Knives Out. We're also sprinkling in The Larry Sanders Show, Modern Family and the Big Bang Theory.

Susan is taking the time to work on pastry experimentation and blogging her trials, always fun for her and I get to sample the efforts. A win-win to be sure.

Still, like everyone else we wonder about the future. We feel the urgency to come out the other side of this wiser, much wiser indeed. If nothing else this pandemic has shown us all how profoundly important a strong, central government is and how cutting big government, a mantra of so many for so long, has terrible costs for us all.

Most importantly, we need to change our way of living to meet the changes, manmade or natural, that will come at us whether we like it or not.

See you next week. Until then, be well and be happy!