Self-isolating in Grand Rapids: week 2.5

Among the Flowers, 1892, detail, by Louise Abbema

As of late Sunday Michigan ranked no. 4 in the nation with number of cases of Covid-19: more than 5,400, 112 deaths in the state reported so far, and no end in sight.

With the exception of a short trip out for supplies the past few days have found us at home. There was a gathering of several neighbors sitting on chairs out in the street, each keeping a safe distance but mostly everyone around here is staying indoors. Or so we hope.

The weather has been cooperating, though, if that's any consolation: some rain but the snow season seems to have passed us by and the temps have been really quite pleasant.

I mentioned our trip out for a few groceries -- we both remarked that it felt like dealing with black marketeers: we pull up, make a call and are told to drive around to the side door. A man scurries out with a bag and then disappears back inside. At another place we simply pull up, I stay in the car and Susan dashes up to the front door where there is a cooler. She reaches inside, grabs a bag with our name on it and back to the car. We pull clear of the building and are gone in a flash.

And speaking of the French Tarte, since I last wrote she made a coconut pound cake, white whole wheat sandwich bread and chocolate-pistachio croissant spirals. And yesterday (Sunday) she made coconut ice cream and tested a new recipe using Danish laminated dough to make a substantial almond filled Danish Kringle.

For myself, I'm catching up on updating digital archiving information on one of my other blogs and have scheduled a couple of posts here that some of you might find interesting in coming weeks.