Monday, February 8, 2021

Grumbling

The pandemic is wearing on my last nerve.  I'm fully aware that Jim and I have it so much better than millions of people.  We're secure economically, we're in a nice house in a friendly neighborhood, and things could be so much worse.  But still - I would like to go somewhere.

Last week we were out riding and three police cars were talking to an older couple in the street.  He had the biggest Trump flag I have ever seen.  Apparently he was driving through the neighborhood with it sticking out of the driver's window.  He was looking to start something.  A male homeowner came out into the street and (we think) told him to depart.  Things escalated to the point where the woman who lived there was frightened of this person.  After our third trip up the hill, they all dispersed.  The Trump guy came back a day or two later, doing the same thing.  This time, three cars blocked him into a cul de sac and told him he was not welcome.  He left, I hope he does not return.  It's disconcerting that people are this crazy. What's the point?  It's over, he lost. 

On the 4th, a local paper wrote in an article that Pima County's vaccine allotment has been cut from 30,000 doses to 18,000 per week.  Concurrent with that, the 70 - 74 age cohort can start signing up on Monday.  So, less doses, more people.  There are 1.047 million people in Pima county. The article is here and does a good job of highlighting the difficulties the county is having with messaging and registrations.

Anyway, I was out on the Tucson Medical Center's web site Saturday, and saw a banner that said 70 year olds could sign up.  Jim tried to sign up, but got the error message that he couldn't, not being 75.  I called and asked what's up.  The lady on the phone said this starts Monday.  I, some what exasperated, asked how would I know this from your web site.  I'm pretty sure I was not the first person to have made that phone call.  Hours later, Jim got an email saying he had a scheduling token, and to go to the portal to schedule.  That was about 5pm.  The website crashed in multiple forms of death.  We gave up, until about 9 at night, and lo and behold, we got through.  He gets his first shot this coming Saturday at at a drive through site at UofA.  We're pretty happy about the drive through part.  So that whole thing was weird and fortuitous.  The papers said it would open to 70 year olds on Monday, so I expect their website will die an agonizing death from the load.  All of this assumes that vaccines are available.  The UK variant is doubling every 10 days, so I would really like to be vaccinated sooner, rather than later.

This picture is from the 4th, as well.  It's that last good sunset since then.

Other than grumbling, I have nothing of any import what so ever, to say.



9 comments:

  1. You need to get grumbles off your chest...and that is a beautiful sunset

    ReplyDelete
  2. It doesn't sound like a grumble to me, more like an observation of where we are, the continuing absurdity of it all, and the need to figure out the workarounds. As of Feb 15 the man and I will also be eligible for the vaccine. But of course we can't schedule our appointments in advance. We keep on.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I spent hours and hours on the computer to get both Jim and I scheduled. Jim did get his on January 26 and I got mine this morning. I can hardly wait to get the second one done and that immunity.

    I cannot the nut cases that are still fighting the Trump battle. Hope he goes far away.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would not like to have such a nutter as the Trumpite flashing about. I hope he does not return.
    So glad I had mine and have the follow up shot scheduled. Best of luck to you two.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I see similar things here - trumpers waving flags. Though, so far, not so aggressively. Mostly here, people still have their flags on flagpoles. Of course, those flags are looking very ragged and I am hoping they will be bare strips of fabric by summer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm glad Jim is scheduled. I wonder what the backstory is on the flag-waver? Was he targeting a specific anti-Trump person, or was there something about that neighborhood that he viewed as insufficiently Trumpian? Very strange.

    ReplyDelete
  7. beautiful clouds and sky....take a deep breath and enjoy. Jim will be safe, you're next!

    ReplyDelete
  8. In NC they have opened up vaccinations to those 65+, but getting an appointment is nearly impossible (my husband has tried). I am in "group 5", being < 65, so will be lucky to get one by this summer. I had really hoped to be vaccinated by my 60th birthday in April so we could go out to eat in a restaurant for the first time in over a year(!!), but that does not look likely. I'm just very thankful that my 86-year old mother has had both her doses as of last week, and my step-dad is between his two doses.

    ReplyDelete
  9. we were supposed to get our second shots tomorrow. last thursday, a guy who got his first shot the same day as us said he had been notified his second shot would take place on the 14th. I had heard nothing so I called and inquired, yes, on the 14th and 9:45. my husband just called to confirm it would not be on the 11th like were told but on the 19th. he said he asked about the 14th and they said no, the 19th. I'll see the other guy tomorrow and ask if he has been put back til the 19th. if not I'm going on the 14th. what a screw-up as they never have contacted us directly. I should have kept my original appt through the healthcare system I originally signed up with. my sister has already had her second shot on the 28th day through them.

    I truly do not get the continuing your face Trumpers. what do they hope to achieve? he lost. it's done, it's over but I still see Trump signs in some people's yards. the new conspiracy theory that he is apparently promoting is that he is still president (did you see he opened a 'office of the president', not former president, and created a presidential seal) and will be re-inaugurated on March 4th (the original inauguration day) and I guess a big protest? rally? riot? is planned for then. and then a group of senators (maybe some reps too) have petitioned Pelosi to have the fence around the capitol removed and the National Guard sent home.

    ReplyDelete