No Ice Here but There is a New Baby! - April 3, 2021
(Note: This was supposed to be mailed out last Saturday, but then baby Walter arrived and I got sidetracked.)
There is a joke I love. Why I’m including this, you’ll understand in a minute…
[Insert name of a person who has a good sense of humor, like Bob] decides to go ice fishing. Bob finds a good spot on the ice, cuts a hole in it, and begins fishing. Suddenly a loud voice from up above says, "There are no fish here!"
Bob gets startled and decides to move to a new spot on the ice. He cuts a new hole and begins fishing again. And again a loud voice from up above says "There are no fish here!"
Confused and startled, Bob decides to find a new spot on the ice as far away as possible from the first two holes. He cuts a hole there and begins fishing again. "THERE ARE NO FISH HERE!" Screams a voice from up above.
"How do you know that?" Bob asks. "Are you God?"
Comes the response… "NO. I'M THE HOCKEY RINK MANAGER! GET OFF THE ICE!" 😊
*****
I think the gal who does the nasal swabs at Jelly Bean Happy Swabs can relate to the hockey rink manager. This will make sense eventually… (Maybe…)
Wednesday evening we learned that we may have had contact – masked and socially distanced and outside – with a family on Tuesday afternoon who had some members who tested positive for covid. (OK, our beloved St. Cats niece and kids.) Very unlikely we could have caught it, but…
So Thursday morning Laur and I went to Jelly Bean Happy Swabs around 10 am. The parking lot was full; and the covid testing line was ever so long. We all had to line up outside so we were thankful the weather was good.
But I don’t wait well and I don’t “worry” well. Especially when the poor woman in front of us is occasionally barking like a seal. And there are little kids running around far closer than we would ever permit to happen normally under covid conditions. I said grumpily to Laur, “If we are going to get covid, this is where it will happen!”
After an hour, we got as far as the front. Thankfully, when I’m angry, my mouth – being pie-shaped – still looks like it’s smiling. Even under my mask. But hubs knows I’m ready to scream. But I don’t - even when, after registering, when we are sent to our car to wait until they phone us to do the swab.
GAH! Finally, we are called in. The testing takes a few minutes. And bless their hearts, the two women doing the lion’s share of the work – the receptionist and the tester who I’ll call Sandi – are sweet as pie and super good at what they do. I was just grateful they didn’t take a blood pressure reading as I’m sure I’d have burst their machine.
Back at our apartment – ungrateful wretch than I am – I was still fuming. Even when I got the phone call that both Laur and I tested negative. And all of this was paid by your and my tax dollars. I called my niece whose child was covid positive, my daughter Anna, and son Tom. I was ranting and raving in frustration about having the line up and wait. Yes, I know. Check my privilege please.
When we were at Jelly Bean, I told Sandi that I wanted to get a repeat test – out of an abundance of caution. But I didn’t want to have to wait so long. She explained that I could go on the Jelly Bean testing site and book online. What?! You can bet your britches that I booked a Sunday morning appointment.
Why the overconcern? Why that day? Well, apparently day five after a possible exposure is the best day to book a screening. AND Sunday was the day before we were going to move into the Park-Steven’s house to look after Jasper. Tom and Julie were going to the hospital early Monday morning. Baby Walter was being delivered that day, but Julie would stay in for a few days. And Tom would too to help her out with Walter. (What a nice son!)
Julie was to have a caesarean delivery. Can you imagine if we had accidently infected Julie? She’d be coughing really hard - having just had major abdominal surgery! Or Tom? Or wee Jasper? And possibly newborn Walter? I sweat just thinking about it.
Here is where things get interesting. My friend A who I haven’t see in many years but who I keep in touch with, because she is awesome, sent me a message Friday morning – the day after our testing…
“You were in my dreams last night. I was at a Covid testing centre and you walked in the front door with a beautiful grin (that you always have in my memories.) With a lovely sun hat and a bowl of fruit. You wanted to know if I would like a bowl of fruit. Lawrence was there with you in his hiking gear and Tilley hat. We really wanted to hug but alas that was not possible. Where do these things come from? Anyway it was a cute little dream. Have a fabulous Friday.”
And yes, on Thursday when Laur and I were at a Covid testing centre, I had on my sun hat – though Laur did not have on his hiking gear!
I felt really badly about my bad humor at the clinic and about my complaining to my niece and kids. I knew better. And I have the option of behaving better.
So Friday afternoon, out I went. I bought a bag of oranges and apples, a bag of small-serving chips, and four supersized chocolate bars, and an Easter basket – which I filled with the goodies. And I wrote out a thank you note. When we went for our Sunday testing – which involved no waiting at all and was done by the gal who did our initial testing – I gave Sandi the basket.
I said to her, “I noticed that when we were here on Thursday that people were very short-tempered and kind of rude.” I was referring to myself. She smiled and said, “This is so nice of you. I can tell you that this has never been done before.”
Earlier hubs threatened – jokingly – to tell her that this wasn’t so much of a thank you gift as a sin offering. Let’s just say it was both.
Getting us to leave Jelly Bean on Sunday was another thing. Both of us wanted assurance that we really were covid free. At the same time, the waiting room was full and there were people in their cars waiting to get in for their urgent care appointments.
Both of us wanted definitive confirmation that we didn’t have covid. We practically said, "How do you know that?" (That we are truly covid negative.) Are you prophetic?"
Comes the response close to - "No. I'm the hockey rink manager! Get off the ice!" 😊
“YOU ARE COVID FREE (for now!) ” [Get out of our clinic!]
Actually, she was so much nicer than that – I would not have been!
*****
Walter Robert (Park) Steven arrived Monday, March 29, 2021 – weighing 8 lb 3 oz. The new family is doing great. Julie and Walter (and Tom) came home on Tuesday. Amazing! Jasper, the big brother, is coping well, but Charlie the cat seems a little miffed.
There is a joke I love. Why I’m including this, you’ll understand in a minute…
[Insert name of a person who has a good sense of humor, like Bob] decides to go ice fishing. Bob finds a good spot on the ice, cuts a hole in it, and begins fishing. Suddenly a loud voice from up above says, "There are no fish here!"
Bob gets startled and decides to move to a new spot on the ice. He cuts a new hole and begins fishing again. And again a loud voice from up above says "There are no fish here!"
Confused and startled, Bob decides to find a new spot on the ice as far away as possible from the first two holes. He cuts a hole there and begins fishing again. "THERE ARE NO FISH HERE!" Screams a voice from up above.
"How do you know that?" Bob asks. "Are you God?"
Comes the response… "NO. I'M THE HOCKEY RINK MANAGER! GET OFF THE ICE!" 😊
*****
I think the gal who does the nasal swabs at Jelly Bean Happy Swabs can relate to the hockey rink manager. This will make sense eventually… (Maybe…)
Wednesday evening we learned that we may have had contact – masked and socially distanced and outside – with a family on Tuesday afternoon who had some members who tested positive for covid. (OK, our beloved St. Cats niece and kids.) Very unlikely we could have caught it, but…
So Thursday morning Laur and I went to Jelly Bean Happy Swabs around 10 am. The parking lot was full; and the covid testing line was ever so long. We all had to line up outside so we were thankful the weather was good.
But I don’t wait well and I don’t “worry” well. Especially when the poor woman in front of us is occasionally barking like a seal. And there are little kids running around far closer than we would ever permit to happen normally under covid conditions. I said grumpily to Laur, “If we are going to get covid, this is where it will happen!”
After an hour, we got as far as the front. Thankfully, when I’m angry, my mouth – being pie-shaped – still looks like it’s smiling. Even under my mask. But hubs knows I’m ready to scream. But I don’t - even when, after registering, when we are sent to our car to wait until they phone us to do the swab.
GAH! Finally, we are called in. The testing takes a few minutes. And bless their hearts, the two women doing the lion’s share of the work – the receptionist and the tester who I’ll call Sandi – are sweet as pie and super good at what they do. I was just grateful they didn’t take a blood pressure reading as I’m sure I’d have burst their machine.
Back at our apartment – ungrateful wretch than I am – I was still fuming. Even when I got the phone call that both Laur and I tested negative. And all of this was paid by your and my tax dollars. I called my niece whose child was covid positive, my daughter Anna, and son Tom. I was ranting and raving in frustration about having the line up and wait. Yes, I know. Check my privilege please.
When we were at Jelly Bean, I told Sandi that I wanted to get a repeat test – out of an abundance of caution. But I didn’t want to have to wait so long. She explained that I could go on the Jelly Bean testing site and book online. What?! You can bet your britches that I booked a Sunday morning appointment.
Why the overconcern? Why that day? Well, apparently day five after a possible exposure is the best day to book a screening. AND Sunday was the day before we were going to move into the Park-Steven’s house to look after Jasper. Tom and Julie were going to the hospital early Monday morning. Baby Walter was being delivered that day, but Julie would stay in for a few days. And Tom would too to help her out with Walter. (What a nice son!)
Julie was to have a caesarean delivery. Can you imagine if we had accidently infected Julie? She’d be coughing really hard - having just had major abdominal surgery! Or Tom? Or wee Jasper? And possibly newborn Walter? I sweat just thinking about it.
Here is where things get interesting. My friend A who I haven’t see in many years but who I keep in touch with, because she is awesome, sent me a message Friday morning – the day after our testing…
“You were in my dreams last night. I was at a Covid testing centre and you walked in the front door with a beautiful grin (that you always have in my memories.) With a lovely sun hat and a bowl of fruit. You wanted to know if I would like a bowl of fruit. Lawrence was there with you in his hiking gear and Tilley hat. We really wanted to hug but alas that was not possible. Where do these things come from? Anyway it was a cute little dream. Have a fabulous Friday.”
And yes, on Thursday when Laur and I were at a Covid testing centre, I had on my sun hat – though Laur did not have on his hiking gear!
I felt really badly about my bad humor at the clinic and about my complaining to my niece and kids. I knew better. And I have the option of behaving better.
So Friday afternoon, out I went. I bought a bag of oranges and apples, a bag of small-serving chips, and four supersized chocolate bars, and an Easter basket – which I filled with the goodies. And I wrote out a thank you note. When we went for our Sunday testing – which involved no waiting at all and was done by the gal who did our initial testing – I gave Sandi the basket.
I said to her, “I noticed that when we were here on Thursday that people were very short-tempered and kind of rude.” I was referring to myself. She smiled and said, “This is so nice of you. I can tell you that this has never been done before.”
Earlier hubs threatened – jokingly – to tell her that this wasn’t so much of a thank you gift as a sin offering. Let’s just say it was both.
Getting us to leave Jelly Bean on Sunday was another thing. Both of us wanted assurance that we really were covid free. At the same time, the waiting room was full and there were people in their cars waiting to get in for their urgent care appointments.
Both of us wanted definitive confirmation that we didn’t have covid. We practically said, "How do you know that?" (That we are truly covid negative.) Are you prophetic?"
Comes the response close to - "No. I'm the hockey rink manager! Get off the ice!" 😊
“YOU ARE COVID FREE (for now!) ” [Get out of our clinic!]
Actually, she was so much nicer than that – I would not have been!
*****
Walter Robert (Park) Steven arrived Monday, March 29, 2021 – weighing 8 lb 3 oz. The new family is doing great. Julie and Walter (and Tom) came home on Tuesday. Amazing! Jasper, the big brother, is coping well, but Charlie the cat seems a little miffed.