#StayTheF-ckHome

The world as we know it is about to change on a larger social scale than we saw following 9/11. It’s big. People you know may die, because other healthy people couldn’t – or wouldn’t – self-isolate. Will you be able to forgive that?

How will you view your neighbour, the one who goes on that vacation they paid for despite the warnings – and gets infected? Or the one who doesn’t travel, but refuses to self-isolate because they “don’t feel sick and you only live once”? And aren’t symptomatic for the first five contagious days once they are infected (from another non-symptomatic denier). So, it’s life as normal for them. But not for those they infect.

Perhaps more to the point, how will you view them when your mother or father dies from an overwhelmed health system that could not provide resources for all the infected? Or your brother or your sister or your grandparents or spouse die because the hospital is too overloaded with Coronavirus patients to deal with their life-threatening condition, which has nothing to do with the virus? When the dying are gasping for air in the hospital hallways because healthy people won’t stop to consider the immune-compromised, the elderly, the already-sick – how will you react? Can you love your neighbour then?

I had to get that out of the way. This is not about those who have to be out there, and take precautions. This is about the others. There are idiots on the beach (both sides of Mexico) who are not only behaving as though life is normal, they are posting “life is normal” posts on Facebook, encouraging others. For the most part, they are Republicans (I usually check their page before I get into a battle in case I’m misunderstanding something) but some from Canada (from ‘conservative’ regions and with the blonde hair even if they are 70 – they must have spent too many winters in AZ).

When I point out the hard facts (like my first paragraph) they say, “Now, now, that’s a little harsh…” FFS. Read. Watch international news channels. Don’t watch FOX News. Stop Killing People. I’m afraid the conservative Canadians have the same ideas as the Republicans. Save yourself. Leave those lesser people to die. Don’t worry. You won’t get sick. Not gonna spoil my time in the sun.

Okay, on to other things. The sale of the house has fallen apart. It’s on hold. The buyer is freaking about Coronavirus and the market plunge. I don’t blame him, we are too. I would say when things come back (the market, the economy, some stable health across the glove) – he will be back. Maybe. But expect that to be at least six months. If not more. The next two quarters will undoubtedly take us into a recession. So, I guess we’ll see. At least he’s buying in USD.

I can’t recall how detailed I was about the buyers in the last post. I could look, but I won’t. We had one set of buyers in Pesos, with a mortgage to get, who were waiting for their bank to approve the fact that 27-years-ago, I took my husband’s last name when marrying in Canada. The bank is still determining who I am. However, from their offer date (February 13) to Friday (March 13) – the exact same amount of pesos that we agreed to was worth $52,000 less Canadian dollars – more than 10% (the peso is tanking). We are now priced in USD. Slower sale in these parts but I don’t care.

We are staying inside our walls – social distancing and self-isolating. We have beer (maybe not enough LOL) and we have lots of food. We have a cube freezer full and lots of dried/canned goods. We have meds. We have a pool. We’re pretending we’re on one of those vacations – where you just relax and do nothing. It’s manageable (haha but not our kind of vacation). Luckily we can do it. And thankful for Canadian pensions too.

We have a project that I’m going to get a start on. Began as a website idea (google ads as the monetizing factor) but I think it will be a small book as well (and primarily). GetOutofAmerica.com Of course, we could be just a tad too late. We were planning on releasing it before the election. We’ll see.

As CW pointed out, this crisis in this world (health and economic) is like a big pile of cocaine for a news junkie. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Because a lot of our friends are journalists (or were), we see a lot of good, solid stories. And truly, I haven’t seen this much news since 9/11. I hope the world can get a grip on this. It’s not a snow day. This is a global pandemic. It’s very serious. I’m happy to give you some links to some reasoned and rational thinkers if you want to send me an email or leave a message. But no one knows how long it will take to settle.

But we do know one thing – the party is over. Have a peek at Umair Haque’s piece – Lessons from the Coronavirus: The Party’s Over. Pretty much sums it up. Not to depress you. But it’s the only way we get to survive as a species – if we pay attention.

It’s hard to write about much else, really. There really isn’t much else. I’m still listening to radio from Vancouver Island. Still online all day but a different focus. I’ve even stopped bashing trump on Facebook – it’s not the time. Just do the right thing, that’s all I ask of those around him.

It’s only day three of our “official” self-isolation (I self-isolate all the time so this is like day 10 for me except I did go to Costco once). PJ has gone to school in Mexico until Thursday (today is Monday). That’s a semi-regular thing and it seems to be working. We’ve gone about a month now with no issues at all. But have been very vigilant about keeping them so separate he never sees (or hopefully) hears her. Thankfully, at her age (12.5) she sleeps all day anyway. There are about three times in the day where we have to shuffle them around to avoid the sightlines. I know many of you are shaking your heads but we have no choice. The alternatives aren’t alternatives.

The Jacarandas are out and they seem to be more vibrant this year (we were saying that before the pandemic). Perhaps tomorrow there will be something to say.

Day 4: Another day, another… day I guess. Don’t I sound dramatic? I have internet, I have Netflix, I have Prime, I have a lame cheater box that gives us US network TV but any of the shows I like – Madam Secretary, Jeopardy – are either on too early or too late. Pobrecito (poor baby). There’s a pool and it’s hot in the day. I *should* get the 25 or so plastic tubs out of the garage and back into the dungeons (our equivalent of basement storage). Because we’re not going anywhere soon is my guess. (Update: done the next day.)

We are very lucky to have this house to isolate in. I know that. But I’d much rather be in Canada. CW told me to go – but I won’t leave him and the dogs here. Being alone here would be worse. What if something happened? Who would know? I would leave this house – hate to lose it but that might happen, I guess. You don’t leave houses in Mexico without security – a live person – if you want anything left when you get back. And that was before a pandemic. But I can’t leave the dogs and we can’t get them out of here without making a run for the border and driving through the USA. CW thinks it’s safer inside the walls. I’m not so sure but we don’t have a lot of choices and we are secure here for now. So we stay for now.

I am grateful for lots of things, at the same time. Our old friend from the magazine had a CT scan after six months of insanely aggressive chemotherapy that almost killed him and he’s clean. He’s the one who wanted to come over at Christmas between chemos but didn’t have enough white blood cells. If he can just keep his ass in his seat now until this Coronavirus pandemic has abated, I think he’s going to make it. I heard the good news at the same time that I heard the house sale had fallen through and instinctively I thought, if that’s what it took, then fine. I’m good with it. And surprisingly, losing the house sale has not kicked me down yet.

Our other friend in chemo (here in Cuernavaca, and young) is also responding well to treatment, after initially being told he had less than a 10% chance of surviving. He changed doctors a couple of times and is now in good hands. Another blessing bestows us. So, it’s not all bad. The sun comes up again.

Then again, another friend is self-quarantined in NJ with flu symptoms – but they have a handle on it for now and no temperature. Of course, we’ll all know many people who get it, eventually.

Day 5: Canadian border closed to all, including US citizens, with the exception of essential services and trade (such as medicine and food). A little freaky when you aren’t inside Canada (and probably when you are as well). We are so self-isolating for as long as we can. I have websites to learn how to build all over again. Long story. I had the best themes for a long time (seven years or so) and then they were outdated and unsupported and boom, they started crashing. Not *that* interested in learning an entirely new theme but I guess I will. Good time for it, too. Lots of time for it.

I wonder what all of you are doing throughout this. Are you hunkering down? Self-isolating? Seeing select people? What’s the plan? I was glad to see that the US called out the army hospitals – that’s one way they can mitigate their damage. Not sure how Canada does, except to self-isolate and I suspect Canadians are much more likely to do something for the good of all, which is a blessing.

In the meantime, one friend was supposed to fly back today from the beach today but put it off until Saturday. And on the beach, they are just partying like everything is okay. It’s going to be terrible for a lot of people and yet they just keep drinking margaritas and laughing about all the panic. I’m not endearing myself to the partiers on the La Paz Facebook groups but I don’t give a FF. The centre of the country, thankfully, is taking things a bit more seriously. Many are self-isolating. Not all. But many. But the government still isn’t testing enough people. They are only testing those who have symptoms AND have travelled to high-risk exposure areas or have been in close contact with such a traveller and have symptoms.

The next couple of weeks will tell a lot. I’m going to publish this today, just because many of you may be looking for something to read. Not that I said anything valuable. Canada seems to be doing a damn fine job and someone must have lit a fire under that orange terrorist to the south because he’s finally doing a few of the right things. There are hopeful drugs being tested widely at the end of the month in Australia as a potential treatment/cure – which can help greatly until there is a vaccine. We can flatten the curve if we all stay smart.

I’m going to try and publish every few days, it will certainly give me something to do. And I would love to hear back from you about how you’re coping and what you’re doing. Until then, chins up and all that. Until next time.