First morning since beginning seclusion over a week ago that I woke up feeling that I could cope. Instead of just taking my medication and literally going back to bed again. I suspect that the continued gradual abatement of surgical pain is at least partially why. Still slow goings here at Acorn Cottage...
One thing that has really irked me now is having to deal with all the junk mail, which normally I just grab out of the mailbox with my hands and dump immediately into the recycle bin. I remembered that I had a spare pair of copper tongs that I normally use in the workshop. The perfect thing for grabbing items from the mailbox one at a time, and if I store it so I never have to touch the working end, I can avoid at least one necessary hand wash ※※※
an interview with epidemiologist Larry Brilliant
thoughtful commentary from someone who knows what they are talking about...
actual science about the use of cloth masks
Read this and draw your own conclusions. Bear in mind that masks function in two directions, incoming, and outgoing, as well as as a signal. My takeaway from this article is that reuseable cloth masks may cause greater harm ie increase chance of infection, when worn to protect from external contamination. My guess is that they may decrease chance of infection when worn by someone ill to "catch" effluvia. And of course there was no study done of the difference between wearing a cloth mask and nothing at all, which may become the choices here, and are already in some places, with medical personnel wearing scarves or bandannas
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I love my neighbors... I just looked out the front window, and Pete was mowing my front lawn. I don't have quite the stamina currently, and my helpers live in a different state and I don't expect to see them for months
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Today's lunch was a tasty improvisation on Thai "swimming rama", but using what I have on hand... the last of the mashed cooked fresh spinach, some teriyaki sauce, dried basil, a dab of almond butter, and cooked rice noodles. It was still soft enough that I could eat it, but the flavor was pretty good, I would make it again even if I could chew properly. Soon it will be time to start both using what frozen veggies I have, and actively growing microgreens.
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beauty in the time of isolation
the playing fields at the park are unmowed, and the English daisies are turning their faces to the sunshine..
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March SMART goals (x=extra)
| # | THINGS MADE | THINGS FIXED | THINGS GONE |
| 1 | candied pomelo peel | back corner fence | yard waste bin |
| 2 | blood orange marmalade | pantry reorganised | recycle bin |
| 3 | cara cara marmalade | corned beef in freezer | - |
| 4 | three drawings | repair dainty bag | - |
| 5 | new ricebag cases | fruit tree pruning | x |
| 6 | x | x | x |
| 7 | x | x | x |
| 8 | x | x | x |
| 9 | x | x | x |
| 10 | x | x | x |
| 11 | x | x | x |
| 12 | x | x | x |
| 13 | x | x | x |
| 14 | x | x | x |
| 15 | x | x | x |
today's gratitude -we now have an online FB neighborhood group as another way to connect.
Your lunch looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteThe mask study mentions the build-up of moisture inside a mask, as well as re-use (both no-nos). Medical facilities are welcoming homemade masks now, one hospital whisks them from the hands of the donor into the laundry area, where they are sterilized. I made a pleated mask but think a different type would work better. Here's the pattern I plan to use: https://freesewing.org/docs/patterns/fu/ although I think it could benefit from more room in the mouth area. I don't have enough narrow elastic so will have to get creative with stretchy fabrics.
lunch was yum! I know that in times past, and currently now some places are requesting narrow cloth ties, like twill tape, etc, rather than elastic, as that holds up better to washing/sterilising
DeleteA lot of people are making masks--I just saw this post about making mask covers https://jetsetsewing.com/2020/03/21/how-to-make-a-reusable-fabric-cover-for-an-n95-respirator-mask/ (and the post emphasizes making sure the hospital you're thinking of donating to is seeking home-made cloth masks)
ReplyDeleteThe natural antimicrobial properties of copper (including proven efficacy against several viruses) makes the tongs even more suited for the task!
that was my reason for using copper for the pandemic mail tongs, before that I was using regular tongs, which I then had to sanitise with boiling water, what a pain
DeleteHere the expected time that local hospitals will be running out of masks is now only a few days away at most...