April Fools

This April Fools I've only seen two jokes mentioned on Facebook...one was fake notices from state governments stating that all students would need to repeat this school year, ending with the tongue in cheek "We wouldn't want for seniors to miss out on their senior year." and the other was someone posting a very long list of names on their FB post saying they were tightening their circle to people who actually cared and those people would be removed at the end of the day if they had not responded. At the end of the list it said "What? You actually read to the end to see if your name was here? April Fool's!"

But the most common theme was that this year has been hard enough to attempt to prank anyone.

Because I might one day look back at this to see what I remember from the year, here's the update of this halfway week:

• We've lost two more chicks and are now down to 4 babes. Not sure what offed the one today. It appeared to have a broken neck with no other injuries.
• Sandra McGowan, the mother of a friend, and a FWB pastor's wife continues to hang on in very bad shape from Covid-19, in Michigan. Like so many others, the family cannot be with her during this time.
• According to John Hopkins, as of 6:00 tonight the worldwide death toll from Covid-19 was 46,809 people. 4,757 of those were from the United States, with 1/3 of that number coming from the state of New York.
• Quilters and crafters are still making face masks, though many hospitals now do not want them since their supplies are finally arriving. I attempted my first one today, and after an hour and half stopped working. My machine didn't handle the finishing touches on the ties too well, and it was time to start lunch anyway. Hopefully I will finish that one up tonight and attempt another one that is already cut out. I know of a few local groups that want them, and the media is now starting to debate whether or not it is beneficial for non-medical personnel to use them when out in the public. The rest of the world gives a resounding "YES!" but most doctors in the US still claim they are almost pointless for non-medis.
  
• Due to shut downs worldwide, it could be this fall before I get my longarm machine, even though it is paid for.
• My brother-in-law and nephew's coworkers claim to have been exposed to the virus through family members.
• My Mom continues to fight ongoing infections.
• My niece was supposed to move into her first house today. Due to mandates and orders for TN/VA (they're moving ten minutes away...across state lines but same town) they can't have their youth group help with the move.
• I spent Sunday and Monday mostly sleeping and dragging through things as I fought allergy medicine and pollen congestion.
• Someone is coming Friday to look at the lawn mower. 3/4 of the way through the yard the belt started slipping and smoking...again. New belt; old problem. I'm wondering if it's user error; Bobby thinks it is the machine as it has now happened with three different operators. It is ten years old.
• The men's resident director of my alma mater (Welch College) has the virus, which they believe he acquired from his part-time job as an EMT. There are only four students still in the dorm, what they call hardship cases, who cannot go home. Since the school told students not to return after spring break and classes are now online, there has been discussion among faculty about whether to provide a hot meal to those 4 students once a day (that the faculty prepares from home) or to simply provide them with groceries. I simply cannot fathom being the only person on the floor of my dorm. That must be creepy at night.

I'm still trying to find a balance between housework, cooking, outdoor work, projects and personal time. I figure I'll find the balance about the time the stay at home mandate ends. :)