I Guess It Was Bound To Happen

 Sooner or later.

I got to work bright and early this morning, got my temperature taken, then went into the break room to get a new pair of gloves from the PPE machine.  I entered my number, made my selection, and watched my new gloves as they...got stuck.

Bummer.  

Oh, well, no big deal.  I'd just tell my supervisor what had happened and get him to get me a pair.  I walked on down to my work area, glancing at the supervisor's desk as I passed it.  Supervisor wasn't there, but I didn't think too much of it, as he's often out on the floor.  

Sometime later, there was an altercation between two of the brazers, and one of the parts stagers had to settle it.  As we were discussing the incident, my friend who works beside me asked if Group Leader Shark was there.  I walked over and looked on top of the file cabinet where she puts her stuff, and it was empty.  No, she wasn't there.

I went back to my stand and told my friend she wasn't there, and then I asked, "Where's Supervisor?"

"He's in quarantine", she replied.

"Supervisor's in quarantine?" I exclaimed incredulously.

"He's got the coronavirus," my friend said.  "They put him in quarantine Thursday or Friday."  

And he was all up in my tool box Wednesday, too.  I mean literally, in my box of tools.  That's not a euphemism for anything. I really wish they'd tell us these things, and before I go to the dentist, or the community tree lighting, I mean. 

A few minutes later, I asked her if Other Coworker was there today.  

"Oh, is he out of the hospital?" she asked. 

"Other Coworker is in the hospital????"  

"Yes, he's got the COVID, and they put him into the hospital."  Now, that one came as a shock.  I knew I hadn't seen him, but I had thought he'd taken a few days off to spend time with his family.  I had no idea he had COVID, and was in the hospital.  

Meanwhile, my friend's sister is very weak, but still hanging in there.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask for lots of prayers this time.  

Now, for a bit of good news, there I was at home yesterday, watching TV, when my door bell rang.  It was my next door neighbor.  He's the one who had the tree fall over back in April when the Easter storms came though.  He had finally gotten the wood all cut up, and told me I could come get some firewood anytime I needed it.  I offered to pay him for it, and he said, "Pshaw!  I'm not going to charge you for that wood!" 

He took me back and showed me where he had it all stacked, and I saw the trunk of the tree still laying on the ground.  I hadn't realized how big of a tree it was.  He said it had landed on a vehicle he had back there and completely destroyed it.  That's why it didn't make that big boom when it hit the ground.  

Anyway, I'm all set for firewood this year.  I was going to go get some this afternoon, but didn't.  I probably won't light a fire until Friday anyway, so I'll just wait a bit.  This chest cold is kicking my butt.  I'd be more concerned about corona if I didn't go through the exact same thing around this time every year.  I'm still almost obsessively checking myself for fever, and smelling things to make sure I can smell, but so far, I'm good.  Except when the dog tooted and I wished I couldn't smell, but that's another story for another day.  At least it seems to be starting to break up a bit, so that's good.  

It would probably help if I took my allergy medicine, but it dries me out so badly that after two or three doses, I start feeling like Thanos done snapped his fingers.  

In knitting news, I finished my new socks last night.  

What's more, I wore them to work today.  I'll still have to wear store bought cotton from time to time, at least until I get my stash built up, but it was nice having hand knit wool socks on my feet again. 

You know what else I finished?  My Christmas decorations.  

I've had this little string of teardrop lights for ages, and never had any place to put them.  I'd bought them to put on the edge of my mantle, but when Beverly gave me all that garland, these lights just didn't seem right.  So they've stayed in the box ever since. 

I was sitting there watching cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies -- or football, I don't remember -- when I got the bright idea to string them over this door.  It adds just the right touch.  And yes, I do see that wire I need to tuck in.

Finally, Cody texted me yesterday and said he's got the weekend after Christmas off, so we can go to Texas if we want to.  He's like that.  Me, I wouldn't drive 8 hours just to spend one day, then come back, but he will.  I managed to get the dogs booked in at the vet, so it looks like we might be going to Texas.  

One of these days, we'll go, and I won't be coming back...