Coronavirus Journal: Care and feeding

Our last meal at Cafe Lutecia in Philadelphia before
moving away in 2016. It was our home away from home.
I still miss it fiercely. We were going to visit this summer.
Now I wonder if we'll ever get to go back.

Today's lunch: Canned kidney beans and green chilies sauteed in olive oil (salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder added), served over brown rice with shredded cheddar and a healthy dash of Tabasco.

It's actually kind of tasty?

I'm not really a cook. But I watched SALT FAT ACID HEAT and the occasional YouTube cooking video. If I'd been smart, I'd have thrown in a piece of bacon. Next time, assuming there's still bacon in the house. Funny thing is, I'd never make that lunch for myself normally. I'd head out for something ... less healthy, in all probability.

I think I'm eating less overall. I'm curious what my blood sugar levels are going to look like at the end of this. Assuming I survive. Which I don't assume.

Anyway, one of the bigger challenges for me in this emergency -- aside from not giving in to crippling despair -- is staying hydrated. I keep getting headaches, thinking I'm finally catching the illness, that death looms, and then I drink a bottle of water and it's all better.

Yesterday on Facebook, I made a joke: "Our pantry, fridge and freezer are stocked to the gills.

I have no idea what to eat for lunch."

I spent the rest of the day feeling kind of shitty about it, and finally added this addendum:

This post has been bugging me all day - it reeks of "let them eat cake." We are extraordinarily privileged to not worry about going hungry for the moment. Meanwhile, Meg at Ladybird Diner is busting her ass getting 300 sack lunches out to the community, the schools are delivering food to needy families, and the city food pantries are facing hard demand in difficult times. 

We have contributed to Just Food, and we'll probably do so again. Please, if you can, donate to your local nonprofit food bank.

Trying to find the right balance between recognizing this moment is a huge tragedy for lots of people and yet still facing it with humor is ... somewhat demanding. Especially for somebody like me, who can swing wildly between stupid joking and over-earnestness.

Other notes:

I beat T in today's chess match. We are tied 3-3 in the Coronavirus Chess Series.

Now that the sun seems to be emerging after a week of rain and overcast skies, we're thinking of putting up our camping tent in the backyard as a place to escape when we're (frankly) sick of each other.

Finally, for all the talk of how we're distancing, I think my son is getting closer to his extended family than ever. He got his own phone earlier this school year, but never used it much. In the last few days, though, he's talked to more than a few of his relatives and started texting others. We've spent much of his life at some physical remove from our families. Now that he's old enough -- and now that he has ample time -- he's renewing and cementing relationships like never before.

For more from the Coronavirus Journal, click here.