My husband Ray has come down with COVID for the first time. He started feeling bad a few days back, but we thought he was reacting to the high ragweed count. He is highly allergic and was coughing, wheezing, and feeling tired, which are typical reactions for him to ragweed. However, he felt especially bad the day before yesterday and then yesterday he spiked a 102 temperature, coughed so hard he described it as the most violent coughing he’s ever had, and on top of all that, he threw up. At that point, he was sure he had Covid, which was verified by a positive Covid test. Today, he had a 102 fever for much of the day, but then it edged down to 101. After a conversation with Sarah, our doctor-daughter, he took one Advil and brought his temperature down to 99. 2. He’s feeling better but is certainly not well. Just before he went to sleep about twenty minutes ago, he was looking a bit worse for wear. Hopefully, he’ll wake up tomorrow and feel a whole lot better. We shall see.

We also shall see if my exposure to Ray will result in a positive test for me. Last night I tested negative. I have felt okay today so I haven’t tested. If tomorrow I start feeling as if I’m headed downhill, I’ll re-test. So far so good. But I am very aware of how contagious these new strains are. I am just hoping I might get lucky. I’m sleeping on the couch and Ray’s in the bedroom. I don’t want to be too far away in case he needs me in the middle of the night.

Also, I am babysitting daughter Liz’s alpacas and chickens while she and her family are on vacation in the Pacific Northwest. Plus, the orange pickers are coming on Friday, and today I needed to water the trees, which means walking the sprinkler lines to make sure we don’t have any repairs that need to be done. I replaced a few nozzles that were clogged and fixed one line that was spurting water. Tomorrow, I’m hoping Ray feels better because one of the repairs is a bit greater than my sprinkler line expertise. I know what to do, but might need more guidance on the particulars of cutting a line and then replacing the broken part. Ray can show me so I’ll know next time.

I’m heading to bed now. Fingers are crossed that I will dodge this Covid bullet. I will be very annoyed if I start displaying symptoms several days from now. We are due to come to Texas next Wednesday and I haven’t been back to my home state in a very long time. Hopefully, I will also be attending a Story Circle Network retreat, which I have been looking forward to for a year. I am going to trust that all will be well.

Good night, my friends. Wish us luck over here.