April 13

Well, this week the government promises that the $1200 "stimulus checks" will go out--or at least most of them. We, here, are going to take that with a big grain of salt and expect it when we see it.

I spent part of yesterday getting all my seedling pots watered. Most are doing very well. I will probably have to start another pot of woad. The single seedling isn't looking very well. It took a while but the valerian and several others have finally started sprouting. I will fill a several new pots this week and start several new sets of seeds and transplant several spearmint cuttings. I also cut the pieces for four new masks. We are expecting the pandemic situation to continue for a while. Indiana is still on the upswing of the slope. Illinois may be about to hit peak but they don't know for sure. I pinned the pieces today and will finish the masks tomorrow.

So, here's what I am reading today:

Tomdispatch has a new post by Rajan Menon on the stress tests the coronavirus presents to our political and economic system. So far I would have to say the national political institutions have failed. Some states have done much better in this crisis. Others not so much. Right now pundits are debating whether we have an incipient recession or if this is going into the "D" (depression).

Ronni Bennett at Time Goes By expresses some of our thoughts--without the profanity I use in the privacy of our home and sometimes, when my control slips, elsewhere.

James Kunstler at Clusterfuck Nation.

April 14

As you all can tell, I closed up the computer before I posted so I will simply continue with what I am reading today:

Who's Going To Pay For It?--A question that often comes up here in considering more "normal" medical possibilities. A $1000 bill that leaves us with $200 (hopefully) after Medicare is something we can handle but a $10,000 bill that leaves $2000 for us to pay is another matter entirely. Think about a two week hospital stay with several days in ICU on a ventilator.