A Bit Of Perspective

It seems emotions are running high in the current flu market, so here's a chuckle to go with your morning coffee.  I stole this from the internet because I have a diving instructor friend who has rescue boxers pups.  This picture was right up her alley!!

Just to put a little more information out there, as has already been done by Dave Burdick, here are some figures for you.  The real killer lurking in the bushes is the plain old flu bug.  Between October 2019 and February 2020,  twelve thousand people died from NOT the coronavirus, but from the flu, with that number possibly in the 30,000 range out of 328,000,000 people.  

31 million people in the U.S. caught some kind of flu last year, including me.  It happens every year.  376,000 were hospitalized.  No one even thinks about the flu, they are only thinking about the coronavirus that has killed maybe 100.  Keeping yourself locked up and not living your life because of a perceived threat is sad.  You actually have a much greater chance of winning the lottery than dying from coronavirus.  

Here's something else that gave me a chuckle.  From MY perspective, all of this is more media and politically motivated.  Do you remember any hoarding with the swine flu a few years ago?  This is an outcome I think they did not expect.  My local gun shop in California is now out of ammo, with only a few guns left.  People have purchased everything in the store.  Californians are now more locked and loaded than ever.  Just try getting those guns away from people guarding their food supply.

So .... after very little discussion yesterday, Patty Chance and I headed off to the quilt store for a few pieces of fabric she required to finish a project.  Every time I walk in their door, I am faced with this gorgeous flower, an in-your-face reminder that I have a black thumb.  I don't know how Dan does it, but these orchids are just crazy beautiful.

Guess what ... just down the street from the quilt store is the most magnificent nursery you've ever seen.  A month ago, I picked up an orchid like the above one to see if my thumb might change colors.  I cannot believe I actually have had ONE flower bloom.  That's an accomplishment in my book.

So when we saw THESE on the counter, I caved.  I bet there were 50 blooms on these stalks.  Sadly, as I removed it from the Jeep, part of one branch broke off.  I almost cried.  Hopefully it won't go into shock, but will keep right on blooming for years to come.  I'm shooting for a copper colored thumb.

On the way home, we decided to splurge with a tasty treat from Dairy Queen.  Do NOT do this ... I was expecting the buy-one-get-one for 80 cents like the advertisement said, but just as fast as they presented that offer, it expired.  TWO of these were $11.00.  Although mighty tasty, NOT worth the price.  Lesson learned.

I'll be hanging out on the couch with the puppies.  Tombstone is on my radar.  When I asked if the town was still in business, they said HELL YES ... we're the town too tough to die!!  That works for me.