Pandemic Diary Day Nine: Hope for Stimulus Bill, COVID-19 Cases Increase Across Country

                                           Dear Diary,

The next time I hear a politician or journalist start a sentence out with this rhetorical device "Just to be clear" I'm throwing my slipper at the TV!

I'm growing impatient with the Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. They should have passed a bill and sent it to the House by now. Who knows what will happen when the bill does hit the House? Another partisan battle?

I'm concerned about the reports coming out of Hong Kong, once a model for treating the spread of COVID19, is having a deadly relapse for taking up containment too soon.

The stock market registered another ass-kicking yesterday after the stimulus bill failed to move through the Senate to the House. It opened today up with hopes of the stimulus bill passing.

Random Thoughts

**For every encouraging story about people coping with the pandemic there seems to be three stories about people whose lives are being destroyed.

**I get a headaches thinking about when, and if, this pandemic will go away.

**I wish that famous quote about fear - "The only thing to fear, is fear itself" would quite dancing through the corridors of my small brain like a pep rally.

**Clueless Moron Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling for people to go back to work and for old people just to take their chances!

On the Homefront, Medford, Oregon

**I'm really encouraged that the State of Oregon is being proactive during this pandemic. Hospital and private labs have been processing coronavirus tests since March 18th.

**Spring is unexpectedly on hold as we get much-needed rain in the Rogue Valley. The fact that I have an excuse not too weed the garden, is exhilarating. I'll use that time to finish reading "The Doomsday Machine" by Daniel Ellsberg.

**Gov. Kate Brown issued a "Stay at Home" order yesterday. A list of businesses that must close their doors has been issued. It's getting more real every day, but I still don't see signs of people panicking.

Temporary hospital beds are being set up at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.

**There's no sugar coating what some experts are saying. Oregon - according to one business model projection - will see hospitals overwhelmed by mid-April!

Going forward, I'll be taking it day-by-day.