Second of April, 2020

Nice to just have had a friend and a son who "text message" to check in on me.

I got the newsletter (for church) finished and scheduled to publish on time Tues. night. Then decided I wanted to see the final version and sent a preview to myself. Oops, it sent the version from the day before, without any of the final changes. So I canceled the 'send schedule', and opened it up again to re-do final changes. Nope, there they were, so I saved it again. Sent myself another preview copy, and it had the changes this time. So I scheduled it to send at midnight. But when I got it on my phone this morning, the formatting had been screwed around. Argh!

Then that night, since that had woken me up pretty much, I decided to go ahead and do the census. Seems they were more interested in my race and national heritage, than anything else. I had to say which kind of white people I was. American wasn't good enough. I said English, though about a tenth is German, maybe a eighth is French, some Irish, Scotts, etc. We came from colonists in New England and Virginia, and a great grandfather who probably was a stow-away from Germany.

Weather is on the cold side again, high 40s for daytime. Last night was cooler, but my one plant outside on the porch looks hardy enough, and there probably wasn't a frost. It even rained a bit this morning.

By the weekend it's due to be back in the 70s again and sunny! I will definitely get out to do a walk.

Tuesday I bit the bullet and carried a load of wash over to our laundromat, the one in the apartment complex. It meant sterilizing myself 3 times ...putting wash in, moving wash to drier, then picking up the dried laundry. Three times of exposing myself to any Covid-19 particles on doors, knobs on machines, common things everyone touches. So I scrubbed the hands, as well as my own door knobs each time. Well, I forgot my door knobs one of the times. I use a 10% bleach solution on paper towels. But at least I had clean sheets on my bed last night. That was nice.

No I'm not paranoid (well maybe a little bit) but I did wear a mask, even though I didn't see anyone else around. There's a sign on the laundry room that says to not stay there, but to come back when doing your wash, so as not to have contact with others. Of the 70 some apartments, only one or two other people had laundry going in one of the four washers and four driers while I did mine.  It is hard for me to use these machines, though they are closer to home, because there is no hot water available, so everything is a cold water wash. I threw some bleach into my whites. I'll go to the larger laundromat down the street later this week, where I know they sterilize the machines several times a day. There I can wear my mask, and just clean up (sterilize) myself once when done. I figure my hands, feet, purse, even phone, will get covered in those little one-micron size particles.

Phones can be cleaned also...mine has been wiped with soapy towels, as well as high alcohol hand sanitizer. I'm sure it is happy. One bit of trivia I learned early on...the size of a Covid-19 viral particle is one micron. It is compared to a cross section of a piece of hair where the width of a piece of hair is equal to the length of a football field, and one micron would be four inches wide.

And a final bit of information - which as far as I know is factual.

Excellent info from John Hopkins University:

🦠 The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which,when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

🦠 Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.

🦠 The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam). By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.

🦠 HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.

🦠 Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

🦠 Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.

🦠 Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.

🦠 NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is not alive.

🦠 NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only
- between 3 hours (fabric and porous),
- 4 hours (copper and wood)
- 24 hours (cardboard),
- 42 hours (metal) and
- 72 hours (plastic).
But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.

🦠 The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars. They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.

🦠 UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin.

🦠 The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.

🦠 Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.

🦠 NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.

🦠 LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.

🦠 The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.

🦠 You have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.

🦠 You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the microcracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.

🦠 Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

— JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL