Wait and Hope

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Wait and Hope was what was inscribed on this headstone in the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. Pam and I visited this cemetery on our recent trip through South Carolina and Georgia with our house guest and two dogs. After our visit with my sister in South Carolina, we headed further south and stayed in Savannah.

We did a late night ghost tour of downtown Savannah and then manged to solve an escape room with only 1 second to spare. We stopped at another cemetery on our trip which surrounded a former church which only has the old brick work to remind us that the church once stood there.

Little Gracie is the most visited monument in Bonaventure Cemetery. I considered sketching her but she is surrounded on three sides by hedges making for a cramped view of the site. Gracie Watson was born in 1882 to Wales J. and Margaret Frances Watson. The Watson family was originally from Boston Massachusetts. They made their way to Savannah after Wales was hired to manage the Pulaski Hotel. This luxurious hotel, was one of the best hotels in all of the south. Managing the hotel was a prestigious position. While working at the hotel his daughter, Gracie Watson, became quite the center of attention. This bright-eyed girl warmed the hearts and brought smiles to the faces of almost every visitor to the Hotel. It is said she would put on little shows for the guests, dancing in the lobby and singing songs. In 1889, at the tender age of 7, Gracie Watson died from pneumonia.

Gracie’s father fell into a deep depression after her death. Gracie’s father had sculpture John Walz carve a monument to his girl. Using a photograph as reference John Walz sculpted the monument which now sits upon Little Gracie’s grave site out at Bonaventure Cemetery.

While Pam and our guest walked the dogs, exploring the cemetery, I sketched a short distance from Gracie. Periodically golf carts would drive up and a tour guide would relate Gracie’s story. I was kind of glad I didn’t sketch that site since it was so busy. Lawn mowers and leaf blowers were also moving up and down the aisles. I didn’t bring my artist stool, so I made due by tying my sweatshirt around my legs and back to create a make shift back support. It worked well enough to help me finish the sketch.

 

Someone Died In My Bed!

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Roughly 1800 kids were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the US last week, a 500% increase in the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations for children since early July, according to data from the CDC. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said “If your child needs an ICU bed, or more likely if they have COVID and need an ICU bed, we don’t have one.” He said “Your child will wait for another child to die before getting one.”

Emerging data from a large study in Canada suggest that children who test positive for COVID-19 during the Delta wave may be more than twice as likely to be hospitalized as they were when previous versions of the virus were dominating transmission. The new data support what many pediatric infectious disease experts say they’ve been seeing—younger kids with more serious symptoms.

Children under 12 still have no access to a vaccine, so they are facing increased exposure to a germ that’s become more dangerous with little protection, especially in schools where masks as a faint suggestion rather than a much needed mandate. Florida Children’s Hospitals are overwhelmed. Florida education officials who are trying to protect the children with mask mandates are having their jobs threatened by Florida Governor Ron DeathSantis. Florida’s Orange County Public Schools said it would require students to wear masks, except pupils whose parents opt them out with a signed note. Employees, visitors, volunteers and parents also will be required to wear masks, the district said. The CDC recommends that everyone – students, teachers, staff and visitors – wear masks in schools.

8,400 Tampa Florida area students and faculty are in quarantine after being exposed to the virus after just one week of school. An emergency school board meeting will be held the evening of August 18, 2021 to discuss the spread of the virus and take up the issue of mandatory mask wearing in schools. If approved, that could put the school district directly at odds with DeathSantis. Schools in Atlanta, Georgia reported over 4,000 COVID cases in just two weeks. Ten districts in that metro area have already suspended in-person learning.

Over 50 children are being hospitalized with COVID every single day in Florida. The state now leads the U.S. in new COVID-19 infections and has the highest rate of hospitalizations among children in the nation.

Cheersport Nationals

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Gimme a C, gimme an O, gimme a V, gimme an I, gimme a D! Whats that spell?! COVID!!!!!!  40,000 fans are expected to converge on Atlanta Georgia, for the Cheersport Nationals. Though event organizers are taking some precautions against COVID-19, it doesn’t take an expert to figure out that it will likely be a superspreader event. By CDC standards, the event is at the highest risk of Covid-19 transmission.

A CDC study from October found that indoor sporting events — even those with far fewer players than the cheerleading competition — can easily turn into superspreading events.

10,000 competitors are expected to take part in the annual Cheersport Nationals event, about half the number of competitors who usually attend. Georgia just recorded its highest single-day COVID-19 death toll. Atlanta where the cheer event is taking place, has seen a 9.8% Covid-19 positivity rate over the last two weeks, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s most recent report.

Public health doctors are worried that competitors and their families could further spread the virus in between competitions and around town. After the competition they then will return home and seed the virus all across the country.

The convention center where the event is being held also houses Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate illness. Attendees “assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19” by taking part. All coaches and cheer performers are required to wear a mask to enter the building and “during the transitions” between practice and performance. The cheerers don’t need to wear masks during their performance.

 

Days Apart

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A Douglas County, Colorado couple in their 70s died within days of each other from COVID-19.

An Oklahoma couple married 45 years, died days apart. They texted each other “I love you” before going into coma.

In Jacksonville, Florida a mother and daughter died 19 days apart from COVID-19.

A Wisconsin couple married for six decades died from COVID-19 just 2 days apart.

A California couple married 35 years died from COVID-19, 11 days apart.

The wife and husband behind Seattle’s Kona Kitchen died from COVID-19 just days apart.

A South Carolina couple married for 66 years died days apart from COVID-19.

A Louisiana woman lost both of her parents days apart due to COVID-19.

An Atlanta, Georgia couple married for 49 years died days apart from COVID-19.

Three members of a Freehold Township, New Jersey family died days apart after contracting COVID-19.

Just as the United States is rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, the numbers have become gloomier than ever: Over 3,000 Americans died in a single day, more than on D-Day or 9/11. One million new cases in the span of five days. More than 106,000 people in the hospital. The U.S. recorded 3,124 deaths Wednesday, December 9, 2020 the highest one-day total yet, according to Johns Hopkins University. Up until last week, the peak was 2,603 deaths on April 15, when New York City was the epicenter of the nation’s outbreak.

 

“We Want Them Infected”

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In newly discovered e-mails, Paul Alexander, a Trump appointee, urged top health officials to adopt a “herd immunity”. “Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk …. so we use them to develop herd … we want them infected…” Alexander added.

A maskless Santa exposed at least 50 children to COVID-19 in Ludowici, Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Claus posed for pictures with the children and then tested positive for COVID-19 two days later. Some children were justifiably terrified, but many were forced to sit on Santa’s lap.

City officials have advised the children who were at the event to quarantine for 14 days and follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The event took place on the day Georgia reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases.

A 1918 Nebraska newspaper showed a stark contrast at the time. Nebraska was experiencing the ravages of the Spanish Flu which killed, 675,000 Americans. “In Gering, Nebraska, a department store arranged for a visit by Santa Claus in December, but hundreds of children were shocked when police arrested both Santa and the store owner for violating a local ban.” They knew how to knuckle down those days, unlike the soft, misguided, or genuinely evil officials of today.

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that Santa is immune to COVID-19, just as the infected POTUS declared himself immune since he caught COVID-19 and was injected with Remdesivir,  Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody cocktail, zinc, famotidine, and melatonin and dexamethasone a steroid. Santa must also be hyped up on steroids. Maria Van Kerkhove, who herself has two young sons said, “I can tell you that Santa Claus is immune to this virus,” She continued, “We had a brief chat with him and he is doing very well and Mrs. Claus is doing very well, and they are very busy right now,” she said.

God’s Got You Covered

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Schools are opening despite a steep rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths. In the coming weeks 51 million students will return to school and have to balance learning with health concerns. Schools don’t have the budgets to truly create safe learning environments. Some teachers are given a single bottle of sanitizer and told they must supply any other needs themselves.

In Dallas Georgia, Hannah Watters, a North Paulding High School student, took a photo of a crowded hallway as students waited to get to class. Few students had masks on, and there was no social distancing. The student who took that photo was suspended. After the photo went viral, the principle revered his decision.This student however is getting threats online from fellow students. One student pointed out in an online  group that he knows where she lives. Another said she will have a rough day come Monday. Three days after the photo was taken, 9 students tested positive for COVID-19. The school is having to shut down to disinfect.

In another viral photo, a young girl was surrounded by her smiling parents and she held up a sign that said, “Take your mask off, God’s got you covered.” That judgemental sign must have been dictated by her parents. Anti Maskers are emboldened by our sad excuse of presidential leadership in Trump. Anti maskers claim the crisis is overblown, the death rate is minuscule and only affects the weak, and it’s time to stop living in fear. They are tired of social isolation and want everything to magically return to normal. They believe the COVID-19 scare is a hoax designed to destroy America and that masks are for wimps. They say open the bars, open the malls. Time to party! God’s got y’all covered! So many of my Florida neighbors share these selfish sentiments. I avoid them like the plague.

Rather than love, this un-Christian message conveys self-righteous. It made me wonder how Jesus might have my back. Would he protect me from the unseen virus with his hands? Then I thought, well, his hands wouldn’t make the best mask since the hole from the nail that punctured his palms would let in plenty of virus.

Anti-maskers are rebelling against even the simplest guidelines, while teachers and other staffers say they won’t go to work if schools aren’t safe. About 28% of public school teachers are over age 50, making them especially vulnerable to the virus. Many would rather retire that risk their health. Teachers want  widespread testing of students, staff and visitors for the virus. In Orange County Florida, all 212,000 students learning online for first 9 days of the school year.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams addressed those who don’t want to wear a mask: “taking these public health measures will help you be able to do more of the things that you enjoy, worship, school, restaurants.”

Summer Camp COVID-19 Outbreaks

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An overnight summer camp in rural southwestern Missouri saw 82 campers, counselors and staff infected with Covid-19. Missouri is one of several states to report outbreaks at summer camps. The Kanakuk camp near Branson ended up sending its teenage campers home. On Friday, the local health department announced 49 positive cases of the COVID-19 virus at the camp. By Monday, the number had jumped to 82.

A parent interviewed about the outbreak said he felt that the camp had done everything they could to keep his children safe. Kanakuk plans to reopen later this summer once test results from all staffers are returned and show it’s safe to do so, said Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health.

Kanakuk employs numerous layers of systems and protocols to ensure that the facilities, staff, and campers stay safe, clean, and healthy. However, the most important thing they do as an organization is spend countless hours praying in advance for every camper and staff who walks through the gates. They pray for a healthy and safe environment.

Some states, like Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, closed summer camps this year, and many camps elsewhere have voluntarily canceled programs. But other camps are plowing ahead, hoping that precautions like social distancing, masks and requiring children to quarantine before coming to camp will quell the risk.

In Texas, 76 cases of campers and staff who attended Pine Cove’s Christian camps have tested positive, and several weeks of camp were canceled after clusters of cases were discovered. The spread came despite state requirements that include enforcing social distancing and banning outside visitors. As of last week, campers and staff must wear masks when social distancing isn’t possible.

In Lake Burton, Georgia YMCA Camps, at least 85 kids and counselors tested positive for COVID-19, Georgia Department of Public Health officials told McClatchy News. Campers were all between 7-14 years old and staff between 16-22, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The YMCA says this situation happened despite careful planning and adherence to safety guidelines laid out by leading health experts and mandated by the state, 11Alive reported.

In Arkansas, Mount Ida’s Camp Ozark closed after “several” people were infected, though it didn’t say how many, Fox said. It’s a calculated risk for camps, to open or not open, but most are choosing to stay closed for safety, or are being forced to stay closed by state or local government mandate, according to CNBC. Nearly two-thirds of summer camps haven’t opened this year.

A Fort Myers, Florida children’s theater camp shut down this week after two students tested positive for COVID-19. “The students that tested positive didn’t have any symptoms,” Jeremy Kuntze, the executive producer for the nonprofit Creative Theater Workshop said. The students had rehearsed and performed in the summer camp production of the musical “Hairspray Jr.,” which ran June 15 through July 3, 2020. “We had taken safety precautions,” Kuntze said. “We required temperatures to be checked every day before students arrived. Sanitizing. All staff and volunteers wore masks. Visitors wore masks.” Students, however, weren’t required to wear masks, Kuntze said. “They were encouraged.” When performing on stage no one wore masks.

Screening for fevers with temperature checks is not a panacea. “The absence of an elevated body temperature is not a seal of approval,” said Dr. Fred Jacobs, a pulmonologist and former commissioner of the New Jersey Health Department, told ABC News. “The answer is not temperature. The answer is testing.” Children in particular can be asymptomatic and spread the virus with no sign of a temperature.

All of this foreshadows the insanity of opening schools in Florida 5 days a week despite the surge in COVID-19 cases. Children are not immune to the virus and they can certainly spread the virus to friends and family.

Florida  just shattered the number of cases reported in a single day with, 15,299 new cases on Sunday July 12, 2020. This is the highest daily total of any state in the United States. 45 people died in the state on Sunday July 12, 2020.

Mrs Wilkes Dining room in Savannah Georgia

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I was traveling through Georgia with Pam Schwartz, John Naughton and a relative of John’s named Ben Wozniak. John had researched Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining room (107 West Jones St. Savannah, GA 31401) and it was the main reason we stopped in the historic city.

A line gathers each morning at 11 o’clock. That line literally wraps around the block. When the doors open, the lunch crowd finds seats at one of the large
tables-for-ten shared by strangers. Tabletops are crowded with platters
of fried chicken and cornbread dressing, sweet potato souffle,
black-eyed peas, okra gumbo, corn muffins and biscuits. We had our choice of some 24 food options all on one table! The menu changes
daily so regulars can have something different every day. There is a unique pleasure of having a meal shared with neighbors and
strangers. Lunch is $23 per person but reservations do not exist. You just need to get in line and hope to get in. The place is closed in January so don’t drive up that way immediately.

This dining experience was the highlight of the trip. You had to pace yourself to be sure you tried everything but had seconds of what you truly loved. It was like having Thanksgiving with strangers. John purchased the Mrs. Wilkes’ Cookbook and Pam took down some of the recipes, so we will be trying some of these traditional southern dishes.

We also explored some of the city’s historic squares in Savannah to walk off the huge meal we had. The final destination of the trip was Charleston, South Carolina where Pam and I visited my sister Shirley Steinmetz. The three of us went to the River Dogs’ baseball stadium where the game was interrupted by a complete solar eclipse. We had the necessary solar glasses to watch the sun as it was eclipsed. When the day turned black everything became completely silent. Then as the sky began to turn light again, the game resumed.

My sister loves genealogy, as do Pam and I, so there was plenty to talk about at my sister’s house. Pam has encouraged me to do research online and I am amazed at the amount of legal documents that are available at the press of a button. I am able to quickly find source documents to verify all the information on my tree. There are still road blocks, but the journey is what is exciting.

The road trip back to Orlando was as much fun as the trip north to Charleston. John Naughton did all the driving. He and Pam discussed recipes in the front seats and I dozed off in the back seat as the miles flew by.