@Laura Corin I am sorry for your continued pain. I pray that MRI comes through quickly. You’re doing so well to keep carefully moving while also taking the steps to get this figured out.

I do really appreciate your explaining their reasoning. (And I appreciate your validation.)

I have been in an utter daze of disbelief over this. I've been sick with covid all week. Really, hideously ill. I spent days rotating between bed and the chair next to the bed (though I did also enjoy two stints outside on the back deck wrapped in blankets). I do weight training and other exercise all the time. There is a pretty wooded lane outside my house--normally I whip off four times down and back without much thought. Yesterday and today I slow-walked down the lane ONCE and was winded and exhausted and took a nap. I am more myself today but weak as a baby and still have symptoms (sore throat and ears and lots of rhinitis). I cannot understand at all why the guidance has changed. The infectiousness and duration of illness have NOT changed, right? And isn't the CDC supposed to set guidance based on SCIENCE? Since when do scientists decide best practices based on what people feel like doing?!?!? I'm ranting, but I'm also seriously asking--is there something I am missing? Why on earth does this change make sense? Can someone play devil's advocate here and help me understand?

I voted Target. That said, I'd still be tempted to give a gift basket with the things you mentioned, but light. For example, light cotton fingerless gloves for in the house or a super-light throw blankie. It will be cooler than she is used to for a while yet.

What a terrible fright! Glad all is well now.

Definitely should complain about it. That's absolutely unreasonable and not a gym norm anywhere.

Yes, that's a good option, too. Probably better than attempting the lane.

Many thanks. Believe me, I've been mostly rotating between bed and the chair-next-to-the-bed. On Monday and Tuesday we had some unseasonably warm days so I snoozed on the back deck wrapped in blankets. The kicker is that my back and my joints really, really need some movement. So I'm not about to go weightlifting, but I do need to keep some movement just to be comfortable, kwim? Thanks for thinking of me. 😊

Yesterday I managed a gentle walk down the lane. I was so tired of staying still, rotating between bed and chair. Absolutely exhausted after but it was a relief to be moving. The sun is shining today so I’m going to head out for a walk again. The shattering muscle ache is lifting. This bout with Covid is different from the first one for me. It’s been much rougher this time in terms of typical flu-type symptoms and fatigue. But the first time I had it I experienced genuine breathing distress and ache with every breath. This time I was breathless only on the first day and used my inhaler that day. I assumed I would have to be on the inhaler all week but I haven’t needed it. One major difference this time is Paxlovid—it tastes hideous but perhaps it helped tamp down the wheezing. I will be done with the Paxlovid on Saturday and I hope I feel better then.

Praying for any ongoing hurdles.

Here for you, praying.

So glad you're okay! Air that house out thoroughly!

Yep I have Covid. Canceled everything and battening down the hatches.

Yep. I have Covid. So far mild. So far dh and foster teen are not sick. I have berberine and NAC. I bought them last year before traveling because I had read some things suggesting they might help. But I am worried that my super-vague research of last year might have turned up snake oil and pixie dust. Whaddya think? Are those good anti-covid measures? Or not?

I started working on our basement this past weekend. The whole tribe is coming for Easter and we need more rooms for people to sleep in, so it's time to sort and rearrange. Dh is a great partner in this.

That is a nice area. However, it’s not easy at all for a walker to navigate. If I wanted to go from JoAnn Fabrics to the mall I would have to cross major busy streets without sidewalks. Just massive parking lots. It really is laid out for cars. Similar with Ikea—a walker cannot easily get from Ikea over the highway and across huge parking lots to the mall.

The High Street corridor is basically an extension from the OSU campus, so yeah, much better transport there. That area is not really representative of the rest of the city. When I say walkable, I mean it’s easy and quick to walk from my house to grocery, church, and a handful of other options. There are many areas of the city where that’s not easily possible. But of course I am definitely biased by having lived in Chicago for forty years. It is easy to get anywhere in Chicago on public transportation. Anywhere I would want to go in Chicago I usually have more than one viable option for getting there due to the layers of buses and two train systems. It’s much harder by car there because of the congestion.

Cool topic. I have not yet read the thread—just responding to the OP. Definitely Chicago. Definitely some Chicago suburbs but that’s hit or miss. For example, it’s easy to do all the things in Oak Park because of the extensive bus, el train, Metra train, and walkability. Less easy out in St Charles, which doesn’t have a great bus system and only a Metra train used for access to downtown Chicago or other suburbs that are equally lacking in solid bus options. There are buses but they’re not extensive at all. Columbus, Ohio only has workable public transportation on campus at OSU. There is sorta decent bussing in an area north where there are lots and lots of poor and immigrant populations. Other than that there are sparse bus lines here and there. No train lines at all and Ohioans don’t want them. They just don’t understand how easy trains make life. Not many walkable areas either. Downtown or the smaller downtown suburbs have a bit of walkable shopping but you mostly have to drive TO those cute areas. If you want actual groceries you have to drive. Vast swaths of the city are not particularly walkable.

I went to the gym first thing this morning and am really discouraged. My knee is still really puffy and stiff from the lubricant injection. It's actually worse, not better. I pray somehow there's some magical adjustment and it feels magically better soon. As of right now I'm limping heavily and have a house to clean before guests come.

Or he might actually remember you and thinks he's so great. Be thankful that he has already shown you who he is so you won't ever make the mistake of working with him. Either way, I'm with you on karma. Savor the moment.

Favorite podcast: Holy Post. **I'm just sooooo grateful for the voice of reason this podcast represents. It's brainy and incisive and covers a wide range of topics. Favorite book last year: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou. **I had a work project for this book and absolutely delighted in immersing in Angelou's gorgeous, lyrical prose. Highly recommend. Favorite purchase last year: Foot massage machine. Thank God. Best life hack: Fresh air. Cracking open my bedroom window at night makes the whole room feel lighter. Just a beautiful atmosphere. I've started embracing open windows as much as possible and just layering up if it's chilly. I feel downright smug about all that healthful fresh air. Biggest regret: Not jumping into coursework for ESL degree or certification. I should have done it last year. I'm looking forward to doing it this year if I can work it out. What did you do to make your life easier this year? Actually, I made it much harder. We took in a foster teen, and her needs are deep and all-encompassing. We love her but it's been a LOT on my plate. I have stopped doing lots of necessary things (cleaning, sorting our basement, sewing for recreation) in order to make life easier--I'd like to get to a less intense place in my life and get some of those necessary things back in my life. Actually, one thing I did do to make life easier is I insisted on keeping my exercise routine and I refuse to share that time with foster teen. High point of last year: Trip to France with dh. The whole country looks like a fairy tale and the food is divine. A close second high point would be time with my grown-up kids. I also think of some small but significant moments we were able to have with a former foster daughter--we adore her and we miss her like crazy. It's a palpable, tangible ache and we wish we could have more time with her. We had some unexpected moments with her in November/December that were balm to our souls.

Gyrotonics today. I am super tired with work and grateful for the re-set.

Chicago, because that’s where we grew up and have family. Wisconsin or Michigan because they’re really beautiful and I love it there. After that, I think it would be fun to have an adventure overseas somewhere.

@BakersDozen Warm hugs for you.

I vote double sinks together. Definitely not glass doors. Way too high maintenance to clean. They never look good unless you've squeegeed and buffed and polished daily. We actually removed glass doors and put up a curtain in ours and it's a relief. I can just toss the cloth liner curtain into the laundry and voila, clean.