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Interregnum, week 5
Dec. 13th, 2020 08:06 pmThe weather has gone from cold and dry back to cold and wet, which is an improvement for a number of reasons. If it's raining, then it's above freezing; if the weather is coming from the west, then we're not dealing with the east wind that comes roaring down the Columbia Gorge and sucks the life out of your body; and the rain washes whatever the heck it is that sets off my sinuses in December out of the air.
Oregon is still doing better than most of the US. At this point, that means the ICUs around here aren't in danger of hitting capacity. Against this background, every human contact feels like a dangerous risk, but some things are still essential, like the fact that the siding on one side of the house urgently needs to be replaced.
Back in February (February of this very year! It was kind of a shock to remember that) we went to the annual gigantic home and garden show up at the expo center, where the SO collected a bunch of brochures and business cards from various home-improvement and repair businesses. Then the pandemic happened, and things went on hold for a while, but the siding is now visibly crumbling in a couple spots.
So this past week, we had visits from three siding salesmen, which consisted of walking around the outside of the house and discussing the situation while awkwardly standing several feet apart. And wearing masks. Oregon has had some protests and lawsuits over its mask mandate, but the local building industry has made a firm decision about what is best for their businesses. In the spot in the ads where they used to insist that everyone sent to your house would be friendly and professional, they now assure you that all their representatives wear masks.
Oregon is still doing better than most of the US. At this point, that means the ICUs around here aren't in danger of hitting capacity. Against this background, every human contact feels like a dangerous risk, but some things are still essential, like the fact that the siding on one side of the house urgently needs to be replaced.
Back in February (February of this very year! It was kind of a shock to remember that) we went to the annual gigantic home and garden show up at the expo center, where the SO collected a bunch of brochures and business cards from various home-improvement and repair businesses. Then the pandemic happened, and things went on hold for a while, but the siding is now visibly crumbling in a couple spots.
So this past week, we had visits from three siding salesmen, which consisted of walking around the outside of the house and discussing the situation while awkwardly standing several feet apart. And wearing masks. Oregon has had some protests and lawsuits over its mask mandate, but the local building industry has made a firm decision about what is best for their businesses. In the spot in the ads where they used to insist that everyone sent to your house would be friendly and professional, they now assure you that all their representatives wear masks.
