It's no wonder that ZZ Top song keeps ricocheting off the bones in my head.
When I last checked on the progress of the mayhem wreaked by it, the USA had 68,901,964 people who had been infected by the coronavirus and 877,958 people who contracted COVID from that infection and died.
That was on January 18th, less than two weeks ago.
Tonight, the USA has 76,222,215 people who have been infected and the total dead stands at 910,014 people.
That's an increase of more than seven million more infections in less than two weeks.
Think of it as more than 500,000 people contracting the virus per day.
There's also an increase of more than 22,000 people who have died from the coronavirus in less than two weeks.
Less than... two... weeks.
And how many of the good people of Georgia have been vaccinated?
Only about 54%.
Pitiful.
My nephew Michael is among that number refusing that preventative measure.
He had texted early last week about he and I getting together, as he still had Christmas gifts for me.
We were to meet on Friday, but I didn't hear a time from him.
Yesterday, he texted to see if it would be okay for him and the twins to come by.
I texted back, "Sure, as long as no one has sniffles or a fever."
I told him I would be home all day, but that I had an important phone call at 4 PM.
He and the girls arrived just after 3 PM.
(smile!)
My favorite!
I received a 2-CD set of The Beatles' "Let It Be", plus a gorgeous book of their poetry!
That would be song lyrics, which are merely poems with music!
(smile!)
The girls each received two LEGO sets, one for their 7th birthday (back in October) and one for Christmas.
I gave Alyssa a girlie set with tulips and purple vase, as well as the Polar Express train.
To Leila I gave a flashy race car and a Christmas tree that could spin around.
I also gave them a tour of the house, as they kept sneaking out of the living room and seemed fascinated by the three closed doors off the hall.
So, I opened each, revealing an empty and unheated and very cold "dance room", a mostly empty and unheated and very cold Ocean Room, and my bedroom (which, at one time, had been their room).
That's when the mental difference between the two girls became obvious.
I had already noticed the physical difference.
Since I last saw them, Leila has sprouted and is distinctly taller and bigger than her sister.
That was a definite change.
But when it came to taking on a new challenge, such as building a structure never before attempted, they had decidedly different approaches.
Alyssa selected the vase with the two tulips and little bee, a kit I had been sure she would like.
(She's the more girlie of the two, after all!)
Leila chose her Christmas gift, the pretty little tree with its tiers of branches.
My train of thought seems to have jumped the track; guess I better get it back!
(smile!)
So, as I was saying, when it came to the construction of the tree, Leila kept deferring to her dad, wanting him to help, wanting him to show her how so she could mimic his actions.
Not Alyssa.
She quietly knuckled down to studying the pictorial instructions herself, not asking for help, not pouting and requesting that someone else do it...
she figured it out for herself.
Even more, she thought carefully and made several attempts before she ever asked her dad for a moment of aid.
And she had such a fine sense of accomplishment when she had that first tulip assembled!
There she is, placing its stalk into the vase - well done!
Then she built the second flower, even faster than the first.
What about Leila's tree?
Well, she had skipped a step and omitted a row of branches... but she didn't seem to care enough about it to take it apart and do it correctly.
Maybe she'll try again at home.
Soon enough, it was almost 4 PM.
Out they went!
I had already told them I had a call to place to Mister Willie, so I shooed them out...
then I sprayed Seventh Generation Lavender-scented disinfectant all over the living room.
All over the couch, all over the table, all over the love seat, all over the floor.
I also sprayed it in the kitchen, by the stove and refrigerator, where the girls had been "hiding" from me.
I also shed my "Mary's Hug" poncho and changed my sweater.
Then I called Willie on Gloria's phone and we talked for about thirty minutes.
(smile!)
Then I sprayed the items in the living room and kitchen again.
This morning, I sprayed those places a third time.
As I told my first niece, I have not sat in the living room since.
I think it may be safe to do so tomorrow.
I hope so.
The couch is certainly more comfortable than the dining room chair.
(smile!)
And I'll keep track of the passage of time until after Wednesday.
I know I'll be safe after that.
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