But remembering the past is also a way of believing that this moment will someday be the past. Which is to say, nostalgia for the past is also a way of believing in the future. Daydreaming about the After Times — the Before Times’s mythic counterpart — is in part an exercise in imagining what it will be like to look back at the pandemic.
“This Year Has Taught Me A Lot About Nostalgia” – NYT Opinions
It’s hard to know when Covid “started” in my mind – when the first case was discovered in China in late 2019? When the WHO declared it a novel coronavirus in January? When the first travel restrictions were imposed in February? When it was declared a pandemic in March?
Though we were aware of Covid before March, for me, I think being sent home from work for “two weeks” (which turned into three months!) in mid-March 2020 is where Covid officially “began” for me.
It’s been a wild, unusual, stressful, crazy year in many ways.
Although I’ve written a lot about my Covid-related thoughts and experiences on this blog, one regret is that I didn’t think to do some sort of a monthly “summary” post of what was going on in my life and the wider world with Covid as things were constantly changing – from what items were having shortages to ever-rising case and death counts to just general changes in attitudes (“I’m not going to bother wearing a mask when I get groceries” to “Shit! I forgot my mask – I may die running into this hardware store!”)
So partly inspired by my annual End of Year posts which are often longer and more in-depth than most of my posts and also include a lot more photos and graphics, I decided to review my blog, my personal journal, my camera roll, and various other online sources to compile a retroactive summary of the past year:
MARCH 2020
Biggest Covid-Related News:
The same day that the WHO declares Covid-19 a worldwide pandemic on March 11, that evening the NBA announces its shutting down indefinitely after a player tests positive, the US announces travel restrictions from 26 countries, and Tom Hanks announces he’s Covid positive! Within a week, pretty much the entire world goes into lockdown.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Everybody watches “Tiger King” after the world shuts down.
Also “Contagion” which used to a very accurate *fictional* movie about the spread and impact of a worldwide pandemic.
Also Gal Gadot gets a bunch of tone-deaf (literally and figuratively) celebrities to sing “Imagine” but shockingly, that doesn’t end the pandemic.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
I was technically “working from home” but it took awhile to set-up processes, assign work, troubleshoot the VPN, etc. from scratch and on very short notice so the first couple weeks were sort of like a “retirement preview” where I had very little to do except take regular “soccer walkers” with the kids, try to get them off Minecraft and onto educational videos, and make sure Shea had a drink ready and waiting when she got home from work every day as an RN and essential worker. (Also gotta give kudos to our Library Director who was clear in communications to staff that this was a very unusual time and staff should take this quiet period to focus on self-growth and personal reflection instead of stressing about not being physically at work. Of course, I mostly did my “personal growth” by rapidly powering through about half a dozen books relating to viruses/pandemics/epidemiology trying to figure out what the hell was going on!) 😉
Moment of Humour:
Shea is opposed to my suggestion that she strip down immediately after getting back from work at the hospital every day as a “Covid precaution”! 😉
Moment of Tears:
Especially at the start of Covid, there were *a lot* of moments where there were tears thinking “What the hell is happening? How will this end? Is this the beginning of the zombie apocalypse? Why did I read so much dystopian fiction as a kid?” 🙁
Moment of Fear:
With me at home but Shea still going to work in the hospital every day, this led to lots of fear about possible risks to herself and by extension, to the rest of the family, especially when so little was known about Covid transmission and virulence early on. (Yes, I did wipe down everything in our first online grocery delivery order when it arrived.)
Memorable Moment:
Did a meandering Sunday drive including an outdoor picnic that was a great break after being cooped up without leaving the house at all (well, three of us anyhow) except for walks. On a semi-related note, Canada shutting down all non-essential border crossings with the US felt monumental.
Shortage of the Month:
Lots of stuff – disinfectant, sanitizer, Lysol wipes, masks, appointments for online grocery delivery, suppers with friends (replaced with a virtual FB group I set-up), etc. etc. – but toilet paper got most of the attention!
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
March 15:
March 22:
APRIL
Biggest Covid-Related News:
In late April, Saskatchewan releases a five phase “re-open” Saskatchewan plan.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
As the initial lockdown moves past “two weeks” and people are still encouraged to stay home, movie studios take a fairly unprecedented step of releasing films outside of their usual theatrical window directly to streaming and on-demand services.
TikTok was already popular but took off during the early weeks of the pandemic with so many people at home.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
I didn’t manage to arrange a drive-by by the fire department or a virtual performance by a magician (I tried though!) but we managed to pull of a fun virtual birthday for Sasha anyhow.
Moment of Humour:
Justin Trudeau says masks help if people are “speaking moistly”.
Moment of Tears:
An aunt who has visited us from BC for a month every spring for over a decade makes the tough decision that it’s not worth coming this year as she has lung issues and we’re still worried about Shea’s risk going to the hospital every day.
Moment of Fear:
Sasha becomes the first member of our family to go for a Covid test after a multi-day fever but is luckily negative. (This is especially good news as we’d bent the existing quarantine rules to allow my parents to have a quick visit with Sasha on her birthday and I would’ve felt pretty shitty if that brief infraction of the rules left my parents with Covid or worse!)
Memorable Moment:
In a very Covid-esque exchange, my parents do a driveway visit which includes a trade of Lysol wipes (we still had lots from the flat we bought at Costco when selling our house – who knew they’d become like gold?) and they gave us some N-95 masks which is something every farmer has (or should!)
Shortage of the Month:
April was the month that baking products, especially yeast, were in high demand. I braved the grocery store for the first time (we used delivery services for the previous month) because I wanted to get some gifts for Sasha’s birthday without using Amazon and the *only* thing on our very long list that I didn’t get was brown sugar!
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
Sasha being escorted in for her Covid test and our first personal glimpse of how Covid would change healthcare when only one parent was allowed to accompany her (and technically, at her age, they could’ve even made her go alone!)
MAY
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Canada’s medical health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam reverses his earlier instruction and begins recommending that Canadians begin wearing masks. (Anti-maskers use this as evidence that scientists don’t know *anything* and therefore no rules should be followed. My own take is that they probably knew masks would be useful as soon as the virus started spreading but this was done to prevent a run on masks by the general population before supply chains could catch up!)
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Elon Musk, who the pandemic will make the world’s richest person has a child and gives the baby a mathematical formula for a name.
Murder hornets.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Like a lot of people, we tried to order food at least once a week. We mostly chose restaurants but the time we ordered a Spanish-themed meal from Legacy, a local catering company, was our best meal of the entire quarantine period – ate it on the deck on a sunny Saturday afternoon after I spent the day answering calls on RPL’s Hotline.
Moment of Humour:
I think it was pretty funny to watch Justin Trudeau’s daily Covid briefings and track the ever-growing length of his fabulous mane of hair!
Moment of Tears:
The decision to trade in our much beloved (but very tiny) rPod camper for something bigger with better facilities, especially with uncertainty about what we would and wouldn’t be able to do while camping caused a few tears.
Moment of Fear:
It was more about caution than fear but having more flexibility in my time allowed me to do a bit more to assist with closing the Coteau Books office than I might have otherwise. And it was interesting to see the progression in how we interacted there over the days and weeks when I popped in to help out – no one wearing a mask but social distancing. Then the people who were there daily wearing masks while I just kept my social distance. Then everyone masking.
Memorable Moment:
Another big milestone was going to the dentist for my six-month cleaning that was delayed due to the Covid shutdown. Other than feeling like I was at the dentist in the 70’s (no electric equipment could be used, flouride painted on instead of spun on, etc.), it was safe and felt like a step back toward “normalcy”.
Shortage of the Month:
Hair dye. Garage Sales (which aren’t allowed.)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
Decide to let the entire family participate in giving me a badly-needed “Covid Cut”. (And yes, all that grey in my beard is due to the hair dye shortage – honest!) 😉
JUNE
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Global cases surpass 10 million and global deaths surpass 500,000.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Getting our new camper into our new seasonal site (we got chosen for a move at the end of last year) and setting up a new tent for Pace. Slowly getting the site developed to our liking in anticipation of using it lots during the summer.
Moment of Humour:
Not sure why I found this funny but the Sask Book Awards had to delay their virtual ceremony then had it livestreamed in June (which meant I could watch from our campsite – yay!) But anyhow, in a greatly abbreviated program – closer to an hour instead of the usual 3-4 hours, they still had an intermission break. Again, just thought that was kinda funny.
Moment of Tears:
We traded in our camper in May but seeing the actual listing show up on a local RV dealer’s web site made it real that it was no longer ours (and seeing it disappear quickly made me cry even more realising maybe I should’ve done a private sale after all!) 😉
Moment of Fear:
Again, “fear” isn’t the right word but there was at least some trepidation going back to work after so long off, especially being in a public facing role. But full credit to RPL who went above and beyond doing nearly everything they could to make staff safe – plexiglass, sanitization stations for both patrons and staff, lots of disposable masks and gloves, removed toys and comfortable seating, reduced time limits on public computers, provided each branch with a pretty cool “laser gun” ionizer that sanitizers surfaces including electronics, quarantining returns for at least three days (later dropped to one day), strict instructions for all staff to stay home if they feel at all sick, etc. I would quibble with some decisions (is it better to follow the lead of government on requiring masks or being proactive before its a mandate? Then, once masks are mandatory, should people be allowed in if they claim a medical exemption or if it sufficient to offer virtual/curbside services?) but as I type this, nearly nine months since reopening, I am not aware of any RPL staff member who has been diagnosed as Covid positive (though obviously confidentiality rules mean I might not hear either!) but overall, it’s gone well.
Memorable Moment:
Funny how so many memorable moments are connected to food but Shea and I end up having our first eat-in, sit-down restaurant meal in months at one of Regina’s best restaurants, Bar Willow. We had planned to sit on the patio since we were (and still are) trying to avoid indoor dining as that feels like one of the riskiest things you can do. But the day was really cool and windy so we decided to be brave and move inside. Luckily, there were only a couple other tables, far away from us, and we felt pretty safe.
Shortage of the Month:
We traded in our camper in May and picked up a new (to us), larger camper at the start of June. But we didn’t even think that there would be a shortage of RVs coming as people looked for hobbies closer to home when they were unable to travel out of country for summer vacations or even reluctant to travel within Canada. In fact, anything related to outdoor, close-to-home fun or projects was in high demand – trampolines, gardening supplies, landscaping products, lumber.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
In late June, I return to work to begin preparing for reopening to the public in early July. Going back into my branch is like going into a building frozen in time – the mid-March newspaper still on the rack, posters promoting programs that never ended up being offered, the calendar still set to March.
JULY
Biggest Covid-Related News:
At least in my personal world, the reopening of Regina Public Libraries in early July feels like the biggest Covid-related news of the month. (They had announced in June that they’d be reopening so I actually got to go back to work in physical branches a couple weeks early to oversee staff catching up on a backlog of work and prepping the branches for reopening.)
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
A filmed version of the stage play “Hamilton” is released on Disney+
And in non-Disney+ news (at least until they release “Pam & Tommy” in February 2022), the BC Centre for Disease Control recommends “glory holes” to ensure social distancing during sex.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
My take on the NHL season ending abruptly in March is “I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would but I also didn’t realise how much I missed it when it came back” with games starting back in July but now played in “bubbles” in Toronto and Edmonton.
Moment of Humour:
We debate about whether to even go since it’s only a few days after Kenoseee has a diagnosed case in one of their restaurants but decide to do a day trip for some horseback riding (which should be pretty safe since it’s outdoors.) But we definitely pack a picnic lunch instead of eating a restaurant (while telling a lot of jokes about how Covid is likely the least dangerous communicable disease that you can catch at Kenosee bars!)
Moment of Tears:
Shea’s last living uncle who is undergoing cancer treatments is able to visit our campsite. This is our last time seeing him alive as we can’t see him as his condition worsens, he’s admitted to hospital and eventually dies in January but still, only a couple members of his immediate family are able to see him in his palliative bed.
Moment of Fear:
Going to the beach at Nickle Lake on Canada Day and seeing it was *absolutely* packed was a bit nerve-wracking. But I mean, we still ended up sitting with some campers we know who aren’t technically part of our “bubble” so it’s not like we immediately fled in terror either!
Memorable Moment:
Kick off a two week stretch of holidays by celebrating my 47th birthday at our campsite (well, technically with a big meal with family and friends including my parents at Shea’s parents’ campsite.) My dad had broken a toe so couldn’t bring their camper to join us as planned so my mom and dad end up spending a few nights in our camper – good thing we bought a larger one but so much for social distancing!
Shortage of the Month:
There was a lot of ongoing discussion about how to strike the right balance between restrictions that were too strict and too lenient. For example, in normal times, a highlight of our campground is the weekly family outdoor movie nights every Saturday by the canteen. But these were cancelled for the whole summer due to the Covid restrictions even though people attending probably could have maintained social distancing, especially with these being outdoors.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
Similarly, I would argue that shutting down the public fire pits at our regional campground was probably too strict but I guess if the idea is to reduce communal gatherings, likely with shared food, okay, that makes sense.
AUGUST
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Again, the biggest Covid news in August for us is on the personal front as Pace ends up being the second person in our immediate family to have to go for a Covid test. Like his sister in April, he turns out to be negative thankfully but again, I never would’ve guessed that both Shea (who went into the hospital every day of the pandemic without even taking a single sick day) and myself (who worked from home for awhile but then was back in a public-facing role for months as I type this) would be the two people in our family to *not* have a Covid test when our kids, both before school was even back in, would end up going for testing. I mean, we kept thinking – where do they even pick up bugs if they literally never go out to stores or restaurants or anything?!?
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
The song “WAP” goes viral.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Find out that my employer has approved an additional week of (unpaid) holidays so I can have an extra week of camping. This is awesome as camping is one of the few places where it’s easy to (mostly) forget that Covid exists.
Moment of Humour:
If such a thing is possible, I have arguably my funniest moment of Covid when I get to wear a mask *in* to a bank! 😉
Moment of Tears:
I have to take Sasha to the dentist to get a cavity filled and there are a lot of tears for sure. From a Covid-perspective, so many every day experiences are different because of Covid – waiting in the car when you arrive, answering a long questionnaire before getting service, temperature checks, even questions about whether a parent will be allowed in or not (in this case I was but for a different dental procedure Sasha had another time that was simpler and less painful, I wasn’t and she had to go in by herself.)
Moment of Fear:
I keep saying fear isn’t the right word (probably defensive because anti-maskers use fear of the virus as one of their rhetorical weapons – thought how it’s any different than using oven mitts when touching a hot stove, not because you’re afraid but because you’re cautious, obviously escapes them) but anyhow, again, it’s not necessarily “fear” but we definitely have some nervousness and trepidation about how safe it will be for the kids going back to school in September after being away from classrooms since mid-March (and we simply aren’t in a position to allow them to do distance-learning, even if we wanted to.)
Memorable Moment:
We spend most of our time at our seasonal campsite but on a Monday when I happen to be off and Shea’s at work, I take the kids for a fun visit to surprise my parents in Indian Head. After a visit at their house, we head to the farm where Pace gets to practice driving then down to our family cottage for some boating, hot dogs and visiting. Then I take the kids and we carry on around Katepwa Lake to Fort Qu’Appelle and home though we don’t hit any grocery stores/restaurants/retail stores like we might normally do.
Shortage of the Month:
If I’m going to ask for an extra week of unpaid vacation, can I suggest that paid vacation is something I have a shortage of? (And unfortunately, I am still a few years from my next bump to an additional paid week!)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
SEPTEMBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
The reopening of schools in the province, delayed by a week from the initially announced date so schools would have more time to prepare, is the biggest news in our immediate world by far. In the wider world, global deaths from Covid surpass one million.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
“Schitt’s Creek” sweep a virtual edition of The Emmys perhaps showing people want wholesome, kind entertainment in a very unsettled time.
Meme of the Month:
To this day if Shea and I see someone with their mask under their nose, we whisper “Dick’s out!” to each other…
Moment of Joy:
A big Sunday drive around the Qu’Appelle Valley with stops at Echo Lake Provincial Park, Fort Qu’Appelle, Lebret, our family farm, our family cottage, Indian Head to see my parents, doing timer-assisted family photos at most stops.
Moment of Humour:
We didn’t take in our recycling regularly, even before Covid shut down Sarcan for months. So we held off as long as we could knowing lines were *really* long at Sarcan outlets. But after getting a tip about good times to go from a colleague who works at a branch near a Sarcan outlet, we finally took in bags and bags of bottles and cans in separate trips to two different outlets to catch up on months of backlog!
Moment of Tears:
Especially this year, packing up our seasonal campsite was tough knowing that we’d had a great summer where Covid felt less present in our lives every time we got to drive through the park gates.
Moment of Fear:
Without giving too many details, I probably have my closest contact with a Covid positive person (at least that I know of – how many have I encountered in stores or at the library or that Shea might have encountered at the hospital?) in the entire year but luckily nothing comes of it.
Memorable Moment:
Probably watching The Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup in September (which is usually when the NHL season is just starting) after the league shut down in March then re-started with a “bubble” concept to finish the season over the summer.
Shortage of the Month:
Teachers? Substitute teachers but also enough teachers for all the kids enrolling in digital learning which requires a lot of last-minute shuffling of classrooms that in-class teachers had worked hard to prepare for the influx of kids.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
Just another day working at a public library wearing a mask, latex gloves and using the new ionizing disinfecting gun (aka “the laser gun”.)
OCTOBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
President Trump is diagnosed with Covid and hospitalized as “a precaution” though it later comes out that he was nearly put on a breathalizer respirator along with all the latest high-end therapies and drugs that he did receive so as to not succumb to Covid like anyone else who’s his age and obese might do.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
“The Queen’s Gambit” is the latest viral hit from Netflix.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Have the very strange experience of supporting not one but two candidates who win their elections as both my candidate for City Council and my candidate for school board both win. Did some canvassing both both the City Council candidate and also my provincial candidate (who lost unfortunately) and that’s a weird experience too during Covid times.
Moment of Humour:
It was pretty funny to take Sasha back to our old house when we were out trick or treating (and if I’d been more on the ball, I’d have gone to the door with her instead of waiting at the end of the driveway like I did at most houses so I could get a glimpse into our old house!)
Moment of Tears:
Maybe not tears but pretty disappointed that the Sask NDP, led by a doctor mind you, can’t do better in the provincial election.
Moment of Fear:
Halloween was scarier than usual with a lot of uncertainty about how/what trick or treating would look like – from both the perspective of households giving out candy and those going door-to-door for treats.
Memorable Moment:
Not sure if we realised it at the time but going for our annual flu shot feels like it was a bit of a dry run for a very similar process that we might experience when we finally get to go for our Covid vaccine – booking an appointment ahead of time, going to a massive convention centre repurposed for vaccine delivery, Covid questionnaire at check-in, etc.
Shortage of the Month:
As mentioned, Halloween was a really weird night and though it was completely understandable, it felt like there was a shortage of people participating – both households and trick or treaters (Sasha and I went out but did *way* fewer houses than usual.)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
NOVEMBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Global cases top 50 million. Joe Biden defeats Donald Trump in the US Presidential Election and hope is restored for saner, safer leadership and governance.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
(I’ll pump my own tires on this one a bit…) 😉
Moment of Joy:
We put up our Christmas tree and decorations *way* earlier than we usually do but after a long, tough year, it felt good to bring that joy into the house.
Moment of Humour:
I’m really plugging my “mini-viral” tweets from this month for some reason but this one got some traction which I think reflected people’s frustration with ever-changing, inconsistent, illogical Covid guidelines (a frustration which continues and grows to this day)…
Moment of Tears: Outbreak in my home town means many people I know are affected including some quite seriously.
Moment of Fear: The kids get their first notice of a Covid positive case in their school though luckily in neither’s classroom so they don’t get moved to distance learning. Since then, there’s only been one other Covid positive case in the school which again, didn’t affect either classroom, so, knock on wood, we’ve been very fortunate.
Memorable Moment:
We do parent-teacher conferences virtually – Shea and Sasha logging in from home and me logging in from work. Shea and I are having an issue with the Zoom password we were sent and troubleshooting back and forth on our phones when I get in. I see a pop-up in the middle of my screen with a woman with dark brown hair behind it which is quite similar in colour to my wife’s hair. “Did you get in too, honey?” I ask before clearing the pop-up and realising that no, this is Sasha’s teacher waiting for us (because of Covid, we’d never met her in person once so I had no idea what she looked like!) and I had just called her “honey!” Yikes! I just start laughing and apologizing and am still doing both when Shea gets into the call soon after!
Shortage of the Month:
ICU beds? This was *the* concern since day one of Covid and the whole idea behind “flattening the curve” which is is not just to prevent people from getting sick but to ensure your healthcare system isn’t overwhelmed. Near the end of November, Saskatchewan hits 97% of their ICU capacity while Saskatoon is at 126% of capacity which I think is the closest we came to needing to do triage, use field hospitals, etc.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
Given the outbreak in Indian Head, my parents decide to go for a Covid test (I think it took some convincing from me because “I don’t have symptoms” but they did go and even sent me this picture from the drive-thru testing site in Regina. As with their two grandkids who got tested at different points in the year, both were negative luckily!)
DECEMBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Various vaccines receive approval and begin being rolled out at different speeds and with different restrictions (everything from storage temperature to age of recipients.)
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Monoliths popping up all over the world? Why not?
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Christmas was a bit more challenging in many ways this year – from buying gifts safely (but without using Amazon!) to looking for the smallest turkey we could find – but I would say that Christmas morning was still great fun, even with only the four of us physically present for the day and all of our “family time” visiting through Zoom.
Moment of Humour:
Like most people, we have bought/made/been gifted dozens of masks over the year so I think it was Shea’s dad who suggested we should hang them on our Christmas tree as very timely and memorable decorations! (Only regret is not thinking to put a roll of toilet paper as the “star” on this tree!)
Moment of Tears:
Not too proud to admit that Shea and I were both in tears watching the first two people get vaccinated in Saskatchewan (tellingly, the government chose a doctor and a nurse but is now saying they’ll follow an age-based process for vaccinating instead of prioritizing healthcare and other frontline workers in higher-risk positions – paramedics, police, teachers, etc.) Also had a few tears when a couple regulars came into the branch right before Christmas and sternly said “We have something very serious we want to talk about with you!” I was caught off guard, trying to figure out why they seemed so angry when they’re not normally like that…until they pulled a wrapped box of (individually wrapped) chocolates out of their bag and burst into smiles, saying “We just really want you to know how much we appreciate all that you and your staff have done this year!” Really meant a lot!
Moment of Fear:
Covid restrictions in Alberta and concerns about rising number of cases there lead to postponement of cancer treatment for a family member. All doctors signed off on the delay but with cancer, you always feels like you want to get treatment done sooner rather than later!
Memorable Moment:
We know that the grandparents are missing the grandkids as Zoom just isn’t the same and indoor gatherings with anyone outside your immediate family are prohibited. So on Boxing Day, we hit the road to visit Weyburn and then on up to Indian Head for surprise, socially distanced, outdoor visits.
Shortage of the Month:
Well, the kids might argue that we didn’t get a new cat or dog for Christmas like everybody else in the world did during Covid which created a shortage of pets in our household (and there actually was a shortage at shelters and pet stores!)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
JANUARY 2021
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Joe Biden is inaugurated and Donald Trump is booted, kicking and screaming, to the curb. That resulted in immediate changes in terms of attitudes towards masking and pace of vaccination among many other Covid-related issues in the US.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Nothing to do with Covid but gotta mention the “Grumpy Bernie with mask and crossed arms” photo that went mega-viral and showed up everywhere online after the Presidential Inauguration.
Moment of Joy:
I’m trying not to “double-up” on these categories but even though I called it the biggest Covid news on the month, I always have to say how much joy/relief/bliss it was to see Joe Biden inaugurated after four years of Trump insanity and basically a coup attempt only a couple weeks earlier!
Moment of Humour:
Two patrons at my library who are planning to travel overseas and one needs a passport-sized photo for his visa application. Not having this handy, they sneak into a quiet corner of the library that has a white wall, pull down their mask quickly, then snap a picture on their iPhone! (I have no idea if this is going to be accepted or rejected but admire their ingenuity!)
Moment of Tears:
As mentioned in July, Shea’s last living uncle passes after living with cancer for quite awhile. Like so many people who experienced the loss of a loved one, his funeral is being postponed until the summer or when it is possible to have some type of larger gathering.
Moment of Fear:
The first cases of the UK variant is found in Saskatchewan in mid-January and announced at the start of February. The growth of variants bring another wave of uncertainty – will vaccines work equally well on variants? Will they be more contagious? Have different health effects? Continue to mutate into even more variations? (One strong reason why letting the core virus run unchecked is a bad idea is that every additional case increases the chances of a harmful mutation.)
Memorable Moment:
Again, not really Covid-related but Regina is hit by a massive blizzard that shakes our house, leaves it coated in a thick layer of heavy snow and damages the shingles/soffit/fascia of many other homes. I guess this is Covid related in the sense that it brings home the discrepancies that Covid creates within the workforce. I do not begrudge *anyone* who is working from home as that’s what we should be doing if at all possible (mixed messages from the government notwithstanding). But it’s a pretty stark divide between workers who still have to find a way to get to work through snow-plugged streets versus those who are at home and can simply put another Urban Throw blanket over their pyjama-clad legs as they log in to their next Zoom meeting.
Shortage of the Month:
Major household appliances are in huge demand as people do a lot of renos or upgrade old appliances with money saved from not taking holidays. Many manufacturers shut down and then came back at reduced capacity which makes waits even longer – weeks and even months. (Full disclosure – Shea and I are waiting for a replacement microwave after our previous one died in November but we didn’t order until January. We also decided to upgrade our stove at the same time even though its still working but quite old. We were told it would be 6-8 weeks for both but who knows – that could just as easily be 6-8 months!)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
FEBRUARY
Biggest Covid-Related News:
The United States hits the almost unbelievable milestone of 500,000 Covid related deaths. It is announced that the amount of death due to Covid has actually lowered the average American’s life expectancy by a whole year!
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
It’s been a tough balance all year about how much we can and can’t do but echoing the “Sunday drive picnic” we did right after our first couple weeks’ of quarantine at the start of Covid, we decide to make a weekend trip to Moose Jaw where we even take the kids to the Western Progress Museum (a cavernous place at the best of times and we pretty much never saw another guest with a limit of 30 people now) then went for a nice walk through Wakamow Park.
Moment of Humour:
Not sure if this is humour or fear but Shea and I meet her parents for lunch at a local restaurant and have a *very* talkative, in-your-face waiter who makes us think that even the mask he’s wearing might not protect us from the non-stop stream of commentary (and aerosols!) he’s delivering about special occasions, meal specials, out-of-town guests, the serving temperature of the soup, and more! Weirdly, I feel like this is a prime example of Covid-fatigue as this clearly extroverted waiter probably has *a lot* of his usual small talk chit chat bottled up! 🙂
Moment of Tears:
Saskatchewan sets records for prolonged days of extreme cold which makes our inability to travel to a warmer climate particularly disheartening.
Moment of Fear:
Saskatchewan hits its highest rate of hospitalizations ever on February 2, 2021.
Memorable Moment:
Shea and I have one Friday off together per month so, with the kids in school, we decide to head out to Echo Provincial Park where they’ve flooded a couple rows of one campground to create an outdoor skating rink. In addition to being the park where we had our first seasonal site a few years ago, the day is even more memorable as another group shows up and even starts a bonfire so we get the smell of campfire and cooking hot dogs! (Heck, if it weren’t for Covid, I may have tried to join them!) 😉
Shortage of the Month:
Apparently this started last summer but it hits the supper news that firewood is in super high demand as people are relying on backyard fires as a way to gather in the winter months with restrictions on indoor gatherings. There is also increased demand generally as people are staying close to home and planning on doing lots of camping instead of traveling to far away destinations.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
Wishing we were in Mexico but reduced to putting 10 hour beach videos on the TV and making our own cerveza and limes in the living room will have to make do…
MARCH
(So when I originally posted this massive list, I stopped at February as I saw this as a “one year summation” from last March to this February. But of course Covid is not over just because a year has passed so I thought I’d extend this entry by a few months and aim to keep adding to it for at least the foreseeable future.)
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Covid variants (which are more virulent and transmissible) are increasingly being found in Saskatchewan which makes it feel like a race between the variants spreading and getting people vaccinated.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Prince Harry and Megan Markle do an explosive tell-all interview with Oprah about their experiences as members of the royal family.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
My dad has some cancer surgery scheduled in Alberta which has already been postponed a couple times due to concerns about Covid. Mom and him finally go and get the operation then come back and are luckily found to be negative in both tests they do upon return, a week or so apart.
Moment of Humour:
I’ve seen a different side of a lot of library patrons as Covid becomes a common topic of conversation. One person who ends up telling me a bunch of conspiracy theories about Covid and vaccines even kindly brings me a well-marked and annotated book about the dangers of EMF radiation which she encourages me to read to find out “the truth”. (I tell her I probably won’t get to it as my “To Read” list is already pretty long!”) 😉
Moment of Tears:
Seeing the Sask Health Association put out messaging on social media encouraging people to be “safe” while out celebrating St. Patrick’s Day instead of “staying home” is a head scratcher and makes many wonder if the government is even trying to end the pandemic.
Moment of Fear:
It only happened a couple times but anytime we saw our kids’ school pop up on the list of schools with Covid cases was nerve-wracking. Luckily never was either kids’ class and they never got sent home to do distance learning.
Memorable Moment:
A bunch of family members are finally able to get vaccinated which is a huge relief as having grandparents all vaccinated feels like “the beginning of the end”.
Shortage of the Month:
Hugs? Indoor visits with family and friends? Definitely a rise in “Covid fatigue” in society as people are tired of all the restrictions as we pass the one year mark.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
We’re not quite there yet but decide to revisit the sidewalk chalk craze of the initial lockdown with a message of hope after all grandparents have been vaccinated.
APRIL
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Due to the spread of the variants, the Regina region becomes a major Canadian hot spot and various services including restaurants, schools and public libraries again move to curbside/distance-based services. It seems almost unbelievable that a year after Covid first hit, we’re back at the same place with things being shut down again.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme(s) of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
If you have to be in a Covid hot spot, it’s good that it happens when vaccines are available and I feel weirdly lucky that Regina ends up dropping the age for vaccination more quickly than other parts of the province because of the number of cases here. This means I get to be vaccinated as a 47 year old while the age restriction in the rest of the province is still higher (49?).
Moment of Humour:
Holy shit! Showing my wife pics I took in vaccination line & honestly missed that a VIP was behind me until she pointed it out! So while our truce is still on, kudos to @PremierScottMoe for waiting in line (I'd be fine with him cutting BTW)https://t.co/pLJvHarmEx pic.twitter.com/8BccPoqmwX
— Jason Hammond (@headtale) April 16, 2021
I’m in the drive-thru vaccination line for an hour and a half and even though there’s media buzzing about and even though I see them interviewing the person in a truck right behind me, I *still* don’t realise that I’m right in front of Premier Scott Moe (also 47) until the next day when I’m looking through pics I took in line and Shea recognizes him in one “backwards” photo I took of the vehicles behind me!.
Moment of Tears:
Not going to lie – had a few tears after getting vaccinated (and no, it wasn’t because I missed an opportunity to harangue Scott Moe who was trapped in line right behind me!) 😉
Moment of Fear:
We know one couple (including one who is a teacher) who wake up at sunrise and drive three hours to take advantage of the lower age limit for vaccinations in Regina compared to their home community where they still don’t qualify which speaks to the anxiety teachers in particular are feeling to get vaccinated.
Memorable Moment:
I know I’ve talked about it in a few other places this month but have to say that getting vaccinated was, by far, the most memorable thing to happen since this whole pandemic started.
Shortage of the Month:
The kids’ teachers might note that there was a distinct shortage of homework completed while the kids were doing distance learning from the week before Easter until the start of May! 😉
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
MAY
Biggest Covid-Related News:
The moment we hear that Pfizer is approved for 12+, Pace asks “When can I get it?” and so we register with about half a dozen pharmacies as soon as we can (don’t ask – not a fan of that system!) and take a spot on May 27 at the first one to respond. Now just to get our 8 year old shot and we’ll be feeling *really* good!
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
The TV show “Friends” has a highly anticipated reunion special.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
It was pretty amazing midway through Covid to see video of a concert with thousands attending from Australia and, though I’m a bit more skeptical given how they responded to Covid, it’s pretty cool to increasingly see videos from the US where things are looking normal – fans in the stands for sporting events, people on crowded beaches, even CNN interviews in diners where there’s no social distancing or masks to be seen (again, I’m still a bit skeptical if things are as rosy as they appear but we’ll see.)
Moment of Humour:
I mean, I get why we have Covid regulations for indoor spaces and how Covid is an airborne disease but I still chuckle seeing the “Masks Required” sign that’s now on the washroom facilities at our campground – partly because they don’t get used much anyhow (most people use their campers), its rare to see another person of those who do use the shared facilities and that’s because the people that do use these facilities tend to be in and out quickly – they’re not lingering like at a restaurant or clothing store or whatever. Finally, it’s a bit harder to get in the habit of even grabbing/carrying a mask when camping compared to when you’re in the city so I may or may not have done the “pull shirt over mouth” thing, duck into stall, do business, reverse order to wash hands quickly and get out thing more than once! 😉
Moment of Tears:
I’ve tracked my weight pretty religiously for nearly ten years and I hit my record high around the end of May which is also possibly the highest weight I’ve ever had in my life (hard to say as I was pretty heavy while I was in Calgary – Shea and I *really* did a lot of good eating and drinking when we were young!).
Moment of Fear:
Not directly related to us (other than in a “we’re all connected” sense) but seeing Covid ravage India in April and increasingly through May is a strong reminder that Covid is still an issue, even with vaccines available, particularly in developing and/or overpopulated nations which may also not be front of line for vaccines either.
Memorable Moment:
Saskatchewan is one of the first province’s to announced a Reopening Roadmap. Regina libraries were closed at the end of March as cases in our city spiked (and Saskatoon libraries apparently shut down voluntarily for most of May for a similar reason) and there’s some uncertainty about when we will reopen – May 10? May 17 when restaurants can offer in-person dining again? Finally, it’s confirmed that we’ll reopen on May 31.
Shortage of the Month:
Chlorine is apparently in short supply as are port-a-potties as we slowly reopen and head towards summer and outdoor/pool/festival season.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
JUNE
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Only slightly tongue-in-cheek, the biggest news is that the CFL announces they will begin play again in early August and the Riders will put tickets on sale in early July. Lots of discussion about conditions for players *and* fans – eg. the Blue Bombers (rightly) announce only fully vaccinated fans will be allowed in their stadium.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Shea, myself and Pace (not to mention both sets of grandparents) all get our second vaccinations in fairly short order in early/mid-June.
Moment of Humour:
The administrator of a popular local FB group for Costco fans announces that for the first time since March 2020, Lysol wipes are in stock at Costco, not being swarmed, *and* sold without limits!
Moment of Tears:
Find out that the partner of our former neighbour at our old house (and father of one of Sasha’s best friends) has died from Covid at a fairly young age (late 30’s or early 40’s).
Moment of Fear:
Both the Delta and Delta+ variant, first found in India, are now spreading worldwide and are apparently both more transmissible and more virulent than previous Covid variants. Particularly alarming is an outbreak at the Foothills hospital where multiple fully vaccinated staff catch it. and one person who is fully vaccinated even dies.
Memorable Moment:
RPL reopens after our *second* closure of Covid – this time when most of Regina got shutdown due to spikes in Covid cases, hospitalization and deaths. Luckily, we’re more prepared than last time and can keep a lot of staff in branch offering curbside pickup and other services while others moved to working-from-home and I ended up doing a bit of a hybrid of working at home and being in branch when needed.
Shortage of the Month:
Graduation spaces? But there are some innovative solutions including my hometown class of 2021 being able to hold their ceremony in the gigantic Mosaic stadium!
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
First family group hug in a *long* time!
JULY
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Saskatchewan announces lifting of all Covid public health restrictions on July 11.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Weird to start holidays in early July before restrictions are lifted and come back to work two weeks later when they have been. Also weird/funny to go to a local pub on the day restrictions are lifted to watch the Euro 2021 Soccer Final and see a very vocal, high profile anti-masker sitting across the restaurant from where I am.
Moment of Humour:
Realising while camping that having a lot of masks around can have other benefits…
Moment of Tears:
Finally have a long-delayed funeral for Shea’s uncle who passed in January. Looking around the crowd of ~75-100 people in a small town Legion Hall, we observe that the two kids under 12 are the only ones with a legitimate reason not to be vaccinated but wonder how many in the crowd actually aren’t? Also virtually attend funeral of former coworker who is my age and dies after eight years of living with stage four metastatic breast cancer.
Moment of Fear:
Go to the Weyburn Fair for my birthday. Didn’t take a mask because its outdoors but when we go to watch the Demolition Derby in the grandstand, see that my parents are smack dab in the middle of a *wall* of people. We have Sasha with us but decide to take a chance and sit in the middle of this sea of humanity, figuring we won’t be there long (less than an hour maybe?) and again, we’re outside so it’s likely fairly safe.
Memorable Moment:
Got into a Twitter back and forth with some antivaxxer and almost unbelievably, he not only stops arguing but goes back and deletes all his tweets in the thread! Nothing he said was overly inflammatory so no idea but it was a shock as usually the antivax crowd *never* backs down.
Shortage of the Month:
Two weeks of holidays feels *especially* short this year.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
AUGUST
Biggest Covid-Related News:
After barely a month of “no Covid restrictions”, Regina Public Schools announces mandatory masks for elementary kids and recommended for high school kids. Then, right on August 31, the City announces masks will be required for anyone, staff or visitor, in city facilities and that they’re moving towards proof of vaccination for both visitors *and* staff!
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme(s) of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
We’ve hung out with our camping neighbours a bit over the past couple summers but never really got to know them. But one night, they invite us over and we end up having a complete blast – hilarious stories, off-key singing, funny anecdotes – all mixed with beer, wine and tequila shots! (Later tell Shea that it felt like I had a year and a half of socializing built up!)
Moment of Humour:
See someone at a computer reading an article on “Why Masks Don’t Work!”…while wearing an N95 mask.
Moment of Tears:
Having our first in-person program at my library after 18 months of Covid is more emotional than I expected. The fact that it’s a group of senior citizens who gather each week for crafting and socialization and also the fact that it’s our longest running adult program is particularly poignant.
Moment of Fear:
End up standing next to an old guy in a cowboy hat at the urinals in a smallish bathroom at a community hall in Weyburn while attending an event.
“They don’t leave a lot of room here, do they?” he says.
“No, nope social distancing here for sure!” I reply.
“Ahh, that’s all a bunch of bullshit,” he says. Then coughs.
I finish and exit as quickly as possible.
Memorable Moment:
Getting to work with SHA staff to organize pop-up vaccination clinics at a couple library branches that I’m connected to.
Shortage of the Month:
Intelligence? I mean, throughout Covid, there have been a lot of questionable claims and misinformation but it’s beyond infuriating to be so far into the pandemic and people get to the point that they’re taking horse dewormer over an actual, scientifically proven vaccine!
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
SEPTEMBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Almost unbelievingly, after 18 months of lockdowns and then the arrival of the vaccine, Saskatchewan and Alberta hit record highs for Covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths. This is a combination of a more virulent, transmissible Delta variant, governments that acted as if Covid was over in early to mid-July, and a large swath of people who chose not to get vaccinated for all sorts of misguided or ill-informed reasons.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Echoing the success of “Schitt’s Creek” the year before, “Ted Lasso” sweeps the Emmy’s as another wholesome viral show about empathy and kindness.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Reports that approval of vaccines for kids under 12 is getting closer and could happen in the next few months.
Moment of Humour:
Saskatchewan moves forward with “proof of vaccination” requirements for various businesses and organizations. After a huge amount of preparation, libraries learn at the 11th hour that they’ve been reclassified as “essential” and will not require people coming in to show proof of vaccination as had been expected. (I’m conflicted – I believe in strong public health measures to end the surge in Covid but I also recognize many library users, even if vaccinated, will struggle with the new requirements since they may not have photo ID or be good at carrying other required documentation or whatever.)
Moment of Tears:
I’ve known a handful of people who’ve had Covid and even one older guy from my hometown who ended up in ICU. But I don’t think I personally knew anyone who died from it until this month when I hear that a guy I graduated high school with has died of Covid in Medicine Hat where ICUs are also overrun and death rates are incredibly high.
Moment of Fear:
Take kids to a wrestling show right after mask mandate is reinstated. Notice a guy behind us with mask around his neck but not wearing it. Don’t say anything as I don’t want a confrontation but worried as I later see the same very distinctive looking guy on TV at a PPC election night rally in Saskatoon where most attendees are maskless!
Memorable Moment:
We host a series of pop-up vaccine clinics at two libraries I’m overseeing and at the first one after increased restrictions are announced by the government, there’s a line stretching out to the street before opening (begging the question – why didn’t the government listen to healthcare experts and scientists and decide to announce stronger restrictions earlier?)
Shortage of the Month:
Common sense? It’s just stunning the ways people will bend and twist themselves in knots to justify not getting vaccinated – everything from worries about government conspiracies to potential side effects to thinking they have alternate remedies (horse dewormer anyone?)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
OCTOBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
FDA authorizes Pfizer vaccine for emergency use in children 5-11 years of age in the US and Canada is expected to follow suit within a month.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson start dating after she divorces Kanye West (and I really can’t believe I noted this as I absolutely do not care.).
More importantly, “Squid Game” becomes *another* viral hit for Netflix. As opposed to wholesome shows like “Schitt’s Creek” and “Ted Lasso” which also go viral, this one shows how the average, everyday person can be controlled and even sacrificed by shadowy, wealthy figures – a metaphor for many frontline workers who struggle through the pandemic.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Covid has made larger family gatherings hard but we are able to meet with my sister and her family in Moose Jaw for a 50th Anniversary Supper with my parents as part of their gift to mom and dad.
Moment of Humour:
I help a patron solve a somewhat complicated problem on his laptop and he’s so happy, he gives me a giant non-consensual hug (which leads to a co-worker jokingly offering me to spray me with our disinfecting “gun”.) I also chuckle as there are probably family members who I’ve had less physical contact with in the past 18 months than I did in that brief interaction!
Moment of Tears:
This is only related to Covid in the loosest sense of the word but after our ineffectual government who have bungled their Covid response also bungles changes to the rules for one of the main social assistance programs, there is a spike in homelessness and a tent city springs up in a downtown park. I have heard of this in larger cities (and there’s even a pretty good book about it), I end up dropping off an old tent of ours just a couple days after the camp is established on Thanksgiving Day of all days.
Moment of Fear:
Sasha spikes a week-long fever which is very similar to the fever she had after her birthday soon after Covid hit in April 2020. And again, we take her for a Covid test and again, almost unbelievingly given the increased spread in schools, she’s negative! <whew!>
Memorable Moment:
My parents celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a very unique (and fully masked) charter airplane flight over some of the most important places from their lives. Back on the ground, we go for a family supper which is the first time we have to show “proof of vaccination” in a restaurant.
Shortage of the Month:
Lots of worries that global supply chains are being disrupted in various ways which may impact people in numerous ways and perhaps most importantly, Christmas shopping.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
NOVEMBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Following Delta which caused increased transmission and illness around the world compared to earlier versions of Covid, another new variant of concern, Omicron, is announced with concerns about how it may affect and extend the pandemic.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
I posted this image in the “October” section but here’s the updated version – from 798 deaths on October 20 to 862 on November 4 only a couple weeks later. Horrible.
Moment of Joy:
After months of waiting, eight year old Sasha becomes the final person in our immediate family to get vaccinated after the government finally authorize vaccinations for kids under 12.
Moment of Humour:
I happened to be home for lunch when I got a text from my son that kids were being sent home after a bomb threat at school! I went to pick him up and and ended up giving two friends a ride home. And it was strangely funny in the context of having just had a bomb threat that we still ended up wearing masks in the car!
Moment of Tears:
Watching the archived livestream of the funeral of a family friend who died fairly quickly from cancer and quite young at age at 66 was sad but also shows how Covid has changed so much including how we have memorials.
Moment of Fear:
Not going to lie – watching that funeral livestream and even though masks were being worn properly by most people, the lack of social distancing and knowing how many people in the hall were elderly, including my parents, made me a bit nervous! Before she got vaccinated, Sasha also ended up being taken for her second Covid test since March 2020 after spiking a high fever for a week. Again, luckily negative!
Memorable Moment:
Did I mention that Sasha got vaccinated?
Shortage of the Month:
Omicron is scary but rumours that there could be a liquor shortage in Canada for Christmas cause the *real* widespread panic! 🙂
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
DECEMBER
Biggest Covid-Related News:
The fast spreading Omicron variant leads to a postponement of numerous NHL games (mostly in Canada) and the cancellation of the entire World Junior Hockey Tournament in late December.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
It felt like a race against swiftly spreading Omicron but we were able to host Christmas with both sets of grandparents in attendance. I’m a bit ashamed to admit this but we decided to *not* test everyone before they arrived and instead, decided with no one having symptoms and everyone fully vaxxed/boosted (except Sasha who would get her second shot the following week), it was better to have a moment of normalcy and joy. We did test after Christmas and luckily everyone was negative.
Moment of Humour:
I swear my staff put this book on display at my library specifically to give me something to tweet out regularly…
Moment of Tears:
Not Covid related (unless you believe baseless conspiracy theories about vaccines causing heart attacks) but a longtime friend, colleague and mentor dies of a heart attack in early December at a relatively young age (though I later learn he may have had some other underlying health issues and a genetic predisposition to heart issues that played a part in his early death.)
Moment of Fear:
Not sure if its “fear” or not but deciding to book a non-refundable hotel room at the West Edmonton Mall for the end of February feels like a big gamble with everything happening in the world. Still feels safer/easier than booking an out-of-country holiday though!
Memorable Moment:
Sasha gets her second shot and I get my booster.
Shortage of the Month:
Saskatchewan is a leader in distributing free rapid test kits through various outlets including libraries but because of high demand, they’re hard to keep in stock.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
JANUARY 2022
Biggest Covid-Related News:
Premier Scott Moe starts hinting about removing most or even all Covid restrictions even as he catches Covid himself.
A trucker convoy (actually organized by far-right non-truckers) occupies downtown Ottawa at the end of January and continuing into February demanding the removal of all Covid restrictions. Similar protests happen in cities across Canada including Toronto, Regina, etc. Truckers even shut down a critical highway in Alberta.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
Speaks for itself…
Moment(s) of Humour:
Regina Public Library has been handing out thousands of free rapid test kits. Have a chuckle when I hand one out and the person says “I feel guilty just grabbing this. I should be ordering a book or something!”
A co-worker observes that the two N95 masks I have on my desk look like a bra!
Moment of Tears:
Learn that a younger coworker who is also a librarian has died. She had gone off for cancer treatment a couple years ago, had received a clear scan and been declared in remission a year ago but then I heard she had gone off again at the start of January for what would be six months and possibly longer (presumably depending on her latest course of treatment went.) As an intensely private person, I don’t know for sure what happened but the natural assumption is her cancer had come back and progressed quickly. As with my other librarian colleague who died of a heart attack in early December, neither death seemed to be Covid related. But in our current world, you can’t help but think “Was her treatment delayed because hospitals are so busy? Did she not get the care she needed in a timely fashion?”
Moment of Fear:
After being as safe as pretty much anyone we know, Shea’s dad and mom both get diagnosed with Covid, possibly getting it from her brother (who we had visited with around the same time but luckily only outside around a winter bonfire.). Even though both have pretty serious health issues, they’re both fully vaccinated and their symptoms are relatively mild. In fact, my retired mother-in-law said “If I felt like this before Covid when I was still working, I probably would’ve still gone in to work!” We also keep Pace home for five days thinking he might’ve been exposed (he spent time indoors with a cousin around that time) and he had symptoms but neither him nor anyone else in our family tests positive, even after testing daily.
Memorable Moment:
RPL reduces hours at some of our smaller branches and redeploys a handful of staff to larger branches to address the increase in sick calls the organization is seeing from staff who are catching the Omicron variant and required to stay home for 10 (or is it 5?) days.
Shortage of the Month:
N95 masks? Fast-spreading Omicron seems to be *everywhere* unlike any previous iteration of Covid and its noticeable that people are actively switching from cloth and surgical-style masks to N95. Luckily, I picked up a box just as Omicron hit and began wearing regularly for the first time since pandemic started myself (mostly at work.). Of course, I keep my fairly unruly beard which probably affects fit so it’s not like I’m Captain Safety (also noticeable that our Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Shahab has shaved off his much neater beard. Has he switched to N95s?)
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
FEBRUARY
Biggest Covid-Related News:
As hinted at in January, Scott Moe announces on February 8 that all proof of vaccination requirements will be dropped within a week on February 14 and all masking requirements by the end of the month.
BREAKING: Sask. ends proof of vaccination or negative tests in the province on Monday.
Remaining public health restrictions including masking in indoor places to remain in place until the end of the month. #COVID19SK #SKpolihttps://t.co/k31hPtJKDP
— Alexander Quon (@AlexanderQuon) February 8, 2022
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
Disney+ releases “Pam and Tommy” which is their first R-Rated series.
Meme of the Month:
Moment of Joy:
We take a week long family trip to Edmonton – our first holiday of this type in two years. We go to an Oilers game, spend a week eating restaurant meals and enjoying the World Waterpark at West Edmonton Mall – much of it unmasked – so figure that if we’re ever going to get Covid, this is when it will happen. But, knock on wood, no positive tests in the weeks after our return.
Moment of Humour:
Right before we left on our Edmonton trip, Shea and I had a Friday off together (which also happened to be her birthday.). So while the kids were in school, I surprised her by taking her on a tropical holiday instead…to the local Imax Theatre which was showing a Cuban-themed documentary. 😉
Moment of Tears:
Saskatchewan is apparently one of the only jurisdictions in the entire world that moves to weekly rather than daily Covid updates.
Moment of Fear:
Nice of #YEG to throw us a parade as we arrived for a holiday in their fair city.
But don’t they know Canada Day isn’t for a few months?
Or that *real* truckers are the ones we saw on the Yellowhead delivering goods & making the economy run?#FluTruckKlan #freedumbConvoy2022 pic.twitter.com/mmpc5notD0
— Jason Hammond (@headtale) February 19, 2022
We didn’t plan it but literally arrived in Edmonton on a Saturday as a “Freedom Convoy” was rolling into town too. It wasn’t scary as they were mostly well-behaved (apparently police had threatened heavy fines after the amount of honking in previous rallies) and kept to one lane instead of plugging up traffic. But I got a bit nervous as we drove by and I looked back to see my shy, introverted 14-year old happily giving them the finger as we passed by! 😮
Memorable Moment:
Only Covid-related in the sense that we were happy to go a week before Alberta lifted all masking requirements and capacity limits. But seeing the Oilers lose 7-3 in their home arena was [chef’s kiss!]
(Non) Shortage of the Month:
In another sign that Covid is (maybe) coming to an end, we notice a lot more Diet Pop (outside the Diet Coke/Coke Zeros of the world that were available throughout) are back on the shelves after being in short supply through most of Covid due to supply chain issues of artificial sweetener.
Photo That Summarizes The Month:
(Shea insists that I add a note to clarify that myself and the kids are all wearing bathing suits in this picture!)
MARCH
Biggest Covid-Related News:
The Weyburn KFC Buffet announces it will return soon? Just kidding – the two year anniversary of the pandemic being declared is obviously the biggest Covid-related news of March 2022.
Pop Culture Moment of the Month:
A masked cheerleader to the rescue during March Madness…
Meme of the Month:
This isn’t really Covid-related except in the sense that Covid had made a lot of people even more conscious of what is truly important in life…
Moment of Joy:
After two years without any significant indoor gatherings, we agree to let Sasha have one friend over to watch a movie. This turns into four friends, movies, pizza, karaoke, dancing and all sorts of other shenanigans. Similarly, Pace goes on a ski trip through school to Asessippi Ski Hill in Manitoba.
Moment of Humour:
Shea and I join her parents to visit the open house of a complex her parents are interested in as they are in the early stages of planning a move to the city. Even though we keep our masks on, the salesperson (what’s the rule – “echo your customer”?) doesn’t put on a mask for the tour. Then, when we come across a sign in a stairwell saying “Masks Are Mandatory in Common Areas” and she notices my wife looking at it, she actually says “Oh, I guess we missed taking this one down” and pulls it off the wall in front of us. Read the room, lady!
Moment of Tears:
Nothing directly Covid related but lots of sad news at work and in my personal life this month. But the cloud of Covid definitely casts a shadow over all of it.
Moment of Fear:
I know they probably made sure everyone was vaccinated and maybe were even doing rapid tests before going on stage. But still felt very strange seeing most people unmasked on stage at Telemiracle which is a telethon specifically to raise funds for medically fragile individuals.
Memorable Moment:
Attend Regina Home & Garden show after two year hiatus and would estimate the split is 1/3 wearing masks and 2/3 not. Happy to see a few people I know wearing masks. Less happy to see someone who I know regularly interacts with children who are too young to be vaccinated not wearing a mask.
Shortage of the Month:
Some reports of children’s cough syrup being in short supply due to fast-spreading B.2 variant spreading after widely after most Covid restrictions are lifted.
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Feel like I’m jinxing it by posting this but we continue to test regularly and, knock on wood, still no Covid for anyone in the family, exactly two years after the pandemic was declared.
APRIL
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A new variant, BA2, is hugely transmissible and it feels like *everybody* is getting Covid including people I know who have been extremely cautious, people who are working from home, managers who mostly work in private offices, etc. I feel like I’m jinxiing it but as far as we know, Shea, myself and the kids *still* haven’t had Covid and are testing regularly to confirm.
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After two years without a “real” party, Sasha has a few friends over to help her celebrate her 9th birthday with an art/painting theme. I also go to a colleague’s retirement party which she hosts in her home and realise that yes, we’ve had small family-only gatherings or suppers with a couple friends where we didn’t wear masks. And I’ve also been unmasked in fairly crowded restaurants and places like the World Waterpark at West Edmonton Mall or outdoor fairs. But this the first sort of intimate, personal gathering I’ve been to unmasked with maybe a dozen or so people in two years that feels like “the old times”.
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Here that the best man from my wedding who has a couple fairly serious health comorbitities has Covid but luckily, being fully vaccinated, his case is mild (which I know is a word thrown around a bit easily as we still don’t know if/what the possible long term effects of Covid might be on people.)
Memorable Moment:
I think everytime we test and it still comes up clear is a memorable (and unbelievable) moment…
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MAY
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JUNE
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AUGUST
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APRIL
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