Inappropriate Exuberance -- January 20, 2022

I just spent the last thirty minutes or so looking at some incredible wells around Killdeer, ND, and my inappropriate exuberance has just gotten worse -- if that makes sense, and if that's possible. 

The Bakken, simply, never ceases to amaze me. But I'm burned out looking at all these wells. I will come back to them tomorrow if I can find the time. I've posted the wells and their full production elsewhere but not at the blog. Not ready for prime time.

I will be taking care of Sophia, seven years old, for the next two days -- we have a full school schedule. Her school district just closed all schools in the school district -- multiple elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. The number of students and staff testing positive is now reached "critical mass." Most are asymptomatic; those that are symptomatic are ill for eighteen hours. There are exceptions.

Sophia's sister felt fatigued and congested three nights ago (MLK Monday); went to bed early; felt "back to normal" the following afternoon. Covid test today came back positive -- seventy-two hours after it was taken and when she was back to normal. But with a positive test she can't participate in soccer tournament this weekend though it will be five days and she feels completely normal now. But she says she has so much schoolwork she welcomes the break. 

The students are loving it. Ninety-nine percent are asymptomatic including the ones that are testing positive -- if symptomatic, lasting less than 24 hours. There are exceptions, of course. 

But I'm really impressed with the school district. The administration and the teachers have not missed a beat. E-mails update us daily. The administration just as a calm, matter-of-fact, decided to close the school for two days (and the weekend, for a four-day weekend) so that everyone can take a breather. I'm really impressed with the school. "Everyone" is vaccinated; taking everything in stride. Masking has sort of become optional. Some families/students are very, very serious about masking; others not so much. No one seems to judge anyone; my wife and I wear our masks everywhere. My wife wears her mask because she is seriously concerned about the disease. I wear the mask to show my "support" for her and the teachers, even the teachers that don't wear masks. I don't know what the guidelines are any more. I don't care. 

Tonight at the wine tasting put on by the apartment complex manager, well attended, no one wore masks, not even me. I guess deciding to wear a mask is sort of "what are the others doing?"

Sophia and her two sisters are vaccinated. All adults in the extended family are vaccinated and with a booster shot. The dad had a fairly severe case about a year ago. My wife and I have probably had it but never tested. Based on symptoms over the past two years, my wife has probably had it twice; I've had it three times based on symptoms and contacts. Never tested. 

And so it goes. 

While all this was going on, several members of my extended family have tested positive in Tucson, AZ. That story is even more interesting than our story here in Texas.

And then my sister and her husband and their grandchildren who live in Williston, ND, flew out to Hawaii for their annual winter vacation. The retired sister / brother-in-law go to the "big island" for a month or so every winter; the grandchildren join them for a week -- they arrived this time just as the Tonga tsunami warning hit. I missed the whole story because I was fielding calls on all the family members with Covid but apparently my sister almost drowned off the dock in Hawaii trying to save the $8-flip-flips she had just bought at the ABC Store. But her high school senior grandson saved her. 

And so it goes. 

And, then of course, the family members on Flathead Lake, one of whom also had Covid. 

Mind you, all these calls and updates were coming in tonight. I was on the cell phone with one family member (Sophia's mom); my wife was on her phone with another (California); and I was on a FaceTime call with yet another (Flathead Lake, MT) on the 27-inch desktop iMac. 

And finally, the four-member family in Portland, OR, with that son-in-law with a fairly severe chest cold due to Covid but not hospitalized and the twins ill for three days. Our Portland, OR, daughter did not become ill. Again, all vaccinated, boosters, masks, minimal time away from home. 

And so it goes. 

All this in the last week; most of it tonight.  

None of the above is hyperbole, but they are my observations. I'm sure other family members would describe things differently. 

I just posted this the other night but I enjoy it so much, I'm going to post it again, come on, Eileen,

Come On Eileen, Sugarland and Sara Bareilles

What's WTI doing? I see it has slipped just under $87, at $86.90. I wonder if Nancy Pelosi is enjoying her ice cream tonight?