Sheep Unmasked...For The Time Being.

With yesterday's revelations regarding the Swine Flu coming to Maine for a visit, I anticipated a certain level of unease. You can't mention a pandemic without people getting a little bit tweaked. The Center For Disease Control's helpful memos reminding us of the state's containment policies were not exactly soothing either.

Thankfully, things were relatively calm. Sure, we were going through hand sanitizer like it was water and sending the students off to wash their hands often enough to make the teaching process somewhat fragmented. I'll also admit that when The Kid Who Has Worn The Same Hoodie Every Day Since Late September sneezed, I may have crossed the line a bit. I don't suppose it is exactly ethical to order a child to not sneeze. It is, however, interesting to note that he stopped mid-sneeze when so ordered. And that he completed that sneeze only after I came to my senses and told him that sneezing was not really such a bad thing as long as he followed the correct "sneezing into the crook of the arm" procedure.

Yes. I can scare the sneezes out of someone. What of it?

The secretaries got the worst of it. They had to answer the phones. It is all well and good to say that we need to keep this in perspective, but parents love their children. It's kind of hard to hear that the elementary school two towns over and a mere twenty minute drive away has closed down for seven days to contain a confirmed infection and still think logically. At least if you have children and like them enough to want them around for a while. While I sympathized with the secretaries as they took call after call, I can't help but understand how a parent might want a little extra reassurance.

I'm perfectly calm about the whole thing now that I know I can make the kids stop sneezing if I try hard enough. I'm just putting some lotion on my hands to soothe them a bit after all that hand sanitizer dried them out and taking some pleasure in the fact that I don't have to go to school tomorrow. No. We haven't been shut down. I have a dentist appointment and the distance between that office and the school means that I couldn't really be in both places for long enough to matter. I'm taking a sick day.

Those of you who have been reading for a while will know that my dentist and I do not have the best of relationships. He thinks I don't floss enough and I think he is mean. We both have valid points, but neither is willing to concede to that fact. Near as I can figure, this is the first time I've ever been jazzed about having a dentist appointment. The dentist's office is very sanitary and everyone wears masks. I won't have to think about getting the flu and the thought of how much I hate my dentist will probably distract me from all this distressing information for quite some time. I'm even planning on going in just a bit early so I can knit quietly in the nice, sanitary waiting room while the masked people go about their very disinfected business.

It'll be nice to get away from the school with all its health memos and the scent of hand sanitizer. Although it's not much different here at home. I was telling my furry family about the situation today after school...

The Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty listened intently. He processed each and every word.

And promptly put on his face mask.

Frankly, I'm not sure he is overreacting at this point. But it still seems a bit over the top...

SA