Thursday, September 15, 2022

Moon Pie, Rosita & suspicion of covid: it’s just another day at the Tiffany

Monday morning I was headed back to my apartment from the laundry room, and saw my neighbor Opal talking with Rosita in Rosita’s doorway.

(Rosita is from South America, 25 years old and stands around 4’9”.  She is a doll, and a dead-ringer for Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.)  She occupies the studio apartment next to our floor’s elevator. 

I asked how things were going, and where was Moon Pie, Rosita’s cat. (She’s beautiful, with bright green eyes.)  Rosita looked at Opal, and Opal said “She heard me coming and took off running!”

Rosita said “That’s not true… please don’t say that, we need you!”   Opal said to me “Rosita has to go on a business trip tomorrow, she’s leaving at 5am and not coming home until 10pm-midnight.  So I’ll be down here off & on during the day checking in on Moon Pie.” 

I smiled and nodded my head, yes, yes okay.  Before walking away I called out “Bye bye Moon Pie!” in my goofy falsetto voice.  Right away Moon Pie came to the doorway and meowed.  Opal said “You should get Doug to watch her instead of me.”

Rosita asked me if I would.  I had nothing else going on, and frankly I was tired of looking at the same walls in my apartment, so I said okay.

I wish I could show you this young woman’s studio apartment.  I took several pictures while trying to take photos of Moonpie to send Rosita during the day, but I feel it would be a real invasion of privacy to show too much here.

(Plus, Opal told Rosa it’d give me something to blog about.  Rosita said “Oh really?  What is the name of your blog?  I want to see it.”  I apologized, but said I didn’t want to tell her.  She said “That’s okay.  Maybe I’ll look for it on my own.”  Ulp.)

Except for a cot to sleep on in her walk-in closet, and a deflated bean bag chair by her one window (studios only come with one double window, 1 bedroom apartments like mine have 5 windows) this young woman had no furniture, zero none.  No sofa or chairs or even a lamp or tv.

How could this be?  I know what she does for a living, she works in Foreign Currencies at Melloncorp downtown—it’s identical to the IT job I had at Mellon in the 1990s and it paid quite well. 

Anyway, of course I have no right to judge—and truth be told, while I don’t consider myself that old just yet, being a 25 year old single is a whole other mindset.

After a half hour or so, I knew I couldn’t take it.  I picked up her litter box & cat dishes, and took them down the hall outside of my own apartment’s front door.  I then came back and said “Moon Pie, your pad is depressing the hell out of me.  You can either sit there in your cat-house, or come down and spend the day with me.”

I went to the front door, opened it and said “Coming?”   Moon Pie jumped right up and followed me down the hall to my place.  (Here she is, exploring.)

I learned a couple things that day:

1) I’ve been looking at my own place all wrong the last couple weeks.  It’s not so plain, I have a pretty nice apartment.  It’s a clean one too—with plenty of places one can sit!

2) Moon Pie is funny & sweet, a real character.  When I gave her special treat at noon (half a tin of Fancy Feast) she would take a bite, run over and rub my toe with her nose, go back and take a bite… she did this 10 times!   I was cracking up!

But I realized something else that day too.  I don’t think I want a cat of my own after all, apartment cats require a lot of TLC.  

Oh and finally: after I returned Moon Pie and came home, I began shaking.  What the heck was going on?  By 11pm, I had a fever of 101 and here it is Wednesday night and I still do. 

I am wrapped in 3 blankets as i write this, I’m pretty sure I have covid for the third time.  I’m going to take a covid test Thursday morning before posting my blog, I’ll share the results below.

I knew it.  I gotta go back to bed. 

34 comments:

  1. Oh no 3 times! Poor you. I hope you feel better soon! My two daughters rent their own homes and they are so messy. Not sure where they get it from. Your apartment, or flat as we Brits call them, looks immaculate.

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    1. Thanks Joe. I was a little surprised here, I know you had the one daughter but two? Wow. And I appreciate what you said about my flat, cuz I do try to keep it clean! Thank you for noticing ๐Ÿ™‚

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  2. Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that Doug! Be sure to check with you doctor to see if you are a candidate for Paxlovid. I know it helped me a lot. Covid is never going away. I'm just hoping that a vaccine will be developed that does a better job of preventing infection for all the different variants. Modifying the vaccine, chasing whichever variant is most prevalent is like a cat chasing its tail (cat joke, ha ha). Rest, plenty of fluids, listen to your body. I hope your recovery is speedy.
    Carole

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    1. Carole, you're very kind thank you. I was supposed to get that third booster in a couple weeks, now I just wonder if it's worth the bother!

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  3. Oh, cripes, Doug. That sucks. Tim and I were talking last night about how amazing it is that we seem to have people getting covid all around us, but we have never gotten it. Not complaining, either. It sounds miserable. I guess there is a real upside to being a hermit.

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    1. Debby, you and Tim have been lucky alright. But I am 10 times the hermit you are! ๐Ÿ˜„

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  4. I just got my third booster shot on Tuesday, with the hopes I don't get sick. Sorry to hear you once again caught Covid. Moon Pie looks like a sweetheart!

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    1. DJan good for you. I was supposed to get mine in a couple weeks, now I wonder if I should bother! I'm officially wiped out. Anyway thank you for reading and you're right Moon Pie is a sweet baby. ๐Ÿ™‚

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  5. Oh no Doug--not again?? So not fair!!! Man it must be coming through the air conditioners. Please take care and be well soon. Let Rosita know that the CDC says "There is no evidence that the virus can spread to people from the skin, fur, or hair of pets."
    Moon pie seems to really like you. Cats rarely come when called. She is just excited with the new attention. Don't scratch "cat" off you list. Most sleep 18 hours a day.

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    1. Thanks Patti. Well, to be honest Rosita doesn't know I'm sick. I brought Moon pie back to her place late Tuesday night before going to bed and before Rosita got home. As for the AC, I don't know if you were kidding but I think you're right. My friend Danielle said the same thing. This building has one central AC system that circulates the air for all 100 apartments. Who knows!

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  6. So glad you and Moon Pie got to spend the day together. I do miss our cats, but have not yet got over the pain of losing the last one. Did Moon Pie like your new chair? (Black hair on a white cushion will come off easily with a lint roller). And Covid again?? Wow! Your immune system must be low as I don't think you interact with people that much... or maybe I'm wrong since you live in an apartment. Are you wearing a mask (probably not anymore - but I would especially with flu season upon us). Hope you feel better soon! You will be in my prayers. Take care.

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    1. Thanks Rian. It just occurred to me that Moon pie never got close to my white chair, but I wouldn't have minded. The cushions are canvas and pretty durable and I do have lint rollers haha. As for my immune system, my gosh you could be right. But I do think it has something to do with living with so many people in one building. And I guess I better get those masks back out. ๐Ÿ™‚

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  7. Doug!!!! I am so sorry you are going through this again!!❤️❤️
    Moon Pie is adorable and you were so kind to bring her back to your place. I am sure she loved it.
    Please take care of yourself and stay warm.❤️
    Robin

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    1. Thank you Robin, I feel better already! Well to be honest not really.. but a comment from you always cheers me up. Thank you peachy pal. ๐Ÿ™‚❤️๐Ÿ‘

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  8. Bummer! Hope your case is not too bad, and I for one (having just been through it) would recommend talking to your doctor's office. They might do something, like give you an antiviral, that could make the process go a little easier. Be well!

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    1. Thanks Tom, I've been laying here thinking about you the last couple days wondering how you were handling it. If I'm not feeling better tomorrow I will call the doctor thank you sir. ๐Ÿ‘

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  9. Don't get the booster until months have passed with no covid. My friend got it too soon and now she is struggling with long haul. Sherry

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    1. My goodness.. well I got the vaccine and a booster and this is my third time with it so I don't know what to think Sherry.

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  10. My grandcats don't obey any commands or requests. I think you're lucky that Moon Pie followed you. Most would run off. If you cat-sit again, you might want to think about picking her up and carrying her. Yep, call the doc TODAY to ask about the antiviral meds. You may get a rebound case, but it could be beyond rebound if you don't have the meds. Ask when you should get your next booster.
    I still wear a mask when I exit my apartment and go to any common halls and spaces. You DO need to notify neighbors and Rosita about your covid so they can watch and protect themselves and others. Covid cooties hang in the air for 3 hours. If you walk through that airspace of a unknown or known positive covid person's breath, you can get it. Medscape.com states the current variant is more contagious.
    You don't deserve it, but prayers are said for our blog buddy Duggie.
    I thought your blog was about a real, edible Moon Pie chocolate or banana treat. Now I have to go find one. Linda in Kansas

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    1. Haha thank you Linda for the good information. Fyi, I haven't left my apartment since I returned moon pie to her cat pad Tuesday night. But I did call management this morning and told them that I was testing positive for covid. I know it upset them, but they were grateful too and said they were putting a sign in the lobby. Thank you for the prayers! ๐Ÿ˜‡

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  11. I've always thought that your apartment looked comfortable, well-decorated and tidy. I have to have my "things" around me so I couldn't stand the starkness of Rosita's place. Covid! Oh, no. That's so unfair because you are very careful. Perhaps I better get that new shot sooner rather than later? Take care of yourself, Doug. If I lived closer, I would drop some chicken soup at your apartment door.

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    1. Thanks very much Margaret for your nice comments, and doggone it I wish you did live closer! I think I could handle a bowl of chicken soup about now, but not much else. And yes my friend I would recommend getting that shot ASAP. ๐Ÿ™‚๐Ÿ‘

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  12. So sorry to know you've been invaded by COVID again!! Gosh, darnnit!! I heard that getting a case of COVID leaves one somewhat immunized. Hope it's a mild and final case for you. It looks like Rosita hasn't had time to settle in and arrange her apartment yet. I can see why you couldn't stand to spend much time there. I do like her little Moon Pie cutie though. Obviously prefers you (and/or your decor). Hope you fully recover very soon, Doug.

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    1. Thank you Florence! I thought about you a good bit while cat-sitting Moon Pie, she reminded me a "toned down version" of Ellie Mae :^) As for Rosita not finished unpacking, she's been there 3-4 years. I don't think there's anything to unpack! But she IS moving South this fall since her job allows her to work anywhere. Oh to be young :^)

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  13. Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that you've been bitten by the bug again. I do hope, like others have said, that it is a mild case. The issue is the different variants that keep developing - the vaccines/boosters are good in the sense they provide some protection and usually mean a milder case. But apparently these new variants find a way around them. Take care and I hope you recover soon.

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    1. Thank you Maebeme, I always like what you have to say.

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  14. I am moving into an efficiency come Monday. The landlord stood by the back wall and told me this is where the last tenant put his bed. Mine will go in the closet, thank you. It's about 6 x 9. Also, three huge windows. I'm getting another cat.
    I am so sorry you have the lurgy again. Sleep a lot and drink lots of water. And toss the rest of your Covid tests. They're bad news.

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    1. Wow--Joanne, you always have interesting feedback. Three large windows in an efficiency sounds pretty nice to me! And thank you for the med advice. But you really think these covid tests are bad news?

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  15. Third time Covid? Well that just sucks!
    I'm glad you took Moon pie to your apartment to be more comfortable. My own upstairs neighbour has very little furniture. No TV, one hard wooden chair in the living room, another in the kitchen, a thin mattress on the bedroom floor and plastic shopping bags to hold her clothes. She has a small radio, and that's it. oh, an electric kettle too.

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    1. Thank you, River.. your upstairs neighbor, I don't know either the pity her or admire her for needing so little! That sounds rough.

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  16. Oh my gosh! Not again!!! A third time? How in the world? Where would you have caught it? Sheesh! Fingers crossed it will be a mild case.

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    1. Thanks Kay, trying to get better asap. I think when you live in a building like mine with 100 apartments all closed together.. we even share the same heating and AC unit, so who knows what's being circulated. ๐Ÿ™„

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  17. I hope you get better soon ApacheDug. Real unlucky to Covid 3 times around, thats lousy. Nice bright walls and terrazzo floors for the cats. Are you near any lifts? Is it possible? I often walk into a shopping mall and you know that warm muggy yuckiness in the air? You can almost taste it. We need to be mindful about compact spaces and droplets in the air still. People do get sick from Covid. Its contagious with apps stating theres been 1,050,000 death in the United States. God rest them.

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    1. Thanks Spacer. Well, I haven't seen the cat since I dropped her off with her owner Tuesday night. As for the covid, I do think I'm breathing recycled air in my apartment building. What can you do?

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