Journal of Self-Isolation: Days 9 - 12

July 31, 2020

The second half of my isolation began pretty much the same as it did at the start: tossing & turning in bed in the early morning hours not wanting to get up.  I read the news & watched several YouTube videos on my phone to force me awake.  I was out of bed and dressed by 10am.

The minimalist breakfast consisted of two pancakes, three pieces of bacon, juice box, and a small cup of syrup.  The syrup did a good job hiding the bland taste of the pancakes.  The bacon was acceptable.  The juice was fine.

I spent the remainder of the morning online.  There was not much else to do.

Lunch arrived at 11:50am.  The meal was either really bland or really good because I forgot to photograph it.  I either left it outside or ate it really fast.  I can’t remember what it was.  Sorry.  I promised myself not to make the same mistake again.

A nurse called me at 12:55pm to check to see how I was doing.  I said I was fine.

I divided my afternoon between exercise, reading, playing video games, and watching tv shows.

There was a knock on my door at 4:25pm.  A hotel staff member informed me I had to fill out two dinner meal forms for Saturday & Sunday.  I guess the kitchen staff need even more time to prepare meals.  I selected “No dinner” on both papers.

There’s not much else I can say for this day.  The only things I did in the evening were play some more games and watch the film Biker Boyz. 

August 1, 2020

My first day of August began with a loud knock on my door at 8:30am.  Breakfast had arrived.  I simply turned over in bed and dozed off.  I was awake and out of bed by 10am.  I was ready to seize the day at 11am. 

I was slightly confused by the breakfast meal.  The main meal was a thick slice of cheese in between two hamburger buns.  Or was it a slice of egg & cheese, like an omelette?  Next to that was a hash brown patty and a small ketchup bag.  There was also an orange juice box to quench my thirst.  I tried the strange burger concoction and was glad I didn’t go blind. 

Lunch arrived at 12:00pm and was slightly better than breakfast.  I was served chicken on yellow rice.  The chicken was covered with a dark sauce and several mushrooms.  I removed the mushrooms before eating.  (I’m not a fan of mushrooms).  The meal was okay.

The call from the nurse came at 1:00pm.  All good on my end.  I can’t speak for the other people isolating in this hotel.

I spent the afternoon & evening watching the film Torque and playing two PC games: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare & No Man’s Sky.  The first game is a first-person shooter and the other is a space exploration game. 

Overall, just a lazy Saturday.

 August 2, 2020

Another day in isolation.

I looked out the window after following my morning routine and noticed dark overcast clouds covering the entire sky.  I booted my laptop and checked the weather forecast: rain, and lots of it throughout the day.  Thankfully, I wasn’t going outside.  Come to think about it, I hadn’t stepped outside my room since I started isolation.  The furthest I’d gone out was opening my door to collect my meals and place the dirty dishes on the coffee table.

Breakfast consisted of bacon, hash browns, sausages, English muffin, and juice.  I only ate the English muffin & bacon.  Putting the leftovers outside made me wonder how much food was being thrown out by hotel staff because it wasn’t being eaten?  My mind was split between a lot and not a lot.

The nurse called me at 11:15am; much earlier than before.  I didn’t ask why I was getting the call so early.  I repeated my prepared sentence that I was feeling fine.

Lunch arrived at 12:20pm.  On the menu were ribs and cuscus with peas & corn mixed in.  I just ate the ribs because I don’t like cuscus.  I’m aware it’s the “food so nice they named it twice,” but my taste buds do not agree.

The highlight of the day occurred in the late afternoon.  Storm clouds rolled into downtown Ottawa at 4:15pm and rain began falling hard from the sky.  Five minutes later, I checked the weather forecast online and the government website issued a tornado warning for the Greater Ottawa Area.  I took a few pictures from my window.  I saw some lightning and heard thunder, but didn’t see any tornado(s).  The thunderstorm only lasted 20 minutes.  The tornado warning was lifted at 5:00pm.  It would have been fascinating and scary to photograph a tornado from my hotel room.

I spent the rest of the day watching Deadwood: The Movie, playing No Man’s Sky, and eating a small dinner from the food I had in the fridge.       

 August 3, 2020

I finally dragged myself out of bed at 10:35am.  Only a few more days remain.  I quickly got dressed and brought in breakfast.  I was served a small croissant, apple, raisins, dry cereal in a white cup, and juice.  This time, I ate the whole meal.

The nurses on duty must have changed the order of people they call because I got my COVID-19 check up call at 10:50am.  I’m glad I was awake. 

Lunch arrived an hour later.  The meal consisted of two hamburger patties doused in a sauce and mashed potatoes.  I could only wonder why the meal didn’t come with hamburger buns.  I only ate the patties.

I watched Deadpool: The Movie again.  I thought it did a good job continuing the series and serving as a series finale.  The TV show ended in 2008 but many plotlines were left unresolved.  Fans had been demanding for years for the series to be continued and we finally got our wish in the form of a movie in 2019.

I started watching the 1991 film Point Break but didn’t finish it.  I got sidetracked by other things.  I took a quick power nap in the afternoon due to boredom. 

Dinner arrived at 6:10pm.  I ordered a club sandwich.  The meal also came with French Fries.  The sandwich was the best meal of the day.            

To Be Continued . . .