Thanksgiving is behind us and I hope yours was safe. For several reasons, all having to do with COVID, we didn’t celebrate. Our plan now is to forgo the usual Christmas Day fare and do the typical Thanksgiving meal then.

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise ahead of another potential surge

But we might not. Christmas might be a bust too, because we’re all about safety first. We had a big scare just recently and it happened in my house.

My grandkids were here and we celebrated Jack’s birthday. By my count, we’d have six adults and the two kids at the house. It was a pretty day and there’s plenty of room on my screened porch. I was satisfied with the count.

But it didn’t work out like that.

People who said they weren’t coming showed up, which tightened the room. Some people I didn’t know were invited came. Some people I didn’t even know showed up! (They had to stay outside; I felt bad about it, but I had other guests to protect. Safety trumps good manners.)

Anyway, we did the best we could, or so I thought. Here’s the thing: It never occurred to me that I should have people wearing masks in my own house. Never crossed my mind.

But a couple of days after we had too many people here, the call came that someone was positive for COVID. No one feels worse than the person who has it (who is luckily experiencing very few symptoms aside from irrational guilt; she follows the rules and, of course, didn’t know she’d been exposed when she was at my house).

I notified everyone and we were all tested. Everyone is negative. Some followed up with a second test; also negative.

As for Christmas, right now it depends on numbers and on my family quarantining and/or testing ahead of time. But if we gather, and I hope we do, it will be outside with heaters to stay toasty.

I’ll have a hard count so I can plan spacing, and no one else is allowed to invite people. Just me.

Masks will be worn except when eating, and there’s plenty of room for social distancing.

I’m careful about COVID, but I don’t stay home. I work in public and I also socialize at times. I wear my mask, keep my distance and wash my hands. If I don’t feel safe somewhere, I leave even if I’m working.

And I doubt you know anyone who has had as many COVID tests as I have, but I do it because I’m out in public and while I do my best not to get it, I’m also doing my best not to give it to anyone else.

(I get tested at the direction of my doctor, which is where I go for medical advice. If you disagree, that’s OK; however, there’s no point in trying to convince me otherwise.)

But I honestly never even thought about masks in my own house, probably because access to my home has been limited to people close to me who I know are as serious as I am about safety.

This is your cautionary tale, and it taught me some lessons, too. Don’t let your guard down, even at home. We’re closing in on better days; make it your goal to stay COVID-free until the vaccine is here.

All about tiny

Karen Carrier has built what she calls “tiny houses” around the tables in front of the Beauty Shop, and there are a few larger ones coming this week. They’re green houses, put up to give people a private and warm place to eat outdoors with their own parties through the winter.

Carrier put up geodesic domes in the back of the restaurant, in the Back Do/Mi Yard area, this summer. They’re larger, but also confined to one group (which is now limited to four adults or four adults and two children). And they’re heated too.

The bigger greenhouses going up this week were meant to accommodate parties up to eight, but for now Carrier will stay within the rules of Health Directive 15, of course.

Coming this week

Tune into Sound Bites on WYXR-FM 91.7 Thursday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. to listen to Tawanda Pirtle and me talk about my first time to eat a Jack Pirtle’s steak sandwich. We’ve been friends for about 30 years and I’ll tell you now, there is just no telling what we might talk about. The pod cast will also be live on The Daily Memphian website on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Jack Pirtle’s Chicken employees stay on the ‘front line’ without hazard pay

Also on Thursday, be sure to look for my Day Tripper that’s all about the shopping and if you already know about it, I know you’ll agree. If you don’t (I didn’t), you’ll be surprised to learn about this fun destination just over an hour away.

We have more coming this week about the letter sent by the Memphis Restaurant Association seeking answers from the Health Department about why they’re facing new restrictions, and of course we’ll be covering the Tuesday and Thursday COVID-19 Joint Task Force meetings.

Restaurateurs seek data and dialogue from Health Department

It’s very possible I’ll even have a restaurant review ready by Friday. Have a nice and safe week; mask up and wash your hands.