Quarantine

On Friday, I got an email from the COVID-testing company which partners with our local schools.

They said Daniel had tested positive for COVID.

That surprised me, because he was the healthiest, most energetic person in our house that day.

So I administered an at-home test to him . . .

. . . and although you have to squint a little to see it, that "positive" line is definitely there.

After all the "abundance of caution," "does that runny nose mean you have COVID?" tests

I've administered in our home over the last couple years,

it was weird to finally see a positive test 

(especially from someone with no symptoms at all).

Given that we had probably all been exposed at that point, 

I asked our family if Daniel should even bother quarantining.

Daniel was determined to follow protocol though,

so he has been isolating in the living room for the last two days.

By this afternoon, he was really bored of that room,

so I brought Tia and Cici in to keep him company

(mammals can catch COVID, but birds can't).

We've read that parakeets should get out of their cage

and get some exercise every day, 

so we let the birds out to fly around a bit.

We find that they like being held more when they're out of their cage.

We love holding them, so I guess letting the birds out

is good for humans too.