McBrides and COVID-19

It was bound to happen, the McBrides are involved in this pandemic. Wow, I never actually fathomed that one of us could get sick from this coronavirus, it's just kind of shocking.

Self-isolation

A few weeks ago my Mom felt unwell and had a low fever, our first thought was COVID-19, but we didn't want to think that. after a few days of symptoms, my mom decided to get screened .then tested for COVID-19. 6 days later the results came back. Negative. But the doctors told us that is very likely she has COVID-19, due to the test's 33% false-negative rate. So she self-isolated and we bleached the house.

But so far, today, the world hit 3 million cases, 200,000 deaths, and the U.S. passed 1 million cases. ( as of April 27th)School has been canceled for the rest of the year, Texas tries to reopen, Kim-Jong-Un is presumably dead. Remember to stay at home. wash your hands, any one of us could get caught in this pandemic.

Biking away the boredom

In these difficult times, most of us have been cooped up in our houses, and boredom has set in. Everyone has their own hobbies to keep them occupied, mine is biking.

The kind of biking I do is mountain biking, but because I don't live in Colorado anymore, I use McAllister Park as a substitute.

Here's one of my routes

Dad and I found these hobo huts

Ever since I got my new bike, I've traveled over 150 miles on it! Anytime I feel bored, angry, or sad, I just go ride around

Back on the bike in the bamboo

Found this drop while we were out. It was kind of scary!

A few days ago, my dad and I started a 30-day wheelie challenge. We've been going step-by-step to try to learn a magnificent wheelie. Our wheelies don't look the best, but we've had fun trying every day

Now for an update, COVID-19 has now infected over 2,450,000 people, and tragically taken almost 170,000 lives. The U.S. has remained the epicenter of the virus, with almost 800,000 cases. So stay home, social distance, and stay safe.

Haunted San Antonio

It may not be Halloween yet, but it sure felt like it when I went on a haunted tour of San Antonio.

My dad told Alex and I that we were going to explore the paranormal places in our city. I thought it was a prank, How could San Antonio be haunted? It wasn't until I went, that I found that my town could be so unsettling.

Our route for the night

Dressed for the occasion

It was evening on Saturday, and we started our journey at Camden Bridge. There is no creepy story behind Camden bridge, the only reason we were there was to see the bats take flight when the sun went down. On our way to the bridge, there was a variety of different wildlife on the empty riverwalk. There were ducks, turtles, and fish. 

Turtles!

Lots of ducks too

The pathway was decorated in carved stone and water features, creating an aura around us. We finally made it to the bridge, so we social distanced on a bench and waited for the bats.

Zeus water feature

Unsettling

 Unfortunately, after a while of waiting the bats were stubborn and did not want to fly, so we headed off to our next location.

Up next was Donkey lady bridge, already weird. Apparently, in the 1950s there was a nice, happy family in San Antonio. The husband was a World War II veteran and he was going insane. As time progressed, the wife threatened to leave him and take the kids. This got him so mad he bolted all the exits shut, and lit the house on fire. This killed her two children, but she survived, Despite surviving, she was horribly disfigured, making her somewhat resemble a donkey. She couldn't get a job, so she lived in the woods and under a bridge. Donkey lady bridge is the bridge she lived under. The legend says if you stand on the bridge, and call out to the donkey lady three times you will hear the clip-clop of hooves in the distance. So that's exactly what we did. We called out to her and waited for our "response". Shortly after, my dad swore he heard a noise, we held our breath, and listen. Then there it was a faint clip-clop.

Donkey lady bridge

That was frightening enough for that location, so we continued on our expedition. 

The next area was a haunted train track. The story says a nun was driving a bus full of sleeping orphans in an old bus. When she was going over the train tracks she stalled on the rails and couldn't get the bus to start again. All of a sudden a train came and hit the bus. All of the orphans were killed, but the nun lived. She spent months in the ICU, but she fully recovered. As time went on, she suffered from survivors guilt and decided she wanted to die. So she went to the same track she was hit and waited for a train. As the train approached she noticed her car, all by itself started moving off the tracks. When she got out to investigate, there were little handprints on the back of her car. The legend says if you wait on the same railroad and put your car in neutral, you will be pushed off. So we put baby powder on the back of our car and stopped on the tracks. I was already afraid that we would get hit by a train for this paranormal event to take place. I doubted this story, but the car suddenly, all by itself, was moved off the tracks. We were all shocked when we were moved off and checked the back of our car, and there was little fingerprints on the back of the car. That was shocking indeed.

Baby powdered car

Fingerprints!

The next place was called Devil's Bridge. This area was a total bust. The two myths were: that light could not penetrate to the other side of the bridge and that if you dropped a rock off the side of the bridge, you couldn't hear the thump of when it hits the ground. We proved both of these myths wrong.

After a long night of haunted experiences, we went home.

Our rocks

Now for an update on COVID-19, (As of April 16th) there are about 2,100,000 cases around the world, about 670,000 in the U.S alone. Unfortunately, over 140,000 people have passed due to the virus. Here in San Antonio, we've done a pretty good job at limiting the spread, but we are approaching 1,000 cases, and this coronavirus shows no signs of slowing. Remember to stay home and try to keep your sanity.

14 in Quarantine, and everything before that

I am Cade, I am now 14 and a member of the McBride family. My parents are Dan and Laura McBride, and my only brother is Alex McBride. I also have two pets, Carson the dog, and Bob the tarantula ( Scary, right? ).

My family!

From left to right

Dan, Laura, Alex, Cade

 My mom also does a blog, look here to check it out.https://misformcbride.blogspot.com/

My brother is also starting a blog here it ishttps://accountsofacertainmcbride.blogspot.com/

Here is a sort of brief summary of my life so far. My existence started on April 7th, 2006 as Cade Robert McBride, so yes Cade is not short for anything. I am the oldest child out of my one sibling. I was born in Rexburg, Idaho as my parents were still living there after doing school at BYU Idaho.

Baby me!

 Shortly after my birth, my family decided to move to Minnesota because my dad had to participate in The School of Instrument Repair there. After the schooling we moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia, so my dad could join The Army as a saxophone player. He made it through his audition successfully and also made through basic training and The School of Music. Soon after, on June 19th, 2008, my brother, Alexander Jon McBride was born. So yes, Alex is short for something.

Baby Alex

 After a couple years we were stationed in Seoul, South Korea. This is about where my memory began and I'll be able to tell better stories. We lived in an apartment complex called Hanam Village. I remember being excited to live up so high, and being able to look down on Seoul.

Here's us at the Seoul Tower

 I started school in Korea, I went to a 2-hour pre-school, and then a full-day kindergarten. The teacher was Mrs. Rasmussen ( which is impossible for any kindergartener to read, spell, or pronounce) I made some Korean friends and was able to invite people to birthday parties. I was able to learn to read, write, and talk very early in life and was advancing well. Places we liked to have fun in Seoul were The Seoul Zoo, Seoul Land, The Coex Aquarium, and other places names I don't remember. 

Hanam Village

Busan Lantern Festival

These fish at the Coex Aquarium would nibble at your fingers

Burmese Python!

My Taekwondo years

We were, somewhat of a tourist attraction in Seoul

6th birthday party

After 2 years in Korea, we moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. I started 1st grade there at a local public school called Venetucci. After seeing that 1st grade was to easy, my parents put me in a charter school called The Vanguard School. The school fit my "abilities" and I stayed there until I moved again. At first, I did not have very many friends, but I quickly gained friends at school and church. We lived in Colorado for 5 years, and a lot happened in those years. When I was, I was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In 3rd grade my eyes became bad so I had to get glasses, that same year I also started piano lessons with my mom In all of 2017, my dad was stationed away from us in Seoul again for the promise of moving to Germany, but that was all for nothing, because of my mental disability, we were unable to go to Germany. That same year I chose ( well actually forced ) to play the trombone. My school had no trombone players in middle or high school, making me the only player. I had a knack for the thing and loved playing it, unfortunately, the band program was not the best there. 

The family at Garden of the Gods

Pikes Peak!

Bishop's Castle, all of this was made by one man

Stanely Hotel

Room 217!

My first pinewood derby

8th birthday

9th birthday

10th birthday

On February 2nd, 2018, we moved to San Antonio, Texas, here's where my memory is really fresh. We started in a temporary home looking for a house to buy, it took a while but we found a home good for us. But, on our first day of school, it was a series of unfortunate events. That morning our dog, Carson, was sprayed by a skunk, we found a roach blocking our Keurig, and a rat escaped from the drawer. After school, we went to meet our new ward and friends, but when we got back, the washer had flooded our house. That was not a good day.

 Ever since I've gone to Driscoll Middle School, which is a public school with a great band program. I'm in all of the top classes and still pursuing my musical talent. At Driscoll, there were other trombone players and those trombone players and Mr. Richard Gonzalez helped push me to succeed in my musical career. In 7th grade, I was good enough to be in Honors Band and was 2nd chair next to the best 8th grader then. But I was unable to be in all of the classes I wanted, so I had to be in Symphonic Band, which was way too easy. Although I was able to be in the Jazz Band, so that was fun. In my 8th grade year, I was now 1st chair in Honor Band and I still am now.

Sunday School!

Driscoll Middle School

New trombone!

 At the beginning of the year, we got our audition music for Region Band. The year prior I was so close to making it in the bottom band, but I didn't do good enough. Well luckily that year, I made it easily into the top band and performed a great concert with my friends. The many hours of clinics were exhausting, but it was worth it.

You can tell I was beat

                                                 This was one of the songs we performed.

 That year, The First Presidency decided that our church should leave The Boy Scouts of America ( now Scouts of America ) at the end of 2019. So I decided I wanted to become Eagle Scout before then, and I was able to. After countless months of hard work, we finally made it to my Eagle Project. My Eagle Project was on September 27th and 28th, and our goal was to build a new peacock roost for The Fort Sam Houston Quadrangle. Our project had a few scary moments, but we powered our way to success. In January I had my final interview,, and they unanimously agreed for me to be an Eagle Scout.

Before

During

Finished

Officially an Eagle Scout

 Right at the end of winter break, our family decided to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise. We were on The Liberty of the Seas leaving from Gavelston Texas. Our Grandma Kathy and Uncle Kevin came on the cruise as well and we all had an amazing time. We traveled to Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel, Mexico. We got to try so many different foods and do fun once in a lifetime things on the ship and islands.

On our way to the ship

We were excited to have our own room

Bye Texas!

Escargot, Yum!

Ice skating?

And rock climbing? That ship was massive!

Snazzy at dinner

And yes, that is a trombone tie.

Roatan beaches

Mayan temples!

That brings us to now, where we are all stuck in our homes. My birthday was on April 7th and I had a great time. I got two shirts, three pairs of face socks, candy, pens, a subscription to Musescore Pro, a ten dollar gift card, and some bluetooth headphones. We played games all day and went on a bike ride. To top it all off, at the end of the day I got some delicious cookie cake.

New shirt!

Biking in bamboo

Cookie cake!

 At this time right now, we as humanity our faced with a new challenge. An ongoing worldwide pandemic. COVID-19. COVID-19 is a respiratory pandemic that started in Wuhan, China right before New Years. Ever since, ( as of April 10th) it has infected almost 1,700,000 people around the world, and unfortunately responsible for over 100,000 deaths. Over 500,000 are infected in the U.S. alone causing a national standstill. My school has been canceled to May 4th, and so all I have to do is to play games with my family and create a blog. So for yours and the world's sake, please stay home.