How is the Corona virus affecting your life?

[+and-then]

On 4/25/2020 at 2:34 PM, Big Jim said:

I think this quarantine is bringing out my rebellious streak.  I hardly ever went anywhere before, but now I'm beginning to resent being told that I can't.  Except for the fact of knowing we're under quarantine and hearing about it constantly, it's had very little effect on me.

YUP... that'd make you a typical hard-headed American   That's most of us, I think...

[simplybill]

The governor here in Iowa is slowly reopening the state. 77 of 99 counties will reopen restaurant dining rooms, allowing 50% of normal occupancy. Gyms, barbershops and salons will remain closed.

 I’m looking forward to some steak & eggs, pizza, and tacos. Maybe all three in one day.

[spartan max2]

My state, Ohio, is also starting a phased re-opening in May. No restaurants, salons, or anything fun yet haha, but we are starting medical procedures again, and on May 4th "construction, manufacturing, and general offices open". But they are still encouraging people to work from home when they can.

So I'm waiting to see if my agency decides to keep having us work from home or not. Since the start of this thing they have had us work from home and only come in one day every two weeks to dock our computers.

Will feel weird going back to the office again.

Edited April 28, 2020 by spartan max2

[+susieice]

I know PA will open construction. Also some outdoor activities. There will still be a list of conditions. I heard campgrounds will require you to sign a waiver. Since eastern PA is still very active and high in virus cases, things will not change much here. The second link is the proposed steps in how Governor Wolf plans to open the state. I'm not going anywhere soon. We have the National Guard helping here at our county nursing home.

https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/governor-announces-may-1-statewide-reopening-of-limited-outdoor-recreational-activities-to-help-pennsylvanians-maintain-positive-physical-mental-health/

Starting Friday, May 1, golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately owned campgrounds may reopen statewide and are required to follow updated life-sustaining business guidance and FAQ issued by the Wolf Administration to include specifics for how these outdoor recreational industries can resume activities while prioritizing public health and safety. Campgrounds in state parks will remain closed through Thursday, May 14.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/pa-gov-tom-wolf-extends-stay-at-home-order-to-may-8-as-he-starts-to-reopen-economy.html

“If we open in Cameron County, for instance, that doesn’t mean we’re ending the restrictions (in Philadelphia),” Wolf said.

The Lehigh Valley remains one of the state’s hardest hit regions and Lehigh County has the highest per capita infection rate of the entire state.

Edited April 28, 2020 by susieice

[simplybill]

Yesterday afternoon I drove into Des Moines to meet some friends who were staying at a hotel downtown. I was about 30 minutes early, so I sat in the lobby and waited. It was a Twilight Zone kind of experience, sitting there alone in that huge lobby all by myself. No employees, no guests, no one at the lobby bar or the gift shop. I felt like ‘The Last Man on Earth.’

When my friends arrived, we went to the Riverwalk for a long walk. Things were more normal there. The sun was shining, the Japanese maples were blooming. There were bicyclists, runners, and people walking their dogs. Everyone politely distanced themselves and smiled as we stepped off the pathway to pass one another. A mother with three young children stood to the side as we passed by. I waved at the kids and their faces lit up. They were probably happy to see a grandpa-figure after being cooped up indoors for days.

There was a feeling of “We’re all in this together”. I’m going to miss that when this is over and things go back to normal.

[Michelle]

5 minutes ago, simplybill said:

There was a feeling of “We’re all in this together”. I’m going to miss that when this is over and things go back to normal.

It doesn't have to. For years I have smiled at almost everyone I make eye contact with and waved to the kids that were behaving themselves. It's fairly infectious in itself. 

[Myles]

Still the same for me.   Working at the plant and the wife and 2 daughters are staying at home.

Not sure if I mentioned this before:

My youngest daughter (17) is a bit bummed.   No prom.   No spring musical.   She had the lead as Ariel in - The Little Mermaid.   She tried out and was selected to sing the National Anthem for the minor league baseball team in Fort Wayne.   She was going to meet Stanley, Creed and Phyllis from the Office who were going to be there too.  She lost her job which was teaching swimming to young kids and life guarding for the seniors during their aquatic classes.  

[rashore]

Dropped off a small box of paperwork and keys at work today. Well, hubby dropped them off on the porch then an employee came out and picked it up while I sat in the car and watched. Submitted a final report via email. 

On the drive in along our road, had a new understanding of the road project. Seems like the digging out of the ditches to prep has hit several small ponds and water tables in our tiny stretch. Turns out the road section there isn't stalled because of lack of traffic in light of C-19... it's because they hit flood overs and need patches of flow on both sides of the road for a goodly quarter mile. 

[+OverSword]

Bad news. Today I ate the first food that I had not prepared myself. I was walking by a burger joint and got seduced by the aroma and bought a cheeseburger. I did not enjoy it. I’m afraid I may be a healthy eater now 

[simplybill]

21 minutes ago, OverSword said:

...bought a cheeseburger. I did not enjoy it. 

I didn’t know that was possible. Are you sure it was a cheeseburger?

[+OverSword]

2 hours ago, simplybill said:

I didn’t know that was possible. Are you sure it was a cheeseburger?

Yes. From a place that makes pretty good burgers from grass fed beef. I’ve had them many times and I always thought they were delicious. 

[+OverSword]

17 hours ago, Myles said:

Still the same for me.   Working at the plant and the wife and 2 daughters are staying at home.

Not sure if I mentioned this before:

My youngest daughter (17) is a bit bummed.   No prom.   No spring musical.   She had the lead as Ariel in - The Little Mermaid.   She tried out and was selected to sing the National Anthem for the minor league baseball team in Fort Wayne.   She was going to meet Stanley, Creed and Phyllis from the Office who were going to be there too.  She lost her job which was teaching swimming to young kids and life guarding for the seniors during their aquatic classes.  

Good kid.  When I was 17 all I did was sit in my room smoking pot and playing guitar 

[Myles]

1 hour ago, OverSword said:

Good kid.  When I was 17 all I did was sit in my room smoking pot and playing guitar 

Same here.    While I did work part time, I was not very motivated.   

It took me pushing her into trying different things, but she ended up liking some stuff and continuing with it.   I admire her willingness to get in front of a crowd and perform.   Heck, I work with people that I talk to every day, but put me in front of them all to talk about a topic and the nerves get me.   

[glorybebe]

They are now taking our temperature before we start our shift.  If we are too warm, we have to go home.  I was saying so many steps are so late.  Why weren't they doing this in March?

[Myles]

7 minutes ago, glorybebe said:

They are now taking our temperature before we start our shift.  If we are too warm, we have to go home.  I was saying so many steps are so late.  Why weren't they doing this in March?

My work started doing the temp checks at the end of March or first week of April.  

[glorybebe]

36 minutes ago, Myles said:

My work started doing the temp checks at the end of March or first week of April.  

See?  I just don't get it.  Preventative measures, people! 

[Myles]

At the office again today.  

Indiana may announce a partial opening up of businesses today.  We'll see.  I'm torn on it.   The Walmart and Kroger in town are packed every day, so it is not like we would go from total isolation to crowds.   Most people will not dine in at any restaurants.   I know my family will not.   

 

Hearing allot about meat shortages coming.   Most livestock producers are trying to unload their animals.   Gotta buddy I work with who is buying a hog that he'll butcher himself.  After all done it'll cost him around $.45 a pound.  Maybe I'll see about going in half or quarter with him.  

 

[Gromdor]

49 minutes ago, Myles said:

At the office again today.  

Indiana may announce a partial opening up of businesses today.  We'll see.  I'm torn on it.   The Walmart and Kroger in town are packed every day, so it is not like we would go from total isolation to crowds.   Most people will not dine in at any restaurants.   I know my family will not.   

 

Hearing allot about meat shortages coming.   Most livestock producers are trying to unload their animals.   Gotta buddy I work with who is buying a hog that he'll butcher himself.  After all done it'll cost him around $.45 a pound.  Maybe I'll see about going in half or quarter with him.  

 

Local meat locker was doing something similar here as well.  Works well for rural folks but the big city folks will probably end up hurting.  I'm not sure if my freezer would hold half a hog so if I did it I would probably have to do a half or quarter as well. 

Work wise for me-  I thought I would finally be off but a hydraulic line at a nearby powerhouse sprung a leak which shot across the room and on to an inspection port on the boiler.  Stream caught on fire, burned back to the hose, ruptured the hose, sprayed burning hydraulic fluid everywhere and otherwise trashed the immediate area.  It was nothing that would shut the powerhouse down so they want to fix it but not take the plant offline.  If they can figure out how to do that then we fix it.  After that it's sounding like a few weeks to a month over at a local 3M plant.

[TrumanB]

I planned to go to Thailand and live there for several months...and then COVID-19 happened. Apart from that I'm a freelancer so it doesn't change much. Work from home anyway.

[+susieice]

1 hour ago, Myles said:

At the office again today.  

Indiana may announce a partial opening up of businesses today.  We'll see.  I'm torn on it.   The Walmart and Kroger in town are packed every day, so it is not like we would go from total isolation to crowds.   Most people will not dine in at any restaurants.   I know my family will not.   

 

Hearing allot about meat shortages coming.   Most livestock producers are trying to unload their animals.   Gotta buddy I work with who is buying a hog that he'll butcher himself.  After all done it'll cost him around $.45 a pound.  Maybe I'll see about going in half or quarter with him.  

 

Many of our local farmer's markets are opening this weekend and they've put out a list of the different vendors so you can call ahead and order what you want if you wish. They will bring it to you curbside. I can get anything from beef to pork to chicken to eggs. All kinds of produce and homemade cheeses and cooking oils. We also have a large dairy farm here that has it's own store. You can get milk, butter, ice cream and cheeses there.

Gromdor is right though. If you are lucky enough to have farmers you may be better off than city people.

Edited May 1, 2020 by susieice

[+susieice]

Sneaking to the grocery store really early today before the crowds get there. Need to stock up on some things again. Hope I can find everything.

[+susieice]

Just got back. Still a lot of empty spots on shelves. Got most of what I needed though.

[XenoFish]

I'm highly considering building myself a 12 x 12 "gazebo" to use as a green house. Going to get groceries is a bit more expensive it seems and to be honest I'm tired of going. Screen it in and clear sheet it in the winter. 

[Raptor Witness]

Last night I went to the grocery store, and I was pleased that they had extended the hours to a more normal routine.

Whereas, only the week before, everyone was wearing masks and other PPE, from store employees to the public, last night I saw none, except for myself.

Nothing has changed, except the relaxation of state guidelines. The number of new cases haven’t changed in my area. Neither have the number of daily deaths.

So what flipped a switch in all these peoples minds, that suddenly they don’t need to be careful anymore?

If this is what the reopening looks like, we are headed for something far worse.

[spartan max2]

Me and the GF have been waiting to see if our trip to Iceland in July is cancelled. 

So far Iceland has a travel ban until May 15th so time will tell.

Luckily I got travel insurance when we scheduled back in January. But travel insurance will only cover if the cancellation is out of your control, like the flight being cancelled or nation's not allowing it.

So waiting to see.