How are you feeling now about..

[Kayelle]

the pandemic? I know my thoughts have changed somewhat over the last several weeks and I'm wondering about yours? I'll contribute later...
As always, please be respectful of the opinion of others..

 

[Andy M.]

Staying home is not an issue for me as social distancing has been my lifestyle for decades. SO, on the other hand is a little stir-crazy. She's a shopper and can spend hours wandering around big stores. Thankfully, the weather has cooperated and she is out in the garden a lot.

My concern is personal and global. I worry about one of us getting sick. That pretty much means the other one will get sick too. We're in our 70s so it won't be easy if it happens. The stories are frightening. We worry about our families in MA and FL. We are making do with outdoor face to face visits. I would REALLY love to give my grandson a big hug right now.

I don't see the world getting past this until an effective vaccine can be distributed globally. Absolutely no one knows when that will be.

I'm pleased at the way our leaders in MA are handling the situation. Our governor and the mayor of Boston seem to have their heads on straight. I watch how the disease is trending daily and it seems to be headed in the right direction here. I have no idea what that means if restrictions are relaxed.

I had been waiting since October for the baseball season to start. I really miss it.

 

[HeyItsSara]

I don't know how I feel. I change my mind a lot. As Andy says, until a vaccine is implemented, everything is upside down.

 

[Kayelle]

Since I'm not only a Senior, I also have health conditions that likely could be the end for me if I get this thing. For that reason I haven't been out in public at all since my last haircut on Mar. 9th, even though I have masks and gloves. Going stir crazy, I've taken closed window drives just to see there is really life out there. I was watching all the masked people going in and out of the grocery store recently, and thinking about how much I miss seeing smiles. I hope masks don't become permanent attire when this thing is over as masks are permanent attire in some of this world. I would really miss seeing expressions and smiles if it become true.

Smiles are so normal for our culture here.
That reminds me of when we were in Russia a few years ago, I commented to our Russian tour director how we saw so few smiles there. She told me that her people had little to smile about and they think Americans are a bit crazy for smiling so much. Interesting, and I've thought about that often. Anyway, I sure hope masks aren't a permanent thing for us when this nightmare is over.
I understand people need and want to get back to work and be able to pay their bills. For many, that fear is greater than getting sick, and although I don't agree, it's understandable. On the other hand, the death toll could soar to twice or more than today if it's not well planned. Like Andy, "My concern is personal and global". I'm very concerned about my grown kids and grands reentering society too soon, but as far as we are concerned we will be doing exactly what we've been doing for the last several weeks until "an effective vaccine can be distributed globally", no matter how long it takes.
Wishing you all courage and good health

 

[strmanglr scott]

Everyone will eventually be exposed to this virus.

The SIP wasn't enacted to make the virus go away, it's there to slow the spread.

Some won't be affected at all, a very small percentage will die and that percentage number will go down.

I now in the last couple days have realized I may have got it around the end of February.

 

[Katie H]

Since I retired in 2009 and married Glenn the same year, I've been quite content living out in the country on our 11 acres of serenity with a beautiful 2-acre pond.

We have our two silly dogs and a pair of kitties we wouldn't trade for the world and we lavish them with affection and...treats, of course.

We're both in our 70s and, due to our not-so-dear friend "Arthur," we are limited in some activities.

We are not much into going out to eat, mostly because any good dining is over an hour away and neither of us have good night vision. As for movies, there haven't been any in years that have interested us. Netflix is our go-to for movies we like. Usually older ones.

I enjoy cooking and baking and have no challenge preparing 3 meals a day, every day. However, there are days when the "preparing" part simply involves heating up some leftovers and adding a side dish.

I'm the one who has always done the weekly marketing and still do. I take precautions by wearing a mask and gloves. I also have designated "outside" shoes that don't enter the house. When I get home, my clothes go immediately into the washer and I don fresh ones.

Our children, well Glenn's, don't live too far away, save his one daughter who lives in Lexington, KY which is quite a distance from us. We usually only see them during the holidays and about once per summertime.

My children and their families live in California or Georgia. See them less than Glenn's children, but geography is he challenge here.

Fortunately, I haven't gotten cabin fever and that's largely because, shortly after we married, Glenn built a wonderful 18' x 24' studio for me. I have all my sewing, knitting and crafting "toys" there and spend hours enjoying whatever is tickling my fancy. Currently it is knitting a rather complex afghan. I'm 5/7 away from being done. It consists of 7 panels, then joined and fringed.

Prior to our local libraries locking down, I would listen to audio books as I worked. Now, I have been listening to my vast collection of music CDs. Really been enjoying that. I'd forgotten how wonderful some of them are.

Fortunately, as an added distraction, I now have our container veggie garden to fill some of my time and give me outdoor time, which is something I thoroughly enjoy.

I haven't opened our pool yet because it's been waaay too rainy and cool. It's usually opened by mid-April. Once that's ready, we can spend time in the pool.

Glenn occupies himself in his workshop/garage and "playing" out in the back fields and around the pond on the 4-wheeler as the canines follow. There's always something for them to poke their noses into and chasing, but not catching, rabbits has been their most recent activity. Until they lose interest and find something else to annoy.

This week, after some severe storms, Glenn has been occupying himself taking care of five trees the storms downed. Needless to say, the chainsaw has been put into service.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Since I'm not only a Senior, I also have health conditions that likely could be the end for me if I get this thing. For that reason I haven't been out in public at all since my last haircut on Mar. 9th, even though I have masks and gloves.

Just a couple of months, then, huh? I haven't had a haircut in over a year! I need to get either a haircut or a dog license, neither of which are considered essential businesses in California.

 

[Kayelle]

Just a couple of months, then, huh? I haven't had a haircut in over a year! I need to get either a haircut or a dog license, neither of which are considered essential businesses in California.

 

[Kayelle]

Wonderful report Katie..thank you.

 

[taxlady]

I have too many thoughts about this. I hope there will be a vaccine, but we don't even know if there can be lasting immunity for this disease. But, there will be ways to mitigate or even cure it. So, I remain hopeful.

 

[Rocklobster]

I don't have a choice as to how I feel, or what I do about it..being self employed, staying home is a slow death for me, so we get up every day and go to work...practicing the safety precautions as best we can..we are in a very low risk area and don't really get too close to customers, so I'm not really fearful as much...things at work are getting better. We are doing quite well with a boxed/bulk meat program I started, and we have the meat and deli counters open along with my freezer section which I can't keep up with already....we will open the kitchen next week..All in all, we have to be positive and get up and work every day..this is our life..make the most of it...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I go to work, I come home. Twice a week hang out with Mom and Dad on their patio for an hour or so. I've been shopping twice for essential foods...I do like fresh produce. I wear a mask and gloves, so much sanitizer...I had purchased a three pack of clorox wipes at costco before all heck broke loose, so I just put them in a baggie for wiping things down out in public.

Our big bosses are rewarding us with gift cards to the local grocery store. They appreciate us hanging in there and doing our best to have our facility remain Covid-free. The grocery store is going to open especially for us on a delivery day so we can shop without a crowd. Their sacrifice to help us keep covid out of the facility. The shop owners here have been very good to us, we are taking care of their grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles.

I'm not a social butterfly, so I am not missing much, the only change for me is the mask, gloves and reduced shopping.

 

[Andy M.]

It's absolutely frightening to see how hit hard nursing homes/veterans' homes are. In MA over half the COVID-19 deaths are in such homes. I take my hat off to the people like PF who are doing their best to care for these folks.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

It's my pleasure, you know I love my old folks and do not want them to get sick.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I have a Twitter account and saw a post from Gene Simmons,
yes, the guy from KISS, the Band:

" ... You may not have any symptoms, and still have COVID-19. Wearing a mask is not about you. Wearing a mask protects other people FROM you. Be kind. Do it for everyone else."

*I limit my time at any essential retail.
*I ensure the 6 foot rule, even when others DO NOT!!!
*I do have face-to-face time, utilizing proper Social Distancing techniques, next door on our neighbors LARGE patio... the gals do Cocktail Hour maybe once a week or so with shared snacks and BYOB, for the past, oh 3 weeks.
*I have MANY face coverings that I always use while out amongst other folks, in closed in conditions.
*I too was fortunate enough to have purchased LOADS of sanitizing "stuff" prior to the World falling off of it's axis.
*I DESERATELY miss going to restaurants!!!
*I'm tired of preparing 3 meals a day, every day!
*I want to TRAVEL!!! I can't go see my Mom for Mother's Day...
*I'm so over everyone being on edge

I also realize that life as we knew it back in December, January somewhere around there, may not ever come back again.

 

[CharlieD]

I have mixed feelings. I would have been ok staying home. But my daughter applied for school in Italy next year and she just got accepted. She was really looking forward going. They accept only 25 girls who are graduating high school per year. This is her year. She is already missing graduation. I feel really bad for her. But how can I tell her to go next year? ...

 

[Farmer Jon]

Wife and kids are having a tough time with the home schooling. It's pretty much business as usual on the farm. I'm getting tired of not being able to go to the bar or out to eat.

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks for that Kgirl. Gene Simmons said it perfectly and he's sure no dummie... "You may not have any symptoms, and still have COVID-19. Wearing a mask is not about you. Wearing a mask protects other people FROM you. Be kind. Do it for everyone else."

Aside from being the marketing genius behind Kiss, he has started a chain of restaurants, a financial services management company, reality shows, owned a football team, is a best-selling entrepreneurship author, and is a well known speaker on the business lecture circuit.

 

[Kayelle]

The only good thing about this dang Pandemic is I'm down 40 lbs. When it started I was so upset I could hardly cook, let alone eat. If I can't eat, you know I was in really bad shape. I want to loose more so I'm really trying to be careful about what I eat now that I love cooking again.

 

[taxlady]

The only good thing about this dang Pandemic is I'm down 40 lbs. When it started I was so upset I could hardly cook, let alone eat. If I can't eat, you know I was in really bad shape. I want to loose more so I'm really trying to be careful about what I eat now that I love cooking again.

Congratulations, since you consider this a good thing. That's a lot of weight to lose in a short time. How are you feeling? In any case, don't beat yourself up if you gain some of it back.