Follow-ups One families experience Quarantine Pollyanna April 04, 2020, 12:28:09 pm I genuinely extend my deepest sympathies to those afflicted with or affected by this virus. It is disrupting all of our lives; if you aren't showing symptoms or caring for another who is, there is the daily life disruption of "shelter in place" and the stress of the daily news. Every day, the news gets worse. This is depressing.However, at the risk of being a Pollyanna (again), I am enjoying my quarantine. For example:I sorted my tools in the shop, re-arranged the tool chest drawers and tool board, and fixed the stereo so I can play good music while I work in the shop. I've been meaning to do this for years. It only took a couple of days and now I like it so much that I've been going out and enjoying looking at it.I recently sent a message to many of my friends asking for them to recommend their favorite book. I mostly read non-fiction, so the selections are less numerous. I now have 12 new titles that I will hunt down and read. Often, my friend's recommendations are great and sometimes they stink. We are friends, but we are all different. I like that. (In contrast to my non-fiction preference, I did read and enjoy several of Kent's recommendations by Zane Grey. Thanks Kent!)I've made a list of projects that are important but "I don't have enough time to start that and get it all done." Now I do have time. Project #1 is now apart on the shop floor and the parts have been ordered. Hopefully, project #2 will get started early next week.I have long postponed finishing my USCG 100 ton master boat captain's license. I need to document my days at sea from a big pile of vessel logs from past years. It is tedious work. I now have time. Maybe by summer, I can finish it and submit the paperwork.We are eating stuff that we froze last year, which clears out freezer space. The boysenberry plants are in full bloom, so we are giving jars of 2019 boysenberry jam to friends and neighbors in anticipation of a good harvest this summer (maintaining a 6 foot distance at transfer). We will be sharing frozen boysenberry pies next. Cyndy cooked the extra turkey we bought on sale last November and made soup. I'm glad I love Cyndy's turkey soup, because we will be eating it every night for the next week. We found fish frozen for several years that had to be tossed. Why didn't we do this last year? There are three frozen gophers in zip locks, waiting to be studied, dissected, skinned, and stuffed by my son's high school biology classes. I need to trap about 7 more. The gophers are keepers.Tug, the dog, loves having us home to play with him all day long. I've been trapping rats successfully. I'm trying to trap the ground squirrel again so I can release him in the yard, with Tug standing by, and let Tug chase it around the yard. This is wonderful fun for Tug, likely not as much fun for the squirrel. If the squirrel doesn't like our fun, it is invited to move away. Every morning, Tug runs from trap to trap in anticipation of another interesting little animal.I'm looking forward to this virus being defeated by the collective effort of all of us, but until then, I'm finding the fun in the quarantine. I hope you will too.Please stay healthy,Harold 6 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #1 – April 04, 2020, 12:32:51 pm Personally I'm getting a bit stir crazy. I'm pretty much quarantined all winter living in a snowed in condition and by spring cabin fever is full blown. I look forward to spring and getting out and about. I'm getting antsy and my wife is talking about hiding firearms. LOL 3 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #2 – April 04, 2020, 12:42:44 pm Harold,I know you aren't the only one who is using this time to do chores that have been delayed. I know employees of both Home Depot and Lowes. Each of them say they are doing a blockbuster business in paint. Who'd a thunk paint was an essential item during a quarantine? Linda 1 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #3 – April 04, 2020, 12:44:50 pm Another good message from our friends at John Deere:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai7ZuJxzApwHarold 1 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #4 – April 04, 2020, 01:02:23 pm Quote from: LindaB - April 04, 2020, 12:42:44 pmHarold,I know you aren't the only one who is using this time to do chores that have been delayed. I know employees of both Home Depot and Lowes. Each of them say they are doing a blockbuster business in paint. Who'd a thunk paint was an essential item during a quarantine? LindaHoney does are getting done. 2 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #5 – April 04, 2020, 01:07:24 pm Linda,Cyndy fished a can of paint (grey) from the paint locker in the shop. She says it is "paint the bathroom time". I hate painting. Painting the bathroom means replacing the perfectly functional towels and washcloths, re-framing and hanging pictures, etc.I think I'm going to cough a little and say I don't feel well...HD 4 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #6 – April 04, 2020, 01:36:52 pm "...there is the daily life disruption of "shelter in place" and the stress of the daily news. Every day, the news gets worse."I find that my situation is quite ironic! Over two years ago my local shooting range closed to the public, first due to indecision then as a result began destruction of the entire facility. In the span of time since then they have reconstructed their infrastructure and recently announced they were reopening on a limited basis. This was the situation for perhaps two weeks. Then the virus came along and they are once more 'closed to the public'.Well, the bright side is that I won't loose any more of my hearing in the interim! 3 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #7 – April 04, 2020, 01:44:51 pm Quote from: LindaB - April 04, 2020, 12:42:44 pmI know employees of both Home Depot and Lowes. Each of them say they are doing a blockbuster business in paint. Who'd a thunk paint was an essential item during a quarantine? Who'd a thunk that going to HD, standing in line waiting for paint would be considered an essential trip out and not violate the spirit of staying home and social isolation? I need to do some painting but there is no way I'm going to any hardware store, paint is not 'mission critical' need, food is. YMMVMost of my neighbors have been good about staying home except for two homes where the cars and people (no masks) come and go all day long, it's folks like that who will prolong and increase the spread of the virus, helping to overload the medical system. Every day we hear more about how contagious the virus is and how it's can be airborne. Now once discourage, masks are now recommended.A large percentage of the forum's members fall into an 'at risk' group. We need to be vigilant . Please stay home everyone so this plague can pass...please. I want to go camping again.LarryStill getting stuff done, even without leaving...Amazon delivers. 9 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #8 – April 04, 2020, 04:06:01 pm Thanks Andy,I'll add them to my list, now 14 books.Incidentally, I am friends, ride motorcycles, and travel with retired supervisor of salvage for the US Navy, Bert Marsh. He and I were both hard hat divers early in our careers and he went on to oversee all kinds of interesting salvage operations. I continued with scientific diving, science, and education.Bert may have Blow All Ballast. I'll let you know.Harold
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #9 – April 04, 2020, 04:10:36 pm Harold,I know you don’t have a a television so you may not have met “Janitor” from Scrubs. https://youtu.be/777vJrssQL8Perhaps you two are long lost cousins.Booked a campsite or two in Serrano for August. Hope to make it our maiden voyage for our Solar upgrade.Staying safe and keeping my eyes on the prize.Kent 3 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #10 – April 04, 2020, 04:13:51 pm Thanks Kent!That's my kind of meeting.Harold
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #11 – April 04, 2020, 04:22:40 pm "There are three frozen gophers in zip locks, waiting to be studied, dissected, skinned, and stuffed..."----Harold, I recommend this 'Gamesaver' Food Saver vacuum packer; I have not tested the efficiency of the process on gophers or any other particularly exotic or wild meats with my vac-pac, but I'm sure that the product quality retention would be the same regardless of the origin of the flesh. Even though the contents are visible through the packaging, I do suggest labeling and dating to avoid the chance of an unpleasant surprise when thawing dinner.FoodSaver® GameSaver® Outdoorsman at FoodSaver.com.YMMV, of course. 2 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #12 – April 04, 2020, 04:36:33 pm Joan,Good idea! We have used the heck out of our Foodsaver vacuum packer! We use it for freezing fish filets, giant squid, fresh smoked albacore, dried apples and figs, fresh berries, etc. Cyndy freezes berries on a cookie sheet and then vacuum packs them when they are frozen solid. When the package is opened months later, the berries fall out individual and are great on cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, and ice cream and Cyndy has learned to be careful because it has enough vacuum force to squash delicate items like unfrozen berries and can press dried apples and figs together so hard that they are difficult to separate when opened. For this reason, I just put gophers into zip-locks. I don't want to see what can get sucked out of a dead gopher...Harold
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #13 – April 04, 2020, 05:31:54 pm Quote from: Larry W - April 04, 2020, 01:44:51 pmWho'd a thunk that going to HD, standing in line waiting for paint would be considered an essential trip out and not violate the spirit of staying home and social isolation? I need to do some painting but there is no way I'm going to any hardware store, paint is not 'mission critical' need, food is. YMMVMost of my neighbors have been good about staying home except for two homes where the cars and people (no masks) come and go all day long, it's folks like that who will prolong and increase the spread of the virus, helping to overload the medical system. Every day we hear more about how contagious the virus is and how it's can be airborne. Now once discourage, masks are now recommended.A large percentage of the forum's members fall into an 'at risk' group. We need to be vigilant . Please stay home everyone so this plague can pass...please. I want to go camping again.LarryStill getting stuff done, even without leaving...Amazon delivers.Agreed, Larry. Other than “going into town” once a week to collect our mail at the post office and do a Walmart pickup order, we are staying home. We also receive home deliveries. Another option for food is Schwan’s:Online Grocery Delivery Service | Frozen Foods Home Delivery - Schwan’s®We may need to make a Home Depot trip in the future to get gardening supplies but it won’t be soon since more snow is in the forecast for early next week.Thankfully, our death rate here in Kern County is below 1% but we know that can change quickly. Interestingly, the age range of infections is skewing to the younger crowds (18-49). Stay safe, stay home, everyone! 2 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #14 – April 04, 2020, 06:28:08 pm On a positive note, many of the stores in the US are getting on board with social distancing and limiting customers in the store. About time.Here is a photo my Dad (who lives in the Philippines) posted on what they are doing at the local SM (grocery market) in Baguio City. Hopefully the person who sat in the chair before you isn't carrying the virus. Notice that everyone is wearing a face covering. 1 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #15 – April 04, 2020, 08:22:32 pm We, LB and I, plan our year ahead on/during our trip south. Things like what we will and will not do in the next year. As retired semi hermit folk we are very used to being home bound. We are not really people folk. We just spend 6 to 8 weeks in the desert with just us and one friend. I get to do most all the things I've always done without much life change. I do feel for all the folk that enjoy a more active life interaction life style - this is not a good time for them.For those that enjoy computer upgrades .......1. New SSD Drive install. Been thinking about this all winter long ...... 2. Install some new virtual sand boxing programs....Now I will ponder my next move off the couch.glen 1 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #16 – April 04, 2020, 09:00:22 pm Quote from: HiLola - April 04, 2020, 05:31:54 pmAgreed, Larry. Other than “going into town” once a week to collect our mail at the post office and do a Walmart pickup order, we are staying home. We also receive home deliveries. Another option for food is Schwan’s:Online Grocery Delivery Service | Frozen Foods Home Delivery - Schwan’s®We may need to make a Home Depot trip in the future to get gardening supplies but it won’t be soon since more snow is in the forecast for early next week.Thankfully, our death rate here in Kern County is below 1% but we know that can change quickly. Interestingly, the age range of infections is skewing to the younger crowds (18-49). Stay safe, stay home, everyone!Until there’s a vaccine or a “cure “ people will continue to succumb to this virus. Flattening the curve is to keep new cases at a point where hospitals are not overwhelmed but it doesn’t mean this is over when the curve flattens. What it means is deaths will continue in a semi controlled fashion and I have to wonder if it’s not just a matter of time until we all contract Corona. I’m not prepared to hide out for a year and a half and will at some point probably get this. I’ve even considered after the curve does flatten to go out and actively attempt to be infected. If I survive I can then just get on with life and once again be a free man. 3 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #17 – April 04, 2020, 09:51:54 pm Harold, I’ve been trying to use this time constructively as well. Been catching up on my paper shredding, organizing things, etc. Also built a new raised bed in anticipation of planting our garden. I’ve been asking Victoria to bake some fresh bread but finding active yeast has been problematic. Found this recipe for beer bread (beer already has yeast, I guess) so bought some appropriate beer. Worse case, if it doesn’t work, there’s beer! 4 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #18 – April 04, 2020, 10:16:27 pm Looks good Greg. How are you going to discourage deer in your garden (not to mention elk)?If you want to make bread with beer yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), you can order the yeast from White Labs. They make specialty yeasts for brewing and will ship it to you.White Labs San Diego | White LabsBakers yeast makes lots of CO2 for low density bread and brewers yeast makes less CO2, so the bread will be more dense. It still makes nice bread, though. The problem with making bread with major label beer is that the pasteurizing process kills all of the yeast and then it is filtered prior to shipping. My friend down in Bakersfield has a beautiful little boutique brewery and makes outstanding beers, mostly Belgian strong ales. He buys his yeast from Whites. He was at Morro Bay with us this year with their little Alto trailer. He might be able to spot you some yeast if you can't get it elsewhere. After the primary fermentation, he decants primary fermented wort and discards the yeast sediment. That yeast is still viable.Have fun with the garden!Harold 1 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #19 – April 05, 2020, 03:05:27 am Mother had a "starter" when I was a pre-schooler, but quit baking bread when we moved to town; I was given one when I was in college, but got too busy to keep a pet (didn't have to walk it/pay a vet, but the weekly feeding cut into my social life ). I've never baked with yeast, & always thought a "starter" had to come from someone else's "mother," but heard a piece last week on NPR & followed up with the miracle of the internet to learn one can harvest wild yeast from the environment...this may become one of my Covid projects...Lynne 1 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #20 – April 05, 2020, 08:00:08 am Quote from: Sawyer - April 04, 2020, 09:00:22 pmUntil there’s a vaccine or a “cure “ people will continue to succumb to this virus. Flattening the curve is to keep new cases at a point where hospitals are not overwhelmed but it doesn’t mean this is over when the curve flattens. What it means is deaths will continue in a semi controlled fashion and I have to wonder if it’s not just a matter of time until we all contract Corona. I’m not prepared to hide out for a year and a half and will at some point probably get this. I’ve even considered after the curve does flatten to go out and actively attempt to be infected. If I survive I can then just get on with life and once again be a free man.Since I have a scientific bend, one of the youtube channels I watch is called 3blue1brown. The presenter is a mathematician. The link is to his channel and he presents a simulation of the epidemic. I'm not sure if it's in this video (I've watched quite a few and they are starting to run together in my poor brain ), but most of the simulations show that if we "flatten the curve", not everyone will get the virus. If we don't, then pretty much everyone will. It appears a lot of people are following the shelter in place directives, but not everyone. As another friend has pointed out, it is not necessary to reduce contact to zero, but to, say, 1/100 of our previous amount of contacts to effectively combat the virus. Hopefully, we are near that 1/100 amount.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAaO2rsdIsKen 5 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #21 – April 05, 2020, 08:33:50 am As for Jill and I, not that much change. We both still work. She has been working from home for 3 weeks, saving almost two hours a day travelling. I work from home 2 days a week and go in 3, they consider me essential. I often thought for a moment, oh I can get this done or goof off and do such and such, then I remember that with my free time on the weekends I study (online BS degree). We will get a little extra done due to things like --- We would have been in the middle of a two week vacation at this time if it wasn't for corona. So I feel I can sneak in a little more work around here on the weekends. Man, we do have sheds to sort, vehicles to clean. Work gets in the way, but money is useful. 3 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #22 – April 05, 2020, 09:06:11 am Kent, Harold, talk about ballot box stuffing....
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #23 – April 05, 2020, 09:10:37 am Quote from: Sawyer - April 04, 2020, 09:00:22 pmUntil there’s a vaccine or a “cure “ people will continue to succumb to this virus. Flattening the curve is to keep new cases at a point where hospitals are not overwhelmed but it doesn’t mean this is over when the curve flattens. What it means is deaths will continue in a semi controlled fashion and I have to wonder if it’s not just a matter of time until we all contract Corona. I’m not prepared to hide out for a year and a half and will at some point probably get this. I’ve even considered after the curve does flatten to go out and actively attempt to be infected. If I survive I can then just get on with life and once again be a free man.As a person who spent my adult life as a medical professional I find this advice misleading and wrong at many levels.A free man has no right to yell fire in a crowed theater. As a free man you have no right to put your loved ones and friends at risk of death. And by extension me and my loved ones and friends.Mother nature is under no obligation is bend to your 'rules' and logic.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-fake-news.htmlglen 3 Likes
Re: Quarantine Pollyanna Reply #24 – April 05, 2020, 09:33:02 am Quote from: Ken and Joyce - April 05, 2020, 08:00:08 amSince I have a scientific bend, one of the youtube channels I watch is called 3blue1brown. The presenter is a mathematician. The link is to his channel and he presents a simulation of the epidemic. I'm not sure if it's in this video (I've watched quite a few and they are starting to run together in my poor brain ), but most of the simulations show that if we "flatten the curve", not everyone will get the virus. If we don't, then pretty much everyone will. It appears a lot of people are following the shelter in place directives, but not everyone. As another friend has pointed out, it is not necessary to reduce contact to zero, but to, say, 1/100 of our previous amount of contacts to effectively combat the virus. Hopefully, we are near that 1/100 amount.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAaO2rsdIsKenGood video that leaves me with this question. Will all viruses such as colds and the flu be beaten into submission if not virtually eliminated by this quarantine? If so why not have an annual or at least once every five years month long world wide quarantine to rid the earth of viruses? Somehow I don't think it's that simple but who knows. Maybe this will work so well it will become SOP. 1 Likes
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