Staying the Course -- April 6, 2020

[Superbob]

Here's hoping all our Coursers are staying safe and faring well throughout the pandemic. I know Duffey and her family are among those who have suffered from this scourge, so sending all best thoughts, wishes, and prayers to them. And to all others who have taken a hard hit from this invisible enemy.

The more numbers and projections I hear, the more I realize how little I know for sure. Whenever I start to post a light, off-beat comment about the virus on Facebook or elsewhere, I usually just go ahead and delete it, because there is really nothing funny about it. So I'm not going to say much more tonight. I have enjoyed some of the at-home TV concerts, especially the one by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. I miss sports, especially baseball. We are doing okay hunkered down. I order groceries online from our local grocer -- they shop my list, then load them in my car. I could get delivery but I like to get out at least a little. Damn, I miss the community gym too. And the pool was to have opened this week.

My aches and pains are puny compared to all the suffering in the world. So no more about them today.

Sorry I don't have anything chipper --maybe others will. Anyway, Stay safe and Stay the Course!

Superbob



I

 

[tom in MO]

Take pleasure in the Spring. Nature moves on despite the pandemic. It's a good lesson for us. Take wisdom from your dog

Remember Doris Day; Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be will be.

As the Persian poet Hafez once penned:

The gladdest tidings arrived to say, that times of grief will not remain
The times have not stayed as they were, and this time too shall not sustain

Or if you prefer, Walter de la Mare:

There is no sorrow
Time heals never;
No loss, betrayal,
Beyond repair.
balm for the soul, then,
Though grave shall sever
lover from loved
and all they share;
See, the sweet sun shines,
The shower is over,
Flowers preen their beauty...

 

[Protimenow]

Perhaps some of us have learned a lesson from all of this:

We should be humbled by all of this - the virus doesn't separate poor from rich; when it comes down to it, we're all pretty much the same.

Many of us who used to have to travel to work can do their jobs remotely. It would be nice if employers realize this.

We all rely on each other, in some ways. I shouldn't go out, but a friend does much of the shopping for me and my wife. As others have noted, stores will deliver, and restaurants offer drive-thru.

In Los Angeles, the awful air quality that we used to put up with has cleared so much that the air was said to be among the cleanest in the world. (A lot fewer cars on the road, fewer planes in the air, less cargo coming in, etc. contributing to the improvement).

Perhaps, before everyone forgets these lessons once the fear of virus abates, some people will remember the lessons learned. But I won't hold my breath to see how long it will be before everything reverts to 'normal.'

 

[Duffey]

We’re holding our own in Southeast Missouri. The so-called Super Moon was beautiful last night, and it was still shining bright this morning. Our weather has been nice, sunshine and daily temperatures in the mid-70’s. I’m thankful that Mother Nature is being a good sport this Spring and serving as a counter balance to the disease so prevalent inside. Stay the course!

 

[MartinF]

We're doing well here. I'm working from home only for the next two weeks and then evaluate after that. It's been raining the past couple days so walks have been short. I saw some sunshine briefly so hope it will clear up today. I need a long walk/run.
Weight has been down 178-180 range, down from 182-184. So that's a positive out of all this.
My dog is my shadow and likes the fact that I'm not at work all day. It will be a shock when I go back to "normal".
STC and stay safe.

 

[Protimenow]

I hope that most of us don't go back to 'normal.' Businesses should realize that not all their workers have to work in an office - perhaps a rise (and continued use) of telecommuting will keep more cars off the road. Perhaps work at home will be seen as a positive, rather than a negative - that trips to the office where meetings can probably take place when it's almost required that a 'team' show up in ghe same room (ignoring the abililty of online apps to do the same thing). Of course, for team building, human contact is important - but for much of the time, telecommuting, working at home, will be possible. On top of that, facilities costs will drop - if it's not necessary to keep employess in the office, maybe some companies will reduce their required office space, with associated lower rent, utilities and maintenance costs.

There are probably many other arguments against the old 'normal' (and, undoubtedly, many positive arguments), but I personally hope that the old 'normal' won't return in the same way that it was.

 

[MartinF]

I work in an electronics lab environment doing failure analysis on semiconductor devices. We have lots of hands-on toys. I have to work in the lab part of the time but can write reports at home. My drive is 80 minutes each way too. Retirement is 3 years away but I think I'll semi-retire this summer if I can't find a job closer to home.

 

[Art O Ceitinn]

Some people never learn. They vote for politicians than are crazy at best and or ruthless murderers if giving half a chance. RANT OVER.
New rant. My neighbour goes to the local supermarker Auchan every day with no mask on. He and all his family have had the virus. We have offered them food but he still insists with his daily walk to the supermarked.


My sister- inlaw is in a Dublin hospital fighting for her life. This is a message I got from her child


things seemed to be good with mam on Sat. They changed the settings on ventilator so that shes doing more breathing herself. Things changed yesterday again tho, she needed 60% oxygen again and fluid on lungs not clearing at all yet. Xray worse again today.Had a lot of mucous too Hopefully things will improve today hopefully.

 

[tom in MO]

Good wishes to you and your family Art O Ceitinn. Your sister-in-law's case seems to be one of the more difficult ones, but the doctors can handle those as well. I'll say a prayer... Dublin is the only European city I've been in with Ireland the only European country I've visited. My mother's family is from Ireland and we went back for a month to visit family. I'll never forget Dublin Castle and my Great Uncle pointing out to me in the book of prisoners the names of people he knew from the IRA in the 1920s and the ones that were executed. The British put a price on his head and he escaped to the US for a few years until the war was over. His children, were Dublin Gardaí as his brother's child was a NY cop.

 

[dornole]

Getting to the point where people in my circle are recovering, getting off ventilators after 9-10 days which is very uplifting. Just underlines the point of the social distancing. If the health system isn't overwhelmed, we have the wonderful ability to save many people if not all. I worry about our health care workers and the stresses they are under. For us all is well, all 5 teen-adult "kids" under our roof, in school / college online, both hubs and I are still employed. Loons and trumpeter swans are migrating through which is lovely. We have it much better than most.

 

[Duffey]

Prayers for your sister in law, @Art O Ceitinn .

 

[Superbob]

Prayers for your sister in law, @Art O Ceitinn .

Saying my prayers for your sister in law as well, Art. Keep us posted.

 

[FredW]

How we spent our stimulus check:

PT Lumber, screws, hinges	$905.49​
Fence	$413.35​
more screws, hinges, gate latch	$63.19​
Amish labor	$270.00​
Child labor	$30.00​
Excavator- 19 post holes dug	$510.00​
Truck gas to pick up goods	$24.00​
My time - 30 hours: planning, working (exercise) resulting in shoulder, hip, arm, and back pain	priceless​
Total to stimulate the economy and stop deer, groundhogs, and rabbits from eating our garden.	$2,216.03​

 

[Superbob]

A grateful economy thanks you, Fred.

 

[tom in MO]

Looks great Fred. Hopefully they cannot burrow under your fence. I know some who put a net across the top to stop birds, but it's kind of sad when one gets caught.

 

[Art O Ceitinn]

My sister- inlaw is in a Dublin hospital fighting for her life. This is a message I got from her child


things seemed to be good with mam on Sat. They changed the settings on ventilator so that shes doing more breathing herself. Things changed yesterday again tho, she needed 60% oxygen again and fluid on lungs not clearing at all yet. Xray worse again today.Had a lot of mucous too Hopefully things will improve today hopefully.
[/QUOTE]

Last Monday she was removed from the ventilator but an MRI showed she has bleeding in the left side of her head. On Saturday she was moved from ICU. She is not talking but can manage to smile. So fingers crossed that she can recover to lead a normal or near normal life. Thanks for the prayers.

 

[Suckyvalvegurl]

Still praying she fully recovers.

 

[Superbob]

Praying for your sister-in-law's full recovery, Art. Keep us posted. All best.