The ##%%!! Virus. . .

[Cudedog]

I knew already that my county here in northern California is going back to the most restrictive tier, and is again basically looking at lockdowns.

I guess I am kind of a wuss, I have left my house only twice since March 18 - both times to take my Joe to the vet (Joe is fine). Everything I have needed, I have ordered in - including large grocery orders delivered by Walmart about twice per month.

Well.

I just noticed on my news feed this morning that my two-county area is setting new infection records, and that our local hospital has no more ICU beds available. The death rate here is increasing dramatically as well.

I was just getting ready to order more groceries, but I think I will put it off for the time being, and for as long as I can. I did order in my Thanksgiving fixings a week or so ago, so I should be good there. Which reminds me, I need to get the turkey out of the freezer this morning to put it in the fridge so it can be thawed by Thursday - it is about a twelve-pounder, so two days should be enough time.

Saying daily prayers for Tina's recovery. I especially miss her positive, and often thought-provoking, posts on here.

What is the virus doing in your neck of the woods?

Anne

[Bethers]

Death Valley in Inyo County is still, as far as I can find, on the lower end of the spectrum here in California. I'm still being as careful as possible. Biggest danger are all the tourists, but so far all of them I'm encountering at the store are wearing masks and social distancing. As am I.

But I'm remaining more cautious than most other workers. I had yesterday and today off and I went nowhere. I feel safe at home. Oh, I do walk Ty and keep a mask around my neck in case I encounter anyone. I did laundry today too. Pretty much had it to myself.

[Acadianmom]

Louisiana is going back into a mask mandate. I didn't know we were out of one. We are back in tier two which tells how many people can be where. The virus in not as bad as it was after Mardi Gras. I have the big bottle of hand sanitizer in my car. I put some on when I get in the car and after every stop. Four of the women that will be at our Christmas campout are in Branson. That is worrying. There is no way I would go to Branson.

The courts threw out the law suit against the governor. At least some politicians are trying to control the virus.

Martha

[JudyJB]

It is frustrating. And the fact that it is getting worse instead of better is really worrying, but I am glad the first vaccine will be going to medical personnel and nursing home caregivers.

I try not to go into stores, but I keep needing things, so I try to make my trips short and not too often. And I have things I need to get fixed in my motorhome. I got my windshield replaced on Monday and had to sit in the waiting room, though most of the time there were only one or two other people there, and they and the receptionist wore masks. But I also have no tail lights or running lights, and I have to get those fixed, especially with the days being so short, so have an appointment at Camping World next week. And i have put off getting my bedroom flickering TV fixed for almost a year!!!!

I am really glad to be working online and living alone. However, I am going to my son's for his birthday on Dec 6. Will get to Napa on 3rd and stay in campground until 7th, then head back to southern CA. I told them I would not be visiting every day, but I would stop by a couple of times. My son is teaching, although he has very small classes because most students are choosing to be online. My Daughter-in-law is a principal, and must go to her middle school each day, all day, but again, lots of kids are not there in person, but it is a worry. They both get tested every two weeks or more often. So far, no sick kids, and grandkids are OK. They go to school in person, but only for half days and for just four days per week.

But it just feels like this stuff is floating around in the air and eventually it will catch us all--really scary!! I am trying to stay in isolated places, at least. Just really stressful and makes me angry at all these idiots going home for big Thanksgiving dinners and parties. Had a teleconference with my oncologist today, and he said no way would he get on an airplane!!! Me either. (Blood work still fantastic, by the way, except for low platelets, but even those are better than they were.)

Keep safe everyone!!

[dpf]

Well South Dakota is #1 on deaths per capita. Our governor has a knack of getting us on the national news and not for anything positive! So far she has embarrassed the state with her "Meth..We're on It!" campaign. Then there was her big super spreader at Mt. Rushmore, encouraging Sturgis to go ahead with the Rally, having the State Fair, refusing a mask mandate. She's encouraging people to move to South Dakota for "personal freedom" but there aren't enough jobs that pay a decent wage. I wonder if her next big campaign slogan will be "Covid...We Got It!"

[Cudedog]

Wow. Not sounding too good around the country. I took my van out yesterday to drive it up and down the nearby highway because the battery was on the way to being dead. I could tell that it was struggling a bit, but caught on the second or third crank, thank goodness. Traffic here still about the same as usual. Foot traffic on the streets about the same as well. Also, as usual, not a single mask-wearer in sight.

I know of several families here that are taking off to attend what I assume to be large family gatherings for Thanksgiving. They just laugh, and tell me they "are not afraid". This really has me scratching my head. By all accounts, we are smack dab in the middle of the most widespread pandemic of often fatal illness since the infamous pandemic of 1918.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html

Um. . . I know, and freely admit, that I am a "wuss" about all of this (I have had severe pneumonia twice in my life - the second time nearly put me under the dirt - I'm not about to try for #3 if I can possibly help it) but . . . not afraid? I don't think I am "afraid" (well, ok, a little bit) but I am certainly cautious. Very cautious.

I know and understand those that need to work, to keep the country going if for no other reason, and I salute them. But to go out and about just to socialize as a personal choice doesn't make sense to me.

It also doesn't make sense to me about all of this taking of temperatures when entering a business, or getting on a plane or a train. I mean. . . an asymtomatic carrier, by definition, doesn't have symptoms. Including a fever.

Oh well. Maybe it's just me.

But I am doing the math. With the incubation period of from a few days (I'm hearing about 5 days, average) to a couple of weeks, I'm wondering what a week or two before Christmas is going to look like around here . . .

Anne

[Acadianmom]

I don't understand the attitude of some of these non-mask wears. Sure, let's kill grandma so I can have my personal freedom. A lot of people don't get very sick but some die. It might not be a very merry Christmas if the virus spreads any more from Thanksgiving.

Martha

[BarbaraRose]

Most people out here are complying with the mask mandate. One of my coworkers had a large b-day party for his girlfriend last weekend with no mask or social distancing. He is also having a large family Thanksgiving.

Luckily I don't work with him very often.

[retiredhappy]

My daughter informed me this morning that the CDC now says wearing a mask probably doesn't help. Where the hell does she get her information. She also told me last week that South Dakota has the lowest covid cases in the US. I think she and her "don't take my freedom away from me" husband are watching the same news outlets that trump does. She won't wear a mask and that's pretty common here in Texas. It might interfere with their God given rights to be stupid. OK, enough of my ranting.

[MandysMom]

Our Costco and BelAir markets require masks and have security at door checking and provide mask if you don't have one, so with those the main places I go and infrequently, I feel pretty safe. All we can do is the best we can to avoid careless people. The virus doesn't just float through the air ""looking" for you! So I just wear mask, wash hands (carry hand wipes to use coming out of stores), take my Vit D, and dose with Colloidal Silver after any visits out of house to store or Dr. What surprisess me is the number of women who carry their purse into stores, putting it on carts and counters! I wonder how many carefully wipe down their purse before setting it in their car? I gave up my purse for a tiny RFID shielded card case I had bought a while back. It stays in my pocket until I pull a card to use, which in our stores you slide into their reader without you touching machine. I wipe my card case down too. Amazing to me how I went over night from many decades of carrying a 5-7 lb purse everywhere to carrying one litte card case and don't even miss the purse except once in a while as I leave or get out of car and think, am I forgetting something? There are advantages to having no big family who want to gather for holidays. And if invited to friends gatherings, I'd just say sorry but no. I want to be around for my grandchildren, so I do all I can, but am not afraid to make a trip to local stores while taking my precautions. How many people do you hear say, I caught it picking up groceries at store while wearing my mask amd using careful Handwashing ? None that I've heard of! It's all been transnpmitted at people intensive places such as parties, bars, churches meeting in person, or person to person with people who aren't as careful. Even my handyman, I stay six feet from and mostly outdoors though he lives with a group of people. I feel I'm reasonable and safe while not giving up life outside my home completely. Those few weeks we had Curves back, I felt very safe with their ramped up cleaning, air circulating, hand washing required, and masks except when 6 plus feet apart. Avoid forseeable avoidable risks and stay safe, is my motto now.
Velda
Velda

[OregonLuvr]

I go to the store but I also dont put my small purse in the cart and I always wipe it down, then use the hand sanitizer on my hands. When I get back to the car I try to remember to use the hand sanitizer I carry and wipe the outside of my small purse. I wear a mask...........always. I avoid the people with their masks below their noses. I just go the other way. I sure wont be going to Walmart or any other store on Black Friday. No gatherings for me. Small price to pay to try to be safe. I feel I am as safe as I can be. I am having more furniture delivered next week, last time they were here (same outfit furniture just comes few pieces at a time LOL) they had booties and masks on. I wiped the surfaces off when they left. Having Turkey dinner today with my old neighbor, lives one street over from me now instead of right next door. He is safe, doesnt go to gatherings. I am happy to hibernate right now more or less.

[JudyJB]

All I take into a store is my change purse that has my credit cards in it and my cell phone that has my grocery list. And they stay in my pockets most of the time. I've had three years of practice wiping things off when i get back in my RV, including my hands, but I use Chlorox wipes, not hand sanitizer. I even carry a plastic baggie with Chlorox or Lyusol wipes in my fanny pack when I wear it Been doing this for years because of my immune system.

The hardest thing for me NOT to do is leaning on counters at the pharmacy or other places. I don't do it, but I have to remind myself every time.

Other than being able to watch gliders take off, I like this campground in Tehachapi because it is isolated away from town. Only three campers right now, but around dusk a lot of overnighters will check in. Plus, they have two washers and two dryers, so I can catch up with laundry without going to a commercial laundromat, which is another problem COVID-19 has caused for me. I will wash clothes out in my sink rather than go to a regular laundromat.

[Shirlv]

Maryland has issued stricter restrictions. Our numbers have risen because of our proximity to DC. Numbers on the shore are rising too but not as dramatically. I stopped reading the statistics and just concentrate on my little corner of the world. In and out of the hospital this month had me fearful of contacting the virus. Think my guardian angel got me help just in time. Living in an apartment complex even an upscale one you still have to deal with people who think mandatory wearing of a mask does not apply to them. Can’t fix stupid. I requested management remind tenants of notices hanging on entrance doors. No response so you might read about me in the news. Didn’t go through this past month only to die from someone’s stupidity. Hey, Shirl, tell us how you really feel.