Good Morning Friday!

[Colliemom]

Guess I beat Shirl up this morning. Coffee’s ready. Or there’s Hot Cocoa or Tea if you prefer. Little bit snowy here and there in northern Michigan, but winter is in no hurry to get serious it seems.

I see from reading yesterday’s posts, that not many can get into the Christmas mood. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to decorate or put up a tree. When I was growing up, Christmas was not heard about till the day after Thanksgiving. My mother always took me to J.L. Hudson in Detroit and it was like walking into a Christmas Wonderland. People went all out to decorate their houses too. We always had a live tree at Christmas, but it never got put up until just before the big day arrived. The house would smell of fresh pine. And I Christmas morning I would awake to the smell of the fire my dad made in our fireplace. Now, we start seeing Christmas appearing earlier and earlier every year. I think that by the time the season is really here, we are tired of it. But also, as we get older, the desire to go all out decorating becomes less fun and more of a chore. Time to let another generation take over. My mother loved Christmas, and since we had artificial Christmas trees by then, we put ours up the dsy after Thanksgiving. I loved decorating in the house. Mom made all kinds of cookies and treats etc. There were the family dinners, visiting with friends etc. But after mom passed away, I lost my interest in Christmas. Times change and we with the times.

So that’s my story for today. Have an appt. to get my hair cut later on and with the light snow outside, won’t be working in the woods today. Did more trimming and branch burning yesterday though.

Have a nice day everyone, wear your masks and stay safe.

[Shirlv]

Good Morning Sue, glad you beat me, guess I am slowly returning to my normal routine. Looks like another storm headed my way for the weekend. Decided last night that I will go pick up the tree and Christmas decorations from my daughters garage. I don’t have to do all the decorating in one day. I’m sorta getting use to living in clutter. There is a luggage cart parked in the lobby for tenants to use. I need to go early to pick up bins and hope the cart is in the lobby. People are usually good about using and returning quickly. I noticed people using the cart for lots of groceries like me. Getting ready for possible new pandemic restrictions. Karen, so frustrating waiting for unreliable furniture delivery. Hope you had some luck shopping. Be safe

[OregonLuvr]

Good morning you two. Just sitting here getting my coffee load on. I did go shopping yesterday but dang those mattresses are expensive. I got a great deal at Macy's for my mattresses. They gave me 30% off for being a fire victim, 10% for having a Macy's card and another 20% off for the sale SO I decided to just suck it up and continue sleeping on my dumb blow up bed. It really is more like a good quality air mattress not really a bed. It is an Aero bed I have had for years. Hopefully they will come soon. Stopped at Ashleys to check on my bedroom set......said it should be in by the end of the month...........we shall see. Oh well I have a houseful of furniture so at least I can sit comfortably, watch tv, eat at a table so there. I can always go down to my room at the Hilton Suites and I will be doing that on the 13th as I have doc appts for my eyes. Also will go over to the storage unit and bring more stuff back. I have alot of RV stuff in there that I need to bring up here and put in my small storage shed. Then will have quite a bit for donation down there. I am thankful my insurance is covering my stay down there and I am racking up the Hilton Honors points for free stays wahoo. Maybe once we can go somewhere I will choose somewhere fun to go for a few days.

I did do some shopping yesterday and got some bakeware and storage containers. Also bought some glass cannisters for my sugars and flour. It is the little things that add up to $$.

Going to go to a couple of used furniture stores with my neighbor today after I take my drill over to his house so he can drill a few holes in his wall LOL He was going to go buy one but decided he would borrow mine. He needs a few things for his house and I am just going to check it out and see if they have anything that is in good shape and not overpriced. Still on a quest for some bedside lamps. One store had them on sale last week for 30% off but the sale was over so will just wait for another one.

[asirimarco]

Good Morning To All - We went to the bakery yesterday so have lots of yummies to choose from. Help yourself. The sun is just rising here in Mazatlan and it looks like it will be a beautiful day. Temperatures in mid to high 70's and the humidity has dropped some.
We were out a couple of days ago doing a lot of walking. Our masks got wet from breathing and the humidity. Both of us were puffing. When we aren't around people we pull them off, but that day we were right downtown. Bill is missing one half of one lung so it effects him quite a bit.
Almost all of Mazatlan is in the green as far as Covid is concerned. Sanitation practices are stringent. Have had my temperature taken more in last two weeks then in my entire life I think. Alcohol and clorox and lysol wipes are available in all the grocery stores unlike in Vegas where we couldn''t find them at all. Also lots of toilet paper, paper towels etc here.
We finally remember to take our bags with us into the grocery store We sure don't need to buy any more. But we both have to get better at the bagging the stuff. All straws in restaurant are biodegrade able. No plastic bags in any stores. Lots of outside eating places around town. Even a couple of our favorite restaurants have improved their tables outside.
I've seen on line, a gringo in Mazatlan site, that a lot of the bars/restaurants are starting to have big get togethers - bands, bingo, etc. Hope it doesn't back fire on them. We have never done any of that stuff so sure won't start this year.
There is going to be several meetings next week about carnival - will they have it or not. Lots of mixed feelings about it. Two drug companys are shipping vaccine to Mexico. But no idea how it will be provided to the public. Testing here costs from nothing up to 2300 pesos which is over US$100 - depending on where you get it.
Rambled on enough - enjoy your travels or just puttering around your home. Stay safe.

[Shirlv]

Back home, good grief didn’t remember there were 6 bins and a tree. There are aisles of stuff in the apartment. Will think about this decorating thing tomorrow. Ice is my friend.

[PeggyinCT]

Good morning Everybody.
Carol, I love Mexican pastries especially the pineapple cream horn things! Don’t remember their name. I really miss being in Kino Bay.
I’m slowly decorating my house for Christmas. I wind up the musical decorations and listen to the songs. One snow scene
ball ( remember those) is over 50 years old! It plays “Jingle Bells”. It’s okay to stay home for one year.... Peggy

[MandysMom]

Just saw an article from yesterday, re newest CA restrictions. No overnight RV camping. Ok to stay of you are there, but long term only, no overnight campers for at least 3 weeks. That will make traveling by fulltimers moving locations challenging.
Another bright sunny day here. Rain possible about a week out, so that may change. I have some phone calls to make and hopefully my back holds up to get more spaces cleared. I'd like to get my porch Christmas lights up.
Time to go feed cats and bird and start my day.
Announcements coming out about vaccine soon available with nursing homes and medical workers getting it first. I'm a little leery of brand new vaccine, but we will get it when it's available, because theoretically by tne time it's offered to us, many thousands will have gotten it, so they will know more about any rate side effects. Will you take it when offered?
Have a good day.
Velda

[Shirlv]

My issue with the vaccine is I have adverse reactions to most medication. Will monitor vaccine carefully because I do want it.

[Cudedog]

Announcements coming out about vaccine soon available with nursing homes and medical workers getting it first. I'm a little leery of brand new vaccine, but we will get it when it's available, because theoretically by tne time it's offered to us, many thousands will have gotten it, so they will know more about any rate side effects. Will you take it when offered?
Have a good day.
Velda

Good morning, Velda.

I will absolutely take the vaccination when it is offered, but I'm guessing I am pretty far down the line. Likely it will be a few months before it is my turn.

As you mentioned in an earlier post, the only hospital in my immediate two-county area is struggling with the Covid ICU overload, with nearly half of all available beds filled by Covid patients here, and with daily infections skyrocketing.

Current stats for my two-county area:

Total confirmed Covid cases over the last 4 days only: 918
Total Covid patients currently hospitalized here: 50
Current active Covid cases: 1236
Total number of beds available at local hospital: 132 (!)

Looking at these stats, it seems to me to be only a matter of time before my hospital is completely overwhelmed, if it isn't already (with the likely Thanksgiving surge yet to come). Scary times in my "don't need to wear no stinking mask" community.

I had scheduled a grocery delivery for this morning, but after looking at these stats I cancelled it, because many of the items I had ordered were fresh (tomatoes, bananas, onions, potatoes, mostly) and I am not sure if perishable items like these can be sanitized (even many of the delivery people coming to my door - I watch out my front window - DO NOT wear a mask). I worry that a maskless asymtomatic delivery person might have sneezed - or even breathed - on my groceries. Which becomes more likely as pandemic infections here accelerate.

I am not too worried about non-perishable items - I put these in my "quarantine room" for a week or more before using them.

But fresh fruits or vegetables that can't easily be sanitized, and are eaten raw - these worry me.

Velda, as a medical professional (Karen, too), I would sincerely appreciate both of your input on this.

Also, any suggestions on how to sanitize fresh fruits and veggies. Is there a way?

Thanks.

Anne

[OregonLuvr]

Well I can only speak for myself but I am not crazed over this virus like I was when it started. The science has come out that it is mainly transmitted by droplets that is why they are advocating masks for everyone. Since they know so much more about it than when it started they say it doesnt live long on surfaces so I dont leave my stuff out for days anymore. I wash my hands more now tho than I ever did and that is what we need to be doing more of. Do I worry about it, of course I do. But I am very diligent about masking up and washing my hands and sanitizing when out. I dont go to crowded areas. I do get drive thru food once in a while, I go buy groceries (early in the morning usually). I just cannot live my live in fear. I have a healthy respect for avoiding possibilities of exposure. I wash my fruits and veggies when I buy them and again before I prepare them.


Can food products spread COVID-19?
There is no evidence to suggest that food produced in the United States or imported from countries affected by COVID-19 can transmit COVID-19.

Can I get COVID-19 from eating fresh food?
There is currently no evidence that people can catch COVID-19 from food, including fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet and their consumption should be encouraged

[JudyJB]

I am in Napa and getting worried about what happens. Napa is not listed in the latest "Bay Area" stay at home order. I asked my son if Napa County is part of the bay area or northern California. Apparently, it is supposed to be Northern California, but one newspaper listed it as a Bay Area county!! Also the news reports just say "no overnight camping" but that "long-term camping" is OK, but they don't define any of this!!!!!

Anyway, I had reservations here in Napa at the county fairgrounds for Dec 3-9 and Dec 23-28, and I tried calling the office but ended up just leaving a message. (There is a camp host. but he has not been told anything definite.) So, late last night, I went online and added Dec 9-23 to my reservations. Actually, I made a new reservation for that time period as they allow a maximum of a 28-day stay. So, I now have reservations through Dec 28, but I have no idea if the "new" reservation will be honored as just extending my stay. This is an expensive campground, but going anywhere else would also be expensive in terms of gas, so it makes up for it. (These are very nice sites, especially for a county fairgrounds--full hookup, 12' x 75' cement pads, within walking distance of downtown and less than a mile from my son's house.)

If I have to leave, Reno is about 200 miles from me, and I could do that in a day's drive, but then again, California says no traveling, so what do they expect me to do????? If I leave, I might not be able to get back in, which also means I will miss Christmas with the kids. I am not going over there very often, but they are not having any other guests or family, and I really want to spend some time with them. DIL had a negative test yesterday, and all are healthy, so far.

Anyway, the whole thing is very scary, and as a person who likes to plan, it is very unsettling to me. But I have finals to grade and grades to turn in, so back to work.

[Bethers]

The camping rule doesn't affect us at this time in Death Valley. But we're slower here now from the restrictions elsewhere. Work was good again today. I only worked about 6 hours and I'm ok with shorter hours. I learned how to put the incoming orders into the computer. It was nice to sit today. My feet liked it, too.

Carol, I'm truly enjoying following you. I wish I had literally followed this year. I'd love being there without everyone else even more than when they all are there. And it sounds like they are doing all they can to keep everyone safe.

[Bethers]

I shouldn't listen to people here. I just searched on line and the cg's here in Death Valley will have to close. Dining will have to go to take out only. Our capacity in the store is currently 10 and may have to go down again. Hopefully we'll be hearing this from the park tomorrow and see how it effects us. I'll be off tomorrow so I might go talk to someone at some point because it could effect my schedule. Barbie, you been closed yet?

[JudyJB]

Finally, a map of what they consider the five areas: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/ ... 775775.php According to the map and list of counties, Napa County is part of the Bay Area. The article says the groupings are a result of hospital networks. That makes more sense than the geographical groupings.

Supposedly, all areas except the Bay Area will reach the 15% limit by early next week, with the Bay Area a few days later, maybe mid- to late December. Except part of the Bay Area, but not Napa County, has already shut down. I will say that this campground is half empty because people are cancelling, but the online reservation system is still taking reservations, and the camp host is still checking people in.

I am waiting to get a return call from the fairground's office people. I really do not want to drive to Nevada.

[Bethers]

Judy, I certainly hope they accept your extension. It's got to be nerve wracking to wait to hear.