At last we have a beautiful spring day! It is 15C out there, the sun was shining this morning, although it has disappeared now behind grey clouds, and there is a lovely breeze, as opposed to wind. Thursday and Friday were dismal indeed, cold, heavy rain, high winds… but today, beautiful!
Attila just came back from a visit to the home building center. Attila was again the only person wearing a mask when he went to the building center. People were properly lined up outside the store, two meters apart as required, allowed to enter one by one, and the cashier was behind her plexiglass wall. No one was wearing a mask, not the staff, not the customers. Except for Attila, he wears his mask, he changes and washes his clothes when he comes home. We hope for a vaccine for the coronavirus, and accept that it might never come. In the meantime we intend on enjoying what we do have, and that we are relatively safe as long as we avoid other humans.
Attila is just finishing off the last of the fiddly bits on the third wall of the basement. That makes three walls completely insulated, dry walled and painted. The fiddly bits today are the wiring, the ground rod outside needed to be replaced, so we ordered a new one, Attila went to pick it up, and now he is installing it.
The fourth wall is insulated, and has the vapour barrier installed, but it is a wall that will be challenging to finish with drywall, as the pipes, water and sewer, and the heating system, and the hot water tank, are all lined up along that wall, so it needs finicky, bit by bit, application of drywall, and in some areas wallboard because drywall is too thick. But the insulation is there, we have the benefit of that, the drywall is just the finishing touch that is missing.
At last I can sit on a chair in the basement, and begin to plan on how to arrange things, to organize things. I will take my time planning, as I don’t want to do this twice! We have waited 10 years to get to the point where we can begin to organize the basement for optimum storage and use. I feel rather stunned, and excited, that the day has finally arrived!
Last week I managed to find yeast to make my bread, and cocoa for baking, with the online order. Attila wanted to celebrate that we have chocolate, and initially thought of cookies. But I cannot eat cookies, the sugar content is far too high for me. We finally decided on a loaf of Whole Wheat Chocolate Bread (yeast bread), which is in the bread machine right now. It smells wonderful!
When I want to “deep clean” fabrics, such as dish cloths, or pot holders, I boil them for ten minutes in a big pot of water on the stove top. This morning it is pot holders in the pot. After boiling and then rinsing them, they will be popped into a load of laundry to be washed, then hung up to dry on the back porch clothesline.
both transplanted from my Granny’s garden, growing with love in mine.
but oh so pretty when they arrive.
Worldly
Weather
9°C
Date: 1:00 PM EDT Saturday 2 May 2020
Condition: Mostly Cloudy
Pressure: 101.5 kPa
Tendency: Falling
Temperature: 9.4°C
Dew point: 6.5°C
Humidity: 82%
Wind: SSW 21 km/h
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“whoever saw old age that did not applaud the past and condemn the present?”
Michel de Montaigne
1533 – 1592
Well! The thing to applaud about the past is that we survived it; it is sure thing. The thing to condemn about the present is that we may not survive it. Age brings increasing awareness of this, and the difference between past and present becomes more poignant. There are some adroit young people who are also aware, but they are usually regarded as “pessimists”.
Spring! Isn’t it wonderful?!! Congratulations on your basement. It must feel like your house is that much bigger, now that you have extra space to use. Kudos to Attila in taking all the precautions he takes. He’s protecting both of you.
I was thinking last night that many will probably get lax when the weather warms and case numbers decrease a bit. But the virus is still out there and will possibly come back with a vengeance in the Fall. I think the survivors in the pandemic will be those who have the fortitude to continue taking precautions. We’re used to world problems being solved, sometimes quickly. But what if they can’t develop a vaccine and this problem isn’t solved quickly? I think it would be prudent to redefine our lives in a way where we can do the things we love and enjoy, but still take precautions with our gloves and masks. Some younger people will have a terrible time adapting to that type of new normal!
Enjoy the day, my friend!
Sandy, spring is definitely a mixed blessing this year! Glad to see it though, because we have a yard, and the garden is going to be oh so important to us this year.
I am so glad to the person I live with regards safety as a priority. What a nightmare it would be to live with someone who didn’t have the common sense to keep themselves safe… like most of the people who live in this area, lol. Our neighbour, over 75, runs out to the store several times a day, no mask, others not wearing masks, nice guy, I hope he makes it.
I think you are right about people getting lax. There are a lot more people out and about since yesterday, and the neighbour across the street had company today, sheesh. But he was the only one doing foolish things on our street, so definitely an exception for our immediate neighbourhood.
I think you are right, it will take fortitude to maintain social distancing, remain vigilante about what comes into your safe space at home, and remaining vigilant when venturing outside the safe space. I don’t think most people have it in them to discipline themselves… mother nature might do it for them though, consequences are real.
I love the way you express this, “it would be prudent to redefine our lives in a way where we can do the things we love and enjoy,” I agree, we need to reinvent our lives to be productive and happy and safe, using what we have in the new normal.
Stay safe dear friend!
You sure are doing EVERY thing to avoid getting the bug, so I hope and pray you’ll not get it. (I’m not quite that diligent, I’m afraid.)
But it’s strange, the people who are living like there’s no danger at all. I wish ’em “luck”…. they sure are gambling.
Yes, I’m glad you’re getting green things growing now.
Joan, we are doing our best to avoid the virus as long as is possible. We theorize that treatments might be discovered, that will help those most seriously affected, or even a vaccine. We are also eating a healthy diet, getting our sleep, exercising daily, to keep our immune systems in as good a condition as age and other health issues will allow, so if we do get it we have a fighting chance of recovery. But there are no guarantees for anyone, our whole strategy could come down like a house of cards at any moment, the universe is in charge, not we. Still, we are enjoying being alive, for all that.
I do find it strange that the people around us are taking only the precautions that are law, the bare minimum. I also with ’em “luck”, and will keep away from them as much as I can.
The green things growing are such a tonic!
Stay safe dear friend!
I think we’re very lucky to be living in Canada, 98% of known COVID cases are mild. Only 2% are serious/critical.
Your rhubarb looks great! I always have a taste for rhubarb this time of year. We should probably get some plants, though I don’t know which yard we could plant them in right now and be sure to use it. Might want to wait, after all.
Dearest Maggie, and friends: your discussion on mending…my mother made all of our clothes, except coats, sweaters, and underwear. However, one year for Christmas, everyone received 12 pairs of panties. She had come across some nylon, and went to town…she even included all of the grandchildren! We got some really wild colors that year. Mike inherited an old sewing machine ( really old), and he will drag it out, and does quite a lot of mending. He loves the old machine. I had my first
“Outing” the past Wednesday, since March 3rd. We took all 3 dogs to the clinic for vaccinations, heart worm checks, and a year of the Heartworm preventive. We decided to use the low cost clinic this year. Our regular vet charged us over $900 last year…this year, we only paid $310. The clinic only allowed one person in at a time, required masks, and were very efficient, kind, and professional. Everyone was lined up…6 feet distance apart. We got there early, for Sr Citizen time. All 3 checked out great. I probably would not do all of the vaccinations every year, but should we ever have to board them, it is required. I would never skip the rabies…just too dangerous. Texas has opened ALOT of retail, restaurants, salons, etc. I think it is too early, but I can understand the plight of small businesses. We are supposed to hit 97 degrees tomorrow….we have completely skipped Spring. My garden helper is suppose to come the next 2 Saturdays….I can’t wait. Maggie: please send me an email so that I send you something in reply. Every time I try to email you…it doesn’t work on my end somehow. Our Bichon, Cooper, looks like a sheep dog…he has never gone this long for his grooming. They are all 3 going this coming Saturday to their beauty shop! Well, time for my reading…back to you soon. xxoo Margarett
Teri, I like living in Canada. Our curve is relatively flat, for which I am grateful.
On April 28th the per capital deaths from Covid-19 (times 1000, rounded) were:
Canada: .08
USA: .17
Italy: .45
Spain: .51
Canada is not as far along as Italy or Spain, but the predictions generally indicate no matter how slow the spread (flattened curves) it is going to play out at around 70% of the population of the planet contracting the virus. More a matter of when than if. Later rather than sooner is better I think, because there might be better interventions, perhaps a vaccine, time to reclaim healthy living habits that would enhance chances of survival.
I love rhubarb! With sugar of course, on its own it is mouth puckering. I am hoping to get access to strawberries this summer, so that I can can more strawberry rhubarb pie filling, but it remains to be seen how that will play out, I haven’t enough plants in the garden to grow enough for preserving, just a bit of eating fresh. They say rhubarb is easy to grow, but I’ve killed many a rhubarb plant, until we planted them at Mist Cottage. We have the first plants, a Mother’s Day gift from Terra, then a few plants from my sister and Mom, and last summer a few more plants from Terra, who was tearing them out of her garden because they had spread, so we grabbed them. A little manure on them in the spring and they are off to the races!
Stay safe dear friend!
Hello Margarett, wow, making panties, that is something I haven’t tried. I did keep a pair of worn out panties of mine, to use as a pattern if push came to shove, but I haven’t given it whirl, and won’t unless I need to. Mike’s sewing machine sounds interesting. I too like mending, while I don’t care as much for creating items. The old machines are usually high in quality, but sometimes I think about all the gadgets and gizmos on the newer ones and wonder if it would be fun to use them, but I wouldn’t spend the money.
Your dogs are getting excellent treatment, and provided you with an outing, glad they are all OK. We miss our cat Mist, but we are glad not to have another mouth to feed in our current circumstances, and not to have to worry about her getting Covid-19, as cats can contract the virsu, but not dogs.
Thins will begin to open up here too, in a few weeks time, so we shall see how it goes.
Wow, the heat there sounds challenging! It is still quite chilly here, and we have some more below freezing nights coming our way, so the garden planting will have to wait.
Stay safe dear friend!
I see that Ontario has approved the “re-opening” of a few businesses that hadn’t really closed: nurseries, garden centers, lawn care, and numerous kinds of construction. Our first step. Now, if folks just don’t get too crazy with it.
DH and I wore masks grocery shopping, yesterday. It made me feel a bit better when the odd person decided to go the wrong way down an aisle or decided to just block half an aisle as they chatted on their cell.
Teri, yes, the nursery near here was open for business, taking online orders and delivering to vehicles in their parking lot, although I heard a rumour they were letting people into their greenhouse over the weekend. I hope they still deliver to vehicle though, we are counting on it! I share your sentiment, that if folks just don’t go crazy with it we shouldn’t see big spikes in new cases.
Not sure why you would feel better if people are going the wrong way down an aisle, or blocking half an aisle to chat on their cell phones, but I don’t go shopping anymore and haven’t experienced the new shopping environment. I have little context for interpreting what you are saying. Are you perceiving that people think this pandemic thing is over?
Stay safe dear friend!
No, my comment was that, when confronted with someone closer than I preferred, I felt more safe because I was wearing a mask. We hadn’t had masks before this.
Teri, thanks for clarifying that for me, that makes sense, shoulda’ known 🙂