Coronavirus

This video shows how scary the issue is becoming, especially that i respectfully consider the USA to be the number one country in the world:

This is Spain



It's looking like too little, too late for the U.K, U.S.A and France and all of this is just a matter of time, but for everyone else, you need total lockdown and a ton of testing now.

Our entire country is under curfew right now.

Roads are creeping like empty.

Not a sound outside.

Just got a text alert on my phone that said people 65+ need to stay home

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

Gilbert wrote:

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

I saw that similar things are happening here too.  I saw video of some place out west that showed a puma just wondering around suburban streets.

I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription.  The CDC recommends keeping a 30 day supply on hand and my supply on this one was down to 2 weeks.  Initially my insurance said it was too soon but the pharmacist pushed a magic button and *poof" approved.

Anyway, I couldn't believe how deserted the major highway was on my drive there.  Normally on a Saturday that highway is pretty busy but not today, which I guess is a good thing because it means people are listening and staying the F*** home. 

It's also really calm here.  My house is in a subdivision that's about 3 or 4 blocks away from a major street and while you normally can hear the street noise of cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like (although it muted because of all the buildings in the way) if you step outside now pretty much all you hear are birds.  It's incredibly peaceful outside right now.

tohostudios wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

I saw that similar things are happening here too.  I saw video of some place out west that showed a puma just wondering around suburban streets.

I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription.  The CDC recommends keeping a 30 day supply on hand and my supply on this one was down to 2 weeks.  Initially my insurance said it was too soon but the pharmacist pushed a magic button and *poof" approved.

Anyway, I couldn't believe how deserted the major highway was on my drive there.  Normally on a Saturday that highway is pretty busy but not today, which I guess is a good thing because it means people are listening and staying the F*** home. 

It's also really calm here.  My house is in a subdivision that's about 3 or 4 blocks away from a major street and while you normally can hear the street noise of cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like (although it muted because of all the buildings in the way) if you step outside now pretty much all you hear are birds.  It's incredibly peaceful outside right now.

Yes, Mother Earth is making some kind of well deserved come back. She's re-setting herself...

Gilbert wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

I found out today that starting on Monday, we will be getting hazard pay - an additional $25 each day we work.

That's great. Now you can buy more music .

That's what the wife said.

We had two deaths today in RI, The governor spoke on the 5 o' clock news about "essential" travel only- pretty much work and the grocery/ pharmacy. It's so weird outside, like Gil and Toho were saying, it's empty like a literal ghost town. Seeing people lined up to be let in to stores for shopping and then the atmosphere inside the places is like a weird dream world. I am listening to my live Helloween box set, album 4, right now and they are doing "Keeper of the 7 Keys" and they just sang the part about "disease, disease, disease my friend, for this whole worlds in devil's hands; throw the key or you may die" and I really wished I had that key to throw and make this all go away.

It really IS like a movie.  When I went to Sam's Club to pickup my prescription, for the first time I saw people wandering around in masks.  And not the employees either (who God bless 'em probably actually should be wearing them); just other shoppers so paranoid about this stuff that they feel the need to wear masks.  Interesting side note, on my way in I was behind a woman wearing a surgical mask and I heard her tell the person that checks that you have a card "This is my third time here today". 

It's THOSE people that piss me off; as if wearing a mask some first responder actually needs wasn't enough this bitch has the gall to keep going back to the store multiple times so she can get around the quantity limits and hoard shit.  If anyone deserves to get the damn thing it's an asshole like that!

tohostudios wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

I saw that similar things are happening here too.  I saw video of some place out west that showed a puma just wondering around suburban streets.

I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription.  The CDC recommends keeping a 30 day supply on hand and my supply on this one was down to 2 weeks.  Initially my insurance said it was too soon but the pharmacist pushed a magic button and *poof" approved.

Anyway, I couldn't believe how deserted the major highway was on my drive there.  Normally on a Saturday that highway is pretty busy but not today, which I guess is a good thing because it means people are listening and staying the F*** home. 

It's also really calm here.  My house is in a subdivision that's about 3 or 4 blocks away from a major street and while you normally can hear the street noise of cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like (although it muted because of all the buildings in the way) if you step outside now pretty much all you hear are birds.  It's incredibly peaceful outside right now.

I'm not seeing that quite yet in my neck of the woods. Yes, the parking lots are empty as the shops are all closed, but I still see people driving around on the streets when I'm taking my walks. Definitely less, but still more than you'd expect. People are still going about their business in some regard.

Another 30lb bag of cat litter was delivered today.  I'll use that to fill my 3 boxes tomorrow which is my normal cleaning day. 

That still leaves me with 300 pounds sitting in my garage with another 190 to be delivered in the next week or so.

As I've said before, I could make do without toilet paper (tissues, napkins and if need be, old rags).  But no cat litter?  What do you substitute?  I was actually thinking about going to Home Depot and buying sandbox sand as a backup before I found multiple online sites I could order litter from.  Thankfully, I use regular, clay litter not the clumping kind as that stuff still seems pretty scarce. 

But the cats and I are all set for the next several months.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

I saw that similar things are happening here too.  I saw video of some place out west that showed a puma just wondering around suburban streets.

I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription.  The CDC recommends keeping a 30 day supply on hand and my supply on this one was down to 2 weeks.  Initially my insurance said it was too soon but the pharmacist pushed a magic button and *poof" approved.

Anyway, I couldn't believe how deserted the major highway was on my drive there.  Normally on a Saturday that highway is pretty busy but not today, which I guess is a good thing because it means people are listening and staying the F*** home. 

It's also really calm here.  My house is in a subdivision that's about 3 or 4 blocks away from a major street and while you normally can hear the street noise of cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like (although it muted because of all the buildings in the way) if you step outside now pretty much all you hear are birds.  It's incredibly peaceful outside right now.

I'm not seeing that quite yet in my neck of the woods. Yes, the parking lots are empty as the shops are all closed, but I still see people driving around on the streets when I'm taking my walks. Definitely less, but still more than you'd expect. People are still going about their business in some regard.

You know, I'm on the opposite end of the state from you and, at least last week while I was still working, I had to drive around Pittsburgh and came across the same thing. People were still out in droves, although I have to say, the news portrayed it much differently.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

I saw that similar things are happening here too.  I saw video of some place out west that showed a puma just wondering around suburban streets.

I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription.  The CDC recommends keeping a 30 day supply on hand and my supply on this one was down to 2 weeks.  Initially my insurance said it was too soon but the pharmacist pushed a magic button and *poof" approved.

Anyway, I couldn't believe how deserted the major highway was on my drive there.  Normally on a Saturday that highway is pretty busy but not today, which I guess is a good thing because it means people are listening and staying the F*** home. 

It's also really calm here.  My house is in a subdivision that's about 3 or 4 blocks away from a major street and while you normally can hear the street noise of cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like (although it muted because of all the buildings in the way) if you step outside now pretty much all you hear are birds.  It's incredibly peaceful outside right now.

I'm not seeing that quite yet in my neck of the woods. Yes, the parking lots are empty as the shops are all closed, but I still see people driving around on the streets when I'm taking my walks. Definitely less, but still more than you'd expect. People are still going about their business in some regard.

Are you still able to walk outside, just to exercise? The local police authorities in here are not allowing outdoor exercising such as walking or jogging.

I am lucky to live on a small and almost empty 150 meters dead end street. So i still get to jogg daily since there is no one here and the police will never check a small road like this.

A bit of a boring track, but the beautiful mountains and forests around compensate a bit.

You can do outdoor sports (no team sports) but gyms and indoor ice rinks etc are closed.

I'm a golfer so it doesn't concern me (yet). Courses are just opening because it's spring and plenty of people playing already. I don't think you can contract a virus from golf - you keep a good distance from others anyway. Just skip the post-round handshake and don't touch the flag. They also removed rakes from bunkers, so you just kind of flatten the sand out with your club/shoe after a stroke.

Gilbert wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

It has been so calm here, during the last few days, that jackals are starting to get closer to houses.

I saw that similar things are happening here too.  I saw video of some place out west that showed a puma just wondering around suburban streets.

I had to go to the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription.  The CDC recommends keeping a 30 day supply on hand and my supply on this one was down to 2 weeks.  Initially my insurance said it was too soon but the pharmacist pushed a magic button and *poof" approved.

Anyway, I couldn't believe how deserted the major highway was on my drive there.  Normally on a Saturday that highway is pretty busy but not today, which I guess is a good thing because it means people are listening and staying the F*** home. 

It's also really calm here.  My house is in a subdivision that's about 3 or 4 blocks away from a major street and while you normally can hear the street noise of cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like (although it muted because of all the buildings in the way) if you step outside now pretty much all you hear are birds.  It's incredibly peaceful outside right now.

I'm not seeing that quite yet in my neck of the woods. Yes, the parking lots are empty as the shops are all closed, but I still see people driving around on the streets when I'm taking my walks. Definitely less, but still more than you'd expect. People are still going about their business in some regard.

Are you still able to walk outside, just to exercise? The local police authorities in here are not allowing outdoor exercising such as walking or jogging.

We're able to go outside for exercise or walking your dog but you're supposed to observe the "6 feet rule".  I see people walking in pairs or small groups but I assume they're family.

Fat Freddy wrote:

First confirmed case in my town was announced yesterday.

Rumor has it that it was someone who worked in the high school cafeteria.

Game over, maaaan, game over! We're f**ked!

Last I checked my town was up to 16 confirmed cases. Shit's gettin' REAL, yo.

And yet people still act like idiots:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-police-karaoke-party-lockdown-155617425.html

We can still go out and walk and jog, but singularly; and gatherings of 5 or more are prohibited. They have also mandated "essential" travel only, as I said yesterday. But, there's really nowhere open to go to besides a market, pharmacy, or gas station. I am off of work until Wednesday, and the wife until Tuesday, but it's pouring rain here so our plans of going to a park with our daughter were scrapped.
We have had a nice day so far though. Everyone woke around 9am and we made pancakes, eggs, and sausages when my wife and daughter got back from a local coffee house that is still open for take out. A huge pillow fort has been erected downstairs and the kitchen table has become "craft central" painting, coloring, kinetic sand, and play doh) were Isabella has been making cards to mail to the grandparents to keep everyone's spirits high. Much Metal has been enjoyed as we are on our second go round with the Blind Guardian "Live Beyond the Spheres" box set.

Sentinel - Sounds nice, making the best of it. We're similar here. I go to work and do the foraging, but everyone else sticks close to home.

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Sentinel - Sounds nice, making the best of it. We're similar here. I go to work and do the foraging, but everyone else sticks close to home.

Nice.

Whenever the three of us have the day off together, it's family day. It's just kind of a bummer that the world is in a bit of a lockdown and the weather here is crappy. We are staying positive through prayer and activities that keep the spirits up. It's been a tough year, Covid 19 not withstanding. On January 1, my father in law suffered a major stroke and spent a month in the hospital only to have kidney stones and a fever in early March. He is in rehab at a nursing home down the street from us but no one can visit.
In February, our anniversary weekend was truncated due to me getting food poisoning. When we came home, we found out my sister in law (wife's sister) and her girlfriend were splitting up and leaving the new house they bought (that we spent a week moving them into) last November. Then, I took my birthday week off in early March and all 3 of us were sick with head colds. Now it looks as though my wife and my daughters birthdays ( both of which are in the next 30 days) will be rendered moot due to the virus. I am feeling pretty bad for Cristina as her life seems to be affected the most by all the shit going wrong. I am doing my best to be the rock for her and Bella, but sometimes it's tough. I am glad I have Jesus, Metal and plenty of wine in my life!!!

They are almost done with a space puzzle and then we are making cookies. All is well in the land of the Sentinel. Ha ha.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

First confirmed case in my town was announced yesterday.

Rumor has it that it was someone who worked in the high school cafeteria.

Game over, maaaan, game over! We're f**ked!

Last I checked my town was up to 16 confirmed cases. Shit's gettin' REAL, yo.

It really is. A doctor at my town's hospital died today

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-52084915

But we are still nowhere near the levels in NJ so stay safe man!

So the US government has extended the quarantine to April 30th now. Businesses and schools will remain closed until then at least.

I took a walk before dinner tonight just around the neighborhood. Saw a few folks out, but the streets were pretty empty. Although I believe it was also in part of the weather. It's been gray and dreary all day.

The way things are going, I expect it to be gray and dreary for quite some time.

It's amazing what a difference the weather makes in this situation.

We had cold, overcast skies for most of the last week and half with rain on about half those days (and lots of it).  This weekend the sun came out and the temperatures warmed well into the 70s (so much so I had to turn the A/C on). 

The brighter weather just makes you feel better amid all the doom and gloom going on.