Covid-19 Isolation Cavern

[Griffin]

Remember to stay 2 metres apart in here!

[Aggie]

I'm dealing with the crisis, and having to go to work while the rest of the world is on downtime by preparing for the worst. I did a major strategic stock-up yesterday morning, and shouldn't have to go shopping for a month if necessary, and enough shelf-stable essentials to get out of town for a while if needed. I don't in any way think it'll get to that, but being ready for it takes away the worries of worst-case scenario. It's all stuff that I'll use up in normal times, anyways. I've been dehydrating a few things, which can be used camping or hiking later in the summer, rendering bacon down, started making bread, scoping out foraging spots (fresh veg will be my one tough spot till the garden starts to grow, but I eat a lot of weeds in the spring). Ordered 1000 innoculated plugs to start growing oyster and shitake mushrooms on the lot. Haven't bothered buying guns, but have tracked down my water stones and have been thinking about polearms.

Public Service Announcement (naughty words involved):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0-2XxgHIXk

[Griffin]

Like the song!

[Bluenose]

Ha Ha Ha... good song, great sentiment!

[Darlica]

Hello!
Nice to be back! Thank you Bluenose.🌹

I'm in self quaranteen (with the rest of the family)since 5 weeks due to a stubborn cold (probably not covid19 they say..).

Despite the rumours things are going pretty well here, the hospitals are still coping and the initial panic and lo-paper hogging is fading out.🙂

The wee one ain't  so wee anymore, turning 5 in late May. I now know a lot more about Dinosaurs than I ever done before... and space and cars and other vehicles... I'm still ahead of him when it comes to Vikings and Knights but I predict that might change soon.😊

🌻🦋🌺

[Bluenose]

Darlica!  You made it back!  Glad to have been of some help. 

Yeah, those kids grow up so fast.  My oldest grandchild turned 4 the other week.  She's so quick on the uptake it's scary.  LOL

Stay safe, and at home!  <grin>

[Griffin]

Good grief Darlica - five!!!!

My eldest grandchild is now 12 and at senior school.

[Griffin]

I'm still in here. Aforementioned grandchild is now 14. In those two years, while I have gone downhill, he has grown upwards, got thinner, and other stuff. It's like my life blood is being sucked out of me and injected into my grandchildren.

I am still scared to go out but I feel with the hot weather arriving, I might go out by accident.

[Aggie]

I'm in an isolation forest, not a cavern, but still staying pretty isolated other than work. I see friends for outside activities occasionally, but essentially do not do inside gatherings (visits with family about once a month excepted).  I've been living in my house for 20 months now, and have never invited friends over for dinner etc. A few have been there for incidental visits, but it's pretty much locked down.

After a major crisis of grief from trying to come to terms with the fact that the number of anti-vaxxers in my social circles is way higher than statistically expected based on the population at large (and having major resentment of these people), I've decided to fall into a place of sympathy with them and declare myself an 'anti-virer'.  As much as I still disagree with their choice, at least they HAVE a choice on whether or not to expose themselves to their object of horror.  I don't. I tell my anti-vax friends to imagine that any time they're in a public setting, they know there are an unknown number of agents covertly spraying aerosolised vaccine particles into the air, and if they breath in at the wrong time BOOM! they're unwillingly vaccinated.  Yeah, it's a crazy perspective, but why does everyone else get to be irrational assholes without me? My turn.

Every trip to the grocery store is still a daunting prospect, so I hoard food to stretch those visits out when needed (it's also about stocking up on sales items to beat inflation). Last January (as Omicron 1 was cresting) I stopped shopping on a whim, without any major preparations, and made it 2 months quite easily. Had to start making bread and use evaporated or powdered milk for my coffee, but that was about the worst of it (I do directly source eggs from a friend; the rest was in the cupboard or freezer).  I expect to go through another few rounds of it this winter; I've also started home brewing this year so I don't visit the liquor store much either.   

Not spending money on things is also a way of coping with mortgage anxiety; current targets are to put half of my net earnings towards the house (principle, finishing materials and savings - interest, insurance and utilities are considered 'discretionary spending' and don't count).  Essentially, this means saving a second full mortgage payment every month, and I'm generally in the ballpark.  Fortunately, rising interest rates mean that the money I'm saving is actually accumulating interest at better rates than my mortgage is, so it's better to hold cash and guaranteed term investments than to pay off the house at this point.

I'm not particularly concerned about dying or becoming gravely ill from acute covid, but I am very scared of long covid.  The contrast between all restrictions being dropped and the non-concern of the public vs the continued warnings from health experts of the dangers of repeated exposure (plus the grim state of our health care system at the moment) is giving me major cognitive dissonance.  So far I've dodged it, and I plan to keep trying to win at this game despite cratering my social life.

Still very digitally isolated with no internet at home and my good ol' flip phone, and no plans to change in the foreseeable future. I'm always too damned busy with life and never get bored to want the internet; CBC radio and the Economist are enough to keep me informed about the world, and there's always the library for a little additional information.  The environment surrounding my house is endlessly fascinating and biodiverse. I don't have much need or time for entertainment.

[Griffin]

I've spent two plus years avoiding Covid. Aggie, you are right to worry about Long Covid. As I understand it the vaccine doesn't prevent Long Covid, the only thing the vaccine does is make it less likely one will be severely ill or die in the "active" phase. For anyone like me, already with ME/CFS (which is almost the same as Long Covid, if not the actual same) the risk is having Covid will mean a further deterioration in my overall health. If that happens I would need daily carers or to go into a care home. I'm already at the limit of what I can do for myself. I hate it that no one wears masks any more. I am still at high risk even if they are not, or they think they are not. Unlike you, I don't personally know any anti-vaxxers but do find it annoying as it seems unscientific if not stupid. However, for people who react badly to vaccines I can understand reluctance. I am glad you are surviving, you sound like you cope with (or even like?) the isolation. When my supermarket delivery lets me down I find I can feed myself for a few days but I don't have room to keep much more. I have had to start taking risks this summer, I had to have a hip replacement (I could no longer walk due to pain) which meant being in hospital and then respite care. I had to get new glasses as I was starting to not see properly. There have been a few other reasons I've had to be in the same room as another person. I am finding it is impossible to literally put life on hold for ever when one is one's own carer.