How are you all doing?

[Browser]

Having lost my wife four years ago, I am now fairly comfortable living on my own and, enjoying cooking, I manage to eat well and have fairly good control over my BG. In terms of passing the time, I read, watch telly, listen to music and, as a retired art teacher, have started to paint again, after a lull of ten years. I live in a rural area and have easy access to quiet areas for walking. However, like eggyg, my concerns are mainly for the welfare of my family, who live quite far away from me. My daughter is a GP and my son in law is an anaesthetist (much of his time spent in ICUs), both, obviously in the front line. My son is a primary school headteacher and is working in a school hub, organising the daily lives and education of children of front line workers and children with difficult home lives. I worry about their proximity to the virus and the implications for their health and that of my grandchildren. I miss the close contact I normally have with them but, being fairly IT saavy, I spend a lot of time on WhatsApp and FaceTime. The immediate future is worrying and uncertain but, I’m determined to see it through to a brighter and happier future. Take care everybody.

 

[Ivostas66]

Keeping our darling daughter entertained is proving challenging, exhausting, but fun! No pre-school means we are really having to think on our feet. Yesterday we made fudge, put it in bags with a little encouraging label for people and popped it on neighbours doorsteps during our daily 'exercise'; did an animal checklist for the garden counting birds and bugs; made a princess castle out of old bottles and tin foil - that was all by lunchtime! Thankfully lots of people in similar situations are posting ideas on social media.

Big queue at the chemist and when I got to the front, surprise surprise they had lost my prescription (Libre sensors and needles) - I deliberately left it an extra week to collect as I knew they would be busy/ behind. Thankfully the doctors surgery is next door and receptionist bent the rules for me. Used a different supermarket than my usual one that was closer to my Doctors to grab some essentials and also pick up things for a friend who is in full lock down. Interesting clientele! Mix of people not properly social distancing (leaning over me to get things, walking around in couples/ families!) and others standing at the end of an aisle visibly shaking in fear. Don't think I'll be heading back there for the foreseeable!

Keep safe everyone!

 

[mikeydt1]

just started treatment for fibrosis so will see how things go over the weeks.

was watching BBC news this morning and apparently a US aircraft carrier crew have fallen poorly to the virus, the captain showed concerns and Trump off course has sacked the captain of the carrier. the problem on board is that things are very confined so doesn't sound too good.

 

[Stitch147]

3 days off work. I managed to stay in bed until just before 8am. Was supposed to be in London for the weekend. Instead it's gonna be a weekend of housework and gardening.

 

[Stitch147]

Also my hands are so dry from the constant washing and use of anti-bac whilst at work.

 

[SB2015]

3 days off work. I managed to stay in bed until just before 8am. Was supposed to be in London for the weekend. Instead it's gonna be a weekend of housework and gardening.

Glad you have finally managed a lie in. How about a well deserved rest.
It will be sunny tomorrow. A chair in the garden and a good book, at least for part of the day.
Have a good weekend whatever you do.

 

[SB2015]

Not so sunny today, so plans to finish sorting all my stuff in the attic work room.
Completed all my sewing stuff yesterday, finding so many things that I had forgotten about, as well as a lot of accumulated dust behind boxes. Today the other half which is art stuff, paper making, book binding, ... Stuff that is not as well used since I started weaving.

Back into the garden tomorrow with the warmer weather.

Have a good day all and e joy whatever you are able to do.

 

[Stitch147]

Glad you have finally managed a lie in. How about a well deserved rest.
It will be sunny tomorrow. A chair in the garden and a good book, at least for part of the day.
Have a good weekend whatever you do.

Definitely need to cut the grass. Relaxing day indoors today though.

 

[Robin]

I am a happy bunny! I went shopping locally to get some milk/fresh fruit & veg, and managed to procure some 85% dark chocolate! Hadn't been able to get any for a couple of weeks, and had just finished my last square yesterday. Definitely an essential!

 

[Eddy Edson]

Is it sexist to be comforted that competent women seem to be running much of the public health response here? Maybe the comfort is because you kind of assume that if a women can get to be CMO she must be pretty damn good, not just a talker/luncher/speaker-of-comfort to power.

Two of the state CMO's are women who come across as extremely able. On the other hand the federal guy gives the impression he got the job because he looks like a day-time soap opera doctor. So thank God for distributed government.

Because of these competent women & others, the response here has been driven by public health experts, not by eg Jeremy out the back who's good with computers, which seems to have been the case in the UK (ie, the modellers).

So there's very little community transmission so far, chains are getting squelched and 65% of cases are still people who got it overseas or on a damn cruise ship. There's a steady decline in new cases for the moment, to the extent that it could end up being a smaller deal than normal flu & there could well be a backlash against the distancing measures before too long, a headache for govt.

Anyway, it was a beautiful day for walking in the parks. In an hour's walking, encountered about 6 people instead of the normal 10; fewer old people dragging their old dogs, more young fitties exiled from the gym. It still feels like cloud cuckoo land ...

 

[miguel81]

Please bear in mind that for older people, like me, their pets are their only companions, perhaps taking the place of lost human companions. I find your last sentence offensive.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Please bear in mind that for older people, like me, their pets are their only companions, perhaps taking the place of lost human companions. I find your last sentence offensive.

Apologies! No offence intended. I include myself in the "old people", tho I don't have a dog.

 

[Anxious 63]

Not been on here for long while , i struggle with my type 2 diabetes and have anxiety and depression and this blasted virus is not helping at all , feel very confused and hopeless at times

 

[Browser]

Apologies! No offence intended. I include myself in the "old people", tho I don't have a dog.

Is your middle name Douglas? ........... one for the Scots. 🙂 ......... I’ll get my coat.

 

[Clever_cloggs]

Week 3 of not going out except for our garden. Strangely enough, my blood sugars have never been better! I’ve had a whole day of single figures which is unheard of for me. I avoided the news all days as it sends me into an anxiety spin. Planning to avoid the news and do calligraphy and my karate lessons via Zoom tomorrow. How bizarre that it’s taken being in this strange and stressful situation to have the best week of blood sugars.
Being able to amend my supermarket order with a couple of luxury items (expensive bars of soap) has been the highlight of the evening. Oh and this week I’ve also rediscovered my love for porridge! Possibly helping with good blood sugar control this week. This is as exciting as it’s been. And of course, going through waves of feeling sad and scared...

 

[Flutterby]

Not been on here for long while , i struggle with my type 2 diabetes and have anxiety and depression and this blasted virus is not helping at all , feel very confused and hopeless at times

Hello, I too suffer from depression and anxiety and at times I feel really panicked by the virus. I have reduced the amount of time I spend watching the news as its just too much.

Do you have any good books or hobbies to help distract you? Sending caring thoughts, we will get through this by helping one another.x

 

[Browser]

15 days now and I've only left the house 3 times, on each occasion a 20-minute walk for some fresh air and exercise. Today's walk was nice as it turned out to be a lovely afternoon weather-wise and afterwards my wife and I spent some time pottering about in the garden and enjoying the sunshine.

Been threatening to paint our kitchen ceiling for days and finally got round to it. Hate painting ceilings - white on white - but it needed doing as there was a stain from an old water leak. Needs a second coat (dammit) then I can cross that one off the list.

No one needs to leave the house now until Wednesday afternoon, so nigh on 5 days. At least if the weather is as good as is being forecast we can spend time outdoors in the garden, even if it's just somewhere to sit with a cuppa.

By all accounts the next few days are going to be the worst, right up to and including Easter. Hopefully we will then see things improving, as they seem to be starting to do elsewhere. The end of this nightmare can't come soon enough.

Stay safe.

Martin

I’m no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but if you’re trying to emulsion over a dried damp patch, it’s better to put some white oil-based paint over the brown stain, let it dry then emulsion it.

 

[SB2015]

Week 3 of not going out except for our garden. Strangely enough, my blood sugars have never been better! I’ve had a whole day of single figures which is unheard of for me. I avoided the news all days as it sends me into an anxiety spin. Planning to avoid the news and do calligraphy and my karate lessons via Zoom tomorrow. How bizarre that it’s taken being in this strange and stressful situation to have the best week of blood sugars.
Being able to amend my supermarket order with a couple of luxury items (expensive bars of soap) has been the highlight of the evening. Oh and this week I’ve also rediscovered my love for porridge! Possibly helping with good blood sugar control this week. This is as exciting as it’s been. And of course, going through waves of feeling sad and scared...

Glad you have been able to do your Karate on Zoom, I had never heard of Zoom before this lock down. It takes a bit of organising to make it work well but it is great to be able to see people. Enjoy avoiding the news and doing other things.

 

[SB2015]

Not been on here for long while , i struggle with my type 2 diabetes and have anxiety and depression and this blasted virus is not helping at all , feel very confused and hopeless at times

Glad you have joined us and hope being in her can help to reduce your anxiety.

 

[Clever_cloggs]

Glad you have been able to do your Karate on Zoom, I had never heard of Zoom before this lock down. It takes a bit of organising to make it work well but it is great to be able to see people. Enjoy avoiding the news and doing other things.

Thank you SB2015! Anything to distract us - it was my son doing karate but somehow I’m the only one doing it now (how did that happen 😛). I’d never heard of Zoom before either! It’s allowed me to do lots of things! Definitely no news tomorrow either.