Small Talk: The Polygamous Cul-de-Sac

[xwordfanatik]

I'm rilly thankful for all of you that have made me laugh & lift my spirits in this scary time.  

56 minutes ago, Teafortwo said:

Happy Thanksgiving to all. For a number of reasons, I could not do appropriate food shopping this week. I felt liberated when i realized last night that there us no earthly reason why I have to eat certain things today. So I will be happily having organic pasta with a meat sauce and a side of frozen veggies later today, followed by thawed frozen strawberries over ice cream. 

I'll buy fresh produce tomorrow if the stores aren't  crowded. I'm looking forward to sweet potato!

In prior years, I would grocery shop on Black Friday (and not at a place with 'everything' like Walmart.)  Fresh turkeys were marked down drastically.  I won't be doing that this year.  I'll be online shopping for gifts.  

Has Sister Wives been scheduled yet?  I've heard January, but that's a guess, I think.  We'll have a great time snarking as always!

[Sandy W]

2 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

2 thanksgivings in a row  I am sick as a dog. 
 

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Wish someone brought me a plate of food. I am just going to drink tea/coffee. 
 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you Iwantcookies, too bad you are not in close proximity to Janelle, she would have just the right brew of tea for whatever ails you.  Who knows, she may even throw in a few cookies. 🍪

Feel better soon. xo

[iwantcookies]

14 minutes ago, Sandy W said:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you Iwantcookies, too bad you are not in close proximity to Janelle, she would have just the right brew of tea for whatever ails you.  Who knows, she may even throw in a few cookies. 🍪

Feel better soon. xo

That brew would kill me lol

[Twopper]

On 11/25/2020 at 9:29 AM, Sandy W said:

Painting corn cans is a 2 person job.  One person plays the part of Meri and impatiently starts ahead of time, the other playing Janelle, arrives, looks bewildered, and claims, "you started already,  thought this was a meeting to discuss what colors and embellishments we should plan on".

What's the story behind the corn cans? 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!! 

Despite Covid isolation, I find myself spending less time on the forums. 

I think this is only the 2nd time in 35 years of marriage that it has just been the two of us at home alone.  I did get out the Lenox Solitaire plates and used my mother's Chantilly silver, but I just used glasses from the kitchen.  Cooked a 6 pound organic turkey breast that assured me on the package that it was gluten-free!!  Just had wild rice and peas to go with it and some cranberry sauce.  Dessert was leftover caramel cake.  I am eating apple cinnamon cheerios for dinner as I type. 

I guess I have been spoiled over the past few years as we would leave on Thanksgiving morning and drive over to the son and DIL's place.  We would spend 2 nights and leave early Sat morning to avoid the traffic.  I made the mistake one year of waiting until Sunday to leave which was  a traffic nightmare made even worse because of the traffic to one of the nation's busiest airports.  Anyway, my DiL did the honors of preparing the feast.   Now this year they have moved to southern Georgia and are farther away plus they are living in a much smaller place.  Son had a business trip in DC a few weeks ago where he got COVID.  It seems to have been a mild case unlike the "long haul" version that my cousin had which kept her out of work for 7 weeks.  

Our daughter and SIL are closer, but I am too old to do a day trip.  They have a tiny luxury apartment in the sky so we would have to stay at a nearby hotel which I am not willing to do with COVID so that trip was out.   And I didn't want everyone here bringing us possible germs from who knows where. 

The best part of today was hearing from my daughter that she is 10 weeks pregnant, but she isn't telling anyone yet except for us and her husband's parents.  So I told her mum's the word (Haha!) and I promised not to tell anyone.   But since you don't know me or her in real life, I am telling you my forum friends since I absolutely need to tell someone or I'll bust.   We are going to be grandparents!!!

Edited November 27, 2020 by Twopper

[Teafortwo]

7 hours ago, Sandy W said:

Who knows, she may even throw in a few cookies. 🍪

Cookies? This is Janelle we're talking about. She wouldn't have any uneaten cookies around (or if she did, she would never share 'em!) Kale, turnip, rutabaga? She'd definitely donate those. 

[Teafortwo]

25 minutes ago, Twopper said:

We are going to be grandparents!!!

Congratulations and big hugs, Twopper! I'm so excited for you! And hopefully by the time the baby arrives, we will have the vaccine (for those who are willing to take it).

[Rabbit Hutch]

Happy Turkey Day, y'all!  😁

Hope everyone enjoyed the day in their own special way.  😊  

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by Rabbit Hutch
Came off mean-spirited instead of humorous.

[Kohola3]

10 hours ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

Happy Turkey Day, y'all!  😁

Hope everyone enjoyed the day in their own special way.  😊  

You, too.  Are you on the road?

[Rabbit Hutch]

On 11/27/2020 at 9:01 AM, Kohola3 said:

You, too.  Are you on the road?

Yes, indeed!  Looking forward to the Christmas run this year, seeing everyone's Christmas lights from the road.  After the year we've all had, I'm more than ready for a little holiday spirit! 

We've been running hard this year, and the end of the year is shaping up to be more of the same.  Not that I'm complaining; we've been so blessed, and I had much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving season, that's for sure!!! 😊

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

Yes, indeed!  Looking forward to the Christmas run this year, seeing everyone's Christmas lights from the road.  After the year we've all had, I'm more than ready for a little holiday spirit! 

That always cheers me up as well.

I have been reading about the different ways that various countries will be rolling out the Covid vaccine when it's available.  First responders are all at the top of the list but some countries put the elderly next and some children.  Others put essential workers after the medical people.

I was pondering how "essential workers" might be defined.  I'm thinking of those who work in grocery stores and pharmacies, farm and rance workers, and (looking at you, Rabbit Hutch) truckers who move goods to keep us all going.  Thoujghts from others?  Personally I am willing to wait at the end of the line just to make sure that those at risk are covered. I can extend my isolation a while longer for that.

[LydiaE]

Are any of you dreading the fallout related to the vaccine itself? A percentage will be injured (I know, as I was one of those injured by the 2009 vaccine and I’m terrified by this “fast-tracked” one; shudder) and others might be paranoid. I’m concerned that this will be the point that medical facilities and healthcare workers will truly become overwhelmed. 

What about the mental health of those who have isolated themselves for the better part of a year? It’s no joke the toll it can take on the psyche. How will they cope when they contract things like the common cold or the many other common viruses that plague us? With all of the masking, lack of sunshine, antibacterial use, and isolation, immune systems are most definitely impaired. 

Not to mention socially. My husband sneezed in the grocery store and people scattered like it was shrapnel. He was masked and turned his face into his arm like any polite person would do. He’s not sick and it was a single sneeze. Down here in the South, it’s almost habitual for people to say “Bless you” to a stranger sneezing, but he was given dirty looks instead.

It is scary to me how dark and paranoid people have become in less than a year.

[Rabbit Hutch]

5 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

… I have been reading about the different ways that various countries will be rolling out the Covid vaccine when it's available.  First responders are all at the top of the list but some countries put the elderly next and some children.  Others put essential workers after the medical people.

I was pondering how "essential workers" might be defined.  I'm thinking of those who work in grocery stores and pharmacies, farm and rance workers, and (looking at you, Rabbit Hutch) truckers who move goods to keep us all going.  Thoujghts from others?  Personally I am willing to wait at the end of the line just to make sure that those at risk are covered. I can extend my isolation a while longer for that.

This is such a complex issue that I hope cool, sensible  heads will prevail.  I do think that the first in line should be the medical folks, followed by all other first responders.  After that, I would say that the elderly be next, but from what I understand the vaccine may not be the best solution, as they can do more harm than good?  Perhaps you can enlighten me about that, Kohola, with your medical background.

After that, the next group{s) should be those that must be around folks, the ones mentioned above, delivery people, bus drivers, airport workers, teachers, food workers, social service people, I mean the list just goes on and on and on, and it overwhelms me to even think about it.  As far as truckers are concerned, getting truckers to do ANYTHING is like herding a bunch of feral cats, good luck with that! I adore truckers and will defend them to the death, but they are highly individualistic beings; some will willingly take the vaccine and some will consider it their hill to die on, not to. The last I heard 57 drivers had contacted COVID, and there had been 1 death.

As for me I have a few underlying medical conditions and so I am careful.  After the Christmas run I will be staying home again this winter until at least March 1st, when we will see how everything plays out.  I drink plenty of liquids, take my meds like I should, eat ginger and beets, and drink Matcha tea  to keep my respiratory system in good order.  We take Vitamin C and D, although one generally gets plenty of D on a truck.  We have plenty of masks, Lysol spray and wipes, and hand sanitizer.  I make and freeze 3 weeks worth of meals at a time so that we don't have to eat off the truck.  Considering how many truck stop restaurants closed down during last winter and spring  it's just as well!

Staying home for the first 6 months this year was hard for me, and I even had plenty of space to take on projects to keep my brain and hands busy.  I cant imagine how those in small living spaces must be feeling. 

[Kohola3]

2 minutes ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

After that, I would say that the elderly be next, but from what I understand the vaccine may not be the best solution, as they can do more harm than good?  Perhaps you can enlighten me about that, Kohola, with your medical background.

Unfortunately, fast-tracking the vaccines may end up showing long term effects for any age group - we just do not yet know.  With that said, I have relatives who are physicians that were confident enough that they took place in clinical trials. 

If you'll recall, after the swine flu vaccine came out a miniscule number of cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome were attributed to that.  But balance that against hundreds of thousands of deaths from Covid and, to me, there is no comparison.  For that matter, we don't know the long term effects of Covid, either.  Everyone that survived it might grown two heads in the next ten years!

I guess it's a matter of picking your poison.  I'm putting my faith in science and good old Doc Anthony is my man.  If he says take it, I will.

[Yeah No]

7 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

I was pondering how "essential workers" might be defined.  I'm thinking of those who work in grocery stores and pharmacies, farm and rance workers, and (looking at you, Rabbit Hutch) truckers who move goods to keep us all going.  Thoughts from others?  Personally I am willing to wait at the end of the line just to make sure that those at risk are covered. I can extend my isolation a while longer for that.

I'm kind of torn on the subject.  On the one hand I would hope to get the vaccine sooner rather than later.  On the other hand I'm OK with not being in the first couple of groups just to see how they all do with it first.  It's like the old car wisdom of never buying a model the first year of its redesign but waiting a year or two until they iron the inevitable kinks out.  Not that I would wait a year to take the vaccine, no, but I might not be too upset if I'm not in the first two groups to get it.  

I saw a segment on CNN today with one of the people newly appointed to the new administration's vaccine roll-out task force.  She was asked what groups she would want to see the vaccine go to and in what order.  Of course she put first responders at the head, then she put essential workers, but didn't mention more than that.  I would hope that the elderly in nursing homes would be next.  She said that the first groups would probably start getting the vaccine sometime in December and then later groups starting in January.  I somehow don't think it will trickle down to me until March at the earliest.  Plus, then she said that even after getting the vaccine you have to wait a few weeks before you can be sure it has taken its full effect in your body.  I can just see it now that a lot of people aren't going to heed this advice - ugh.  I'm fully prepared to be hunkered down until next Spring at the earliest, hopefully by the time the weather gets nice again.  I can only hope.  Of course my life tends to force me into what I feel are unsafe situations - I might need to go down to my father's apartment at some point depending on what's going on with it and that will cause me a lot of anxiety.

My biggest fear is that different groups will argue to be put in front of others to get the vaccine, and someone like me who is 62, overweight and with at least one or two things qualifying as conditions might actually end up being put behind a group like school children before being allowed to get it.  When I've heard people talk about it on TV they always talk about prioritizing people over 65 - I get why but I can just see it now that my husband, who will be 65 in early March might qualify to get the vaccine before I do, which is going to cause some anxiety because he still won't feel free to live a more normal life until I can get the vaccine too.  Of course as with most things TPTB will probably not think these logistical issues through enough.

[Kohola3]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Of course as with most things TPTB will probably not think these logistical issues through enough.

It will definitely take a lot of planning for it to be executed and I'm sure there will be flubs along the way but at least there is a commission actively working full time on it, not just hot air.  So that gives me hope.  And I really don't think age will be the sum total of eligibility either.  We'll have to wait and see but I do think that it we should plan on sheltering for quite some time to come.  But I'm clinging to the fact that there is indeed hope for the future for the first time since this hit. 

[Twopper]

This is a long article about a  patient who spent 233 days hospitalized with COVID.   https://www.gadsdentimes.com/story/news/local/2020/11/24/attalla-woman-hospitalized-since-mid-april-home-thanksgiving/6390304002/

After the family agreeing not to have Thanksgiving with either son or daughter and their spouses,  our son calls Saturday morning saying they are in Atlanta for the weekend and want to swing by here on their  way home.  We are not on their way home being slightly sw of Atlanta and they are now 3-4 hours south of it.  They want to take us to lunch tomorrow.  I said "thanks, but no thanks."  I feel like the grinch who stole T'giving, but it certainly defeats the purpose of not getting together.  I know they are concerned we are getting older and won't be around forever, but our son just got over COVID and has recently mingled with people in NE Georgia and is now mingling in Atlanta.  So far the DIL seems well.

[Kohola3]

2 hours ago, Twopper said:

I know they are concerned we are getting older and won't be around forever...

This was the excuse a lot of people made but if you give the grandparents Covid they are likely to be gone FOREVER.  Missing one holiday is doable.  Possibly exposing them is insane.

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

This was the excuse a lot of people made but if you give the grandparents Covid they are likely to be gone FOREVER.  Missing one holiday is doable.  Possibly exposing them is insane.

100% agree.  How will people that gave Covid to relatives just to visit them for one holiday, forgive themselves?  I'm old enough to be a grandma, although my only child isn't going to have kids, and there's no way she would visit us during a pandemic.  Her husband's parents, who are in our age group, are actually going to travel to Mexico, and I can't wrap my head around that at all.  I don't care if someone gave me an all-expenses paid vacation ANYWHERE, I would say no!  

[Kohola3]

23 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

 How will people that gave Covid to relatives just to visit them for one holiday, forgive themselves?  

Sadly, there is an overwhelming feeling that embraces "it's all about me".  As long as an individual does what he/she wants for his/her own gratification, they really don't seem to care about anyone else.  I think that's partly why people don't wear mask. They truly do NOT care about others, they don't care if they infect someone as long as they can do whatever they want.  It's so very sad.

I had a landscaping guy planting a tree that said if I was so scared, just stay home and let the rest of the world do what they want. If I choose to go out in publlc and I catch Covid, "it's your own fault".

[Pickleinthemiddle]

On 11/28/2020 at 6:20 PM, LydiaE said:

Are any of you dreading the fallout related to the vaccine itself? A percentage will be injured (I know, as I was one of those injured by the 2009 vaccine and I’m terrified by this “fast-tracked” one; shudder) and others might be paranoid. I’m concerned that this will be the point that medical facilities and healthcare workers will truly become overwhelmed. 

What about the mental health of those who have isolated themselves for the better part of a year? It’s no joke the toll it can take on the psyche. How will they cope when they contract things like the common cold or the many other common viruses that plague us? With all of the masking, lack of sunshine, antibacterial use, and isolation, immune systems are most definitely impaired. 

Not to mention socially. My husband sneezed in the grocery store and people scattered like it was shrapnel. He was masked and turned his face into his arm like any polite person would do. He’s not sick and it was a single sneeze. Down here in the South, it’s almost habitual for people to say “Bless you” to a stranger sneezing, but he was given dirty looks instead.

It is scary to me how dark and paranoid people have become in less than a year.

I'm laughing to lighten the mood.  Same thing happened when I was in the store today.  Someone with a mask on coughed and everyone moved away quickly.  

Talking about injuries from the shots, I think a vaccine was fast tracked in Sweden in 2008-ish and people developed narcolepsy from it.  Kinda scary thought.

I've been thinking even after this passes I will still continue to wear a mask.  I have not been sick since I started wearing one in March.  We've been working 6 days a week and I'm still well.  

[Pickleinthemiddle]

22 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I'm kind of torn on the subject.  On the one hand I would hope to get the vaccine sooner rather than later.  On the other hand I'm OK with not being in the first couple of groups just to see how they all do with it first.  It's like the old car wisdom of never buying a model the first year of its redesign but waiting a year or two until they iron the inevitable kinks out.  Not that I would wait a year to take the vaccine, no, but I might not be too upset if I'm not in the first two groups to get it.  

I saw a segment on CNN today with one of the people newly appointed to the new administration's vaccine roll-out task force.  She was asked what groups she would want to see the vaccine go to and in what order.  Of course she put first responders at the head, then she put essential workers, but didn't mention more than that.  I would hope that the elderly in nursing homes would be next.  She said that the first groups would probably start getting the vaccine sometime in December and then later groups starting in January.  I somehow don't think it will trickle down to me until March at the earliest.  Plus, then she said that even after getting the vaccine you have to wait a few weeks before you can be sure it has taken its full effect in your body.  I can just see it now that a lot of people aren't going to heed this advice - ugh.  I'm fully prepared to be hunkered down until next Spring at the earliest, hopefully by the time the weather gets nice again.  I can only hope.  Of course my life tends to force me into what I feel are unsafe situations - I might need to go down to my father's apartment at some point depending on what's going on with it and that will cause me a lot of anxiety.

My biggest fear is that different groups will argue to be put in front of others to get the vaccine, and someone like me who is 62, overweight and with at least one or two things qualifying as conditions might actually end up being put behind a group like school children before being allowed to get it.  When I've heard people talk about it on TV they always talk about prioritizing people over 65 - I get why but I can just see it now that my husband, who will be 65 in early March might qualify to get the vaccine before I do, which is going to cause some anxiety because he still won't feel free to live a more normal life until I can get the vaccine too.  Of course as with most things TPTB will probably not think these logistical issues through enough.

I heard that  medical providers and first responder's  would be first.  Then it would be those over 65 and those with major health/immune compromised systems.  Then other adults.  Children would be last unless they had a medical condition.  I will continue to wear my mask and wait to see what the long term side effects might be.  I'm over 55, over weight with HBP and diabetic, but I can wait.  Been wearing my mask since March and have stayed free from any URI.  Other than allergies or sinus, right now in Texas it's Ceder Fever season.  I have had problems with that in the past.  It's 9pm and we are having a cold front blow through and as I am surrounded by cedars it might be a problem since I was out and about today running a few errands.

 

FYI, if you have to go into situations where you might not feel safe, wear two masks and if you can, get a face shield or goggles.

 

[Kohola3]

37 minutes ago, Pickleinthemiddle said:

I've been thinking even after this passes I will still continue to wear a mask.

Medical experts are saying we'll be wearing them for the next year or two and will need to keep up the social distancing.  Just because some have been vaccinated does not mean we can drop our guard. I'm good with that.

11 minutes ago, Pickleinthemiddle said:

Been wearing my mask since March and have stayed free from any URI. 

Good evidence that it's a good idea for reasons other than Covid. I admit to being skeptical when I saw people in Asia wearing masks for the past few years - turns you they had it right all along!

[Pickleinthemiddle]

2 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Medical experts are saying we'll be wearing them for the next year or two and will need to keep up the social distancing.  Just because some have been vaccinated does not mean we can drop our guard. I'm good with that.

Good evidence that it's a good idea for reasons other than Covid. I admit to being skeptical when I saw people in Asia wearing masks for the past few years - turns you they had it right all along!

Agree.  Both my brother and I had a terrible URI back in 2014.  Both of us went to the doctor several times to no avail.  They eventually said that they didn't know what it was.  we both had a cough for at least 2-3 months, but not coughing anything up.  Felt short of breath all the time.  Even asked if it could have been whooping cough or TB.  But the doctor said no to both.  He said it was something going around, but they didn't know what it was.  I know for sure in Japan they encourage people to wear a mask during flu season every year.  Might not be a bad idea.

[Gramto6]

I travelled in Taiwan in 1990 most people were wearing a mask. I will be wearing one for a long time to come. I don't get flu shots and I will be way down on the list for a coronavirus shot...even though I am "at risk". I am a hermit, and despite the "ner' do wells' that say if you are afraid...stay home, I'll happily stay home. Go out twice a month to shop,  let them catch the virus or kill their parents or grand parents God Bless them and their freedoms. My freedom is to remain safe.

[Teafortwo]

It's amazing how continually 'in synch' I feel with many of you on this board.  I've been saying  the same for weeks -- that I will continue to wear a mask indefinitely,  vaccine or no vaccine. Currently I wear a mask and face shield any time I leave my apartment. If I'm going to a dangerous place (for ex. CVS and the shared laundry room or laundromat), I often wear a cloth mask under a paper mask. All retail in my area requires mask to enter; however, this is often not enforced. At the local chain grocery many workers have exposed noses; same with pharmacy.

I've just ordered a bunch of KN95 masks. It's hard to know which are FDA approved and which are fakes (often the same brand name on both). So I ordered 2 kinds and will see if there is any difference in quality (one being more expensive than the other). In the long run I am definitely okay with continuing to wear a mask. I'm also getting used to the isolation in a way. I have random short conversations with neighbors (at a distance) during my walks. Taking walks is really helping me. Back during the first surge (and then the protests) I was scared to go out but now I've adjusted somewhat. I still hate it when a jogger huffs past me, unmasked, before I have time to dodge, and I make every effort to move away from the maskless. Taking walks is one area where I am willing to take a small risk because staying inside for so many days was so unhealthy for me, mentally and physically. My whole day is better after I've done my regular 2 mile loop. More distance would be better but I usually have to pee by the end. I stop midway and do a lot of stretching which helps, too.

I just finished fostering a kitty for a month and the big challenge now is cleaning up/sanitizing. I have to launder rugs, couch cushion covers, throw pillowcases, towels etc. (She was lovely but had digestive issues. The mice will probably come back if I don't get another foster soon. Sigh...)

 

 

[Yeah No]

35 minutes ago, Teafortwo said:

It's amazing how continually 'in synch' I feel with many of you on this board.  I've been saying  the same for weeks -- that I will continue to wear a mask indefinitely,  vaccine or no vaccine. Currently I wear a mask and face shield any time I leave my apartment. If I'm going to a dangerous place (for ex. CVS and the shared laundry room or laundromat), I often wear a cloth mask under a paper mask. All retail in my area requires mask to enter; however, this is often not enforced. At the local chain grocery many workers have exposed noses; same with pharmacy.

I've just ordered a bunch of KN95 masks. It's hard to know which are FDA approved and which are fakes (often the same brand name on both). So I ordered 2 kinds and will see if there is any difference in quality (one being more expensive than the other). In the long run I am definitely okay with continuing to wear a mask. I'm also getting used to the isolation in a way. I have random short conversations with neighbors (at a distance) during my walks. Taking walks is really helping me. Back during the first surge (and then the protests) I was scared to go out but now I've adjusted somewhat. I still hate it when a jogger huffs past me, unmasked, before I have time to dodge, and I make every effort to move away from the maskless. Taking walks is one area where I am willing to take a small risk because staying inside for so many days was so unhealthy for me, mentally and physically. My whole day is better after I've done my regular 2 mile loop. More distance would be better but I usually have to pee by the end. I stop midway and do a lot of stretching which helps, too.

I just finished fostering a kitty for a month and the big challenge now is cleaning up/sanitizing. I have to launder rugs, couch cushion covers, throw pillowcases, towels etc. (She was lovely but had digestive issues. The mice will probably come back if I don't get another foster soon. Sigh...)

Same here, Tea, to feeling "in sync" on this board.  I too will not dispense with mask wearing even after getting the vaccine.

I did some research on KN95 masks about a month ago and posted my findings in the Covid-19 thread on this board.  I'll include the relevant excerpts here for you:

Articles about mask effectiveness usually claim that the KN95s are equally or nearly as effective as N95s (something like greater than 85% effective for the wearer), but you have to be careful which ones you buy.  Only certain brands are approved by the FDA for use during the pandemic, and these are the ones that filter out the finest particles.  It also seems that there are a lot of KN95s out there that won't pass some informal effectiveness tests.  One of those tests is the "water test", which I found out about via this video.  I took all 3 brands of KN95 masks that I owned and put them to the test.  Two passed and one did not.  Ironically, one of the masks that passed was not even labeled a KN95 but had other numbers on it that are commonly used to designate KN95 effectiveness.  None of the brands I had was on the FDA approved list.  So of course after that I was determined to find one that was.

Here is a link to the FDA approved KN95 mask I currently wear on eBay, which is where I buy it. Be sure to choose the "FDA approved for medical" one in the drop-down box.  It is thicker than the others plus of course passed the water test.  I also like the nose piece and how tight it can be molded to your nose without feeling uncomfortable and fogging up glasses.  I think I'm sticking with this one.  If you don't like eBay just Google on Powecom KN95 mask and you'll find it in a lot of places, including Amazon.

Here is a link to the website of the Powecom mask.  It even provides a way to determine if you have received a fake.

Here is a link to the FDA list of KN95 masks approved for use during the pandemic - you'll have to search the page for "Powecom" to find it.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

This was the excuse a lot of people made but if you give the grandparents Covid they are likely to be gone FOREVER.  Missing one holiday is doable.  Possibly exposing them is insane.

7 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

100% agree.  How will people that gave Covid to relatives just to visit them for one holiday, forgive themselves?  I'm old enough to be a grandma, although my only child isn't going to have kids, and there's no way she would visit us during a pandemic.  Her husband's parents, who are in our age group, are actually going to travel to Mexico, and I can't wrap my head around that at all.  I don't care if someone gave me an all-expenses paid vacation ANYWHERE, I would say no!  

Remember a couple of pages ago when I said my SIL was going to stay home on Thanksgiving and Zoom with her kids?  Well all of that suddenly changed and she and her cancer patient husband (who is currently undergoing chemo.) went over to his brother's house, where his wife made dinner for them and her family.  Plus my 30 year old nephews, one of which works in a hospital with Covid patients and has already had Covid, came as well with their girlfriends.  She justified this by saying that "everyone was tested beforehand".

My mind boggles.  I'm sure they all thought they were being ultra careful, but unless they've been living under a rock somebody should have seen it all over the news a few weeks back about how despite prior testing some group events still turned into spreaders.  Even the more accurate testing often turns up a negative result if the person is not yet symptomatic.  Plus I am sure no one thought about voluntarily quarantining themselves before and after like the medical experts were strongly urging.  No, of course not, why should they think any of this can happen to them?  Sometimes I think it's not just about being selfish, but being so self absorbed that you don't see the potential effects of your actions on others, or you think that somehow because you've been spared so far, the risk isn't that high.  Meanwhile, the cases in their area have exploded just like everywhere else.  They had a false sense of security all Summer and early Fall, but they haven't adjusted to the present reality.

Plus their father/husband/brother/brother-in-law is a CANCER PATIENT undegoing CHEMO.  And he's 68 years old AND a type 2 diabetic to boot!  He was also given a great prognosis regarding his cancer - even though it's pancreatic they caught it so early that he was given excellent odds, so this is not some kind of rush to have him see his family or he may not see them again either.

My husband and I are horrified at his sister's attitude.  She actually said over the phone that she thinks she "might be immune" because "if she hasn't gotten it so far she probably won't".  REALLY?  Unbelievably ignorant, irresponsible, and dangerous.  I just pray that neither she nor her husband gets sick - never mind his brother or his wife who are both over 65 at this point (and still work in essential occupations with the public, no less) .  If something bad happens to her husband, my SIL will have to live with that for the rest of her life, although I am sure she would find some way to absolve herself of any guilt for it, saying that if not for that he would have died of something else.  I know her for over 40 years so I am sure of that, sadly.  I would have thought she'd have learned the lesson from what happened to my father, but noooo.....And she LOVED my father, too.  My husband and I keep our mouths shut around her - I am usually not so quiet about these things but she is one of those people that is easily offended and you just don't want to deal with the reaction.  We also know that nothing we could say would make her change her behavior.  

 

[Lovecat]

17 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Medical experts are saying we'll be wearing them for the next year or two and will need to keep up the social distancing.  Just because some have been vaccinated does not mean we can drop our guard. I'm good with that.

Yep.  And a few other things to take into consideration...  It takes several weeks for your body to mount an adequate immune response, so no one should be thinking, "Whoo-hoo, got my shot, time to go party!"  Put'cher mask back on and git back in your house.  A couple of the leading vaccine candidates require TWO shots, too, a month apart.  Also, the 90-95% efficacy we're hearing about is under *current* conditions, i.e., majority of folks masked and at least a modicum of social distancing, so if we expect that kind of efficacy, we've got to stay the course with those preventive measures.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but thank you anyway for coming to my TED talk 🙂

[deirdra]

And the "the 90-95% efficacy" is not as fantastic as it sounds, it is a relative efficacy compared to a placebo over the first month of a trial (in Pfizer's case) and the numbers typically drop each month as vaccine trials continue to run, typically for 6 months to 6 years.  And viruses mutate over time.

Edited November 30, 2020 by deirdra

[Lovecat]

2 minutes ago, deirdra said:

And the "the 90-95% efficacy" is not as fantastic as it sounds, it is a relative efficacy compared to a placebo over the first month of a trial (in Pfizer's case) and the numbers typically drop each month as vaccine trials continue to run, typically for 6 months to 6 years.  And viruses mutate over time.

Yes!  The statisticians mathed out how many cases would need to manifest in the total enrolled population to be able to say that the difference in incidence was due to statistical significance, not chance.  So for example, if they planned on breaking the blind once 100 cases of COVID were observed, and found that 95 of those folks received the vaccine and 5 received placebo, that's where the 95% efficacy claim would come from.  

[Teafortwo]

14 hours ago, Yeah No said:

  I took all 3 brands of KN95 masks that I owned and put them to the test.  Two passed and one did not.  Ironically, one of the masks that passed was not even labeled a KN95 but had other numbers on it that are commonly used to designate KN95 effectiveness.  None of the brands I had was on the FDA approved list.  So of course after that I was determined to find one that was.

Here is a link to the FDA approved KN95 mask I currently wear on eBay, which is where I buy it. Be sure to choose the "FDA approved for medical" one in the drop-down box.  It is thicker than the others plus of course passed the water test.  I also like the nose piece and how tight it can be molded to your nose without feeling uncomfortable and fogging up glasses.  I think I'm sticking with this one.  If you don't like eBay just Google on Powecom KN95 mask and you'll find it in a lot of places, including Amazon.

Here is a link to the website of the Powecom mask.  It even provides a way to determine if you have received a fake.

Here is a link to the FDA list of KN95 masks approved for use during the pandemic - you'll have to search the page for "Powecom" to find it.

Thank you so much! Somehow I missed this info the first time you posted it. I actually did buy the Powecom after reviewing the FDA list. But there were some FDA approved and some not, from that co -- it appeared on both lists. So I bought two different kinds of Powecom. However I didn't know about the company website. Thanks to your post, I will now be able to check the website to scan for whether or not I have a fake!

I figure the added protection of the face shield will help. I only bought 10 of each on Amazon. The EBay link you posted has the FDA approved at a lower cost than the ones I got on Amz so that's great, too.

 

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

Thank you so much! Somehow I missed this info the first time you posted it. I actually did buy the Powecom after reviewing the FDA list. But there were some FDA approved and some not, from that co -- it appeared on both lists. So I bought two different kinds of Powecom. However I didn't know about the company website. Thanks to your post, I will now be able to check the website to scan for whether or not I have a fake!

I figure the added protection of the face shield will help. I only bought 10 of each on Amazon. The EBay link you posted has the FDA approved at a lower cost than the ones I got on Amz so that's great, too.

 

I'm so happy I could be of help, Tea - the reason you didn't see it posted the first time is because I posted it in a different thread when someone asked about KN95 masks right after I had done that research.

In other news, my realtor had a Covid scare - About 10 days ago he and his wife started having flu-like symptoms so they had to quarantine and get tested.  After several days they found out they were negative, thank goodness - I was very worried about them.  Plus it was delaying getting my father's apartment on the market.  I haven't done any renovations as of yet - My realtor told me to hold off on that because the market is very brisk right now and I might be able to sell it as-is.  He has already had one showing (by one of his coworkers when he was sick) and has two more tomorrow.  I am trying to remain hopeful.  One interesting thing he told me is that the market is still strong even now because there was no Spring market at all in NYC plus a lot of people are looking to relocate because of the pandemic.  Also, inventory is low.  So hopefully all those things will work in my favor.  Plus, the apartment has great bones.  My mother had excellent taste and you can see by the floor plan that this is an exceptional apartment.  She loved it because it was on a bright corner in a nice neighborhood on the top floor of a (then) new building with lots of closets.  Plus even though it was built in 1974 it had an open floor plan, something that is very sought after today.  

Here's an image of the floor plan, FYI:

 

[Kohola3]

Wow, those are really big bedrooms!  It does seem to be a sellers market all over the place right now.  It would be great if you can manage to avoid any renovations.  I always think about the wasted money plus materials if you, say, put in new carpeting and the buyer immediately rips it all out.  Paint is one thing but new flooring or knocking down walls like that is expensive and might not be of benefit.

Are they doing virtual tours?  That's the big thing here. Filmed walk-throughs of each room with one of those 360 degree cameras.

[TurtlePower]

16 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

Thank you so much! Somehow I missed this info the first time you posted it. I actually did buy the Powecom after reviewing the FDA list. But there were some FDA approved and some not, from that co -- it appeared on both lists. So I bought two different kinds of Powecom. However I didn't know about the company website. Thanks to your post, I will now be able to check the website to scan for whether or not I have a fake!

I figure the added protection of the face shield will help. I only bought 10 of each on Amazon. The EBay link you posted has the FDA approved at a lower cost than the ones I got on Amz so that's great, too.

 

SO many counterfeit masks out there. Even government agencies fall prey from buying them from other countries (can you believe THAT, and don't ask me how i know this). 

The Israelis have made a mask that is shown to protect the wearer from the virus and I'm thinking of getting some. They're really pricey, but at this point, I don't really care: https://www.jpost.com/health-science/israeli-made-mask-eliminates-over-99-percent-of-coronavirus-lab-tests-suggest-644434

[deirdra]

Yeah No, I was able to sell my 1973 house (1200 sq ft) as is for more than I was expecting 5 months ago. Other than emptying it and a thorough cleaning (including the 32-yr-old carpet) I didn't do a thing. And it worked!  People feel safer viewing unoccupied properties during Covid and when what you see is what you get, they don't feel like something is being hidden under fresh paint and finishes.  And they don't want to pay extra for someone else's fixes & paint colours.  Other than the kitchen & main bath, those rooms do look big compared to new builds, with room to expand the bath & kitchen if the buyer is so inclined. Top floor corner unit with lots of windows & closets in a good neighbourhood will be what sells it.  Good luck!

Edited December 2, 2020 by deirdra

[Teafortwo]

Wow, that is a beautiful apartment! And a terrace too. It looks like 1200 sf which is terrific for any NYC apt. Does the building allow owners to install a washer dryer in their units? 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Teafortwo

[Yeah No]

16 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Wow, those are really big bedrooms!  It does seem to be a sellers market all over the place right now.  It would be great if you can manage to avoid any renovations.  I always think about the wasted money plus materials if you, say, put in new carpeting and the buyer immediately rips it all out.  Paint is one thing but new flooring or knocking down walls like that is expensive and might not be of benefit.

Are they doing virtual tours?  That's the big thing here. Filmed walk-throughs of each room with one of those 360 degree cameras.

No, unfortunately they only did a couple of virtually staged photos, no 360 degree walk throughs.  Here's an example.  Not the best, but it will do for now.

3 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

Wow, that is a beautiful apartment! And a terrace too. It looks like 1200 sf which is terrific for any NYC apt. Does the building allow owners to install a washer dryer in their units? 

No, it's not allowed, but my mom had a washing machine in the closet closest to the kitchen and had to hook it up to the sink to fill and drain it.  She got it before it was prohibited so management looked the other way.

[suomi]

So many closets! Sold! 

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, suomi said:

So many closets! Sold! 

LOL, I know, right?  Actually those closets in the foyer are bigger than they look on the plan.  My mom had a full sized washing machine in the one on the left as you walk in and it only took up a small part of the space.  That closet actually extends most of the way to the front door but it doesn't look that way.  I was actually not happy with the accuracy of the plan.  It was really off on the first try and this one is actually the 3rd try after I complained twice!  And it had big errors like leaving out the window in the dining area and the terrace was shown as half the size.  Supposedly these plans are done by some sort of high tech photography and computer imaging software, but it's not as accurate as it should be.  I know I had the original plan somewhere but despite looking in pretty much every box in the garage I never found it, and I found every original house plan I ever collected in my entire life in there, including the building I lived in in the 1960s, if you can believe that!   I found a plan that my mother drew on graph paper (she was pretty artistic like me) and emailed a copy of it to my realtor to help them, but they still made big mistakes in spite of that.  It's maddening.  The virtual staging photo is actually more accurate than the plan because they used an actual photo of the space.

I'm getting choked up having to give the place up.  If I had the money I'd keep it and use it when I wanted a place to stay in NYC.  

[suomi]

I am really impressed with the layout. And a balcony!  Such a bummer that you can't keep it. I guess too much hassle to lease it?

How long did your parents live there?

[Kohola3]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

No, unfortunately they only did a couple of virtually staged photos, no 360 degree walk throughs.  Here's an example.  Not the best, but it will do for now.

Still it gives buyers an idea. Sadly people are not too imaginative and can't picture how furniture would look.  Plus I learned when selling my little place that the rooms look smaller when they are empty.  My one little bedroom was really a bedroom but people kept saying no way a bed would fit in there which was not true.

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, suomi said:

I am really impressed with the layout. And a balcony!  Such a bummer that you can't keep it. I guess too much hassle to lease it?

How long did your parents live there?

Thanks, it is very nice.  I remember when my mom and I found it - We were just thrilled.  The building was still under construction.  We got there in time to get the best apartment on the top (6th) floor.  At that time it was a rental.  We moved in in August of 1974 on the week of my 16th birthday.  My father lived there for just shy of 46 years.  I wouldn't want to lease it - my husband and I did that for a while with our house and had problems with tenants.  Plus because this is a co-op, the board is very twitchy about who they allow to lease.  They probably have to get board approval, although I'm not sure.  I just don't want to be responsible for that, especially from 100 miles away and knowing how strict the management company is about everything.  Actually I used to dread the management company but now I see that they run a tight ship and that building has a very good reputation as a result.  Also, I need the money.  The pandemic has really put me and my husband in a tough financial situation and that money is very needed right now.  Selling it was what I had always planned on doing anyway, so it's not really that much of a letdown.  I am just engaging in wishful thinking at this point. 

I was hoping one of my nephews who rents in NYC with friends and a girlfriend would want to rent it or even buy it but he doesn't have enough money unfortunately.  I was also hoping my best friend might be interested in it, but she is not - even though I think it might be the best thing for her to stop renting and buy something.  I know she has some inheritance money but I don't know how much or whether she can afford it but she pays well over $2,000 a month rent where she is already and the rents just keep going up - meanwhile she just retired and is now on a fixed and lower income than when she was working.  So I'm not sure she's making the best decision, but she never does, unfortunately.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Yeah No

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

I was hoping one of my nephews who rents in NYC with friends and a girlfriend would want to rent it or even buy it but he doesn't have enough money unfortunately.  I was also hoping my best friend might be interested in it...

You know; what, it's probably best to stick to selling to strangers.  That way you can ask for top dollar without feeling guilty.  And if there is some sort of issue like with the management company or some sort of structural issue nobody can come back to you and make you feel badly about it.

[Teafortwo]

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

No, unfortunately they only did a couple of virtually staged photos, no 360 degree walk throughs.  Here's an example.  Not the best, but it will do for now.

No, it's not allowed, but my mom had a washing machine in the closet closest to the kitchen and had to hook it up to the sink to fill and drain it.  She got it before it was prohibited so management looked the other way.

My aunt had one of those, long ago in a rent controlled apt. I think that could mean it is grandfathered in. We had a Board member who snuck in both washer and dryer. When she sold, the new buyer was allowed to replace her crummy ones with brand new models during his gut reno of the unit. 

(It was so craven: the same Board member lobbied for sn official ban on in unit w/d to prevent her next door neighbor from installing them. Then turned around and got electric w/d of her own. We discovered this when she listed her apt for sale with w/d. She was a horrid person!)

[suomi]

Rafer Johnson, age 85, who carried the American flag into Rome’s Olympic Stadium in August 1960 as the first Black captain of a United States Olympic team and went on to win gold in a memorable decathlon duel, bringing him acclaim as the world’s greatest all-around athlete, died on Wednesday at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles.

Nice guy, well-liked. And foxy.

[deirdra]

He also helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968.  RIP Rafer.

[Yeah No]

17 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

You know; what, it's probably best to stick to selling to strangers.  That way you can ask for top dollar without feeling guilty.  And if there is some sort of issue like with the management company or some sort of structural issue nobody can come back to you and make you feel badly about it.

Yep, you're right of course.  I'm actually better off not being a part of what happens to it after I sell it for a lot of reasons.  For the longest time I just wanted to be rid of the place because of all the emotional anxiety I felt about it, plus the responsibility of having to deal with it, not to mention the high monthly expenses to keep it (that I can't afford), but now with selling it on the horizon I'm just having misgivings.  I know it's for the best but it's still hard to let go.

15 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

My aunt had one of those, long ago in a rent controlled apt. I think that could mean it is grandfathered in. We had a Board member who snuck in both washer and dryer. When she sold, the new buyer was allowed to replace her crummy ones with brand new models during his gut reno of the unit. 

(It was so craven: the same Board member lobbied for sn official ban on in unit w/d to prevent her next door neighbor from installing them. Then turned around and got electric w/d of her own. We discovered this when she listed her apt for sale with w/d. She was a horrid person!)

Wow, that's nasty, but sadly not unbelievable.  I don't think my mother's machine was tolerated because of any grandfathering, just that the building manager at that time was very nice and my Dad was the head of the board of directors so she just never made a fuss over it.  At one point my mom did get wind of the downstairs neighbor complaining about the noise from the machine, so she started using it only when she knew they were at work, LOL.  I think if not for that she may have been pressured to stop using it altogether.

[laurakaye]

Random thoughts:

I am not even a dog person but now when I go for a walk and a cute doggo smiles at me I want to stop and pet them but I can't and it makes me sad.  And there's a house down the street that has two cats and I love to stop and pet those cats but again - can't do it.  I avoid the house now when I walk.

I also wonder about how babies/toddlers are processing their world when everyone around them are wearing masks (except at home).  If I see a baby in a cart ahead of me in line at the store, naturally I smile at them but they can't see it through the mask.  Is that causing some subtle changes in their lil' brains when they search a stranger's face and don't see a smile?

Incidentally, the very best time to ponder questions like this is around 2:45 in the morning, if you were wondering.

Edited December 4, 2020 by laurakaye

[Rabbit Hutch]

COVID Update from OTR, Holiday Edition   🎄

Happy Holidays, internet friends!  This Holiday edition will be the final report for 2020, which I will be glad to see the backside of as it crawls on its greasy belly out the door! Gee, I have never seen such a year in my lifetime, and I hope it’s unique in that I won’t see another like it.  So, what have we got to wrap up this infamous year?  Protests, riots, COVID, political issues, and lockdowns, shutdowns and meltdowns of every sort.  Everyone’s undies are in a twist, it seems, so what indeed is there to celebrate?  🤷‍♀️

Take me, for example.  I was all set for our Christmas run to see Christmas lights and drink eggnog and sing Christmas carols along with Michael Bublet on the radio.  I purchased the holiday wreath for the front of our truck and holiday throws for our bunks!  It was gonna be our last run together before I headed back to base camp to await the Spring/Summer runs, so we were gonna make it a good one. This hometime I cooked and froze food, collected Lysol products and hand sanitizer from store, friends and family, and began the process of shutting down the place, when DH looked at me and said he wanted to discuss the OTR situation.  I knew what was coming, and I didn’t blame him. He’s worried that it’s going to be even worse than last year when everything closed down, and another person out there with him naturally increases the risk factor.  😷

Well, in a nutshell we decided for me to stay home this Christmas, the first one in 5 years. The risk is too great, and it really puts the stress on him.  My mind, of course, understands all of this clearly, but my heart is heavy.  This means I’ll be home until March 1st, at the earliest.  What a long, long, long time for a gypsy queen such as myself.  🚚

There is an upside. They are running DH hard, and so we are blessed with a regular paycheck.  We are both relatively healthy, so again we’re counting our blessings. And we are looking to moving into our forever home in 2021, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, so I have to get us packed and ready to go.  Maybe being stuck at home is a blessing in disguise.  

In closing, it looks like I have plenty to celebrate.  Me and DH have each other, our health, a good job that pays our bills, a warm place to call home, food on the table, and a few positive future plans to look forward to.  With that in mind, I’m gonna quit feeling sorry for myself and get on with my life.  🙄

I wish for everyone a warm and comfortable holiday season. 💓 May 2021 bring us all out of this darkness, together.  🌎

Edited December 8, 2020 by Rabbit Hutch

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

In closing, it looks like I have plenty to celebrate

A healthy attitude to take in this troubling times.  You are lucky that DH cares enough for you and your health to go it alone to keep you safe.  That's love.