Corona Virus Pandemic Preparedness

[Squirt's Mom]

Good to see you here, Sharlene, and especially good to know you and yours are doing well!
Hugs,
Leslie

[Harley PoMMom]

Went to the grocery store this morning, wearing my mask as ordered from our Governor, and was able to purchase everything I needed! Misty and I are going to bake cupcakes on Wednesday, she loves to help with the mixing and measuring and I love having her.

Pennsylvania's numbers continue to climb with a quarter of the cases located in Philadelphia, in York where I live we have 563 confirmed, Philadelphia has 11,152! We still have a strict stay at home order, which like I mentioned before doesn't bother me too much since I'm such a homebody, however a friend of mine that just retired in March is really taking this hard. He had so many trips planned, and he is a such a social butterfly so this stay at home order is just driving him nuts.

The monarch butterfly season will be starting in June, can't wait for that, I'm ready to see those beautiful winged creatures!!!!

[labblab]

Is today still scheduled for cupcake baking??? You’re an inspiration to me, Lori — after reading your reply, I headed out to get cupcake supplies for myself. So I’m gonna be baking away today, too.

We’re supposed to have rain and storms this afternoon (hopefully not severe...). So I figure it’ll be cozy to turn on the oven and treat ourselves to something comforting to snack on. I know you’ll be having great fun with Misty. Luna, of course, will be my little four-legged helper ;-))).

Bon appetit!

[Harley PoMMom]

Yes, cupcakes were baked yesterday! Misty wanted to color/paint me a picture instead of helping with the cupcakes, which I thought was fine. I had bought her a brand new pair of PJ Mask sneakers that light up (PJ Mask are her favorite cartoon characters) so she wanted to make me something to show her appreciation, isn't that just precious!!!! She ended up spending the night, we watched movies in my bed, ate popcorn, and some cupcakes! We had a ball!!!!

[Budsters Mom]

Hey Lori, I want to spend the night at your house! Sounds like a blast! Having a precious little one around makes everything better! Keep us posted, okay?

[Joan2517]

That does sound like great fun, Lori! I have taken Sibbie over to see my grandsons a couple of times this past week. She misses Josh terribly! I think now that the weather is getting warmer, we might go for walks with them or go watch while they ride their bikes in the school parking lot. Only Sigi goes out to do the shopping at their house and Victor usually does ours, so our exposure to the virus has been limited. The only places I go to are to get dog food and dog meds and it's curbside pickup.

I should know next week whether I still have a job. HR will be calling next Friday to let employees know if they've been laid off or furloughed. I am conflicted! On the one hand I do not want to have to go back into the city, but on the other, I would hate to be let go. I like my job, just not where it moved to...and of course there is the money issue . But whatever will be, will be. I wouldn't mind being a more available grandma, especially if Sigi and Jess both go back to work and the schools have not opened.

We'll see!

[labblab]

Well, our plate that held 12 cupcakes on Wednesday is now down to holding 6, so I’d say that “baking day“ was a big success in both our houses!

[Budsters Mom]

Here it is.... I am feeling extremely conflicted right now. Been under a very strict stay at home order since March 16th. I have only ventured out weekly as needed for essentials, then right back home. My brain tells me stay the course. That's it's needed for now. That I am keeping myself and others safe. However, I feel like my house is closing in on me. I am used to being on the go. My routine has always started with going to work. Now that I'm working from home, I'm feeling out of balance and stressed. I am most certainly not alone with these feelings. They are probably quite common right now. I remain home for now, except for social distancing and wearing my mask when out for essentials. I know it won't be forever, but it sure feels like it sometimes.

[labblab]

I hear ya, Kathy! The uncertainty about the timeframe is the part that is hardest for me. We’ve been so careful so far and I don’t want to blow it all due to a momentary lapse. But I also know that we can’t live this way forever, and I’m not sure what to set as my personal criteria for being willing to risk a bit more exposure since it’ll likely be months before things truly change for the better in terms of treatment or control.

So far, the saving grace for me has been taking Luna for her walks morning and afternoon. I either just walk on the street in our neighborhood, or I drive her over to a nearby office park that has a lake and miles of largely deserted sidewalk. There are a few other people walking, too, but there’s no problem with staying far away from one another. Since it’s outside and I’m never anywhere near anybody else, I do dispense with wearing my mask most of the time. For those two walks each day, I almost feel normal again. Soon it’ll be too hot here to venture out in the afternoon, but we’ll continue our early morning walks all through the summer.

Since it sounds as though efficient transmission of the virus is much lower outdoors, I suspect that’s the manner in which we may start to “re-enter” face-to-face interactions down the road. Maybe meeting up with a friend outdoors for a chat or even a picnic, but keeping ourselves on blankets or chairs that are a good distance apart. Of course, we may need bullhorns to communicate with each other, but at least we should be relatively safe! I’m not yet ready to risk even that, though. And I’m figuring that May will come and go before anything at all changes much around our house. These are tough times, for sure, and another reason why I’m so glad I can always come here to visit with my K9C family.

[Squirt's Mom]

Wait a minute, Marianne......you made cupcakes over the weekend and yesterday you still had SIX left?! Ya'll aren't doing this confinement thing right at all! You are supposed to be cooking and eating and cooking and eating over and over and over til you can't get into any of your clothes.