So How are You and Your Better Half Working Through This Virus Quarantine?

Greaser · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

So How are You and Your Better Half Working Through This Virus Quarantine?

65 SD L79 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Those dogs are being killed with kindness.

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Mary and i are doing more binge watching that usual, sometimes five episodes in a row. Finished watching OZARK and started watching most recent season of FARGO. We have been going for far more country drives than usual. We do curb side service of our favorite pizza "BLAZE" and take it to a small lake near by. We play various card games and board games every day. We both spend more time than usual talking on the phone with our friends and family, luckily we both have our own cell phones for that. Mary goes for two hour walks in town, i go for shorter walks because of my bad knee. Mary has taken up pencil drawing after watching some on line how to's. I am going all over both my vintage toys to make them the best they can be and taking them for drives, with or without Mary. Trying to stay busy and trying to enjoy life anyway we can. Cheers.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I'm still working so not much has changed. My wife does a few gigs from home- bookkeeping, web design etc. It's bittersweet to still be working as I visit an average 6 or 7 grocery stores per week delivering our product and putting it on the shelves. I have to say the grocery stores do a better job with sanitizing and social distancing in the front end of the store than they do the back end! I've run out of disposable gloves so that's a bit worrying. Many of the stores don't even have sanitizer for the delivery drivers. I lucked out and found a couple of packages of Lysol wipes that I take with me on my runs as well. I'm also not drinking much fluids on the days I'm on the road as public washrooms are getting harder to find as many are closed. Some of the grocery stores here have closed to the public. I'm really thankful we have only had 25 cases of Covid-19 so far and there hasn't been any sign of community transmission.

Leo2+2 · Guru

I've switched to a home office since 4 weeks ago so work for me goes on as usual.

My wife works in a school so she's been home since mid March. She has been baking a lot and in charge of the home chores although the kids have been helping a lot.

The kids (last year in High School) have also been off since mid March however my daughter started working part time in a grocery store the weekend the lock down begun and my son also started working part time in a senior's residence a week before the lockdown begun so they have been kept busy and earning money for half the time. The rest of their free time is spent playing video games, communicating with their friends and helping out at home.

I've been able to get to my own time earlier than usual due to lack of commute so I was able to trim my trees, clean up the yard, get the daily driver car ready for summer and a few odd jobs on the Parisienne. Yesterday with help from my son (really helps that he's skinny and 110 pounds) we changed the drive belt. Also prepared all the bikes for the summer.

As a family together all we've done is watch a movie every 2 or 3 days, play chess and occasional walks in the neighborhood, that's about it.

Cheers.

dcneric · Poncho Master!

For my wife and I, no change as we are both still in essential services. My two youngest are university students and are starting to get a bit bat shit crazy between finals stress and the lock down. The oldest enjoys solitude and is also enduring finals but works in essential services as well.

All and all, pretty normal in my household.....4 women, 3 dogs, 2 cats and me. What could go wrong?

65 SD L79 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I watched a few good men on the weekend. I had never seen it before

cranks38 · Addicted!

Four of us here + two cats. My wife, my son and I are working from home. My daughter is working out of the house and taking her tech courses online since the lock down. We're getting along just fine, though we did visit the liquor store yesterday. biggrin

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Both retired and we havent killed each other. Ive been doing yard work and working finishing the new garage, insulation, interior wall finish, moving stuff from a storage container into the garage, slowly. Wife has been unpacking things and hanging pictures, etc in the new house. Have to build anew deck once the weather cooperates.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

70 SS ACADIAN wrote:
I watched a few good men on the weekend. I had never seen it before

This is as good as it gets for a 90's film drama, Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, Cuba Gooding Jr and directed by Rob Reiner.

64PARCONUK · Addicted!

Todd

I spent the best part of 35 years on the road, up to 14 hours a day, but always took a giant Thermos flask so I could re-hydrate throughout. Most of the year I had very weak tea (with the milk stored separately) but filled with iced cold drinks during those rare English hot days...........

64PARCONUK · Addicted!

.........I still drink about 10 pints of weak tea per day, whether at work or home. I guess that's also rather English!

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

All good here. Business around the house almost per usual.

The big change, only one trip out of the house every two weeks into civilization for groceries. cry We are strictly social distancing.

Today's agenda, I'll be digging up and transplanting some Spruce trees.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Pontiacanada wrote:
All good here. Business around the house almost per usual.
The big change, only one trip out of the house every two weeks into civilization for groceries. We are strictly social distancing.
Today's agenda, I'll be digging up and transplanting some Spruce trees.

That sounds like fun!

I grew up in a tree nursery, literally in the middle of it. Here's a 1964 aerial view. Of course by 1996 it had expanded quite a bit. The picture doesn't show all the plots of trees but you get the idea.

Our family ran one for 70 years, 3 generations, 1926-1996 before the famous floods finally closed it. We specialized in spruce, raising them from seed which very few nurseries around here do. Spruce are oh so important on the prairies because you need the shelter from the winter winds. It's tons of fun transplanting etc.

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I'm trying to keep busy but list has run out, on both cars, & it's too BLOODY cold to do yard work yet. Sharon is in Scarborough, self isolating there, so haven't seen her in over 5 weeks!!! I seem to be going to LCBO for 3 week supply of " medicine" every 2 days!!!! Had the Impala out last week for short test drive, then the wagon on Monday for same, snow came Tuesday morning so there both in "ISOLATION" !!!!

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Wow! growing up on a tree nursery sounds a lot more pleasant that growing up on a mink farm like I did. I just wonder what you did with all the diapers though?

The thought of a tree nursery give me some pleasant memories I have to say. When I was a younger Forest Ranger I was in charge of quite a few tree planting projects in Northern Alberta so I saw the product of quite a few nurseries as we brought them back to the forest to be planted. We used to camp out in the forest for the length of the contract and make sure they were going in the ground properly so they would have a decent chance to grow.

I have always had a tremendous repect for good treeplanters as it has to be one of the hardest jobs I can imagine, having to carry your seedlings in heavy planting bags through recently harvested rough terrain cutblocks, plant them quickly so you could actually make money, (It was piecework.) but also maintain the correct spacing and quality so the contract specs were met. Not to mention living in a tent for the whole summer.

Whenever I meet a doctor lawyer or pilot or anyone who has done well for themselves and they mention they had planted trees for a few summers to make the money they needed, I give them a huge pat on the back! (Not any more though)

Even now when we arrive at a wildfire with the birddog and I see the fire moving into a replanted area I really try my hardest to keep it out of there especially when I remember how much work it was to get them there in the first place.

Now that I have derailed this thread I will quickly revert to the topic at hand.

I really hate to say this but the quarantine hasn't affected our life too much really, given that we live on a large acreage outside a small remote town and I only work in the summers during fire season so i just haven't left the yard/garage too much. I usually don't go too far this time of year in any case as I really enjoy the spring around here (Which may have finally shown up this week, for Petes sake!) My wife is still working mostly from home but occasionally has to go to the local office here which has almost nobody there so the risk is very low. She does careful shopping when she has to and I have had to go to the hardware store a few times to get supplies for the bathroom renovation she forced on me recently. (Like what else are you doing lately, dear?)

I even baked a cake for her birthday the other day so some of these changes are actually making us rethink our usually more out-and-about lifestyle. (Hers anyway)

I have hoarded almost as many parts and cars as I need to keep me putzing for years and we still go for long walks around the neighbourhood making sure we keep our distance from any body.

The only downside is that we have pretty much worn out the fridge door out of boredom eating so the old flab is back after all the effort I put in last fall to lose some of it.

I have also always valued acquiring and keeping a huge collection of books, music and movies so I haven't had to rely on the very limited selections they allow you to view on netflix or what have you. Kind of most of the way though youtube though.

Its not bad for us but, I feel badly for the people stuck in small condos with a couple of school age kids. Its got to be getting pretty tense....

-- Edited by 66 Grande guy on Thursday 16th of April 2020 01:13:43 PM

-- Edited by 66 Grande guy on Thursday 16th of April 2020 01:15:28 PM

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I have to laugh about Ken's statement about "Boredom Eating". Since we now grocery shop every two weeks Connie picks up "extra" bags of chips to last us until next trip. Funny thing is they are gone the first week..

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I can attest to all that! Good thing I managed to get a tilt steering setup for the Beaumont. I'm gonna need it!

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

dualquadpete wrote:
I'm trying to keep busy but list has run out, on both cars, & it's too BLOODY cold to do yard work yet. Sharon is in Scarborough, self isolating there, so haven't seen her in over 5 weeks!!! I seem to be going to LCBO for 3 week supply of " medicine" every 2 days!!!! Had the Impala out last week for short test drive, then the wagon on Monday for same, snow came Tuesday morning so there both in "ISOLATION" !!!!

Pete, thank goodness we can still get our "medicine".

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

4SPEED427 wrote:
Pontiacanada wrote:
All good here. Business around the house almost per usual.
The big change, only one trip out of the house every two weeks into civilization for groceries. We are strictly social distancing.
Today's agenda, I'll be digging up and transplanting some Spruce trees.
That sounds like fun!
I grew up in a tree nursery, literally in the middle of it. Here's a 1964 aerial view. Of course by 1996 it had expanded quite a bit. The picture doesn't show all the plots of trees but you get the idea.
Our family ran one for 70 years, 3 generations, 1926-1996 before the famous floods finally closed it. We specialized in spruce, raising them from seed which very few nurseries around here do. Spruce are oh so important on the prairies because you need the shelter from the winter winds. It's tons of fun transplanting etc.

It was/is fun! I moved 25 this morning. Through the years, I've done about 400+ Spruce on our property, not to mention other species.

Here's today's proof biggrin

thumbnail_April 16-2 005.jpg

Greaser · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Pontiacanada wrote:
It was/is fun! I moved 25 this morning. Through the years, I've done about 400+ Spruce on our property, not to mention other species.
Here's today's proof

ABC123 · Uber Guru

Just got notice today that my Job will not be back a least until June 1st.

My wife is petty happy about that.

The bills can wait.

The dog loves her long morning walks

I have lost almost 10 pounds so far.

As good as it sounds, I gained 20 pounds on that desk job.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Its great watching them grow over the years. They are like buddies when you start them out like that. I've got some that are pushing 20 feet now on my place. It takes more patience than using the big treemover (not that I have the option here) but it is better for the tree to plant them young. My rule of thumb is that the root ball should be about he same size as the top in order to make sure they have a good enough root system.

I have had the occasion to go back to some of the tree plantation I had stuff to do with in the 80's and it sure make a guy feel good to see them at 30 feet now. Tree planting was my favorite thing I ever did in forestry, because you get to feel like you're putting something back.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

As they say "There's never a bad time to plant a tree but you sure wish you had done it 20 years ago!"

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

My whole life I've always thought of spruce trees on the prairies as being "Like a Rock" (and yes, I am listening to Bob Seger sing that right now!). However they really are struggling here the past few years. Also, the ones at the nursery where I lived my first 17 years and then moved back for another 23 years until 2016, are now having a tough time. Some are just old, pushing 90 years and are just plain failing. Some are dying off, apparently there's a blight and also a fungus that might be the cause. Regardless, it's sad.