We both got our second jabs more than two weeks ago.  Both through the VA.  Sally was 'first wave' as a health care worker, I was 3rd wave as a partially compromised veteran over 70.  Feeling much better about things in general.  But we will not stop mask wearing for probably another year.  We already had lots of quantitative evidence that traveling -- flying in particular -- while masked reduces contracted illness, and for the past 10 years have always flown and entrained that way.

Very sorry to hear that. Very best wishes for a speedy recovery. I‘m sure we’ll all be thinking of you.

I got my second vaccine shot this morning.  I then ordered  lunch for the family from my favorite sandwich spot (actually called The Sandwich Spot).  The joint sits across the street from a small park near a small complex for "active seniors."  In the park there were three or four groups of people without masks, all "of a certain age" as they say, picnicking together.  It occurred to me that they had probably all been vaccinated, and it was the first sign I've seen in a long time of social life getting back to normal.

Here in California, the vaccines will be available to anyone over 50 as of April 1 and anyone over 16 after April 15.  That means my wife and daughter can get vaccinated, too, so long as vaccine supplies don't run out.  Once the whole family is covered I'll feel a lot more comfortable meeting with friends I haven't seen in a long time.  

Someday we'll all be interviewed by young students doing oral histories of the "Great Pandemic of 2020" (hopefully not the "First COVID Pandemic") and they won't believe how our social lives were shut down. I never used to go to the movies too often, or go bowling, or hang out in cafes, or that kind of thing. But now I miss those experiences.

@ken-longfield that's a shame about your vaccine delay. It must be frustrating. On the bright side, the delay is 'only' 12 days, so I'll keep my fingers crossed your new appt goes as planned! 

Around our area the snowstorm turned out to be almost all rain (there was ice last night) and was in the mid 30s today. Our 45 min drive was no problem at all, just wet. We were just plain lucky here, when so many are suffering from the current huge winter storm(s).

I got my first covid Moderna shot today - was so excited!     It was ultra quick and easy. I had filled out the vaccine forms ahead of time at home, no crowds or lines at all  -only took 7 minutes total from when i walked into Walgreen's til when i walked out... and i got to wait the 15 minutes observation time afterwards out in our car with my husband instead of sitting inside the drugstore. 
My only reaction was my cheeks got noticeably pink and flushed for several hours afterwards   but i felt just fine and had no fever. Arm site is getting a little sore now hours later but that's really common with vaccines.

Unfortunately my husband does not turn 65 until July, so he still does not qualify in NY state yet. I wish we could get the shots at the same time! But he's always home while I do all the shopping trips, so it's good I get the shots started now. My second shot is in 1 month, same place.

The one piece of good news in the UK is the vaccine program, which is going full speed with about 15% vaccinated already. But we still have thousands in hospital and hundreds dead daily. Our thoughts are with all those affected, wherever they are.

My wife was to get her first shot of the Covid19 vaccine today and I was to get mine tomorrow. Both of us received notices that due to the bad weather and the availability of the vaccine our first shots will be delayed. My first shot is now scheduled for February 28.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

My sympathy goes to Kusani and everybody else who lost somebody because of the virus.
The problem with different local government sounds familiar, it's the same here in Germany and also quite frustrating. At least some learnt the hard way after the numbers in their state sky rocketed. 
Still quite sad and frustrating for everybody who lost somebody because of this mess.

So sorry about your loss. I live between two states KY/TN I understand frustrations with the difference in how their Governors view Covid.  Please stay safe. Covid doesn't care what view you have. It's a virus.

Kusani, my sympathy goes out to your family.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

@kusani I'm very sorry to hear about your brother in law passing away from covid. How awful this virus is.

Drive carefully!

@kusani I offer my deepest sympathy.  

My wife lost one of her brothers last week due to complications caused by Covid.  Please use all recommended precautions and be safe!  Unfortunately we live in a state, Tn.,  where the govt. officials have not taken the virus seriously. :( 

I had my first covid shot two weeks ago.  I was  impressed by the professionalism of the volunteers and how organized they were! No after effects other than a VERY small tender spot for 3 or 4 hours. I go back Mar 4th. It is only about 5 miles from the house.  I got a Focusrite recording interface so will try some recording tomorrow since they probably will not have the roads clear. It will be a good day for that

Yes Strumelia, well worth trip. The more folks who get the vaccine the closer we get to at least a little of normalcy. It'll still be months probably before enough are vaccinated for it to be normal to be realistic. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

We'll be doing some snow blowing and shoveling here tomorrow too, Bill!

I'm pretty excited- tomorrow I am getting my first covid vaccine! Will be driving to a Walgreens about 45 minutes away, but well worth the trip i think! 

Covid has had us inside for way to long!  Heavy snow now will require firing up the snow blower so at least I have reason to go outside.   Not so bad though electric start and heated handle grips. 

 Just a reminder that better times are coming, just be patient.

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Great idea about mailing and then sharing the cup of tea together, Cynthia! Like a little tea club.
There will be some roof raking going on here today as well.

We too 'embrace the hyggelig'. I draped strings of various little lights like a canopy over our little kitchen table where we eat... feels like eating under the stars, but of many colors... sooo cozy we decided we'll be leaving them up for the coming months. We always line up several candles on the table as well when we eat meals.

Jan you're right I forgot about the organizing/purging pandemic fad. I did some of that too and successfully sold off a substantial bunch of stuff on ebay. Didn't purge as many things as I was hoping to, but I did make a nice chunk of change while I was enthused.  :)

In terms of cleaning/organizing projects-  Last month I went through every bed pillow in the house (16 of them!) and threw out 6 of the oldest ones and bought 2 new ones. Some of those 'heirloom' feather pillows were decades old. (yuk)  I also tossed the old inner zipper pillow protectors and bought new ones for every pillow. (got a couple 8-packs of cotton zipper pillow protectors on am*z*n.)  Nice to have that fresh pillow feeling! 

We also decided to get rid of the 30 yr old high quality LLBean real down comforter on our bed- it just didn't seem to fluff up much anymore and I suspected the feathers inside were slowly breaking down over time. It was time.  I took a chance on ordering a down-substitute duvet insert this time instead of real down (which is SO expensive now anyway). Also got new duvet zipper covers for it. It was so lightweight that we had doubts, but the first few nights I was so overheated i kept asking Brian to turn the night thermostat lower. This duvet is way warmer than our ancient real down one, and we wound up reducing the heat at night by 4 degrees... which will save money.

We spend so much time at home waiting out the covid blues. Doing things that give us a sense of positivity, connection, and renewal is helpful.  :)

Roof raking at zero degrees has become an exciting and uplifting event during covid. Even thought about visited a neighbor who moved away a year ago and recently returned. What was he thinking anyway? This is the perfect place to live! And I discovered many new herb teas that are healthful, refreshing, give give me something to break up the day and mail to friends to have a cup of tea together over the phone. Then folks have something to look forward to. Oh, and more Duolingo languages - I actually got through the new Finnish course 4 times, and all the Scandinavian languages as well. Think Danish hyggelig,,,

Pandemic fads: searching, sorting, cleaning and purging, all while trying to locate things that I know are around here somewhere...

A word concerning reactions to vaccines: They are annoying but actually a sign, that the vaccines is working. The reactions are a reaction of our immune system, so they mean that the vaccines managed to provoke the immune system to do something about the potential threat. Ergo: Building anti-bodys. So they shouldn't be anything to worry about.  And quite tame in relation to the real virus/sickness. No reaction doesn't mean however, that the vaccine is not working. Probably your immune system was quite good at the start, but will profit from the shot non the less.

So the pandemic is now going on 1 year, and folks will be hanging close to home/social distancing for a while to come yet.

Let's see... what pandemic fads have we all gone through, while trying to do something that feels comforting or productive?

First there was the baking craze... lots of sourdough and other breads! Me, i was baking apple crumb muffins and choc chip cookies a whole lot.  Then i also started making yogurt since we love yogurt at home. Both those things I'm still enjoying doing.

Some people started knitting, or sewing masks. I used to knit a lot but did not take it back up during quarantine. I did however sew a couple dozen masks for us and our grown children. I sewed a new batch of masks a month ago to freshen our home supply.

Some people adopted dogs or other pets bring them cheer.

There was a lot of fitness walking during the warm months, and also people roller skating, and buying regular or indoor Peloton bikes, elipticals, mini trampolines, doing yoga online.  I got a little trampoline, my husband got a trainer to put his bike on- to ride in the livingroom. I sold my two old pairs of roller skates and roller gear on ebay for a good price!  :)

People got into gardening with a passion this year. I did my usual vegetable garden, but that's not new for me.

Now people have been diving into collecting houseplants in a big way. I think it's a way of bringing the promise of Spring and new change and growth to alleviate this dark pandemic winter. Plants in the house are a tonic and a comfort!  I've always had about a dozen nice cactus and succulents in various windows of our house. Years ago i opted for cactus because I knew our cats would leave them alone. heheh. One of my older cacti died last month after many years.
In the Fall I got a new snake plant for my office, which has been doing well and brings me joy. But today while buying some groceries at our local farm store, I really succumbed to temptation and bought two large new houseplants- a dark burgundy leaved rubber tree plant, and one of those trendy Monstera Deliciosa- those big green jungle-y plants with the splits and holes in their leaves. Luckily I had a couple of locations for them next to windows where they might do well. So nice to have green living things in the house during the dead of winter!

What pandemic fads have you guys tried out this past weird year? Have i forgotten some of the hobbies and trends that have been popular during this endless pandemic?

We were given a phone number to call. Answered at Cerner: took our shots the next day at Cerner Worldheadquarters.

No side effects.

So  happy my husband got his first vaccination today.  I asked him if he felt any different (since he rarely reacts to any kind of a shot) and he said, "Not even a sore arm";  that's good news!

My wife and I had minimal reactions; some what of a sore arm for a day and a bit of fatigue for a couple of days. Other than that all went well. Hopefully the reactions will be mild for the majority. 

Betty, your vaccine reaction sounds just like what I went through with my second shingles vaccine last year. I woke up with a high fever and my teeth were chattering for several hours even though I was covered with heavy blankets. It was no fun, but like you I felt better the next day pretty quickly. It's good that we all know what to expect when we do get the covid vaccine- particularly the second shot which is the one that really kicks your immune cells into high gear so that they will be prepared for combat if you're later exposed to the real virus.  BTW there is no covid virus in any of these vaccines, so folks needn't worry at all about 'getting covid' from a vaccine.  :)

Well, husband and I got our second shot of Pfizer. He faired better than I did. We received our shot about lunch time this past Monday. I began to chill by about 7:30 that night. I took my temperature at 8:30 and it was 99.5. That's fairly high for me. At midnight my joints started aching. I got a headache and chills. I felt just like I had the flu. Next morning my temp was 101.9. I knew that taking Ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin was a no no. I was temped but thought I've come this far, don't blow it now. By that evening symptoms went away and I was back to normal. My husband didn't feel bad until the middle of that night. He got chills and a fever of 99.5. He got up the next morning and was fine. 

Bottom line is, I would do it all again if it meant I could stop this horrible virus that has taken so many of my friends, their friends and family. We have lost so many good people who had to die alone and that is the most heartbreaking thing I've ever experienced. No funerals allowed when I lost my 82 year old aunt who was the last of my mother's family. 

The time changes soon. The days will get longer. The music will be sweeter and we will get through this. We all sound better when we play together. 

Please stay safe out there.

I've just heard of 4 families where everyone has Covid-19.  I am praying they will survive.

The father of a friend of my brother just died from COVID. He got it on work (he was a MD at a rehab hospital). The sad thing is, that he would got his first vaccination shot two days after his test result was positive

I didn't know him and neither his family (friend of my brother not mine) but I can imagine this must be quite hard on the family.

I get out and walk every day, even in the snow. Sandie not so much, as she is in a wheelchair and asthmatic to boot. I am keeping busy online as a local official of my provincial and federal political parties, and our chorus have been rehearsing via Zoom since September. I believe I may have said so earlier ... the husband of one of our section leaders is editing two song performances together,so far, for one of those multiwindow Youtube videos, and we are going for two or three more over the next few months. Tons of fun singing my baritone part to a click track and recording myself on my cell phone.

And we finally got it together to subscribe to Netflix ... The Crown, Bridgerton, The Dig and Blown Away are all fascinating in their own various ways.

Oh, and the National Hockey League has started, with no cross border travel we finally have an all Canadian division. No spectators in the seats, but the games are good. Our Maple Leafs are doing good.  No football in our apartment, though ... we do not watch the No Fun League.

My middle brother's second ex-wife's mother succumbed to Covid late last month, in Tennessee. Closest family so far, that I know of.

Dusty, I have attended one funeral for a close friend's father, last year, by Zoom. Not easy but better than one-way streaming on Youtube. His family members could speak to it from all over south central Ontario.

As to getting any vaccination, we are at the mercy of events elsewhere ... both Pfizer and Moderna have production delays in Europe, and in Canada we have NO vaccine production. At all. For anything. The Conservative federal government under Brian Mulroney sold it off in the late 80s. And the Liberals under Trudeau the Lesser have only today announced that they will try to get something of a production going ... by a year from now if we are lucky.

Sorry for the politics intruding into this discussion, but 'fore G*d I will NEVER vote for either of those parties. End rant.

Mark and I go outside and walk almost daily.  We drive to a couple spots not far away to get in more challenging walks and to get out of the village for a bit.  

@mary-z-cox Violet Juniper is adorable!  

What are you all doing to stay healthy at home, or to keep from going stir crazy?

We have a set of stairs in our house that I normally make about 9 or 10 trips a day on, since my office is upstairs. I'm trying to double up lots of those trips now so that Im doing 15 or 20 sets of stairs in a day.
I'm also doing various yoga-like stretches whenever I can, to help counteract all the desk sitting I do.

My husband and i occasionally pull out a board game (bored game? lol) to break up the routine. Our favorites are Qwirkle, Bananagrams, and Pente.

I read that most states have only managed to vaccinate between 1-2% of their population so far, so obviously we have a looong ways to go. Vaccine supplies and outreach are improving every week though.
I managed to get an appt for my first vaccine for April 15, but still, I'll have to drive to Albany almost an hour away- that's my nearest state run vaccine site. It's possible I may be able to get vaccinated earlier in some more local pharmacy or health center... if I get lucky. (I do currently qualify in NY since I'm over 65.)
But so many folks can't drive, or don't have any computer savvy to make appointments online. Here's to vaccines becoming as easily accessible as getting a flu shot by summer!

Hi Mary:

I'm about 400 miles south of you in Fort Myers.  Our county sucks at getting out the vaccine(s).  I'm trying to get it through our local VA, and even they haven't gotten to all the high-risk and vets 75 and up yet.

Update —our little granddaughter (Violet Juniper Hyder) came 5 weeks early on Jan 23 & she is home with her parents—she is very tiny 4 lbs 11oz .and they are allowed no visitors because she is a preemie & because of the virus—but we may be allowed to see her after she gains a pound or two . Bob & I had the 2nd Phitzer vaccine last week & we are both recovering from surgeries last week —we are a little sleepy but doing just fine & we are taking gifts & supplies over to the kids on Friday even though we can’t go inside yet .

i’ve been working on a baby quilt for Violet since it’s a little cold & rainy outdoors & have been playing my dulcimer & cello banjo a little . 
As far as we have heard—Covid vaccines seem to be going well in Tallahassee & they have given out both Moderna & Phitzer & many friends & neighbors have already had 2nd vaccines . We got ours at the drive through at the health department . They gave us both right in the car—2 at a time . It was very well organized & everyone in masks & we didn’t even feel the first shot — the second one was a little heavier —but neither of us had any reactions . Everyone is still masking in Tallahassee & keeping their distance & no big events . Their are a few open places but we don’t go there right now .

If you read this—let me know where you are located & if you have got your vaccines yet?

Love & blessings,

Mary Z Cox

M

Friends, I offer my condolences to those of you who have had loved ones succumb to the ravages of COVID-19.  Dealing with the death of a loved one can be difficult any time yet dealing with the death of a loved one during pandemic is harder still.  Take care.   

As Kusani said, this is a vicious disease, and now a mutated more infectious strain is being found in many states.

Our extended family has lost two members to COVID. It is frustrating that some people think it is a hoax. I'm sorry. The MD will not write "hoax" on a death certificate. Those who won't follow precautions and those who think it is not real need to see the wicked suffering many people go through battling this disease.

My prayers are with all who have the disease, the families who have lost loved ones and the heroes in the medical arena treating this disease day after day.

Oh my goodness Kusani, that must be so hard on your family. My condolences to you all.

Last March my wife's youngest brother was the first Covid patient admitted to Vanderbilt hospital in Tn. and put on a ventilator; he survived and is doing 'ok'.  Her oldest brother passed away yesterday from Covid in Alabama. And, no we can't attend the service. We just got our second round of shots. 

I lost the last remaining Aunt from my mother's family this year and couldn't go to the service. I still start to pick up the phone to check on her. Not being able to have a funeral leaves everything seem so unfinished. Sad and difficult times as Strumelia said. 

I'm sure it was a comfort to the family to know of those of you who were watching the service- and to read your messages. These are such sad and difficult times.

I attended an online funeral service today.  It would be more accurate to say I "viewed" a funeral service.  It was livestreamed on YouTube.  Only the immediate family was live in attendance.  It was so sad to see the enormous church with only a handful of people up front.  And what a sad occasion for me to learn what a phenomenal flautist my cousin is as she played a piece by Bach as part of the service.

Most of the time the camera just looked down from the back, but when the organist played we got a close up looking over his shoulder, and at times the camera panned over the artwork in the ceiling, which was nice to see.  But otherwise, the inability to physically comfort family and friends was sorely missed.  Typing condolences in a text chat is a poor replacement for a hug.

Thank you, Dusty.  Terrifying close call you had there!  

Yes, music does help...I try to play at least a bit each day, both my guitar and dulcimer.  But some work days go a little longer and I have to choose just one to play, or I get to play for only a few minutes--or no minutes at all on either.  And I feel it when I don't get to play.  It really does help to get lost for a little while, just you and your instrument...

Well, I haven't been sewing or baking, but I was able to visit my dad for a month in sunny Arizona over Christmas and help him through a health crisis which began near the end of Dec.  I'm happy to report is is already feeling better and is happy to be able to walk with a walker, even though he's not (yet!) ready to get back on the golf course.  New meds for diabetes and heart issues was mostly what he needed, but it was certainly a very scary time.  He'll be 95 in February.

My new activity this fall and winter has been working on foreign languages on the website Duolingo.  I started with several months of Spanish and then switched over to French.  It's giving my brain a real workout.

I don't play my dulcimers every day, but when I do, I tend to play for several hours.  I want to get back to working with Tabledit, too.  I was just starting to get somewhere with it when I had to set it aside for awhile.

Good health to you all!  I hope your music makes the days merrier.

Sorry to hear about your friend, @lisavb.

Glad to hear about your house.  We had a similar accident a few years ago.  A massive limb from a 75-year-old oak tree fell down, only barely grazing the gutter on the corner of our house.  I couldn't even tell that the roof had not been damaged until the next day when I was able to remove all the branches from up there.  But the front yard was completely filled with branches and leaves. From the street, you couldn't even see the house.  It just looked like a chimney sticking out of a massive piles of green leaves and brown wood. I was so lucky that my neighbor was a gardener who had just retired.  He showed up with his chain saws and the two of us worked for a couple of days until the yard was clear.  Then it took another year for the lawn to come back since it was entirely covered in saw dust. But at least the house was OK.

Thank you, Robin...

@lisavb I offer my deepest sympathy on the death of your friend.  And while I am sorry about your RAV4, it is good your house was spared.    

I remind myself the plague will not last forever-- history teaches us this.  There are some lovely flowers growing out of the compost pile with lots of wonderful music being made despite everything.  Music can be a balm to the weary spirit.  Keep enjoying that McSpadden and Jessica C's workshops!  (Jessica makes incredibly good music!)  

I could use some bright-side thinking about now.  Found out over the holidays that an old friend died of COVID out in Nebraska.  And last week we had a storm blow through--a tree fell on our property.  *Barely* missed the house, but it mashed my beloved RAV4.  Landed square on it.  Should hear next week if it's repairable or totalled.  I'm suspecting the latter, given the hideous damage.  But it did start up and drive for the tow guy, FWIW.

A huge bright spot has been Jessica Comeau's Zoom workshops.  She started them up earlier in the summer, roughly every other week.  I've attended every one and they bring me such joy.  There is one today, in fact.  People from all over the place--including England and Germany--have been attending. 

And I've been absolutely loving my new cherry McSpadden!  Makes me so happy to pick her up and play.  So glad I went ahead and ordered her.  Beautiful to look at, beautiful to listen to.  Thanks again to all who responded and helped me with my decision.  :)

A major bright side for me is extra time with my teenage daughter.  In normal times the last thing she would want to do is hang out with her parents, especially now that she and her friends are getting their drivers licenses.  But we spend lots of time together every day; I'm grateful for that.

I've also gotten to know dulcimer players from around the country in Zoom gatherings of various sorts.  My "local" dulcimer group is no longer local as about half of the attendees each month are from all over the country.

Still haven't learned to sew, though.

Looking on the bright side- I'm guessing we have all become better cooks this year! Also maybe more knowledgeable and reading more? Perhaps started a garden, built things, or learned to sew, or bake?    I know I've been doing most of those things over the past 10 months.

Hi, all, up here in Ontario we are locked down again. We are finding that deliveries of the Pfizer version of the vaccine are going to be delayed a bit because of changes in production in Belgium.  So the Provincial health authorities are talking about delaying second shots to 48 days after the first. Not happy about that, because of course the clinical trials approvals were as far as I know predicated on there being 3 weeks between doses. Lots of disagreement on that in the medical community, (which I follow because I worked in the hospital system up here for 35 years.) The only other vaccine approved by Health Canada is the Moderna. Johnson and Johnson is possibly going to get approved, no idea when. Astra-Zenica will be coming from Britain if it gets approved, but they are now racing the increased-contagion variant so who knows when.

Since I am retired from the hospital for 11 years now I am no longer covered by the health-system workers line, so no injection for me yet. At 74 years 5 months I am just a bit under the Group 1 line too, but that may change. Sandie is younger by 2 years but asthmatic. We will see if that makes a difference.

At this point, frankly, I would take the Cuban, Russian or Chinese versions. The wait is killing people!

In Arizona the governor checked on when the reserve vaccines that were released by the Government were going to arrive and how many. He found out that there are NO reserve vaccines, never were, and that nothing is coming. For Me I am waiting for the Johnson and Johnson single dose product. Too many unknowns about the second dose at this point, if there ever will be one, for the Pfizer or the Moderma. There also is the Astra Zenica coming. Needless to say I will have to wait anyways, if I ever do receive it, probably by 2022 for my age group. By then we will either know if the vaccine works, especially for the new B117 version.

Well, here in Kentucky it is spitting snow and cloudy. I'm envious of those who get fresh fruit out of their yards. We are in the roughest and poorest part of the state in the hills. Very limited on fresh vegies and fruits. 

We got our first vaccine injection last Monday. We are both over 70 and vaccine is crazy on how it's being given out. We are supposed to follow up with a second injection on Feb 1st for it to be effective, but not sure if it's going to be available now. If we can't get it then it's been wasted. 

Some healthcare people are still not getting it. I don't know what that's about. The governor says things like, "we have given out more injections than we have vaccine." I tried to sort that out and know I don't understand the new math, but somehow that just doesn't compute for me. 

Trying to stay busy by cooking. If we don't get out of this pandemic we won't be able to get out of the house because we can't fit through the door. I did make homemade bread which was great. I love doing that, just hate the clean up.  It sure makes the house smell good.

I try to play at least a few tunes each day on the dulcimer to keep my fingers in shape since I sure haven't managed to keep anything else in shape. I tried changing some old tunes around and that's been fun some times. Some times a musician friend will call and we all feel about the same just wanting to get out and play. 

I know I'm not alone in the world so reading all your comments help. I just hope and pray we all come out of this a little kinder and caring, but then most everyone in the dulcimer world already were. 

BJ

Hello All,

The fruit tree post was wonderful . Our 3 Meyers Lemon Trees are heavy this year & so is our pink grapefruit tree :) I’ve been busy in the kitchen & put up 12 pints of Lemon marmalade . It takes almost a full day for only 6 pints . We have tried to encourage our neighbors to pick—but most of our usual pickers are staying indoors because it is cold & rainy. Also everyone in our neighborhood is having a bumper year for lemons —so it is difficult to find them homes :)

My good dulcimer news is I’ve been having fun experimenting in EAA & working out many A old time tunes  —having fun with Grub Springs Waterbound Shenandoah Falls  & Crockets honeymoon :)

Also had some frets pulled on my black walnut MMD & greatly enjoying playing it again :)

Here is some of our good news for this year (not going to mention any troubling or sad news because we all got plenty of all that )

1. Bob & I are finally going to be grandparents —Violet Juniper Hyder is due in February . This is our Daughter Natalie & Husband Will’s miracle baby & is the only grandchild on either side of the family . So far she is growing well, active & healthy & looked good in the genetic testing too —she’s already 4 lbs & the size of a cauliflower :)  and Bob has quit drinking so he will be allowed to hold her—which is improving his health too :)

2. Bob & I have been fortunate in we live in Tallahassee which is easy to stay inside & to also have outdoor activities that are isolated in natural beauty —so we have not caught the virus . We got our first vaccines last Saturday from the local health department & have our follow up on the 30th :)

3. Looking forward to camping & festivals this summer & hope we’ll all be out & about & picking again :)

Hope everyone here is safe & well & picking a few new happy tunes too :)

Love & blessings,

Mary Z. Cox

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Dusty, how wonderful that you have backyard oranges and lemons! What a blessing for health!  I'm grateful to be able to buy the world's best fresh apples here here in NY. Long ago when i lived in Puerto Rico my neighbor had a HUGE mango tree and my kids and I ate them by the shopping bag full. 

I believe age 65 and up is group 1C. Lots of states have opened up for that group now, ahead of the original plan... including CA and NY state where i live. However, for example in our county there are 60,000 people, yet the govt has only been sending our county 300 doses per week for the past month and a half. Major fail. You can see where that's going... at this rate I'll die of old age before I get vaccinated!
Hopefully vaccinating people will be given higher priority and speed soon. I can't wait to get mine!

Here in California, vaccines are available (in theory) to anyone 65 and over.  But I think that's group 1B, whereas 1A are the frontline healthcare workers and those in assisted living facilities, and they haven't even gotten to all of them yet.  But the next group is those over 50, so I'm hopeful that within a couple of months both my wife and I will be able to get the vaccine.  Plans are already being made for mass vaccination sites in the parking lots of sports arenas, where you'll drive in and get the shot right in your car.  Like drive-through fast food.

And I won't brag that we have two orange trees bursting with fruit here.  The biggest one is a navel orange tree on my neighbor's property, but it's about 30 feet tall and he can't possibly eat all its fruit. Every week or so we go over with a ladder and pick a bunch.  We have a smaller tree of valencia oranges, which are harder to peel and better for juicing. We also have tons of meyers lemons this time of year.  Those are a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges, and have an almost tangerine-like sweetness.  They make the best lemonade.  For some reason, my lime tree fruits earlier, so there's nothing left now, although all three trees flower at the same time.  

Strumelia; sadly had I been there your poor husband would have had to share all of his treats.  

Here's to covid vaccines coming to a pharmacy or clinic near to all of us in the not so distant future! 

I try to plan my supermarket trips so that I hardly ever have to go- like once every three weeks or so. Between big trips i do occasionally stop into our (much smaller) local farmer's market to quickly pick up a few fresh things like bread, milk, eggs, and apples.

Today was one of my big supermarket trips. It's a big project, especially when I get all those bags of stuff home! Pretty much takes up half a day.
There are things that we so much savor, now that we don't have them as often. For example this evening it was sooo nice to cut up a gorgeous juicy navel orange and eat it slowly- it was so good!  And my husband was excited to have a tub of real guacamole to put some in the tortillas he likes to make for himself, along with his favorite pepperjack cheese. And we now each have 2 pints of our favorite Ben & Jerry's in the freezer as a treat!  Brian's is always ChocolateFudgeBrownie, and mine is CherryGarcia. 
The pandemic has taught us to really appreciate fresh food and having access to it.    We're lucky indeed.

Belinda, am responding to your issue over in that site help thread.  :)

I was glad that I got a new sewing machine for myself about 2 yrs ago. I've made maybe three dozen pleated masks for my husband and me, and sent some to our three children & their spouses. I use two layers of high thread count quilting cotton with a third layer inside of a non-woven filter material.

Hope they were good ones, Dusty! Washable ones should be three layers, cotton-cotton-water resistant, and cover from above the nose to below the chin, according to our city's Chief Medical Officer of Health.

I drove by our neighborhood community center today and there was a long line of cars trying to enter the parking lot. Why?  They were giving out free face masks.  I don't know who sponsored that effort, but what a great idea!

Right on, Richard. We have one friend from our knitting circle who got infected right out of hospital while recovering from a broken hip. Her physiotherapy was wasted. She has recovered after a month on a ventilator but now has to try to do her rehab at home as an outpatient; and she lives alone.

Thanks Richard. Our hope is that we can all do our part to tamp down the spread of this virus. Certainly enough people have died that we should all take it seriously and be responsible.

Perhaps on a more serious note about COVID.  Some members of the forum have contracted this disease, some with mild symptoms some seriously ill, even on life support for a while.

I have heard some folks who think this pandemic is just something that is made up. But make believe does not kill people. This virus is real, it is serious and it is deadly.

My plea is that we all would act with consideration toward others and wear our masks, limit our gatherings, keep our distance and stay home when we don't need to go out. We can limit the further spread of the virus by following the advice of the scientists who are studying this beast. Let's just do it!

No, toilet paper is in abundance here. No problems. Certain imported goods are gone, the supply chain is broken. But otherwise no real problems with food.

Just toilet paper again. 

I cook Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese. Turkey day will be a turkey. Have to have a turkey with everything as usual. Christmas there is another frozen turkey waiting. They tied to say there was a shortage of turkeys, Covid caused, haven't found any shortage.

One small positive thing at my house- have been improving my cooking skills (which were pretty good to begin with).  Last night i stir fried some baby bok choy with some mushrooms and pan-seared raddichio wedges, served it over brown rice with tamari sauce. And it was good. 

Just me and my husband this year for thanksgiving. We're going to have a nice little roast chicken, with cranb sauce, stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, and ice cream for dessert...  at our now festively lit kitchen table. Since it's just two of us, we'll have the same identical meal the next day too with the plentiful leftovers.

Not having any festivals to attend is a downer. My favorite restaurants have gone the way of the dodo, with more closing permanently every day. One more lockdown and that is it for a lot of them. Not sure what will happen with all the unemployed and under employed once the protections lift. Can't teach as I cannot do it online. Can't travel as most of the flights are cancelled or non existent and 28 days out of my life in isolation is not I thing I value. Not a good time at all. And on top of that, watching the Virus spread, (second wave was predicted) and yet everyone seems astonished. Current measurements will not work, but then they new it wouldn't yet had to provide the population with something to believe in, and they are running out of people to blame. On the other hand it is interesting to watch history repeat, and be able to predict to the letter what will happen. 

Most years I complain when people put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving (and some even before Halloween!), but it's perfectly understandable this year.  We need something to pick up our spirits and remind us of what "normal" is supposed to be.

@b-ross-ashley, my dulcimer group resembles your folk chorus in that our move online has allowed us to bring in people from all over.  Nowadays only about half our attendees are from Northern California.  So although social distancing guidelines have taken away our abilities to socialize locally, they have opened up other ways to expand social gatherings unlimited by geography.

Musically speaking, our folk chorus have been doing online rehearsals since September, and right now our video editor (the husband of one of our section leaders) is putting together a video of all of us singing into our cellphone cameras on the Temagami Round. If we go public with it I will post a link here. We have more planned. This year, thanks to doing it remotely, we have members from Nova Scotia to Michigan. (Usually, we only have members who can get in to downtown Toronto physically.)

Yes, Robin ... the City of Toronto and Peel Region to our west (Mississauga, Malton, Brampton etc.) are being hit extremely hard so far by the second wave.

On the other hand I have a look at the maps of what is going on in the States and almost the entire country was in shades of red yesterday, except Hawai'i. I fear for my family, in Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York and California, and my myriads of friends down there.

It is kind of a cliche to say so, but in my nearly 53 years up here I have actually found Canadians slightly more disciplined about accepting authority than my and Sandie's fellow Americans ... it is not always a good thing but right now there is less resistance to masking up etc. and that, friends, is really a good thing.