What are you doing right now? Part 2 Showing 1,701-1,750 of 2,414

[Joan]

Milly, at the end of November I was over on your side of the Atlantic for my Mother-in-law’s birthday. We were on Portland - wow what a wind!

[Leslie]

I think that the only times I have been somewhere when the winds were that strong was during hurricanes!! And perhaps a few blizzards.

Luckily for me, though the balmy weather of the past weekend is gone, it is sunny and calm here in New England right now.

[Milly Jane]

Hi Joan, I had to look up Portland UK as I have only heard of Portland Maine, but having only returned to the UK a couple of years ago after being in the States for decades I'm still getting familiar with my own country! Lots of exploring to do.
Did you enjoy Portland? Is it beautiful?

[Milly Jane]

Hi Leslie, I was surprised by the winds here too. When I lived in the States we evacuated for a few hurricanes.
I hear New England is beautiful.

[Christine]

Leslie your right about parking being easier in the rain than in the snow and Leslie I’m ready for spring and summer

[LauraT]

Christine wrote: "Leslie your right about parking being easier in the rain than in the snow and Leslie I’m ready for spring and summer"

Always ready for Spring and Summer, never for Winter!!!!

[Christine]

LauraT I’m so happy that your on my side about hating winter lol

[Christine]

HAPPY FEBRUARY EVERYONE!

[Karin]

Christine wrote: "HAPPY FEBRUARY EVERYONE!"

Yes, agreed! It's come quickly.

[Christine]

IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY AND IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!

[Christine]

Karin it does come very quickly

[Gavin]

Started The Fountainhead

[LauraT]

Gavin wrote: "Started The Fountainhead"

On my TBR list for the next few weeks!

[Cosmic]

Sitting next to the ocean,
In a 1961 Silver Streak,
Below Humbug Mountain.

[Diana *always waiting for the next vacation*]

Just finished In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex which was really terrifying.

Now I'm around 20% into Homegoing.

[Karin]

Gavin wrote: "Started The Fountainhead"

I read three of her novels, but after Atlas Shrugged stopped. I read them all around the ages of 16 to early 20s. I'll be interested to see what you think. I don't want to say anymore about why I stopped before you finish this :)

[Christine]

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

[B the BookAddict]

The weather is kaput. In Melbourne, it's supposed to be summer but yesterday was barely 17C and 9C overnight where I live and we can expect about four more days of this the weather bureau says.

[Christine]

B the Bookaddict in Riverside NJ, it’s not snowing lol

[LauraT]

Christine wrote: "B the Bookaddict in Riverside NJ, it’s not snowing lol"

Also in Italy it has been a really mild winter, with very little rain or snow. I'm afraid we'll have no Spring :(

[B the BookAddict]

Christine, no, it is not snowing, lol. Only on very rare occasions, does it snow where I live.

[[deleted user]]

Right now, I feel like death. I feel like getting famous or infamous.

[Leslie]

My trusty old Kindle Keyboard has suffered some sort of failure - the screen is all messed up :( So I have spent much of today trying to get it working again.

After many tries of rebooting it, I finally got it working enough to copy off my books to my computer. That is a relief as I have quite a few books from non-Amazon sources (maybe 10% of my content). I haven't completely given up hope - it may be that once the battery runs down (and the screen is thus cleared) & I then recharge it, it will work again. Fingers crossed! In the meantime, I guess that I am stuck reading on my laptop, which isn't as convenient or comfortable but has access to all my books, or my Fire for books from Amazon.

[LauraT]

Very hard to read from the laptop, don't you think?
For a while it may be ok, but in the loing run it doesn't work. That's the reason why I have 2 e-reader: never without one!

[[deleted user]]

Right now, I am
writing a poem, a haiku.
It is rather bad.

[Leslie]

LauraT wrote: "Very hard to read from the laptop, don't you think?
For a while it may be ok, but in the loing run it doesn't work. That's the reason why I have 2 e-reader: never without one!"

I agree. That is one reason I am so bummed out!

[Karin]

We had NO internet or TV from sometime Sunday morning to this afternoon (and no landline from sometime in the middle of the night). The tech on the phone from overseas yesterday kept telling me inane things--it turns out I was right, it was the box in the basement. We needed a new one.

If either of my kids in university had needed to submit an online paper yesterday they'd have had to drive over 20 miles to get online (none of us has anything that works with wifi). Thankfully they didn't!

[Leslie]

Argh! Karin that sounds like a nightmare! Glad that you are once again connected to the internet :)

I am missing my old Kindle more & more even though I have managed okay without it. Its battery hasn't run out yet so I haven't completely given up yet but my hope is dimming...

[Christine]

B the BookAddict I’m glad it’s not snowing where you live and LauraT I would love to visit Italy someday

[LauraT]

Christine wrote: "B the BookAddict I’m glad it’s not snowing where you live and LauraT I would love to visit Italy someday"

Do come!!! I'm a perfect host - or so friends here say!
Perugia is a very little city, but convenient if you want to visit Italy: we are rather close to Rome, Florence, Siena, Bologna, so it's a good starting point. And we also have really nice places to see ourself

[Christine]

HAPPY MARCH EVERYONE!

[Christine]

LauraT I believe that you’re the perfect host lol and LauraT Italy is so far away from where I live and LauraT that’s very cool that your rather close to Rome, Florence, Siena, Bologna

[LauraT]

Christine wrote: "LauraT I believe that you’re the perfect host lol and LauraT Italy is so far away from where I live and LauraT that’s very cool that your rather close to Rome, Florence, Siena, Bologna"

I'm here; do come whenever you can ;)

[Nancy from NJ]

I am reading my group posts and will start making dinner. After this I am getting into bed a reading.

[Esther]

Back to work after another day off for yet another election.

The day off was fantastic (a tasting at a local winery followed by lunch at a steak restaurant) unfortunately the election results were not so great.
And we still have to see if they can cobble together a government or decide to go for a fourth round of voting!

[LauraT]

Nice day off Esther!
I'm at work as usual, but not in my office: I'm replcing a collegue of mine who has a day off at the secretariat of the deputy Mayor for Culture. So doing two jobs at the same moment!!!!

[Esther]

LauraT wrote: "Nice day off Esther!
I'm at work as usual, but not in my office: I'm replcing a collegue of mine who has a day off at the secretariat of the deputy Mayor for Culture. So doing two jobs at the same ..."

Laura how are you going with the shut down? Has it reached you yet?
My friend living near Venice is rather concerned about it all.

[LauraT]

Actually where I live - central Italy - there's no emergency yet. Schools and Universities open, as well as public offices, museums, cinemas, restaurants, and so on.
But fear is a "brutta bestia" as we say - a wilde beast? -and things are getting worse. For instance there is in Perugia a really big International Journalism Festival each April, with names from all over the world. Well, because of the Corona Virus, last Friday it has been decided to revoke it for this year. https://www.journalismfestival.com/
It is a pity, mainly because Perugia and Umbria live on tourism ...
On my personal viewpoint, I had bought in January a flight to go to Berlin next week. I only hope Germany won't close the fronteer, as some countries have done!!!!!

[Esther]

LauraT wrote: "Actually where I live - central Italy - there's no emergency yet. Schools and Universities open, as well as public offices, museums, cinemas, restaurants, and so on.
But fear is a "brutta bestia" a..."

Yes panic is a problem and also terribly selective. Nobody seems to get this worked up, or ready to take acton, about measles which is so much more infectious.

We have expensive tickets for a sports event in England at the beginning of May. If the event isn't cancelled we have decided to go 'whatever' even if we have to self-isolate at home on our return.

[LauraT]

Esther wrote: "We have expensive tickets for a sports event in England at the beginning of May. If the event isn't cancelled we have decided to go 'whatever' even if we have to self-isolate at home on our return.."

Exactly my decision for Berlin...

[Christine]

Aww thanks LauraT but I think I’ll pass on that trip to Italy lol

[Nancy from NJ]

I am listening to CNN while reading from my group.

[LauraT]

Christine wrote: "Aww thanks LauraT but I think I’ll pass on that trip to Italy lol"

We'll be here for you, whenever!!!

[Esther]

LauraT wrote: "Christine wrote: "Aww thanks LauraT but I think I’ll pass on that trip to Italy lol"

We'll be here for you, whenever!!!"

An Italian friend just sent me an Italian government advisory saying most of Italy is safe to visit.
I would love to come and flights must be so much cheaper now but unfortunately my country's health officials disagree!

[LauraT]

Esther wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Christine wrote: "Aww thanks LauraT but I think I’ll pass on that trip to Italy lol"

We'll be here for you, whenever!!!"

An Italian friend just sent me an Italian government adviso..."

I know; Israel is one of the states that has closed the fronteers. I was thinking of coming this June, but I think we'll postpone the visit to next year.
Let's do this way: you and I come to each other places in may/june next year: safe from a sanitary point of view and nice weather to go around ...

[Esther]

LauraT wrote: "Esther wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Christine wrote: "Aww thanks LauraT but I think I’ll pass on that trip to Italy lol"
We'll be here for you, whenever!!!"
An Italian friend just sent me an Italian go..."

Unfortunately they wouldn't let you in!!
2021 seems like a good plan and we must definitely meet up.

Last night our boss announced that all the people who returned from the traders conference have to self-isolate. Even though they were in London (not on 'the List') as it was an international conference (all asians cancelled) they are being cautious. Personally I think it is a bit late as they have already been back at work with the rest of us since Sunday!!

[LauraT]

Definitly agreeing with you!
Also here they've finally closed UNiversities and schools, after months of lessons all together. We say "Closing the stable doors when the cattle has gone out"

[Ruth]

I work in a nursing home and I am terrified that if one resident gets the virus it will decimate this place. I also worry for myself because I am over 60 and I smoked for about 40 yrs. I quit nine years ago but I don't think my lungs are in good shape.

[Karin]

Basically you need to try to avoid touching things like door handles, light switches, etc, with your bare hands (use knuckles, put your hand in a jacket pocket, etc), gas nozzles when filling your tanks and avoid shaking hands. Wash your hands well with soap and avoid touching your nose if you've been in public. Masks don't help, but if you are concerned you'll touch your nose, I suggest making a cloth one or something since there is a shortage for those who really need it.

As for the States and Canada, the real outbreak will start c. mid-March so you have time to get gloves if you want to help prevent contamination.

BUT if you have the virus, any time you cough or sneeze the virus comes in your spit, so COVER WELL (and not with your hands). Also, the virus can last up to a week on surfaces indoors (not sure if UV kills it outside, but UV kills many viruses, etc outside after a certain amount of time.)

This is the gist of factual info I got from my dad, retired MD, from information from an actual corona virus expert. It also mentioned hand sanitizer, but soap and water is enough (I can't use the sanitizer anyway).

[B the BookAddict]

It certainly doesn't mention toilet paper which my fellow Australians seem to have gone nutty over. It's very hard to find some in my area.