You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Watcha' Doing - 2020
Hopefully, they will have short, but full lives, Rus! ;)
I am eating all the things! So long live the second spring, I say!
How's the car Sarah?We have plants in our garden that usually start to bloom much later than they do now.. And there are so many of them!
I spent today planning our Canada (Nova Scotia) trip, and booking flights and accomodation. I had it all planned on paper (nothing booked yet), and then Rob said a few days ago: 'Do we have a direct flight? Or a lay-over in Toronto or something?' I told him that there would definitely be a lay-over, and it could be in either Toronto or several cities in Europe. And then he said: 'well, Toronto is so close to Niagara Falls and it would be really cool to see those, can't we combine it?' And I was: 'Well, if we make it a longer layover anyway, I also want to go into Toronto, even if it's just for a day. It would be a shame to skip it if we're there.' So, that's what we'll do now. Toronto first, and from there we'll fly to Halifax and drive around Nova Scotia and PEI. Rob has only 3 weeks off work and with our new plan we'll be gone for 18 of the 21 days (and leaving early Sunday morning when he still has to work until 5pm on Saturday), but he says he doesn't mind. I'm very excited!
Car is great Peggy, Thanks. Tomorrow i get to drive to the train station for work for the first time instead of going in with Rob. So that's exciting. It also means a lie in as Rob starts a lot earlier than i do. Yay!Canada sounds exciting!
Peggy wrote: "How's the car Sarah?We have plants in our garden that usually start to bloom much later than they do now.. And there are so many of them!
I spent today planning our Canada (Nova Scotia) trip, an..."
We went to Nova Scotia in September. It is so beautiful. You will have a wonderful time.
Sound exciting, Peggy! We spent a semester in Toronto in 2004, and it is a city worth visiting for sure.Also, we were planning to visit the Niagara Falls this summer. It is only a 5 hours drive for us, but for some reason we keep procrastinating it.
Rusalka wrote: "Oh no! Stupid allergies!All our plants are having identity crisises. They've had the first substantial rain in months, and it's been mid-20sC instead of the 30-40sC of January and December. Oh an..."
I doubt there are many allergy suffers left in your area Rusalka! Surely they fled when all that ash descended? I would have had to run for my life - literally.
Sarah, yay for the car!
Peggy, I envy you ;-)
Kristie wrote: "Everything is blooming here too. My allergies are already bothering me! I've been sneezing all week. lol"me and you both Kristie *sigh*
Peggy wrote: "How's the car Sarah?We have plants in our garden that usually start to bloom much later than they do now.. And there are so many of them!
I spent today planning our Canada (Nova Scotia) trip, an..."
I'm excited for you, Peggy. I've never been to any of those places so I'll enjoy hearing all about it. My trip to Iceland, and Norway is coming up (May). I've just paid my final instalment, so I'm getting excited about that too.
Peggy wrote: "How's the car Sarah?We have plants in our garden that usually start to bloom much later than they do now.. And there are so many of them!
I spent today planning our Canada (Nova Scotia) trip, an..."
Oh yeah, you don't want to miss Niagara Falls! There's a town nearby called Niagara On The Lake (17 kms apart) which is a neat place with quaint shops and restaurants... oh, and wineries. Yes, wine tasting!
Which places do you plan to visit Shirley? It will be May before you know it!Thanks for the tip Janice!
I usually book my accomodation through airbnb, and yesterday I came across an off the grid yurt! I booked it, as one of my wishes was to spend at least one night in a yurt/treehouse/other kind of different place in the middle of nature.
Glad the car is working out, Sarah. AND you get a lie in!I'm very jealously hearing about all your holidays! They sound wonderful!
Margo wrote: "I doubt there are many allergy suffers left in your area Rusalka! Surely they fled when all that ash descended? I would have had to run for my life - literally."Funnily, not that bad for allergies. All us allergy people were fine. No pollen anywhere, just smoke. It was all the people with respiratory problems who had issues. But even then, except for the really dreadfully bad days when you couldn't walk outside that people i knew with asthma only had issues. But the people i know don't have severe asthma, more mild to inconveniently irritating.
Rusalka wrote: "Margo wrote: "I doubt there are many allergy suffers left in your area Rusalka! Surely they fled when all that ash descended? I would have had to run for my life - literally."Funnily, not that ba..."
I have the full set unfortunately! Still, good to know you were spared that much Rusalka. I suppose the smoke was very clean as it was bush fires - I didn't think of that.
@Shirely, that will be amazing! I saw some footage of a fjord for the first time ever and it nothing like I'd imagined. Very beautiful.
Well, my daffodils are taking a right battering today. We have had snow, sleet and hail all morning. In between showers the sun comes out and it looks like a lovely day. Thankfully the ground temp is still warm so the snow isn't settling for long.
I am not sure how much of this I have already shared here, so sorry if I am being repetitive. My oldest daughter is spending a semester in Budapest and I am going to visit her next week. I invited my mom (who lives in Uruguay) to join me. So we will meet there, spend 3 days in Budapest with my daughter, then 3 days in Vienna (my daughter comes with us) and back home.
I've been very busy with all the organization both of my trip and of my home (surviving mode until I'm back). I am also very stressed about all this coronavirus craziness. I waited to buy the tickets until things seemed to be calming down, and then right after I bought them things exploded again in Italy. I hope this doesn't ruin our trip.
I am not worried about the virus. There is no cases in Hungary so far, and only 1 in Austria, far from where we are going. I am scared about the paranoia, to be honest. All the airport/plane/customs thing can turn a pain in the neck if things get escalating. And I don't want to be quarantined when I am back, if I am so unlucky that new cases appear where I am visiting before I am back.
I am still very happy, of course.
I think it's a concern on everyone's minds these days, Sandra. I heard on the news that another cruise ship is being denied ports and is now headed to Mexico. I'm beginning to feel a bit nervous about my upcoming cruise. It's not in a hot spot at the moment. But being quarantined could be far more of an inconvenience than anything else.Try to keep focused on your time with your daughter, and take normal precautions.
These days everyone has that in mind. It's a bit of a concern, especially how fast it's traveling. As long as it isn't a hotspot, it's safe to travel, but I would be concerned too. We only had 1 person in Belgium and he's cured, but last Saterday I've traveled by train and there were a lot of tourists on it, so that makes you think. It's important to keep a cool head and not to panic. I went with my son to the hairdresser the day before yesterday and I was coughing a bit bad and there was a father with his 2 kids eying me very suspiciously. Try to enjoy your holiday and take the precautions the doctors are saying.Right now, at this moment, after days of rain and storms (there's another one expected this weekend) we have snow. Not a bit, but lots! I hope it doens't lay down, now it's wet, but I need to get home too.
Sandra, your trip sounds amazing. Hopefully things will not escalate. Stay positive and enjoy seeing your daughter and Mum :-)Janice, I agree with you; it's not the virus that would worry me but the thought of being quarantined ! China seem to have contained very well so there is no reason to believe other countries won't do the same. There must by tens of thousands of cruise out there and only 2 have been caught so the odds are in your favour ;-)
You'll be all good, Sandra. Just start getting in the habit of not touching your face, and if you do, soap or sanitiser. I am a terrible fiddler, and i am finding that a really hard habit to break. I figure on a campus of thousands, I need to break that one. Not many cases in Aus yet and none spread in country yet. But a campus is a really good place in Aus for it to start, so not a bad idea to think about it.Budapest should be amazing though, enjoy!!
We've been told to just buy a few extra non-perishables per week here at the moment. I don't think that's a bad idea as as an island, if this thing blows up, so many of our imports would be disrupted. And then if nothing happens, I'll have flour for a few months. I am just worried about Lexx's medication getting in to Aus if things go pear shaped. But he's just told me he stocks up for a few months anyway... *shrug*
I've decided if it all goes to hell and we all get told to self isolate, I'll just make a discord channel that we can all talk to each other on to stop us from going crazy ;) Just hearing other people's voices I think helps with the cabin fever. Benefit to the internet age
Oh and i took a new job. I wasn't going to tell you all until I signed a contract, but I found out my new boss told the School today, so I guess it's happening even without the contract. I'm going to be the School Manager at our School of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Rusalka wrote: "Oh and i took a new job. I wasn't going to tell you all until I signed a contract, but I found out my new boss told the School today, so I guess it's happening even without the contract. I'm going ..."Congrats! That is excellent!
Rusalka wrote: "Oh and i took a new job. I wasn't going to tell you all until I signed a contract, but I found out my new boss told the School today, so I guess it's happening even without the contract. I'm going ..."Congrats R!
Rusalka wrote: "I'm going to be the School Manager at our School of Archaeology and Anthropology."That is fantastic! Congrats!
Rusalka wrote: "You'll be all good, Sandra. Just start getting in the habit of not touching your face, and if you do, soap or sanitiser. I am a terrible fiddler, and i am finding that a really hard habit to break...."The more I read about this virus the more confused I feel. I understand that is new and in some way we do not know what to expect. Still I don't understand the panic. Being conscious and aware, sure. But panic?
If every flu season we had this minutely updates on the situation, colorful maps of hot spots, tables with constantly increasing number of diagnosed/dead people around the world, etc., wouldn't we be panicking every year too? I'm not saying we should cover what is going on, but the media is driving everyone crazy.
Sandra wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "You'll be all good, Sandra. Just start getting in the habit of not touching your face, and if you do, soap or sanitiser. I am a terrible fiddler, and i am finding that a really hard..."Have a great time in Budapest and Vienna, Sandra - both beautiful cities! Re: COVID-19 - newest thing to report on, although more people are dying from it and there isn’t a vaccine which is probably the troubling angle. Hopefully your travels will go off smoothly!
Enjoy your trip Sandra! Being quarantained while away would cross my mind too, but when you think about it.. there are thousands and thousands of hotels and cities and towns all over Europe, and only very few are isolated right now.I also think all the media coverage makes people much more panicky than they should.
Congrats Rus!!
Congrats on the new job, Rusalka!
Your trip sounds fab Sandra and i'm sure it will be fine. Some friends were due to go to Italy this week but they have had to cancel. Our doctor's surgery was closed a few days back with a suspected coronavirus patient. I had my annual asthma review there today and i was a bit worried. I'm guessing it wasn't but either way, they wouldn't reopen if there was a change of spreading it. I agree with what has been said, no vaccine aand it being new makes the news but flu kills more world wide than coronavirus has so far. But it's the quarantine issue that's thee problem for sure. Makes it sound bad. We don't quarantine for flu
Congrats on the job Rusalka. Sounds fabulous!
Thank you everyone. I am really looking forward to it.
Rusalka wrote: "Oh and i took a new job. I wasn't going to tell you all until I signed a contract, but I found out my new boss told the School today, so I guess it's happening even without the contract. I'm going ..."Congrats Rusalka!
The whole virus thing terrifies me. I have a compromised immune system. So the thought of a disease coming make me worry. I haven't changed any of my usual activities. But I am worried
I can understand being worried when you have an increased risk of getting it, or when it would be more dangerous to get it.
Your situation is certainly different, Renee. Hopefully it won't get that bad in the US, since we are already expecting it to come at some point, and are taking precautions.
My mother called today to tell me to "be careful" of the coronavirus. No actual advice, just be careful. lol She also called my daughter to tell her the same thing because she works with a lot of people. What is she supposed to do? Stay home? I told mom to wash her hands frequently, keep her hands away from her face, and buy a few extra non-perishables just in case. There really isn't much else you can do. She can really be a worrier. I think it makes her feel better to be taking precautions, even if it isn't much.
Lol, Kristie, moms can't help it, can they? It reminds me of my grandma calling me to know if I was ok after a tornado in South Carolina. I live in Pennsylvania...
Yup. My mom is like that too, Sandra. She called me not long ago because my cousin in N. Carolina had strong winds so she wanted to make sure I was ok in Virginia. 🤷🏼♀️ Of course, that's at least little closer than Pennsylvania - S. Carolina, but still not that close for "strong winds." lol
Lol. We'll all get there...
The ministry of education in my country is going crazy right now, we were given two weeks of holiday since we caught a few cases of the Corona virus and its like they are punishing us for it, the dates of the finals changed for the students and they'll have to go to school for a month longer, and we might get our summer holiday reduced a month and half less. They didn't even treat the patients yet and they are already deciding important things for the students. hello???? we are still going through this virus cases and it might not be fixed in these two weeks, ridiculous!
I've been on the phone for 2 hours so far this morning, trying to find out if my travel insurance for the trip to Norway and Iceland covers cancellation due to corona. But they "appreciate my patience"!
Rusalka wrote: "Oh and i took a new job. I wasn't going to tell you all until I signed a contract, but I found out my new boss told the School today, so I guess it's happening even without the contract. I'm going ..."Woohoo! Fancy title too.
Shirley wrote: "I've been on the phone for 2 hours so far this morning, trying to find out if my travel insurance for the trip to Norway and Iceland covers cancellation due to corona. But they "appreciate my patie..."The ABC news yesterday was reporting that if you purchased your insurance and trip before it was a known thing, then you should be okay. But yes, double check!
My understanding is that there is little understanding at the moment of the incubation period, and therefore how long you are infectious before you exhibit symptoms, so medical advice is a bit all over the place and changing. Also, the whole thing was shrouded in secrecy for a while, so we couldn't get on the front foot and couldn't understand the virus (or start on a vaccine like we would for the normal flu each year) while it had a low case rate. Otherwise it seems to be a pretty contagious, virulent strain of the flu. Which will mean most of us in countries with great medical systems (if we can afford it) would be okay. But yes, people who are older, younger, or like Renee with pre-existing conditions, could have a very hard time of it. And most of these precautions are about protecting the vulnerable in our community. Even if it's annoying. I saw Japan's closed their schools for all of March.
I just think of the Spanish flu pandemic in the early 20C. The benefit is we are more technologically advanced, we are more connected, and more access to healthcare. I can work from home if I needed to, I have things to entertain me including you guys, I have food storage options that didn't exist 100 years ago, I have access to soap and running water, I can keep up to date with experts and public health alerts 24/7. I would prefer to be in 3 weeks lock down to stay safe and ride out the incubation period in the community now than in 1918 hands down.
All you say is true, Rusalka. I just think the panic won't help, and media is feeding it in order to get more clicks. My father, for example, who I consider an intelligent and judicious person, sent me a message yesterday. He was super upset, saying that media in Uruguay was saying the virus is coming, like when in movies you see the zombies coming. So far Uruguay has zero cases. Of course the virus is coming, and because they know that they can get as ready as possible. But panic shouldn't be part of the equation.
Sandra wrote: "Lol. We'll all get there..."Hahaha true!
Exactly, Rus. I told mom that too. I would be more concerned with her getting sick than me. She is older and has asthma. She would likely have a more difficult time with it. She heard about the schools in Japan and said there was a case in Massachusetts (several states away from me and one away from my daughter). I think she's thinking about it a little too much. Now, my younger daughter is currently a customer service rep, so she answers phones. She also lives in Massachusetts. I told her to wipe down her receiver with alcohol wipes before her shift to help cut down on germs just in case someone using the phone before her was sick. I didn't specify for coronavirus, but just for any illness. (Yes, Sandra... I already went there. lol)
Nothing wrong with being cautious, but worrying too much doesn't help. I would, however, have concerns about travel anywhere with recycled air right now such as airplanes. I would probably take some of that travel stuff that's supposed to help boost your immune system while traveling.
Oh sorry. I agree. Panic doesn't help anything. Sorry, I was meaning to be rational with that comment, away from the panic. That's pretty irresponsible of that media agency in Uruguay. I heard South America just got it's first case yesterday, so they are probably in the best place to combat it as they have had lead time that none of us had.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
The Lost Man (other topics)The Glass Woman (other topics)
The Survivors (other topics)
The Survivors (other topics)
The Glass Woman (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Roberto Bolaño (other topics)Dervla McTiernan (other topics)
Kevin Hearne (other topics)
Rachel Caine (other topics)
Tan France (other topics)
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All our plants are having identity crisises. They've had the first substantial rain in months, and it's been mid-20sC instead of the 30-40sC of January and December. Oh and you can see the sun. The plants are all acting like they would in Spring. Poor things. They have 6-8 weeks until the first frost comes, so good on them.