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Watcha' Doing - 2020
Storm Brendan just claimed our solar panels :-( It ripped the lids of the box they are fixed too and tge panels are now just hanging on by their wires. Luckily they weren't blown in the canal. The wind must have got up and under them as they were well fixed in place. Rob is currently out there doing a temporary fix. The storm can do one now.
Sorry to hear that, Sarah! I hope the storm calms down now.
Hopefully they are still functional but we'll need to repair the fittings and fixtures and the box itself. We're missing the lid, may well have blown over the hedge into the field but will have to wait for day light to go see. Rob cn't lift the box back up on the roof by himself and I can't lift at the moment. So it's half off the boat strapped up so hopefully it wpn't go anywhere until we can get some assistnce.
Oh no Sarah! But I just realized you live on a boat which is pretty cool..
Oh no, Sarah. Good luck with that. Hopefully, someone can help you once it's light and it will still be functional.
Sarah wrote: "Storm Brendan just claimed our solar panels :-( It ripped the lids of the box they are fixed too and tge panels are now just hanging on by their wires. Luckily they weren't blown in the canal. The ..."Wow, some storm!
Oh Sarah! That's so annoying! Particularly with you out of action at the moment. I hope that Rob's got everything buttoned down, and you guys haven't lost too much. Nature just sucks at the moment.
We're still in the deep freeze here. I had to go out this afternoon and clean off the car and scrape the windows. I was wearing a light pair of gloves and froze my fingers. I wasn't outside more than 5 minutes. It's -31C right now with a wind chill making it feel like -41C. I'm further west that Jenn, closer to the mountains. Like Esther (in Quebec), we were having a mild winter until this cold snap moved in. We aren't expecting warmer temps for another week when it's supposed to warm up to -20C. Whoever would have thought we'd think it was warmer at -20??
This weekend has been the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour at our local college. The auditorium was sold out Sat & Sun. Last night was close. All these crazy Canucks going out in these temperatures to watch people skiing, white water rafting, ice climbing. LOL! And me sick!
It's been a week now that I've had the flu. The three nights of going out and staying up late has wiped me out. I turned out the light at 11:00 last night and woke this morning to the phone ringing. It was 8:50! ACK! I haven't been able to get online till this evening. It's 9:00 and I'm exhausted. So, bear with me while I catch up - again.
I can't even comprehend those temperatures! Let alone going out in them!! I love how we all think each other is crazy just coz things are outside our experience. But my mind is boggling!
Sleep well and rest up. Hopefully you feel even better tomorrow!
Fingers and toes crossed for us, please! Looks like we will get our first rain since the 4 November. I'm just hoping it doesn't miss us, which is usually the way unfortunately. The fire areas need a good dump more (a sprinkle just makes things more dangerous), so I am happy for them to have the most of it... but pleeeeaassseeee
Just how cute is this? An American child is making clay koalas to raise money for bushfire relief. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/14/us...
I’m sorry Janice, I think we stole a few degrees from Canada. It’s currently 13C and very sunny here! Maybe spring is early this year 😂
@Janice, I don't know how you cope. We had -20C here years ago and we're still talking about it! @Rus - great news, i hope it come soon.
@Shirley, awww 😊
Shirley wrote: "Just how cute is this? An American child is making clay koalas to raise money for bushfire relief. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/14/us..."I saw this earlier. It's fantastic!
No more damage done from the storm thankfully. Just got to repair what has occurred. Temporary fix later today and then a proper fix at the weekend hopefully. Could have done without that but it could have been a lot worse.I hope you feel better soon Janice. There are some nasty strains of flu about at the moment.
Yup, I can't comprehend those temperatures. That's 70 degrees difference right now between Janice and Rusalka!
I had the flu last month and it was unlike any flu I've had. It lasted for a week straight. It was brutal. I didn't have the energy to even watch T.V. or read. I just felt like I slept for a week straight. My dad and his wife got it to and they live in a different state than I do. All i know is that I am extra careful sanitizing my stuff at work and in public because I don't want to do that again! Feel better, Janice and take it easy.
@Jessica, sounds horrible. :(@Sarah, glad to know that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Hope you can solve everything soon.
@Janice, rest as much as you can. Flu + such a cold weather doesn't sound as a good combination.
@Shirley, that was so cute! Thanks for sharing.
@Rus, wishing you a very, very wet rain. :)
Sarah, did you find the part that blew away? Was it in the field? Janice, I've never lived anywhere quite that cold, but I did live in New England for many years, so I'm accustomed to cold and snow. It is so strange to me living further south. I'm in Virginia now and everything closes when it snows. Last year we got a "huge storm" of six inches the schools were closed for a week, even my doctor's office was closed because there was snow in the parking lot. Right now everyone is talking about how cold it is going to get... we are expected to have a low of 19*F (-7*C) for one day.
I hope you are able to get some rest and shake the flu soon. That's just awful.
Kristie wrote: "Sarah, did you find the part that blew away? Was it in the field? "Yes! It is in the field. I can't get to it myself in case I do myself a mischief but Rob will be able to when he gets home from work.
Sounds like Virginia has much in common with the UK then!
Rusalka, I cant comprehend temps over 40C. I'm good at 25C. Anything hotter and I'm unable to function. I hope you get lots of rain.Shirley, I love Owen's koala's. So cute! What a great thing he's doing.
The strain of flu I have is nasty. It's been years since I've been this sick. The worst of it is the muscle pain and weakness. It's torture trying to take a shower. I have to rest before I can get dressed. Then I have to rest after I get dressed. And now diarrhea. Ugh! Apparently, it hangs on for weeks. I don't normally get sick or if I do, it's mild. Flu shot for me next year. I need to build up my immunity.
Sarah wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Sarah, did you find the part that blew away? Was it in the field? "Yes! It is in the field. I can't get to it myself in case I do myself a mischief but Rob will be able to when he..."
Oh yay! That's great news. And yes, definitely wait for him to get it.
Janice wrote: "The strain of flu I have is nasty. It's been years since I've been this sick. The worst of it is the muscle pain and weakness. It's torture trying to take a shower. I have to rest before I can get dressed. Then I have to rest after I get dressed. And now diarrhea. Ugh! Apparently, it hangs on for weeks. I don't normally get sick or if I do, it's mild. Flu shot for me next year. I need to build up my immunity."I am not anti-vaccination, but I never get the flu shot. I hardly ever get sick, even with colds. I haven't had the flu in at least 15 years, so I always figure if I do get it then I'm past due for it anyway. However, I think you need to weigh your risks and if I was compromised in any way I'd get the vaccination. Although, I must admit I've been considering the flu shot more lately since I feel like it's been so long since I had the flu that I'm probably on borrowed time. I'm likely to get sick eventually.
Which reminds me - The day before yesterday a little girl sitting at the table next to me in a restaurant jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Her mother looked at us and said sorry if she ruined your appetite, she's sick. Great lady... thanks.
I noticed that the flu seems particularly bad this year. Even people who've gotten the shot have gotten the flu. I wonder if they planned for the wrong strain?
Flu shots here are also only for people who are at an increased risk for either getting it or for whom the flu is dangerous. I think it's free for them but if you're not a risk group you have to pay. I never had one either.The kind of severe flu you ladies describe, I can't remember ever having been that sick. I usually get a cold once or twice in autumn/winter, and there may be a day or 2 that I prefer to just lie on the couch (not always though), but I can still read, watch tv, or do other stuff. Vomiting and diarrhea because of the flu must have been when I was in elementary school or maybe early years of high school.
Hope you all feel better soon!
It is the same here Peggy re free/paid for flu vqccines. I have asthma so get the jab done each year. I've had flu 3 times and it has floored me for weeks. The jab doesn't necessarily stop you contracted flu as it only covers certain strains but if you do catch it is won't be as bad. The flu seasins have been getting worse each year it seems with more people getting it than normal who wouldn't normally get it and a lot more deaths. A lot of companies here alsi offer free flu jabs to their staff to reduce absences.
They want everyone to get the flu vaccine here. I think everyone can get it for free at this point. They really push it too, doctors, pharmacists, etc. I asked my doctor this year - someone in my condition, what is likely to happen if I get the flu? He said you'd feel terrible for a few days, but it's unlikely to do anything worse. I said I promise to stay away from other people if I get sick. Honestly, anyone at risk should be getting a vaccine anyway. The real flu is different from the stomach "flu". The real flu is head congestion, high fever, chills, body weakness, exhaustion, etc. The vaccines don't even work for the stomach bug (vomiting/diarreah).
I recently read The Body: A Guide for Occupants and he talks about flu in that. It's very virulent and people don't have to be symptomatic to be carriers, hence why vaccination is important. Also, you are contagious for a couple of days before showing symptoms and for up to a week after symptoms have gone! I never realised this.
He also talked about the spanish flu, a pandemic that just over 100 years ago. A third of the world population was infected and 10-20% of people who had it died. That is a crazy amount of people. And not just the young and old. Some of my ancestors were totally wiped out from it. We've not had anything as bad as that since then, but weird things happen (like bird/swine flu outbreaks).
Kristie wrote: "Sarah, did you find the part that blew away? Was it in the field? Janice, I've never lived anywhere quite that cold, but I did live in New England for many years, so I'm accustomed to cold and sn..."
Hey Kristie - We're neighbors! I live in Virginia too, but I think you are on the western side because of the temperature you described. I'm here in Virginia Beach where it's 55 which is much cooler than the past week of 70 temps.
Oh! I didn’t realize that, Jayme. I lived in Williamsburg for a year. I’m in the Richmond area now. Hello, neighbor! By the way, I like your new profile pic. :)
As a teacher I got the shot every year because those little cherubs loved to pass their germs around the classroom. This is the first year I haven't got the flu shot since I retired figured not around as many germs. Crossing fingers.
Kristie wrote: "Oh! I didn’t realize that, Jayme. I lived in Williamsburg for a year. I’m in the Richmond area now. Hello, neighbor! By the way, I like your new profile pic. :)"I love Williamsburg - one of our favorite places and Richmond as some great restaurants. We are doing a food tour in Richmond this spring - present from Santa.
Thanks about the photo. It's my picture from my retirement banquet/celebration.
Year before last I seemed to be catching every mutant plague that came through town, last year I got my first flu shot, and again this year. I have had a couple of days where I feel a bit run down, but no plagues for me - just flu shots 👍They are not every bodies cup of tea, but they are doing the trick for me 😃
I'm all for as many vaccinations as you can get. I mean, if we've found a way to reduce the chance of you getting sick, or lessen the impact, then I'm all for it.I was lazy a couple of years with the flu shot, and same, at risk people should get it, but I'm young-ish and relatively healthy in the scheme of things. I'll be right.
But after winter after winter of completely healthy 30 year olds with young kids who are marathon runners, or rock climbers, or some other such healthy hobby dying from the flu strains here, I've been much more regular about getting it.
Jayme wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Oh! I didn’t realize that, Jayme. I lived in Williamsburg for a year. I’m in the Richmond area now. Hello, neighbor! By the way, I like your new profile pic. :)"I love Williamsbur..."
Williamsburg is a great to visit place. Unfortunately, we just didn't love living there. The food tour in Richmond should be fabulous! Let us know how it goes.
Kristie wrote: "I am not anti-vaccination, but I never get the flu shot. I hardly ever get sick, even with colds. I haven't had the flu in at least 15 years, so I always figure if I do get it then I'm past due for it anyway. .."A year ago, I was saying the same thing. But I got a bad cold last winter, and now this flu bug this winter, so my immunity has taken a hit.
Peggy wrote: "Flu shots here are also only for people who are at an increased risk for either getting it or for whom the flu is dangerous. I think it's free for them but if you're not a risk group you have to pa..."Flu shots same here in Oz. Free for those at risk. I have stubbornly refused even when my doctor gives me that disapproving look. However I did promise my husband I would have one next year. We’ll see. The thing is, the flu shot doesn’t necessarily protect you against all flu strains.
Sarah I have The Body: A Guide for Occupants ready to read. Cant wait to read it now. Maybe I won’t be so gung-ho about vaccinations.
I usually get a flu shot every year but I forgot to get it the last two years and guess who got the flu two years in a row 😄
IT'S RAINING!!!!As in big, plump raindrops that sting when they hit you!
Here's hoping it's first of a few days of this kind of weather, and they are long showers, not just the 5 mins intense storms. But I cannot explain to you guys how it feels to be hit by rain and to smell it after 11 weeks of none. I can't imagine what it's like in parts of the country where they haven't seen rain in over 6 months.
Sarah wrote: "I recently read The Body: A Guide for Occupants and he talks about flu in that. It's very virulent and people don't have to be symptomatic to be carriers, hence why vaccination is i..."I had no idea about that either. I got it for my birthday, so I will have to see if I can fit it in this year.
Oh Rusalka that’s great!! Let’s hope that the rain continues 😊
Doing the happy rain dance for you Rusalka!!!!
Yay for the rain. That must be an amazing feeling Rusalka. Let's hope it helps the fires.
Rusalka wrote: "IT'S RAINING!!!!As in big, plump raindrops that sting when they hit you!
Here's hoping it's first of a few days of this kind of weather, and they are long showers, not just the 5 mins intense s..."
Rus, you've made my day!!!
It's helping a lot but not putting them out. Just dialing them down a notch to help people put them out. The problem is now that if there is too much rain at once in some of these areas, there is no vegetation anymore to stop flash flooding and washing away of the little remaining top soil. Fingers crossed it's sustained over a few days at a reasonable rate.
Sorry, that's in Vic and NSW. SA hasn't had any rain unfortunately. And some of the areas that were devastated before Christmas haven't received any rain. Problem when we are such a big country! But huge relief still.Also on good news stories, the Gondwanaland pines we thought were destroyed have been saved!! https://www.theguardian.com/australia...
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