Afternoon Tea and Scones with the Lovely Ladies discussion
Just For Fun
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How is Covid19 affecting you?
Right now I am finding the situation weird. A big weight was taken off my mind when my son-in-law decided to stay home with my almost four year old granddaughter Rachel since her daycare is closed until April 6, for now. Her mother is my younger daughter Victoria.
Also, my older daughter Jennifer, who works in the library and is on vacation this week is relieved that they don't have to go work in a closed library, since she takes the subway to work. She doesn't live that far away from us so I will be seeing her and my grandson next week.
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1. No flights into Canada except Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
2. Only 4 airports open.
3. US-Canada border closed except for trade.
4. Schools and post grad education closed. My son is at uni and is now doing the rest of the semester online. He usually does summer school but we don't know if that will go ahead.
5. There are no shortages but people are panic buying. When I went to the store last week it was crazy and I came home without the meat and eggs I needed. Going to try again tomorrow.
6. Everyone to stay home unless have to go out for food/medication.
7. Non essential workers to work from home and most businesses closed except healthcare/ food.
8. Anyone with any signs of covid19, fever,cough, is to self isolate for 14 days.
So right now, just the fact that my son's education is somewhat altered and going to the grocery store is a nightmare.
My daughter works at a grocery store and I worry for her and I have elderly family in the UK.
How is it for you?
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A big weight was taken off my mind when my son-in-law decided to stay home with my almost four year old granddaughter Rachel since her daycare is closed..."
Yes our libraries all all closed. Is your younger daughter still working? The subway is not a great place right now.
I am not working being disabled but people are saying that if this gets bad they will call in all healthcare workers. I am 55 and if I can be of help if they get to that point, I will go, making sure I stay in seperate to my son. We just have to do what we can.
My younger daughter works in an eye clinic attached to a hospital and they are generally understaffed and very busy. She did manage to get tomorrow off, and booked a few days off in April to celebrate Rachel's 4th birthday.The neighbourhood I live in is very calm and people are being sensible.
It is a little tough right now, but we will get through it. My daughter will probably miss her grade 12 graduation. The music festivals she was to perform in are being cancelled. Her music lessons have gone online. But we are well and staying mostly at home.
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Yes this is a strange time for students. My son told me that the university sent an email telling all the students they have until Tuesday to vacate the student residences. This is appalling. Where will they go at such short notice, and how will they afford it having already paid for accommodation and meals until the end of April? I am frankly disgusted with the university. Not all students have family to return to and many will not get work this summer either. Josh is still doing online courses but has been told that everyone will just be credited a pass or a fail. He is disaapointed as he is either 1st or second in the class and thus his chances for a scholarship for next year may be reduced. Everything seems to be a knee jerk reaction. Life must continue on but it seems many of the professors are seeing this as a chance to bunk off. Sad example to the young.
Our family is really blessed as my husband still has his job. He is a professor so is struggling a bit with the sudden transition to teaching online, especially since he is an engineering professor and labs and complicated problems do not easily translate. Still we have food, each other, and are fine. I put out a my little library for neighborhood children and trying to reach out to friends and neighbors to make sure everyone is ok.
I definitely have more time to read. :)
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Great that your husband is stepping up in this situation. Out of my son's professors only 1 is actually still teaching. The others have just posted their notes and nothing more. My son is fortunate that he is self directed learner and is good at his subjects but he knows others students who are really struggling.
Stores here are now open for 1 hour in the morning only for seniors and the disabled or vulnerable health issues. Also shorter working hours for the rest of us. I approve of these changes. My daughter works in retail and she says it is really tough at work right now. She has had people coughing on her but the company she works for is now putting plexiglass barriers up for the cashiers. Things have changed so fast and already this feels like the new norm.
Similar here in Austria, only groceries, pharmacies etc. open, and you shall only leave the house to shop those or go for a walk, but only alone or with someone from your household.Hubby is at home, elder daughter works half-time atm, younger one will come from her term in Canada early, will arrive tomorrow, but has to go into quarantine for two weeks.
Best wishes to you all and stay healthy! :)
I have been hearing about how students have to leave university housing here in Alberta. That is tough. My son in Idaho is having a different situation. He is in student housing, but it is not owned by the university. They are not letting the students out of their contracts. So even though the Spring semester will be online only and many students don't even need to come to the university, the students already paid for housing for the spring semester. They are petitioning to at least allow them to move their contract to count for Fall or Winter semesters next year. At the moment my son has stayed in Idaho. Winter semester ends just before Easter. Then he has to decide if he will come home or stay since he already paid his spring contract for housing.
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Hubby is at ho..."
I hope your daughter arrives home well and safe. Where in Canada is she?
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Hi Katrina, I think the students have sort of fallen through the cracks and there hasn't been enough direction from on high as to their well being. Therefore the situation seems to be left in the hands of individuals who are only doing what is best for themselves. This is a stressful time.
My son is deeply depressed. He is barely speaking to me but I keep motivating him to do his work online and got for a short walk with me. Our doctor's appointments have been cancelled and we don't know yet if our prescriptions will be renewed. Since he is in physical pain every day he is worried that he will not be able to get the medication. I am trying to hold it together for both of us.
Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Similar here in Austria, only groceries, pharmacies etc. open, and you shall only leave the house to shop those or go for a walk, but only alone or with someone from your household..."She was in Edmonton, and arrived safely here yesterday, though had to quarantine immediately.
You´re so strong to keep everything together both for you and your son! Keep safe and best wishes!
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That's where we are. My son goes to U of A studying Computer Science and Mathematics. Such a small world.
I received an email this morning for the Alberta College of Pharmacists. I am semi-retired and haven't practiced for 2 years but they all asking me to re-register to help out until at least July 31 2020. I am 55 and will go back if I am really needed but not without a N95 mask.
I hope you are both able to get your medications, Tracey.
Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Similar here in Austria, only groceries, pharmacies etc. open, and you shall only leave the house to shop those or go for a walk, but o..."That´s lovely that it´s the same place! She loved it there, though it was soooo cold! ;)
Best wishes to your son with his studies (when the university will open again!) and to you, if you should start to work full-time again! Take care!
Praying for everyone. It is awful what the students are going through right now. It is a learning experience for everyone. I am a public elementary teacher and learning how to homeschool my children at the same time as teaching online to my students. Several of my students do not have access to a computer or the internet. We just finished Spring Break and won't be going back to school. I have contacted all 70 of my families for a Zoom meeting. Out of 70 students, I only had 10, but it was during their Spring Break. Parents need to know what is happening, but the teachers don't know. My superintendent uses the analogy - we are rebuilding the plane while it is taking off. I have had experiences with anxiety over it. My family is well, I was able to get my medicine. Tracey, my heart goes out to you and your family. I hope you can get it and you don't have to go into work. Take care of yourselves!!!!!
I am a doctor and in these times it’s the hardest it has ever been in my career. Without elective procedures I have been laid off one day per week to start. My techs have had their hours cut. Our critical patients are scheduled back to back all day long. There is no easy case anymore, they are all mentally exhausting and not taking in revenue that the company likes. So we leave exhausted and wrung out with more threats to our benefits looming. I want this over with so badly as I know you all do too. I want to read my books without such a heavy heart.
Hugs Heather, and thanks for your work! As we´re already bored, you´re exhausted because of too much work. Take care!
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Thank you, Michaela. Will your daughter be returning to Canada or has she completed her studies?
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Thank you, Tammy. I homeschooled my 2 children for several years but I had access to many resources and had time to prepare. I enjoyed homeschool and the children also did, in the main. Many students I understand are feeling depressed. I know my son is. He feels adrift and without focus and that all his efforts this year have all been in vain. He is a very self-motivated learner so if he is struggling I fear others are also. During this time we need to monitor how people are doing as suicide rates are expected to go up. In Edmonton, it is estimated 11 people per day attempt or succeeds in committing suicide. I think that is high and if it becomes higher it would be dreadful. I was on suicide watch over my son many years ago when his illness was undiagnosed and he was in pain every day without any answers. I pray day and night for angels to guard and surround my children, and for God's hand to be over them. I believe my prayers are answered when my children tell me certain things that could have impacted them negatively in their daily life but didn't. I do believe that a mother's prayer is a powerful thing.
My sister called me from the UK yesterday to let me know they are all doing ok so far. Both my sister and her husband are still working being considered essential workers. She says there are some food shortages and things like paracetamol (acetaminophen) cannot be found anywhere. They have to show their documentation when they stopped by police, which happens fairly often apparently.
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Heather I am going to include you in my daily prayers. This is a grueling time for you. I have worked under grueling conditions in my career and it leaves one drained and depressed. With no end in sight. This is not going to end with things as they were for any of us but together we can rebuild a better world. I believe this. It may take years to rebuild but I am an amateur historian and history tells us that after great disasters, better things come about.
I read a lot of books by Corrie ten Boom in my early days of conversion to Christianity. Tramp for the Lord is a powerful book. She went wherever the Lord directed to preach of the gospel and the truth about the Saviour. She once was told to go to a country but had no money. So she just turned up at the airport and sat there. Eventually, a man spoke to her and he gave her the money to fly to where the Lord wanted her. There are so many more stories like this in her life but basically she believed what her blessed father had taught her; the Lord often doesn't give us the train ticket until we turn up at the station. So this is what I do in my life, I turn up when and, where He directs and yes indeed He, makes a way. I will share how we came to Canada, how the Lord opened the way and has done so many things when all seemed impossible since then.
Be grounded in the truth that He is with you in the very midst of your trials and that He will see us all through.
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Thank you Rosemarie. I hope so too but I do believe if shortages continue and we can't get them, then the Lord will provide other means for us to get through each day.
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Has your son come home yet?
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Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Similar here in Austria, only groceries, pharmacies etc. open, and you shall only leave th..."She can finish her term here online, and the rest of her studies she´ll complete here in Vienna.
Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "I would like to share with everyone my thoughts on Easter which is coming up. At Easter, we remember how the Saviour went thought terrible trials and adversity, but then afterwards there was glorio..."Thinking of you too! A pity we can´t celebrate it with others of our family or at church!
Best wishes also to those celebrating Pessach or just Spring! :)
Thank you for your thoughts, Tracey. One of my favourite celebrations is Palm Sunday, which is this Sunday.My granddaughter is turning 4 tomorrow and is going to have a quiet birthday with her parents.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers Tracey. I felt better reading your words!
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And then for the past 5 weeks my son and I have been ill and we may have contracted the covid but it was milder in us. We displayed the GI problems and neurological problems. We did have diarrhea and nausea for most of that time and severe headaches, lethargy, fatigue, constant body pain, loss of smell and taste for a time, loss of consciousness and disorientation intermittently, inability to think. We are finally eating at least once a day now and diarrhea has stopped but we still have milder GI problems. We have self-isolated all this time and had a telephone appointment with our doctor. Anyhow, whatever it was it could have been a lot worse and it seems to be slowly resolving. The doctor prescribed some medication to help and I have both of us taking certain supplements and herbs which is helping our immune system to fight back whatever the invasive organism is. We haven't been tested because we don't fit the criteria but had us both self-isolated as soon as the sore throat started.
I hope everyone else is doing ok and that we all come through soon and can get back to what we love doing.
I am glad you and your son came through this all right, because it sounds like you had the real thing, or a very bad case of something. Have you been able to get all the food you need?
Sounds like the virus Tracey, which can have several symptoms. Pity that not everyone can be tested, but hope you´ll be okay soon, and have someone to help you! No wonder you´ve got a reading slump!
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Thank you, Michaela. We are starting to feel a little better but we have had several times when things improved and then worsened again so I am continuing to do all the herbs etc to keep on top of this. I had mononucleosis as a child (12) and after that, I couldn't go to school for about 6 months and was very low mentally and physically. This feels the same. Very little interest in anything and extreme fatigue. I am hoping having this will give us some immunity to other strains because I don't want to catch this again. But for now, I will just worry about this one.
Does anyone know of others who have come down with what is or could be Covid?
Hi Tracey. Your symptoms do not sound like covid to me. I’m wondering if you have any autoimmune conditions that are making your issue last so long. It’s unusual and I’m so sorry you’re going through that. Neurological issues always concern me since that’s my field. Certainly something to watch closely and get information if necessary, such as an MRI. Continue to take care of yourself and seek out a specialist if you need to. ❤️
Hello Ladies!How is your situation now? Are you back at working full-time, Heather?
How are you feeling, Tracey? How is your son holding up?
I am (partly) kind of a Covid profiteer... I work part-time in a law firm (Clifford Chance) three days a week. The rest of the week I work on my PhD thesis.
In mid-March we went into 100% home office which lasted until mid-June. Since July we're back in the office full-time.
I was really happy to be allowed to do home office, because it saved me 3 hours a day of commuting and I finally got enough sleep on law firm days. I also ate healthier.
Since my working conditions improved I elected to work 4 or sometimes even 5 days a week, so I also benefited by earning more money (I'm paid for every day I work in a flexible contract).
Only the thesis was on ice as all libraries were closed (the law library is still closed for everybody not having imminent graduation exams) and my research trips to other libraries were also cancelled.
Karate was (and still is) cancelled, the gym closed. For a month I wasn't motivated at all to exercise, but then thankfully I found virtual challenges online and am now going strong on my spinning bike.
My boyfriend is a teacher and he suffered a lot, because suddenly converting everything to online teaching was a lot of extra work and he missed the in-person contact with his students.
Now with a smaller second wave hitting Germany I worry, because people get sloppier with their masks and distances. Not only on the train but also in the office.
Thanks Philina, for sharing your update. That’s unfortunate a 2nd wave has come. I keep wondering if that will happen here in the US. I have been lucky myself during the crisis and am extremely thankful because of it. I was able to move to working from home, which we will continue through at least the New Year. I’ve no children, so no worries there and my two dogs were wonderful company, so I haven’t complained much, and am actually happy working from home.
It was quite strange in the beginning, I think everyone felt displaced and out of sorts. Most things have reopened here, except in my state no movie theaters yet. I still don’t go out much besides weekly grocery shopping anyway. We’re required to wear masks although you see people that don’t. I always wear one out and steer clear of those people.
My parents visited in July from out of state so it was nice to see them. I haven’t seen much family outside of that, but most are elderly with breathing problems, and while we miss each other it’s better to be safer now.
I was happy when my library finally offered curbside pickup about 6 weeks ago, and now they’ve opened for limited appointment only visits inside. Yep, that was my big excitement ! I don’t eat out much, I’d just decided to grow my hair out, hardly go to the movies anymore and do my workouts at home. No one I know contracted the virus or suffered a job loss or such from it. So I have been blessed throughout.
Second wave here too (people coming back from holidays, schools opening), though it doesn´t affect me till now. I´m always wearing a mask inside, even when it´s not required. Glad to have the libraries, though it lasts to get a book you put a hold on.
I 'm French and have kept home from mid-march to the beginning of august (locked in, then special authorization to remain home because of health, then holidays). I came back to work at the beginning of August : not many people in trains, you have to wear a mask all the time in France in trains and in Paris. I work in Paris.We have gloves, lotion, masks at work - not easy because keeping a mask on most of the day is hard, but we do it because we have to.
Some people are reluctant to wear the mask but they can't get into the library I work in : mask and lotion are mandatory.
My eldest daughter can't go back to university yet, she has to follow the program from home. My youngest daughter is back to college but I'm not very happy about it, especially at lunchtime - no distance, no mask when they eat...
Well, we do what we can knowing that my boyfriend works in a nursing home so we don't want to make him contagious (old people's lives are at stake), we don't want to make our own family contagious (we love them, of course) but we don't feel safe either in transports or at work... One of my colleague's son is likely to have been infected, we ate together last week without the masks of course, he took the test last week, but the results are not here yet ! So in between, we might contaminate our colleagues, the people who come to our library, the people we travel with, the people we live with : we're not happy with this. We are civil servants, we don't want to contaminate anyone !
Oh Iza, I’m so sorry to hear how this has affected you. It sounds very stressful ! Please know that I am thinking of you and hope your colleagues son is not infected. That’s not an easy way to live. And all you want to do is go to work and do your job so you can try to live a life. I do hope better times are coming soon!
I have to say that in the midst of constant news about outbreaks (and all kinds of other bad news) and wondering if this masked way of life will ever improve, I found a slight antidote today: I got a haircut and highlights for the first time in 6 months.It sure lifted my mood and put a pep in my step.
Self-care, ladies. Do it safely, but take care of yourself. The little things make a big difference. 👱🏻♀️
Well said Elke! I´m glad I´m having my books and can meet friends for a walk.Sorry Iza about the problems in your country! Our libraries have seperations out of transparent plastic between librarians and costumers, also in supermarkets and pharmacies.
Take care and stay healthy everyone!
Hi Iza,Sorry about the Covid threat you are facing.
The hardest thing to deal with is people's
indifference, they endanger the lives of others.
Masks aren't pleasant but are effective.
Every effort made to safeguard ourselves is our
best defense.
I hope your colleague's son's results come back
clean for everyone's sake. Please let us know
how you get on. Take care as well.
We also have a second wave, though it isn'tsurprising with people carrying on as if it's
September 2019. Who knows how long this
will go one without the co-operation of the
masses.
Schools are back in session and a recent local
news reported an elementary/primary school
tested positive for Covid. Texas now has a state-
funded homeschooling program, much to parents
relief.
Our libraries remain closed until further notice,
at this point it's indefinitely; curbside pick up is
available.
Let's hope were in a different place next year.
@Elke,
You had a wonderful day, I'm so pleased for you,
These moments of luxury means so much now.
I am glad that each of you are all right and are
making the best of this situation with great
attitudes. I hope you and your families will
continue to do well and remain in health.
Take care, lovely ladies.
You are absolutely right, Ruth - we need the cooperation of the masses. I find it shocking how little people think.Even in regard to a vaccine, we need a majority to take it and it sounds like they won’t.
A safe, fully tested vaccine, that is.
Hi everyone. Yes, Philina I am back at work full time, and swamped. I haven’t diagnosed any new Covid cases but I am seeing A LOT of people who have already had it. It appears to have stabilized in my area. Life seems normal with masks. I don’t miss going out since I’m fairly antisocial. I don’t have children, and I can’t imagine managing that.
I don't have any children either and just completely sympathize with parents right now. It's hard watching my siblings try to make the decisions about schooling while working and creating any sense of normalcy for them that they can. I was a furloughed employee but am back to work now. Fortunately, I am able to work from home for the most part now, along with my husband. Which has been both bonding and infuriating. Yet, we have been so fortunate through this entire thing. I've gotten my hair done a few times (I tell people I was the canary in the mine as I went the first day salons opened back up! LOL) My priorities have not been order as I've just rescheduled my dentist appointment that was cancelled back in March.....
Jess - I am terrified to go to the dentist. Your mouth is wide open! Aerosolized particles from a previous patient may be hovering in the air waiting to descend in/on you!
At least with hair appointments we can mask up and try our best to stay safe. You did important work, canary.
We are all of us daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, friends. We all of us have loved ones to care for and worries and concerns beyond just catching the virus. Food shortages? Being able to pay my bills? What to do in social isolation?
We are a sisterhood and please use this thread freely to inform one another of what is happening. You can post in this thread even if you have never posted before or read any of the books in the group. No one is excluded. I want everyone to feel valued.