Sunday April 19th 2020

Today has been a great day, we can see the end of our mandatory isolation period! I’m not going to say that it has been very difficult but I know we are both looking forward to moving into a social distancing period that will remain in effect for at least another month.

So today Miss Laurie set up a Zoom meeting with a few friends, a happy hour of sorts, as most of us are under some sort of restriction and at least social distancing. Today’s happy hour was with, Betty, Butch, Francine, Gilles, Shari, Bob, Miss Laurie and myself, to some of us Zoom meeting was something new and was a learning event, because in reality a few weeks ago we had never heard of Zoom. We were missing a couple of people on today’s call but, I understand it was a time zone issue (Karen) that was too blame as I was originally thinking it was because they just didn’t want to talk to me … just saying

When we crossed the border almost two weeks ago, many of the normal border crossing questions were not asked. No this time they asked about our health, our travel where and when, We were given information about our mandatory isolation, they took phone numbers, and email address, and have sent emails and have even called to check on our health. Here in Canada we were warned that if we didn’t obey the quarantine that we could jailed and fined, and we have done as asked and expected, and have remained within a few feet of the coach, my biggest trip has been taking out the garbage.

Tomorrow was to be our start day at the park in Goderich, but the latest Ontario rules to shelter in place are in effect until the middle of May, so we will see when we need to start some time next week. These are most definitely different times … I read someplace recently that it was the first March since 2002 that the United States didn’t have a mass shooting in an America school, and as we watch the American news broadcast they are reporting on a mass shooting in Canada … like I said different times.

So Miss Laurie gave me a warning today that I was to not speak of politics during our happy hour chat, and I think I was reasonable good today with keeping a lid on it. But as I watch the American broadcast cast it is very difficult not to take a few shots at what is happening. Now because we are locked down I have been doing a lot more reading, both borrowed ebooks from the library, and many articles on where the virus started, as well as how different countries have handled the virus, and not surprisingly most of the countries that handled it best were under the control of women. A fact that I personally had little problem believing, after all they are mothers used to protecting their children, and taking care of the home both thing that we as men are not nearly as good at, add a little ego to that and it’s no wonder we are seeing what we are seeing. There are a few that come to mind … the prime minister of Britain that had to be taken to intensive care after catching the virus and from what I have been able to gather had a come to Jesus minute while realizing how important the healthcare system really was. I think that our own Premier of Ontario is realizing how some of his cost cutting efforts have added to some of the issues that he is having to deal as more Ontario residents die, you can tell because, during his regular updates he seem very sincere and much more humble leader.

It would be too easy to take shots at some of the stupidity that we see across the border, but the virus infection count and the death count pretty much say it all, has the leadership failed? Everyone has an opinion on that, and I’m sure many of the opinions will be based on how every one has been effected, and how close they were to the actual infection themselves, how many family and friends died. In November the big report card will be handed down … pass or fail! I just look at what is said, put out a plan one day and go against every thing that is in the plan, on the next day, but it’s been that way for months now, it’s hard to call it “fake news” when we are hearing it every day directly, and in all reality nobody could make some of this crap up, and it appears that a certain someone has a lot of fear in what the next report card is going to say. I think the number of infections in the states may end up being higher than all other countries involved, especially with the president promoting all of these protests that go against his own Whitehouse recommendations … be safe!

As Always: Stay safe, Be Well, Keep Healthy, and try to avoid the idiots!

Tuesday April 14th 2020

Not much to report, we are still here in good health, we are still speaking to each other, and basically just trying to fill our days with some somewhat productive things. So you may ask what productive things we are doing?

Well let me start by saying not everything we are doing has been productive in any manner, but a few of the more productive things are we are both doing daily learning of Spanish, I am way behind Miss Laurie but that’s ok, I’m a much older dog. We are using a free app called “Duolingo” it is free but has ads and as you make more mistakes you get more ads. Miss Laurie is watching lots of painting videos and improving her skills and talents. We are staying in touch and up to date with friends and family and other full timers as we are all struggling with the situation. I have taken up reading books on my I pad again, borrowing ebooks from the library, already deep into my second book, I have always found it a great way to pass time.

We are still eating like kings with meals like spaghetti, lasagna, burgers, barbecue chicken, shrimp and the like … all thanks to Miss Laurie’s planning and talents. Canned vegetables, soups and such are common place, rice and pasta, omelettes, pancakes, lots of good stuff.

This mornings cheese and pepper omelette.

We are staying close to the coach, the weather has been quite cold although we try to sit out side when it’s sunny, we are trying to follow our quarantine guidelines for self isolation as I said we are on day seven of fourteen, and it looks like we will survive the ordeal, I looking at taking a big adventure today as I take some garbage to the bin, we are still keeping up with the world COVID-19 status, and it appears the social distancing will be going on a little longer, at least here in Ontario. And as always watching the GONG show they call the Whitehouse is a good form of sad entertainment, we have been catching up on some YouTube videos of friends and their most recent experiences, we did binge watch one show “Island of Brian” it’s a HGTV show about a Canadian couple that bought a resort in the Bahamas and the process of getting it up and running.

And I have to admit there have been a couple of days that we spent in our PJs, but we had a few days like that before our quarantine, in fact I can remember one morning driving down an interstate highway in my PJs, the joy of a class “A” coach when you get rousted out of a parking spot! Oh this life style has it’s downsides as well as the ups, we still believe it has been a good decision, and the little bumps in the road are just that, little bumps. We do wonder what the fall will bring, will we be able to travel to the southern states? Will snowbirds still be moving south? We are sure that everyone is hoping we get back to normal but I don’t think it will ever be the same, once we start to get a handle on the new reality I guess we will get a better picture, as to what the new normal will be. We are already starting to talk about next winter but it’s so far away and has way too many unknowns yet.

We have avoided, trying to empty the liquor cabinet, basically keeping a two drink a day limit, Miss Laurie is still pouring so the limit of two is still quite generous, but still quite acceptable. In fact I seem to have been abstaining, and just having a few soft drinks, no particular reason, there just haven’t been any desire for many cocktails. So that’s pretty much what’s happening in our lives right now … just saying.

As Always: Be Smart, Be Safe and Stay Well!