spring 2020 check-in...

[Ryan]

Same here. Let me guess hot items are toilet paper, Pasta, rice, Panadol. Things are not that strict here yet, but if Australians  do not wake up and start self isolating the government has threatened one person from each household to shop only. 

Hardware stores here have now started limiting many items too. Gardening tools and products are flying off the shelves. If we happen to go into full lockdown , people must be planning to do their gardens.

[dcwolcott]

Here, the bigger grocery stores (Publix, Winn Dixie, Walmart) all have "Senior Hours" for those who are at greater risk.  Publix opens on Tuesday & Wednesday at 7:00 AM just for us oldies, and Winn Dixie is open at 7:00 am, and Walmart says they open on Tuesdays one hour before regular opening time -- which means 6:00 AM since the pandemic.  This is our regular 24 hours Walmart.

They are supposed to have the shelves stocked for us, and I went to Publix yesterday morning because I NEEDED toilet paper (NOT stockpiling it, just really running out) and they didn't have any they ran out on Tuesday morning.  Guess I better shop on Tuesdays!  LOL   Said they'd get a truck today around 3 PM, but certainly NOT safe to go there since it will be mobbed!  Oh well, there are always "baby wipes" -- they haven't run out yet!  LOL

I hope Australians listen as self isolating is the ONLY way to break this curve.

So, I've been doing the chores I hate, like deep spring cleaning -- going through every paper, drawer, rearrange cupboards, etc.  I like the final outcome, but HATE doing the work to get it there.  I'm limited to working on things for 1 hour at a time, and then rest, which I'm doing.  I AM behaving, a my grandkids are still to young to lose a grandma -- they'd have a hard time understanding since we all get together so frequently, and in the spring they all start talking about summer vacation at the beach house.

I should tell you, that this self isolating (even my children won't come and visit) and feeling better and stronger since the heart attack has finally gotten me to get outside and get my garden going.  I'm doing it in "Earth Boxes" -- which came at 3 different times, so some things are just now popping out of the soil, but I'll attach a couple of pictures so you can see my progress.  No one is pulling gardening things off the shelves here, so I was able to get what I needed at Walmart in the middle of the night when no one was out and about (remember it was open 24 hours).

I've got green beans (pole & bush), wax beans, summer squash & zucchini, snap peas, tomatoes, radishes, watermelons and even sweet corn !!

[dcwolcott]

Oh, and just for sh$%^%&-s and giggles, so we don't forget how much fun we're having.....here are a few shared pictures.....

I have some interesting people who send me emails.....

[Chanda]

Nice looking garden and great funnies.
Too early for thinking garden here, ground is still frozen, and there's snow out there.

[dcwolcott]

Thanks.  Yes it would be too early in the mountains, too, but I didn't care when I started.  Actually had to do a replant, because as soon as I planted a couple of things we had a cold snap down to the 30's, and only a few things came up a long time after.  Just put more seeds in the ground when it got a little warmer.  I'm happy with the results.  Nice seeing something growing for a change.  Better than all the weeding I've been doing.  That just gives you clear dirt that the neighborhood cats think is their new litter box!   

[Chanda]

T.  Better than all the weeding I've been doing.  That just gives you clear dirt that the neighborhood cats think is their new litter box!   

During non-growing season, cover them with a sheet of plywood to keep cats out, so you don't have to clean before planting next season.

[Ryan]

Glad you got some gardening items Diane, cant wait to hear how the final product tastes   Nothing tastes better than homegrown veggies. I am really happy for you that you are able to get out into the garden and happy to hear you are incorporating some resting in between. Our supermarkets are running much the same way yours are over there , they are opening early for senior citizens so they are able to get what they need. How is your daughter feeling Diane ?

I wish my fellow Australians would listen, the cases here are growing by the day and by the time they Wake up to themselves, i think it will be too late. I am at the point now I just wish they would hurry up and put us into complete lockdown. The longer they leave it , the worse the pandemic will be and our economy will take much longer to recover.

Ill be checking in over the weekend to see how you all are.

Take care everyone

[Chanda]

Too snowy or too muddy outside, so I'm busy doing anything but spring cleaning inside.
This is under the needle at the moment.

The labeled pic, if it copy/pastes, is the fabric collection; and the other pic is mine.
I have extra panel fabric, so plan to make some placemats, they'll be available.

[Anna]

Those designs are looking attractive Chanda. And Diane, what a great effort in your garden, cant wait to hear what it all tastes like when ready to eat. Think I might try a few veggies myself this year, am normally simply a flower and bush person but a few runner beans, types of lettuce and spuds or peas would be good. Then I can think about a few winter veg as well. Ryan, you are quite right, Aussieland should really be heading into lockdown before it is too late. Hope you and your family manage to stay safe. Our supermarkets have also put aside special shopping hours for the elderly  but it seems a little pointless to me as how many old folk manage to get up, dressed and breakfasted by 6 or 7 oclock in the morning, let alone find (in a lot of cases) public transport running. On the other hand if they made the timeslot any later in the day there wouldn't be much in the way of produce left anyway! Daughter Cathy has been 'laid off' from her job at Tescos supermarket as she is considered 'at risk' so is now home with me and I'm so glad as I really hated her being there at work and mixing with all those who are not really taking this very seriously. Stay safe everyone x

[Chanda]

Mother Nature is helping us to self-quarantine in our little corner.
This picture is from last year about this time, but it looks about the same today, only the cut is much deeper and wider this year.

[dcwolcott]

Oh, I remember when the driveway got flooded through and washed away.  OMG, are you saying it's worse now?

[Chanda]

Oh, I remember when the driveway got flooded through and washed away.  OMG, are you saying it's worse now?

Yep, deeper this year.

[Chanda]

The walking bridge Shayne took the time to build this afternoon may be gone by morning.
The main county road 4-5 miles north of us is about washed out.
I really need my Chewy packages on FedEx, that are supposed to arrive tomorrow, but I don't know if they can even get here.  [I was going to have them drop at the mailbox, but perhaps I will have to have them drop at my MILs, at least it could be put inside up there.]  And, this also means our mail probably won't be delivered this week. 

[Ryan]

We are are heading into stage 3 isolation, not complete lockdown yet, but not far off.

I went up to get a heap of lucerne bales yesterday and they were sold out. I could only get "grassy Lucerne" which is 70% lucerne, 30% grass. I grabbed some grass and clover as the lucerne/grass was a little average.

Did some cooking yesterday and started cleaning. Whats everyone else doing in Isolation ? 

[Chanda]

Doing what I always do.   It hasn't greatly affected our day to day, the cows don't know what's going on, so still need fed and waterer and watched for new calves.  Still need to feed horses, cats and dogs everyday.
Did manage to get out of the yard with a 4-wheeler and go up to my MILs to pick up my Chewy packages, so barn cats have food again for about a month.  House cats food is coming in a different order, and I'm not sure when it will arrive.  An assortment of other orders that may or may not be able to actually arrive due to the road wash out.  It'll be interesting for the next week or so, at least.