Good evening all

The Australian Government has stopped all international flights to and from the country. Qantas has grounded all their international flights.

I need to go to the Dr tomorrow for blood test results and results from my procedure.

Much love to all. Stay safe..

Morning Doug. I was so sad to read about June, but grateful to Ann for posting the news of her passing.

I enjoy Peter Ward’s Watercolourfanatic blog. He has introduced me to many a watercolour artist that I would otherwise never have heard about. Recently he mentioned a new (to me) watercolour paper, called Fontaine. It’s 100% cotton and available from the SAA and GreatArt. The latter has a sale on with some blocks half price, so I ordered some and it’s arriving today. The text from DPD, the delivery people says “if you’re not in …”. Ha ha, I’m always going to be in for quite a while, unless I’m in the garden. We have a vestibule so I will leave the front door open so that he can leave the parcel inside but not have to get too close.

Talking of deliveries, our Neighbours Support Group on WhatsApp is going well. Someone posted this morning to say they cannot book a supermarket delivery as the slots are all gone. Immediately two other neighbours offered to shop for them. The first chap did say that the local dairy and a Wirral fruit shop are both delivering. This NSG was funny yesterday. Neighbours posted that a) Morrisons had had a delivery of paracetamol, b) the local craft beer shop was delivering and c) my favourite restaurant was now doing takeaways. So in our road people will be fine for drink, drugs and dining! It’s a very long road so we could have a street party and all sit 6ft apart.

I decided to stock up on some frozen food yesterday. Iceland (the frozen food store, not the country) were offering free next day delivery, so I registered and filled a basket. Then I discovered, just like my neighbour this morning, that they had no slots available. My beloved, who you may recall was sceptical about me replenishing my store cupboard, offered to go to the store, so I dictated my list. Well it seemed like a good idea at the time. He spent twice as much as I expected, and none of it was wine! When he first walked in a lot of the freezers were empty so as he progressed around the store, if he saw something he fancied he put it in the trolley. I’m not certain that white Magnums and salted caramel ice cream are absolutely necessary for my new healthy eating plan but hey ho perhaps we’ll feel like a treat.

Maria, I always smile when you mention confinement because in the UK it has two meanings and one of those is “the process of being in childbirth” . Thank you for your good wishes.

Sylvia, how lovely that you have the birds coming to visit.

JJ, what a beautiful bunch of flowers.

I will return later to reply to those who posted after me yesterday.

Take care out there on the hill.

QS

QS and Maria whatever confinement means it’s giving birth to total drongos here.

People in Melbourne have gone out to country towns to strip their supermarkets. Supermarkets not too worried, except for abuse, intercustomer violence
and stress. After all they have sold 3 months worth of products in a week or so. :rolleyes:

Even pharmacies are under attack. Mostly for paracetamol and Ventolin … over the counter stuff. One can only hope the paracetamol hoarders take it all at once….

Sick of corona but fascinated by self interested international shifts. China accuses the Americans of starting the virus which is a facesaver made of acid and derision from the rest of the world. Unlikely to meet the cosmetics market.

China says no more cases reported there. Reported being the operative word. Remember the poor guy who reported concerns early. He looked smiley at the end of his endotracheal tube.

Italy still reeling.

Australia is reeling too. Footy had been cancelled. All codes.

Forgive me I’m going nuts with my confinement. Yeah I’m home but I can’t walk anywhere. Can do very little. Though I did put the pencils on top of the sketchbook.

Shortly I shall have to go to the loo, should I be able to evict Loki from my wheelchair.

Hoo roo all

A bit drear out there this morning, but it is grocery day, and I will go if the bus comes. The large store is usually practically deserted on Thursdays so it should be safe. I keep my gloves on and wash them when I get home ! And they do have wipes for the buggies. As I have already shopped a bit this week, it will be nice to have 50 min for a more leisurely look, they have clothes that actually fit me there too

Thanks for multiple chuckles Annie! :grouphug: I have a feeling it has been around longer that we know, otherwise where are the community cases coming from? We knew only once we had a test….and it was used.

Me too Doug, am working on two different types of toothpaste, actually. Good luck with your videos to your class.

That’s a wonderful group QS! We have most people with cars in our senior’s place, no visitors admitted if in the hazard group, but all common areas locked except the laundry room! An end to the evergoing picture puzzle table. So there is an informal network to help those without transportation, and several use deliveries, which, like yours are probably backed up.

Speaking of backed up, the Metropolitan Opera website crashed Monday night! nearly 100,000 people tried to watch They have changed some things, and now have a ‘waiting room’ for those who can’t get in at once. I still want to try, I think it is La Traviata tonight. I wonder if you got in for La Boheme on Tuesday daytime Char.

Safe trip to the dr JJ, thanks for the flowers!

Lucky you with the birds Sylvia. We don’t have many yet, although I’m sure I heard a flicker yesterday. Soil still too wet to cultivate. But I bought a little starter pack and am going to start some things for the balcony.

Good to see you Maria! Hope you stay well also.

Since this was to be our March break, the schools closed here last Friday QS, and will be closed, officially for two weeks after that, but who knows now. My DD runs a pre-school and she has followed suit. In a way, it is nice that she has time to take me out if necessary, we hope to have some walks together. I hope your family stays healthy.

Saw this just now on my news feed, thought it bears repeating

Medical historian Dr. Howard Markel, a professor at the now-closed University of Michigan, also emphasizes the importance of sticking together — especially considering the inevitability of a similar situation in the future.
“As serious as this coronavirus is, we’re going to come out on the other end, and my hope is we’ll come out stronger and more cognizant that we live in a global village of emerging infectious diseases,” he says. “It’s not an issue of if, it’s an issue of when.”

Good Morning from the rainy and raw SW of Ontario! Even the kitties didn’t want to go out. It’s above freezing, though, and the rain is gentle. The trees are proudly bursting out their fat buds. Leaves will soon be filling in all the limbs. Daffodils are poking their noses through the warming earth. Good things.

There are two confirmed covid-19 cases here in my region with 14 people waiting confirmation. Ted and I had a talk with Simon last night. He’s moving some of his things out today and will be moving to a friend’s home on the weekend. It was hard and I cried. We offered to set up the motor home for him, but he can’t access any internet out there. That was a deal breaker!

My new Gallery closed its doors (temporarily) yesterday.

Today, I’ll greet my house cleaner at the door. I’m going to pay her and, sadly, send her on her way. She also works at Walmart and that makes it way to risky to allow any kind of contact. I feel really bad about this, too, because she works THREE jobs to make ends meet. I’m going to give her the money for her next scheduled day here, too. That’s two weeks from now and I’m hoping we can make some good decisions after that.

Our Doctor will be telephoning our “visit” tomorrow. I was given their fax number so that I can send all of Ted’s numbers and stats from the week to him.

I have Nutrition Classes today and tomorrow. Oddly, I have not had time to get some sketches done, but I’ll correct that right smartly!

Ted had a really bad day yesterday and he’s still sleeping now. I am hoping against hope that he is much better today. Even though we’d been forced into distancing to some degree over the past year, he’s feeling the isolation now. He’s a road runner and when he feels good, he loves to get in the van and do all our errand running.

Doug, that’s my problem with any of the apps that would connect my Students and I. One of them can’t even do Skype.

Hi Maria! I did my confinement three times.

Sylvia, the grocery stores here are still packed with people. Avoidance, for us, is imperative. That doesn’t bother me… I hate shopping!

JJ, good luck with your appointment!

QS, white Magnums and salted caramel ice cream are those necessaries that will make you smile! I’ve visited Peter’s blog now and again and it is a really good read. Neighbours helping neighbours… such a good thing!

((Annie)) We’ll all get through this reasonably unscathed. Focus on those things that you really can do… your confinement is temporary thank goodness!

The hoarders are despicable specimens of the homo erectus.

Lynn, our internet is dragging its feet. I did get in to see Boheme, but my own connectivity became an issue. It’s my hope that when we come out of this pandemic on the other end of it, we’ll witness all the healing our planet has experienced when we stopped doing what we do. I read, yesterday, that dolphins came to play in the Venice canals because it was so clean. Amazing.

Hi Ellen… so much snow! Take a breath and enjoy your empty to-do list! I don’t know what our financial situation will be when all this is over. We cannot do anything about it for now and there’s no sense in worrying over what we can’t control. (Still worried)

I’m going to fill my cup a second time, do some browsing and then get ready for my Class. All yet to come, our Lurkers and Absent Friends… have a healthy, happy and creative day! :grouphug: