When it really happens: SHTF...

[Aragorn243]

We sent our grandson a plush Hess Truck for Easter. This was the first year for them. He's two so it's age appropriate. We just facetimed with them as they took it out of the box for him. it was a success. It plays songs, quite loudly which was unexpected. I knew it did something, just not exactly what. "The Wheels on the Truck go Round and Round" Fire truck themed. Has lights also. We had just finished watching Easter service from a close friend pastor down in New Jersey. I never missed an Easter Service to my recollection in my life. This was unusual for sure. I had one other different Easter Service, a sunrise service on the Persian Gulf back during Desert Storm. Away from the family for that one.

[Ovidio]

Lamb is traditional Easter meal in most of Italy...but here.
I always struggle to get good chops, but this time, strangely enough, I got plenty and first choice too!!!

Some wood ambers, for the lamb.
Extrafirstclassplatinumplus Prosecco with gorgonzola, caper fruits etc as starters.
Cabernet Sauvignon from Carso and the very carefully grilled chops.
But not before the traditional torta pasqualina!
Pic-nic with the family.
Maybe the beast Easter ever.

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[Aragorn243]

We just finished eating and I'm about to pass out in a food coma. We have ham, green bean casserole, baked corn, sweet baby carrots, pineapple stuffing, rolls, and scalloped potatoes. Cake for later. Even broke out a bottle of wine. Seemed very strange just my wife and I eating this big meal. This is the first year both daughters have homes of their own and while at least one of them would typically be here anyway, we are social distancing.

[browningautorifle]

Seemed very strange just my wife and I eating this big meal.

You'll catch up later though...

[CINDERS]

You know one thing we are missing a bit here I feel are our partners as whilst this a great place for us to have a distraction and comment on various aspects on how Covid-19 affects our lives and country's it is also taking pleasure from our wives/partners as they too are caught up in the maelstrom.
I am pretty fortunate that my wife loves the thing I hate "Gardening" as my talent for gardening comes out of a weed sprayer "Kill it all" moto so she is busying herself out side whilst I do housework, we have been watching movies and just chatting about things.
Her work is exceedingly busy so much so she works on at home even this Easter week end as the push is pretty relentless due to the over 2,000,000 claims made at Centerlink.
So even if you have got a safe queen out spending time with it spare a thought for your partners, today I had the task of ant patrol spraying them at one point I was surrounded but fought my way out at a total loss to the enemy.
Seriously take a moment to just ask how they are going for like us they may not have such a great place to spend time with friends such as this forum has for me, an hour chatting can be a real moral booster.
Just a thought for you to consider.

Ovidio I see a field injury to an index finger left hand in the pictures you posted of that scrumptous meal hopefully a full recovery was made.
Good to see bottled pain relief was at hand and hopefully administered in the correct dosage. Damn fine looking meal though Ovidio.

[Aragorn243]

Daily deaths in PA have dropped to 13 after a high of 78 a few days ago. Looks like we are past the curve. New York is declining but not as dramatically, still 758 deaths yesterday. Haven't left the house yet this morning. It's storming at the moment. Yesterday was strange. For a holiday you would think people would stay home but the supermarkets were full. About a third of them closed for the day which is unusual as they typically ignore religious holidays, Easter is not an official government holiday. I had thought most were closing but that was not the case. As for us, other than my periodic Pokemon hunts, we just relaxed at home. Ate so much at dinner we never had supper, didn't even snack.

The President has said May 1 will be the day to open the country up again. Obviously this can change, it's changed before. The media is fighting it as expected.

[Gil Boyd]

Steve,
Got some good friends in Philly, no answer from them in weeks. Hoping they are OK.
Are people in Supermarkets behind makeshift screens now and wearing masks?

[Aragorn243]

Gil,

I don't have a good read on Philly despite being so close to them. When we switched from cable to Direct TV, we lost our Philly TV stations and we are far enough away from them that we can't get them on antenna either. Based on all the information I do have, Philly is not being hit particularly hard so your friends should be fine. There have been 6352 cases in Philly with 128 deaths. This is the most in the state but not surprising as it's the most densely populated area in the state. Hospitals are in good shape with 1476 normal beds available, 254 ICU beds and 1270 ventilators remain available. Philly has a population of 1.5 million so those affected only make up .4%. There are currently 253 patients on ventilators in Philly for Covid-19. 516 ventilators are being used for other reasons for comparison. The Feds have been saying for days that Philadelphia was a city of special concern. It is the sixth largest in the country. They beefed it up a good bit medically in preparation but it's looking like a surge isn't going to materialize. Temple University set up 200 beds in it's arena just for covid cases. They were also the first in the state to issue stay at home orders.

I have so much information on NYC because it is such a disaster and is in the news all the time. Philly is very quiet in comparison as is the rest of PA. The spread from NYC went hard into New Jersey and while our neighboring counties are harder hit than the rest of the state, they still remain very low in comparison.

I shop at Walmart and use the self checkouts. I have seen screens at Lowes which is a lumber yard and Giant had everything covered in plastic. Masks are still not required for employees at these places which is something I would like to see. In fact, I wish the Governor would mandate the wearing of masks if you enter any building other than your home. I'd estimate that even today only 40% are wearing them. If they did that, we could probably go back to almost normal.

[Ovidio]

Just found these...
Wonderful

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[Gil Boyd]

I find in the UK, people pick up stuff on "Full View" look at it, and either put it back or put it down somewhere different, hoping someone else will replace it in its correct place or enclosure.

Humans have some strange things going on, or maybe its us that are to regimented in our thinking.

We now spray 100% disenfectant on everything with an outer cover on it and cardboard holding tins together, and multi buys together, which get dumped as soon as they come home, as its clear everybody has been touching everything and thats how it will get into your house. Safety First especially when it comes to where people congregate and touch everything including postal deliveries!!
Thanks for the update