{"id":4719,"date":"2020-03-18T18:37:45","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T22:37:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=4719"},"modified":"2020-03-18T18:45:21","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T22:45:21","slug":"day-6-covid-19-pandemic-march-18-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=4719","title":{"rendered":"DAY 6 COVID 19 PANDEMIC MARCH 18, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
DAY 6   COVID  19 PANDEMIC    MARCH 18, 2020<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
1) One week ago our curling team celebrated a victory with<\/div>\n
our opposition team.   We bought the beer for them and<\/div>\n
then laughed and horsed  around amicably as always.<\/div>\n
Now a week later our season has ended\u2026  And we are<\/div>\n
alone.  And  everything around us is suddenly different. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
2) Today PM Trudeau held a conference with the press on his doorstep<\/div>\n
in which he mentioned a long list of steps taken to prevent  a) the COVID 19 virus<\/div>\n
from spreading.  Most significant was THE CLOSING OF THE US\/CANADIAN BORDER<\/div>\n
\u2026except for trade\u2026we depend on trade for much of our food chain so trucks will<\/div>\n
keep rolling.   b)  supports for people in distress financially\u2026even homeless<\/div>\n
c) supports for businesses facing bankruptcy<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Trudeau spoke clearly and firmly with lots of specifics.  A real confidence builder.<\/div>\n
The government is prepared to inject billions of dollars.  The term \u2018billion\u2019 is now<\/div>\n
used often.   In the USA some similar supports are occurring only the term being<\/div>\n
used  is \u2018trillion\u2019 .  This situation is grim.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
3)  USA IS  facing 20% unemployment \u2026 same as the Great Depression of 1930\u2019s<\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
4)  One very sobering fact  \u2026 we are dependent on<\/div>\n
the USA for much of our food supply chain.  Where did the asparagus Marjorie served originate\u2026<\/div>\n
and the oranges\u2026and the lettuce\u2026ad infinitum.   I believe our rolled oats are made<\/div>\n
here in Canada but am unsure.    Where does the Kellogg company manufacture bran<\/div>\n
flakes, corn flakes, etc.?  The big factory in Ontario was closed down a couple of<\/div>\n
years ago.   So what?  So closing the American border \u2026total closing \u2026 is not an option.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
5)  Marjorie went to bed at 1 p.m. today\u2026.cold symptoms,  She got up at around 8 am.,<\/div>\n
looked after Woody our dog, peeled apples and made an apple pie and then, around noon<\/div>\n
she had  a bath and went to bed, sniffles and maybe a slight temperature.  Me?  I took a<\/div>\n
drink of Nyquill (sp.) and another pill of some kind. Did not wake up until 10 a.m.  Sun<\/div>\n
blasting light through the window.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Marjorie gave me a nice lemon drink about 1 a.m.  I slept like a baby.  She did not.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
6)  Disquieting to learn that hospital ships have been moved into position in New  York and<\/div>\n
on the west coast . The American infected population rises above 6,000\u2026not enough hospital<\/div>\n
beds.  Some  terrible choices may happen\u2026i.e.who gets the ventilator?<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
7) Deputy PM Freeland \u201cI want to make t his absolutely clear, we have had very<\/div>\n
positive and collaborative discussions with the US government\u201d  \u201cfull agreement\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cwe are in this together\u201d \u201clong history of good relations\u201d.  Very positive news conference<\/div>\n
in Canada.   Similar news conference in US is getting much better.  Dr. Dryx (sp.) spoke<\/div>\n
well.   I was also  pleased with VP,s comments \u2026 he seems to be rising to the occasion.<\/div>\n
Trump seems very tired \u2026big responsibility under a lot of criticism\u2026turning to his experts<\/div>\n
more often which is good\u2026.but still needs to create more confidence.   Gap between<\/div>\n
what he says and what is real\u2026i.e. respirators supply in US.   I really wish I could believe<\/div>\n
what he says.   Maybe he will help resolve things.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
8) LOST IN PARADISE\u2019<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAre you awake?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cyes, What\u2019s the matter?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWe have to get out of here\u2026the kids are worried:\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cGo back to sleep, I have booked seats on Air Canada for March 30.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cRisky.  Hope they don\u2019t cancel like West jet did.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cMe too\u2026Let\u2019s go boating.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cLook, a manatee\u2026and those big jumping manta rays…right out of the water.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cTough choice to leave.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cTougher to stay\u2026suppose you miss the anchor post with that hammer\u2026hit your knee\u2026need a  hospital.<\/div>\n
\u201cWe will try to fly.”<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
 Advice to Patricia and Dave while Lost in Paradise<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
My good friend Russ was reading about your Lost in Paradise entry and advised<\/div>\n
you should stay put.   <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Not sure what I would do.  But I send this comment for<\/div>\n
your amusement.  Our son Andy and friend KeithM. took off to tour the world years ago.<\/div>\n
They were 17 or 18 and  like Voltaire\u2019s Candide wanted to understand the world around them.<\/div>\n
They bought wrecked cars in the US\u2026$100 cars that would go.  One of them had no<\/div>\n
side windows.  Police stopped them of  course in Arizona\u2026”best you guys get out <\/div>\n
of this state fast.\u201d.  They drove the wreck to California where a friend of mine installed<\/div>\n
wooden windows\u2026did not help much.  How can you see if a police car is behind you<\/div>\n
with no side windows.  Now here is a thought.   Dave is very handy I know so I have asked <\/div>\n
Andy where he dumped that car and will advise when I know.  If found in a California <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
wrecking yard I have offered $50 which you can pay me later.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
No joke:<\/div>\n
My brother Eric has a good friend and  his wife stuck in Costa Rica. Their dream holiday<\/div>\n
turned into a nightmare.  No flights right now. No joke.  How can they get back home\u2026look<\/div>\n
at a map.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
So many others. One Canadian girl in Spain, alone it seemed, could not complete her<\/div>\n
interview without bursting into tears.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I guess I should not make light of the crisis.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
9) Canadian dollar has dropped to below 69 cents.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
10)  Bill P. sent me an amusing video titled  \u201cOn a street in Kelowna\u201d\u2026.convincing, startling, professional, amusing<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
11)  Closed borders means  that officers on the Mexican\/USA border will have the task of escorting refugees back across<\/div>\n
to an uncertain future.  Could it happen here?  Borders are closing all around the world. A fact.  <\/div>\n
the border<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DAY 6   COVID  19 PANDEMIC    MARCH 18, 2020 alan skeoch 1) One week ago our curling team celebrated a victory with our opposition team.   We bought the beer for them and then laughed and horsed  around amicably as always. Now a week later our season has ended\u2026  And we are alone.  And […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4719"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4719\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}