BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: JennieG
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 08:10 AM

Ebbie - yes, we had seen the festival program and were looking forward to seeing your friends perform again! The festival was cancelled three weeks out.

Like you we have been staying home more than going out. Our town hasn't had an active case since April, but we are on the junction of several highways so get a lot of through traffic. There's always the concern that someone who is ill may stop here......although with state boundaries closed and quarantine restrictions in place, most cases have been confined to big cities.

Our son and his family live in Canberra where the folk festival would have been held at Easter, but alas - we haven't seen them since Christmas, as our annual trip couldn't happen. We have a three-way family trivia quiz each Sunday night on Zoom (son, DIL, The One And Only Grandkid, and DIL's parents) which is better than not seeing them at all.

Oh well. It is what it is.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 11:01 AM

My knee replacement was an early mention on this thread - and it works much better than the old one that had me walking gingerly and kept me awake nights (though the surgery is a rough one to recover from, I suspect Mary will concur). The trouble was it was like "all dressed up and no place to go" - I could get out and do things again but everything was closed down. A lot of it still is. The museum where I was volunteering twice as week is negotiating how to set up safe work stations as the museum slowly opens to the public. The cramped office where we worked before is out of bounds now.

My garden went in late and is much smaller than usual, but it is producing enough to provide the usual summer pleasure of picking and eating or picking a lot and canning. Our first frost is usually late October through mid-November, so there is plenty of growing season left.

The curve is gradually flattening, noticeable over the last few weeks; the wearing of masks (a state requirement) seems to finally be turning this around, but the counties here are still are in dangerous territory, with over 200 new cases a day showing up via testing. No telling how many are out there in the community untested. I am still staying home as much as I can; the few trips out are during "Senior Hours" at a local grocery store when possible. I got my annual flu shot yesterday.

I need a haircut. My ex was over yesterday to pick up some groceries after my rare trip out for fresh produce; he is so shaggy he asked me to take a photo to send to the kids. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 11:31 AM

Today is my birthday; I'm 66 years old, an age I never imagined reaching back in the day when I should have been planning for this. I have been much luckier than I ever deserved to be.

In Stratford, Ontario, we are stlll in what the Public Health people call "Stage 3", which means masks in all indoor spaces, "social distancing" without masks outside (never have there been so many backyard barbecues in our neck of the suburbs), and the formation of cautious "bubbles", usually relatives, for indoor gatherings.

Bubbling (as we call it) is more complex than it looks at first glance. Yesterday, my hairdresser talked about how whip-sawed she feels between the socialization needs and wants of her elderly mother, her children and her grandchildren, not to mention herself. The administrators of her mother's care home recently announced that she could take her mother out, but if they go to her house -- also frequented by her children and grandchildren -- does she have to bar the younger generations, some of whom are going to school? If so, for how long?

Yikes.

Meanwhile, at the salon, every customer's temperature is taken and recorded on entry, and every visit is documented with a signed undertaking about travel and contact with sick people.

When I tanked up the car the other day, it was only my third visit to the pumps since St. Patrick's Day. I have driven less than 2,000 kilometres in five and a half months, all of it to and from doctors' offices and grocery stores. Fun happens at home, entertainment is a book or Netflix, and exercise is a long walk or a bout of heavy housecleaning.

The cats approve, of course. The house is almost never unattended by humans, so a lap is always available when a lap is wanted. Who can say fairer than that?

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 12:09 PM

You're two days older than me, Charmion. I put gas in the SUV once a month whether it needs it or not. They talk about "pods" down here, and we were almost to the point of establishing one with a couple of relatives at mid-summer when the numbers started climbing fast, so we tabled that plan. I envy you your haircut!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: MudGuard
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 02:08 PM

Happy birthday, Charmion! (do you remember Niort, where we met 15 years ago?)

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 04:55 PM

MudGuard! How nice to see your monicker on the list again!

Yes, of course I remember that magic weekend at Niort; how could I forget?

Just the other day, I was passing on a tune I learned then to a fiddler friend here in Stratford.

I hope you and the other European Catters are well. In particular, we often think of Wilfried.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Ebbie
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 11:24 PM

Happy Birthday, Charmion!

And a Happy Birthday to you for your upcoming landmark, Maggie!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 Sep 20 - 08:31 AM

Students are back in my college town. Bracing myself, like Bridget in the old joke.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Sep 20 - 08:32 PM

Keep checking in, everybody!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Sep 20 - 12:22 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: beachcomber
Date: 14 Sep 20 - 12:43 PM

Don't know if anyone is bothered but I just thought that I'd check in with Mudcat from Ireland. I'm living in the countryside and drive about 15 kms, one day a week at an early hour, to the nearest Lidl supermarket which supplies everything that we need. My wife and I miss our weekly socialising in one of the nearby pubs, the conversation, singing and / or card playing, but we are lucky that we don't have to go in to our village. The place has been absolutely swamped by visitors (homegrown variety mainly) all the summer and is only now beginning to quieten down. I never expected to be grateful for the approach of winter and an end to the Campervan tourists for a while.
Some old friends have passed on and it was so sad not to have been able to attend their funerals. Our Children make careful visits regularly but our Grandchildren cannot understand why we no longer hug and play with them. I have just passed my eightieth birthday and we did have a little party in the garden.
We'll manage, many, many others have it so much worse, we're well aware.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: skarpi
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 05:57 PM

Thank you all for checking in, keep it coming, and sorry to yes some have it worse than others. All the best from Iceland Skarpi.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Sep 20 - 06:17 AM

A 'check in' airbrush painting

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 05:48 PM

Here in Juneau in southeast Alaska, somewhere out there life goes on. I have now been hunkered down for just over six months and I am still stupefied at how quickly life has changed. For me, it could be much worse, friends bring my grocery-ordered to my door, lately the sun has been shining and the sky is bright, my windows are open and I can enjoy the fresh air, a couple of times I have ventured outdoors, friends stay in touch with phones and Facetime, I have started a new story, this one about a raggedy little dog named Rusty and I have sketched portraits of Biden and Harris (singly) that after half a dozen tries I am almost satisfied with. I cope. If it weren't for the devastating fires 'down south' and the impending anxiety-fraught election day coming I could be quite content.

Stay well.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 05:55 PM

I can vote tomorrow!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 09:50 PM

Ebbie,
how far is Fairbanks from you?

Petfinder shows that Fairbanks has --
in addition to far far too many shelter Huskies --
a little senior-citizen lady, an English bulldog named Maggie ...

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Ebbie
Date: 18 Sep 20 - 12:10 AM

Keberoxu, there are no direct flights from Juneau to Fairbanks. First you fly to Anchorage, almost 600 miles away and then catch a different plane to Fairbanks, another 400 miles or so. Not an easy or quick day.

Any dog I get will have to be small enough that I can carry if need be. For me, in my mid80s, that means around 20 pounds. My preference is to find an elderly dog that needs a happy ending and won't outlive me! I can't bear the thought that a dog might feel abandoned.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: skarpi
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 06:20 AM

Well the third Covid wave is going on here in Iceland, and they say there is the fourth Covid also coming, so stay save, this is not over yet. All the best from Iceland Skarpi

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 09:55 AM

Likewise in southern Ontario, Skarpi. We are now almost used to holing up at home and wearing a mask when we go anywhere else.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 11:09 AM

Snicker happy ending

Sorry.

Charlottesville is having perfect weather for my current clothing. Also I asked around and we *are* on alert for Proud Boys etc. issues in January since we are now a symbol for that kind of crap. So good that there is alertness but boo that City Council and our [expletive rethought] of a mayor denied it when I asked *them* (my later inquiry was to the disaster prep folks).

I voted.

Thinking about not doing Thanksgiving but forgot to talk about that on my family Zoom call yesterday.

Enjoying reading about all of y'all!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 07:21 PM

Mudcatter Gnu has managed to get out of the house recently
but allows that his "health is still poor."

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 Nov 20 - 09:12 PM

One of our most beloved Mudcat members
has suffered a terrible bereavement since the previous post.
Maybe some fellow Mudcatters don't know that yet.

The pandemic, in the meanwhile, still has the upper hand
and there is no vaccine yet
and limitations are being imposed all over again.
I'm in Massachusetts where the governor
has just ordered that facemasks MUST be worn by EVERYONE
practically everywhere.
At this rate, other states may follow.

AND we're waiting for the presidential race/election to get sorted.
How is everybody else holding up?

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Alice
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 03:31 PM

After years of just posting sometimes instead of posting almost daily in the 1990's, I am checking in from Montana.

I slipped on ice and fell back on my head on concrete while clearing snow at my house on Feb. 2, this year. My skull fractured, I have a traumatic brain injury. I don't remember the actual fall, I don't remember most of Feb.

It was pretty gory as my son described it to me. I am lucky that he was at my house running the snowblower when I fell. Ambulance to the emergency room, ambulance to the airport and a flight to the hospital in Billings, Montana, score of 8 on the Glasgow Coma Scale, also breast cancer found in all the scans done of my body because of the brain injury.

My son and his wife brought me back to Bozeman on March 8 to live with them while I went through neurology and oncology experiences.
Surgery for the cancer in the spring, then radiation and now oral chemo.
The vertigo that was extreme in the beginning is now imbalance when I move, some days better, some days worse.

I was eventually able to be in my home instead of living with my son and his wife. I can't be as active as I was. No gardening. My employer kept my job open that I have gone back to on days when I feel I can work. I still have to pay off the mortgage, no retirement yet because of that. I wish I could retire!

Today I am at home waiting for results of a covid test I took on Wednesday this week. It has been quite a year.

I can still sing, but I don't remember all the songs I used to know! Looking up lyrics is the rare reason I come back to Mudcat. My memory is not what it was before the brain injury happened.

It is good to see news from so many mudcat members I recognize. Take care, everyone.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 04:54 PM

Hi, Alice in Montana — So glad you’re still on this side of the sod, and with us even if it’s only occasionally. Everything I’ve heard about TBI indicates that singing always helps; let’s hope the magic works for you, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 05:15 PM

Oh, dear Alice, I'm so sorry to hear about your injuries and cancer! What a year you have had!! Sending love and continued healing wishes.

I am also an old-timer, more recently occasional lurker. I recently moved to the Maine Highlands, three weeks before we all shut down this spring. I now find myself in the county with the smallest # of Covid cases, but it's creeping up, so we're hunkering down again and hoping for the best. I've been a contra dance caller and musician with my dearly beloved, and that's over with for now, along with song leading/voice teaching (although I have one student via Skype and would love a few more). But we're muddling through, in an old Maine farmhouse that we bought as a fixer-upper. Due to many delays, we are only now getting to the fixer-upping. New roof, new siding, new porch, all hopefully before Christmas.

Also, new puppy, and 8-month old rescue from Puerto Rico. Finding joy where I can, grateful for much.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Alice
Date: 06 Nov 20 - 05:59 PM

Thank you, Allison. It is good to be in touch. Wonderful to hear what you've been doing. And a puppy! Good for you.
Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 09:08 PM

A different thread had a post from VirginiaTam --
be great if this Mudcat member could post here ...

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 09:42 PM

Well, shit, Alice. Hope they caught it early thanks to the scans, and thank you so much for checking in with us.

I meanwhile am kind of in disbelief and also yay half my fellow Americans. Hunkering for some sore losing.

Woke up the day after the election when it still looked bad and I'd stayed up very late and had workers in very early, lay down on the couch while they tore out part of my kitchen, listened to all of our own Anne Lister's Waiting for the hero, wept buckets, and felt much better. But that was then! Hope this is really now!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 11:11 PM

Keep this check-in thread going!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 11:30 PM

Yeah!

70°F here today. Tshirt weather in mid-November.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 12:19 PM

don't let this thread die.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: skarpi
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 01:02 AM

Halló from Iceland again, I hope you are all okei:) and using mask and washing your hands, and using 2 mtr rule. This could be over in 2021 , and lets hope that we can live normal again, for some time before another storm hits again.
Keep singing and make music,
All the best from Iceland Skarpi.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: MudGuard
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 01:48 AM

and Skarpi, use Brennivin to disinfect yourself from inside ;-)

Greetings to Iceland from Munich!

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 03:13 AM

I love this thread!

Nothing much changed here. Time passes quickly- although to WHAT I'm not sure. It is a weird kind of existence.

By the way, Mrrzy, by 'happy ending', I mean a happy life in the time they have remaining. Which you know, smartar_e, :)

I still don't have a dog although I check a couple of sites almost daily. The local humane society told me they'll give me a call when they get a suitable animal. Very briefly I thought I had found one but KT gently convinced me that the dog was too strong and untrained for me, especially with my bum knee. Last thing I need is a fractured hip so I acquiesced. Actually, it was a relief to say No.

As for the covid, like many other states Alaska is in trouble. By spring, this whole country could be unrecognizable.

Meanwhile, trudge...trudge...trudge....

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 20 - 01:54 PM

Allison, I didn't realize the pup was from PR. Does this make it a pot cake dog?

Alice, I'm glad to see you back at Mudcat. This is a good place to go for words, to be sure. And 2020 has been such a dumpster fire for so many reasons, hopefully next year will improve greatly.

I just picked up a friend who totaled his car in a town he isn't really familiar with on his way to the first day of a new job. We sat in opposite ends and sides of the large SUV, wearing masks. Like I said, dumpster fire.

In the family we're trying to figure out a progressive dinner for Thanksgiving this year, where the food moves instead of the people. We'll each make part of the meal and deliver it somehow to each other (still working that out) then be ready to warm it up and have our meal at the same time when we decide to do it. I'll do chicken or turkey and dinner rolls, my ex will make pies and my daughter and her fiance will make either a rice dish or something Thanksgivingy like a sweet potato dish or mashed potatoes. We can all roast some vegetables to make the house smell good ahead of time and then warm the rest and do a video call.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: skarpi
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 08:33 AM

No Brennivin yet, only in feb then its Brennivin and shark.
All the best from Iceland Skarpi

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Nov 20 - 08:36 PM

Sinsull, do I read right that you are engaged?
Don't leave Mudcatters out of the occasion ...

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Nov 20 - 08:52 PM

and trying to imagine a happily wagging tail, with a dog attached to it,
for Ebbie.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 21 Nov 20 - 01:00 AM

Oh, I know, Ebbie. I just have a filthy, adolescent mind.

No Thansgiving. No $mas. I have however planted the seed that marzipan should still happen so I can get a care package. I am not sorry not to be making the cookies or the pie, though. Lazy.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Nov 20 - 06:13 PM

Keep those check-ins coming.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: JennieG
Date: 23 Nov 20 - 04:52 AM

We are still here, and still well. Our Small Smoke (pop. 43,000) has had no cases of the covid plague since April but just the same we aren't complacent; several highways converge here, so we get many tourists visiting.

We keep busy doing what we like to do. Himself plays lawn bowls (which was shut down for a while but has been up and running for some time now) while I sew, sing and play ukulele. My sewing and quilting groups also went into recess for a few months but are back now, choir has been back for a few months (sitting only, spaced out) and a truncated ukulele group meets here at our house - we had four people today and had fun.

Otherwise we keep out of mischief.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 04:24 PM

Mischief? Gee, I remember that ...

Been a while.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 04:58 PM

The people I know who sing with others stand in a circle facing outwards.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 05:49 PM

On Friday my folk club is meeting for the 3rd time this year - Feb went well, March was cancelled (4th Sat) & in October we had our 30th birthday in a small bowling club as our Council hall is still closed. We're in the bowling club again for our final concert with an act that are having their first live gig since lockdown. They are full time folkies & have been presenting facebook/youtube concerts & managing with donations. We normally have 10 concerts & I hope to book the 2020 acts again next year.

My other club met in March (1st Friday) & our interstate guest reported his next 2 festivals in his state had been cancelled. 2 performers in the audiences has also lost 2 festivals in our state, making 6 cancelled festivals in the following couple of months.

Then everything got cancelled.

Our 30th birthday looked a bit odd, with PA (we are a famous acoustic venue!) & our equally famous singing audience masked up & were either humming or singing softly under their masks.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: JennieG
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 08:28 PM

Oh, we're all old, Mrrzy......so we sit!

We have old blokes on the shady side of 80 who would probably have trouble standing for too long, but they love singing and enjoy the social contact - as do we all. On arriving home from the first night back, after several months shut down, I said to Himself that I felt uplifted - and I did.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Nov 20 - 08:57 PM

At the clinic where I am receiving long-term residential treatment,
a local singer and chorus director volunteers his time
two evenings a week (weekday nights),
inviting the residents to sing along with him
in individual appointment sessions -- no pressure,
and he will play anything for them to sing.


He is classically trained, however, and so am I --
my specialty used to be piano accompaniments of Lieder and art song --
so when I show up, something different happens:
I take the piano keyboard,
and he stands up and sings bass-baritone Lieder:
Schubert, Brahms, Wolf, Schumann, Richard Strauss ...

the stuff he studied as a young singer , which
he teaches to the best of his singing students,
and which, in the days of social-distancing,
is hard to come by.

But we are in a large room with a very good grand piano,
and I sit there and play with my facemask on,
and he stands halfway across the room with the score singing.

Tonight, when we finished our time, he told me
that divine grace brought him this opportunity
to sing the music he loves so dearly
but never gets to perform for anybody.
How can you not love the fellow?

(Meanwhile he had to drive to the train station to meet
his adult daughter, coming home for Thanksgiving.)

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Ebbie
Date: 27 Nov 20 - 03:56 AM

keberoxu - congratulations on finding someone with the same musical loves as you do. The older I get- and that's plenty old now- the more I realize that shared skills and interests are what bring satisfaction.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 27 Nov 20 - 04:29 AM

As I am high risk (medically suppressed immune system) I've been shielding since mid February. There have been a few drives into the Shropshire country side to see the lovely land. Autumn colour was absolutely stunning.

Not been singing much at all. I just haven't felt much like it. Kind of lost my bottle. I did a couple of Zoom meeting ballad sings. But I've lost my confidence. I am signed up for a Singing for the Uncertain course in Autumn 2021.

Hoping to participate in the Carols on the Doorstep event on 16 December. You tune into a radio station, stand out on your doorstep and sing along with the carols on the radio.

My granddaughter (son's daughter) had a baby boy, Atticus Henry on 22 November. I will be video chatting with family today. We are spread far apart. Son in Virginia, granddaughter in west Florida, me in England. 3 Different time zones.   

Stay safe everyone and I hope your holidays are as happy as may be.

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 27 Nov 20 - 07:34 PM

a lot of families are like yours, Tam.

My friend's son-in-law is Irish & they haven't seen the Irish family (parents, siblings, cousins) since last year. The Irish grandparents had been planning a visit this year. During lockdown the 2yr old was upset because Nanna & Pop were standing on the grass waving so Nanna blew him a big kiss, which Mum caught & put on his cheek! The 6 year old was happy to stand behind the glass door touching their hands thru the glass, now the kids spend a day a week with their grandparents & zoom with their Irish family.

Some of my regular activities are back (socially distanced) & in all groups some members are still staying home due to their own or partner's health.

As things are opening up an airline is producing an ad showing father & grandfather swinging a happy child between them which I assume it was a stock photo or perhaps someone's family snap! Tho maybe the 3 are modesl?

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide
From: skarpi
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 08:13 PM

So how are things? Covid is still on.
Keep up good people.
All the best from Iceland Skarpi