Prepping for a Pandemic - Thread 16

[Sprayitall]

I don’t know why another thread hasn’t been created yet , so here you go. Now as we prep ourselves to the peak of this pandemic, let’s all face it together and appreciate how fragile our lives are and how we need each other to survive and flourish.

@Lifesavesocialdistance we are in the same predicament with shoes, I didn't know Clark's had closed! I need to get DD some this weekend or she will be wearing snow boots in june. I'm lucky she only goes up a size once a year.

I hope you are feeling better soon. Its so strange knowing you might be potentially harbouring the virus I feel like I'm constantly analysing my body.

Our dilemma right now is our thermometer doesn't appear to be working. I knew we made a mistake going for a cheap one.

@WhereDoWeGo your supplies are far more necessary than electronics.
My cousins school happily handed him a brand new iPad for school work. I think because his mum is a lone parent on low income they thought he might need it but he got a new iPad at Christmas.

Omg Vento. No let up in positive cases. Your stats are so sad 😭

Arf@ ready me I expect many dp have also forgotten shoes on fast growing little feet.

Someone posted earlier on that you can buy a clarkes shoes fitter which is good to know. But our dd has very narrow feet but also from top to bottom thin.
But we could try.

Very worrying about the food production lines possibly having issues with sickness.....

CRVD really hope your feeling a bit better.
I do have ice lollies in and squash, and frozen small packets of bone broth but this chicken Jewish soup sounds devine. I vaguely remember perhaps that chef with the scruffy hair going in search of the perfect Jewish chicken soup? Nigel slater.

Does anyone have an air fryer? And if so are they good and what would you cook most in them?

I'm not so interested in the health benefits as just variety in ways of cooking.

Really kicking myself for not getting chick pea and tahini now.

I also found the stream lining in store production interesting.

for everyone.

Huge massive hugs.

Loving the sectarian vegan 😂

Passana I hope your son is back soon. Made me laugh, trying to organise flights 3 sets of parents and 3 drunk teens on a beach 😂🏖️ if you can co ordinate that you can Co ordinate anything. Something to mention at job interview?!

Where do we go, food far more crucial than electrics. Re comps, our place has been issuing loads of lap tops to students.

Feels weird using the preps.

Today using up the old butternut squash in a curry
I won't add peas, save those for something else, forgot to put the onions in. Feeling quite vague and forgetful, more than just normal menopausal senior moments.

I want more vitamin c tablets. There weren't many left last time so I only took one.

It feels more and more restrictive. Thanks Veneto for your advice about how we may feel. It is so valuable to know someone has gone through it. I hope your DC are getting better.

@Lifesavesocialdistance

This is a fuller explanation. I think 200m is to stop the kids hanging out together. It's less likely you'll see a friend in 200m.

Like lots of other restrictions it's currently until the 3/4. I'm sure that will change soon.

In order to further contain and contrast the spread of COVID 19 in the Veneto Region, the President of the Veneto Region orders the following measures, effective immediately in the whole region and valid until 3 April 2020:

1. All public parks, gardens or areas where people practice outdoor physical activity are closed.

1. Movement on bicycles, e-bikes or any other form of locomotion is only allowed for reasons of proven work, for necessity or for health reasons.

1. Taking the dog for a walk, walking and outdoor physical activity is only allowed within 200 meters from the place of residence/home.

1. Supermarkets and food stores are closed on Sundays. Pharmacies and newsstands remain open and patrons must respect the interpersonal distance of one meter.

1. Grocery shopping must be limited to one adult per family.

1. Controls will be enforced, everyone must carry their self-declaration form and a form of ID when outside their house. Violators will be fined in accordance with article 650 of the Criminal Code.

Ex admitted he thought I was crazy getting the food in.... Not so fucking crazy now huh...??? I knew he had changed his mind when he accepted the last lot of shopping.

@Lifesavesocialdistance we have an actifry. We cook chips in it mainly. Or roast potatoes. We've tried other things but we use our halogen oven a lot.

Thanks to all those that have asked about my DC. They are not 100% but they are not worryingly ill either. In normal times I'd like them to see a doctor but they can wait.

Try to get any minor health niggles sorted now if you can. Remember to check inhalers are full.

Thanks veneto the distance to curtail teens meeting makes sense.

Your poor dc. Amazing how much we take for granted access to a doctor.

Has anyone read the 'two pence across the mersey' books?

They detail the depression I think, a family's dramatic turn of fortunes.

As hard as all this is, our Western luxuries stripped away, its a reminder that some people have to live like this all the time.

We, I take so much for granted.

I was also thinking of Shakespeare and the plague 😁. Didn't they put dried out frogs in Windows to keep it away? I'm so glad we are not fighting covid with that level of science.

I read them decades ago.

An app would be useful. I need to inventory non food as well.

I’ve done a little reorganisation. Bread and crumpets in the freezer, fridge cleaned and reorganised, list of toiletries inventoried (thanks to brexit threads I’d stocked up, may need to use as hand wash, but hoping not to as the brand I use not cheap, I get it because it’s the only one I can use with the eczema, which is already flaring up!)

Got my new blue inhaler delivered today, I’m ok for now, bit of a cough most mornings but that’s normal for me. But asthma nurse wanted me to have it just in case.

The nest egg app is great for inventorying and covers food and other stuff as well

Were the books by someone called Helen? The grandparents were wealthy but refused to help after falling out with the family. They were very good books. I'm going to try to find copies to reread during isolation.

It's been a demanding couple of days eith some real problems around the family and I've only been able to dip in to the end of the thread - thank you for the heads up about shoes!

I'm recharscterising my lack of progress with Kondoing and general hoarding of all kinds of just in case/sentimental stuff as unconscious prepping.

I have a Clarks foot measuring thing and i think you could improvise with tape measure and cardboard box.

I would cut a corner from a cardboard box, about 10 cm in two directions and about 5cm longer than the foot you are measuring.

The idea is you can put the foot you're measuring snugly into a corner, have the child stand up and mark on the cardboard where their toes reach to, use this to measure the length. Then measure around the widest part of the foot with your tape measure.

It's fiddly but could be transformed into a correct size.

Love to all.

Yes, buy what you're likely to need now if you can. Our postal service is overwhelmed because of online orders. We can no longer post parcels internationally and they are talking of closing to private customers (I.e. won't be able to return items). Delivery times are no longer guaranteed. I ordered clothes for the summer for the DC a couple of weeks ago. I ordered shoes for DD but they're too big. Had to order a smaller pair.

Also things you usually order online - contact lenses if you wear them.

Get rid of as much rubbish as you can in case rubbish collection is affected. And you shouldn't be separating waste if you're ill according to our council.

Veneto those numbers
Is that because it's spreading down south now or is it still mainly in the north? Are the measures having any effect locally?

footprints totally get what you mean Can you instigate some alone time in another room, or decent headphones?

We'll be dipping into our stock by the end of the week. I got quite flustered in the shop. Utterly surreal being counted in, people wearing face masks and examination gloves. I had my winter gloves which are touchscreen compatible. Very grateful when weighing the veggies! After seeing people rooting through the open fruit, I'm only buying prepacked food from now on, even if it is worse for the environment.

@preponderings - it still hasn't really spread to the South. Not like the Northern numbers.

It's two weeks today since everyone started fleeing South so I imagine the numbers will take off soon.

More restrictions today. These are for the whole country:

Art. I (Additional urgent measures to contain the contagion on the whole national territory) 1. In order to contrast and contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the following further measures are adopted throughout the national territory:

a) it is forbidden public access to parks, villas, play areas and public gardens;

b) it is not allowed to play or play outdoors; it is still allowed to carry out individual motor activities in the vicinity of one's home, provided that, in any case, respecting the distance of at least one meter from each other person;

c) the food and beverage service establishments, located inside railway and lake stations, as well as in the service and refueling areas are closed, with the exception of those located along the highways, which can only sell take-away products to be consumed outside the premises; those located in hospitals and airports remain open, with the obligation to ensure compliance with the interpersonal distance of at least one meter in any case;

d) on Saturday and Sunday as well as on days that immediately precede or follow these days, any movement to homes other than the main one, including the second houses used for holidays, is prohibited

Oh, that's not good. I would find it understandable if the numbers were increasing because it was spreading over the country. But if it's still in the same areas then it must be more widespread, or the measures aren't helping or it's somehow still spreading?

How are your DC taking the restrictions?

They haven't implemented lockdown here yet, although many of us thought they would. Our region is still rising faster than exponential. Ticino hospitals have reached their limit. Schooling is, somewhat hit and miss. DD's teacher delivered seeds for her to plant and monitor, make a diary etc. Great idea. But we have no garden, just a few plant pots on the balcony. I've no space indoors to leave a tray out. With four of us constantly at home and DH taking up the sideboards for work. And I can't go out and get soil.

Oh Veneto that must be a blow to those who have enjoyed a walk in the park, the smallest of things we all take for granted. Thank you for your updates

preponderings I usually rinse my fruit and veg anyway even if I am peeling it but now guess water is not enough, wonder if a soak in very mild Milton would do or is that going too far? I would definitely not buy loose bread, just thinking about it all those help yourself things are gross

I posted Easter and birthdays cards up to June yesterday, lady on the Counter said things are grinding to a halt, so much for our plan to send occasion letters to cheer Granny up, might not be possible

Very quick post with things I have thought of illness related which hopefully no one will need anyway! (I think the Helen Forrester books are on BorrowBox, our library uses this as a free loaning service which I find incredibly useful anyway and also is a recommendation).

I wish we had a second bathroom. I was wiping anything thing I had touched with anti bac wipes but the logistics of washing your bleachy hands afterwards makes this pointless for taps. So I have been spraying cleaner onto either toilet paper and chucking it in the toilet, or kitchen paper/chucking in my bedroom bin. I know these are in short supply but so will wipes be, it's amazing how many you use if drinking a lot! Get your family members to leave the bathroom door open for you so you don't touch the outside handle.

The biggest water bottle you can find for your bedside to save re-filling all the time (the logistics of re-filling it when you can't get out of bed and don't want to transfer the germs to others makes this awkward!) For smaller ones a big supermarket water bottle could be used by the bedside to refill it?

Thinnest cotton nighties or T shirts you have, as many as possible to avoid constant laundry, my fever is dampening them horribly, I have borrowed my DHs and DCs and they're bagged to be laundered safely. Same with sheets. If you have a fan for summer this is nice now to cool you.

Metal straws with bends in so you don't have to lift your head so much.

If you don't already have one, a cat to keep you company in your bedroom :) and if you have one, lots of toys for their amusement and yours to fill the time.

I have lost a load of weight which may be welcomed by some people :) but if you're underweight now it's definitely worth trying to put some on (my DH is very skinny and I worry for him if he gets ill).

I'm sure there are lots more. If you're caring rather than ill, a good supply of patience and kindness. My DH is skinny :) but he is so kind and has really helped to keep my spirits up.

CVRD. That advice is so thoughtful, thank you. I hope you begin to feel better soon. It's the small things like the bendy straws that I'd never think to think of. And lollies. And big water bottles.
Amazing thread this

@WhereDoWeGo we have hibernation chatting but I've named changed recently.

Sounds like you handled the school walk well and just taking a minute to breathe is underrated.

Don't worry about not having a laptop. Hopefully the school can lend one to you. But think of all the skills your children will develop by not being glued to a screen. The fact you are even enquiring about a laptop shows you are an engaged caring parent which is far more important than being the 'poor parent'. I was the poor parent but you can make up for it by being present and interested in your child's education.

Found you all!
Do we think online supermarket shopping will stop?
The deliveries here are every 2 weeks which obviously is fine because I've prepped but I'm terrified that they will stop and I'll need to use all the prep and have to visit an actual supermarket.