Welcome to my blog

If you enjoy finding a lot of different outlets for your creativity, then we may just be kindred spirits.
This blog is an outlet for my interest in miniatures, crochet, plastic canvas, and many other various arts and crafts.

I also love walking, taking digital photos, and most recently, have rediscovered an old love...bike riding! I purchased an amazing new bike, a comfy Townie by Electra this summer, and have been having a grand time exploring the area as though for the first time. It's like being a kid again!

If you enjoy any of these things too, pour a cup of coffee and tea, sit down, and join me.


Take care!
Kat

Thursday, April 30, 2020

April 30, 2020, Pandemic in Northern Ontario, Canada

Hello Fellow Social Isolators,


How is everyone today, April 30th, 2020?

Here in Northern Ontario, we are having crazy rains.  In the past day and a half we've gotten more rain than we normally get in a month.

Some of the rivers still have ice so this has caused flooding; two of our area rivers so far have caused washouts, closing down highway 556 in both directions to the North, and covering Bar River Road to the East.  Crazy times.

We are still in lock down here in Ontario, although Michigan and Alberta are easing up starting in May.  We still have a lot of new cases and deaths from Covid 19, so our Premier, Doug Ford has asked people from other provinces to please not visit Ontario for now, but that they will be welcome when things are better.

Yesterday I spent 5 hours helping my 80 year old Dad and 70 year old Mom order groceries online or by phone.  

Our first order, from Food Basics, arrived this morning already, which was great as we were running out of things. 

I've been telling my parents since February that we need to stock up on items...not hoard, but stock up to make sure we have enough because I was worried about food shortages.  They said I was crazy, but unfortunately I was right, and now meat prices have skyrocketed because two beef processing plants and a chicken plant had to close due to covid.  It's been impossible to get yeast since this all started, but thankfully I was able to get a LOT of flour and cornmeal last time I shopped online.

My parents are very frugal and so I had to check all of the local online flyers, then try to find the items they wanted at the lowest prices, while taking delivery costs into account.

The last time we ordered, only National Grocers Cash and Carry had open slots for curbside pickup, but this time I was lucky enough to get slots at Walmart (May 3rd pickup) and Romes Independent Grocers (May 10th pickup).  

I also had to order cow manure and garden fertilizer twice, from the farm store. Once for my Dad, which we picked up last week, and now again for my uncle, which we'll probably have to pick up this weekend or early next week. 

My Dad had some veggie seeds from last year in the basement, and I was able to get him more at the farm store. I also ordered some online.

I'm really glad that my new pressure canner arrived, but wow, it's huge, lol.
I'll be able to put up food from the garden.  I have some canning jars but suspect I will need more. 

I was able to go for my first two bike rides of the year earlier in the week, and it was great to get out.  I rode down quiet side streets and then down back roads in the country and it was great.  I was careful to not ride close to anyone and kept my distance, but unfortunately two cyclists passed me by so close they almost hit me, which made me angry.  I have severe chronic asthma and will be hit hard if I get the virus.

My cousin Ann Marie, who lives in California, has been giving online exercise workouts which my Mom has been following.  I've been working out with my Oculus Quest; mostly using Beat Saber, as it's a great workout, but now that I can get out on my bike that will be my main exercise.

We're allowed to go for daily walks or bike rides as long as we maintain social distance, and I feel a lot safer on my bike as I can get away from people who aren't careful a lot faster than I can on foot. 

I sewed several masks, for myself, my family, friends, and neighbor, but I will post about that in a separate post. 

I hope everyone reading this is safe and healthy.  Take care :-)

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