What has changed in your life in the last few weeks?

[Vicky]

It's been interesting to me that most of my family members and/or people I know, haven't had a lot of changes in their lives since the virus landed on our shores and restrictions have come into play. Some, like me, have lost their jobs - it may be temporary and it may not - mine was only a part time job and so I've had to stop spending money I made those last paychecks count!!
In our household, my husband and daughter both have what are considered 'essential services' jobs so they are still required to go to work, I wouldn't say as normal because there seems to be more work for both of them - even though they don't necessarily want it. So we are a bit more diligent with our cleanliness and keeping everyone's cups and plates separate. I work into my routine more targeted sanitizing of door handles, light switches, taps, basins etc just as an extra precaution.
I've always tried to keep our household expenses low and for years have been looking at providing not only most of our food but that of our animals as well so this hasn't thrown us into a panic in any way shape or form. I always (even when we were empty nesters) bought in bulk and decanted into smaller containers or vacuum sealed where necessary so always have 2 - 3 months supply of nearly everything that we can't provide from our one acre. I have planted more of everything and my panic purchases were a trailer load of loam and a range of compost or composted manures. I'm working on things that I haven't followed through with in the past, a worm farm, getting my meal worms going at maximum again but these are things that don't cost me money, just my time.
How has it affected your life?
Have you had any drastic changes happen and how are you coping?

 

[AndrewB]

Not many changes here. I've traditionally been like you, buying in bulk & having plenty on hand, I'd deliberately reduced my stockpile to almost nothing as I prepared to move house though, so the timing was terrible!

I'm just trying to balance keeping enough savings in case I do lose my job, with expanding the garden at the moment. As well as planting long term things like trees vs short terms things that I can eat straight away. I've been planning this garden for years & now that I finally get to plant it, I need to slow it right down & prioritise.

I had been looking to quit my job & find something where I can help grow community & do something beneficial for the world, but I guess I'll have to stick it out for a while longer.

 

[Vicky]

Hi Andrew, ah yes timing, not always how we want it to go but at least you are in the right mind frame. at least, as you are challenged with a lower stockpile, you are able to clearly assess what (if anything) was a want rather than a need. I do hope that you get to keep your job for as long as possible, at least until you have managed to get some food production going!

 

[taisla97]

I work in Aged Care. Work hours are still somewhat normal, yet the main place I work, a retirement community, is under lockdown and many of the residents aren't happy, comparing it to a jail - but it's for their own safety. They are able to leave, we just ask that they stay confined to their units for 14days when they return, so others are not put at risk (even if they don't have anything). Shopping trips have been cancelled, but orders can be delivered so there's no worry of running out. Kitchen is still open for dinners, but the main dining area is closed, so residents are to eat at home. They can still have visitors during certain hours if they meet requirements/undergo questionnaire on entry, etc., but only for a limited amount of time per visit.
Life seems somewhat normal for me, still spending most of my hometime in my garden, with my pets, or reading, etc. but I'm no longer volunteering anywhere or going to workshops, and there's a bit of added stress from work, but that's about it.

 

[ClissAT]

On the whole my life hasn't changed either. Having a small farm that I run single handed means working alone anyway.
But the shopping trips or visits to friends have stopped for the most part.
Although us rural folk are a hard headed bunch and where we own acreage where our own privacy is concerned, we tend to run it as our own kingdoms (if you get my drift!).
So those with family who usually spend days per week together in each other's homes, nothing much has changed.
We don't tend to spread ourselves around anyway so we just keep associating with the same people and we often work or live without other people close by apart from close family.
The school kids are a bit different and my neighbours pulled their kids out of school early to protect the older family members.
Tomorrow I need to go grocery shopping for the first time in over two weeks and go to the rural store of my small rural township so I'll have to wear a face mask for the first time. It'll feel strange and at some point I'll pull it off for sure. And if at least half the people in the streets or shops aren't wearing masks neither will I!
At some point I need to get infected to fix my own strong immune system. I won't be having a flu shot. I usually don't get colds and flu. I can't remember the last time I had more than a few hours of sore throat or half a day of sniffles. It's more than 15yrs anyway because I've been at the farm for that long and not been sick.
I'm trying to work up a business plan of selling online a product that's been in the back of my mind for a few years.
I'm also thinking of buying a second hand electronic keyboard to pickup my piano playing again after 40yrs off!
They're telling us tonight on the tv we'll be in our own house arrest for another 6-12 mths! You've got to be joking?!?!?

 

[GKW]

On the whole my life hasn't changed either. Having a small farm that I run single handed means working alone anyway.
But the shopping trips or visits to friends have stopped for the most part.
Although us rural folk are a hard headed bunch and where we own acreage where our own privacy is concerned, we tend to run it as our own kingdoms (if you get my drift!).
So those with family who usually spend days per week together in each other's homes, nothing much has changed.
We don't tend to spread ourselves around anyway so we just keep associating with the same people and we often work or live without other people close by apart from close family.
The school kids are a bit different and my neighbours pulled their kids out of school early to protect the older family members.
Tomorrow I need to go grocery shopping for the first time in over two weeks and go to the rural store of my small rural township so I'll have to wear a face mask for the first time. It'll feel strange and at some point I'll pull it off for sure. And if at least half the people in the streets or shops aren't wearing masks neither will I!
At some point I need to get infected to fix my own strong immune system. I won't be having a flu shot. I usually don't get colds and flu. I can't remember the last time I had more than a few hours of sore throat or half a day of sniffles. It's more than 15yrs anyway because I've been at the farm for that long and not been sick.
I'm trying to work up a business plan of selling online a product that's been in the back of my mind for a few years.
I'm also thinking of buying a second hand electronic keyboard to pickup my piano playing again after 40yrs off!
They're telling us tonight on the tv we'll be in our own house arrest for another 6-12 mths! You've got to be joking?!?!?

Take ya mask but I think you won't be wearing it. In my part of metro Sydney which has a decent size Asian population, I reckon its 1 in a 100 wearing a mask at the supermarkets / shopping centre / Bunnings, so I suspect the harder nut country folk won't be wearing them either.

Whilst I don't miss crowds and traffic, I'm missing my personal freedoms that the Govts have arbitrarily taken from us and to be honest I have no faith they roll back all their draconian laws and regulations back anytime soon. If this effective close down of the national and global economies goes on for much longer, I'm scared for what we'll find on the other re economic, social and political.....Lets see if Palaszczuk tries to push out the state election due in Oct to a date TBA due to Covid-19 risk.

I with ya on germs and flu vac. Stopped getting the flu shot about 15 years back and only three days off crook in that time as opposed to slammed by cold / flu and off work for a week. Eat healthy, take some supplements and don't be afraid of germs and sick people...ya body needs the practice. George Carlin said it best. If you haven't heard George Carlin before....LANGUAGE WARNING !!!!

 

[Mary Playford]

Hi Vicky,

As long as I have toilet paper, I am happy. Oh, and any weight loss, I welcome LOL. Yep, dunny paper before food. I can start chewing on the lawn, now with all the rain, they are starting to green up.

I recently bought a lemon tree and lime, and I am just happy. For a while, I had them on my list of garden plants to get. I finally got some to add to my growing food forest. Every time I go to Bunnings I come out with something else but what I initially wanted. That place is like a candy store LOL.

So, no drastic changes here. I am just excited about my lemon and lime trees. Oh, not forgetting the dunny paper as I would never want to use leaves again like when I was a kid That is as off-grid as you can get. My buttock is domesticated and loves flush toilets and dunny paper. Stay safe out there.

 

[Vicky]

Hi Vicky,

As long as I have toilet paper, I am happy. Oh, and any weight loss, I welcome LOL. Yep, dunny paper before food. I can start chewing on the lawn, now with all the rain, they are starting to green up.

I recently bought a lemon tree and lime, and I am just happy. For a while, I had them on my list of garden plants to get. I finally got some to add to my growing food forest. Every time I go to Bunnings I come out with something else but what I initially wanted. That place is like a candy store LOL.

So, no drastic changes here. I am just excited about my lemon and lime trees. Oh, not forgetting the dunny paper as I would never want to use leaves again like when I was a kid That is as off-grid as you can get. My buttock is domesticated and loves flush toilets and dunny paper. Stay safe out there.

hope your lemon and limes settle in now that we have had some rain!

 

[Vicky]

On the whole my life hasn't changed either. Having a small farm that I run single handed means working alone anyway.
But the shopping trips or visits to friends have stopped for the most part.
Although us rural folk are a hard headed bunch and where we own acreage where our own privacy is concerned, we tend to run it as our own kingdoms (if you get my drift!).
So those with family who usually spend days per week together in each other's homes, nothing much has changed.
We don't tend to spread ourselves around anyway so we just keep associating with the same people and we often work or live without other people close by apart from close family.
The school kids are a bit different and my neighbours pulled their kids out of school early to protect the older family members.
Tomorrow I need to go grocery shopping for the first time in over two weeks and go to the rural store of my small rural township so I'll have to wear a face mask for the first time. It'll feel strange and at some point I'll pull it off for sure. And if at least half the people in the streets or shops aren't wearing masks neither will I!
At some point I need to get infected to fix my own strong immune system. I won't be having a flu shot. I usually don't get colds and flu. I can't remember the last time I had more than a few hours of sore throat or half a day of sniffles. It's more than 15yrs anyway because I've been at the farm for that long and not been sick.
I'm trying to work up a business plan of selling online a product that's been in the back of my mind for a few years.
I'm also thinking of buying a second hand electronic keyboard to pickup my piano playing again after 40yrs off!
They're telling us tonight on the tv we'll be in our own house arrest for another 6-12 mths! You've got to be joking?!?!?

not many people wearing masks anywhere here, I am quite surprised how it has slowed down, maybe just keeping distance and washing our hands more often is adequate? A lot of people are going for flu shots this year but it is my understanding that the flu shot targets one strain of flu and the strain that hits in that year always ends up being a different strain? All the best with your business plan, these are the things that will help in the coming months - especially if it is anything near 12 months!!

 

[Charles Benson]

I work for the government in ag extension we are all ramping up to provide as much economic assistance as we can after the bushfires and now COVID.

I am struggling a bit as I was a farmer for ten years but I got sick of family and business combined this is the first time I have lived semi metropolitan, I have a hard time watching people get scared and then dumb. I find it hard with all the limitations on society atm. I worry for people trying to become self-sufficient who don't have experience or prior knowledge atm and hope they manage to do so.

I recently bought 10 acres just out of town that I'm moving into in a week's time so incredibly excited to be rural and self-sufficient again. My current back yard is a sea of butter, milk and cheap red beer cups sprouting hundreds of seedlings, a prefab Quail pen all ready to go.

I finished up my summer crops where I live here and turned all my fall trees and old crops into a huge layer of compost and biochar over my entire garden before I move to pass the buck to the next tenant

 

[Wanda]

My Mother is elderly, a diabetic, has heart disease, and kidney problems. She cannot afford to catch the Flu and especially not the COVID. Flu season she stays home except for doctor appointments. This year she hasn’t left the house since Feb 17th. She has canceled future doctor appointments until this is all over. I do all of her grocery shopping/cooking for her. Our area in Central Texas has gone to wearing masks while out in public places. We are only supposed to be getting groceries and essentials. People are taking it seriously here and are really good at the 6ft (1.5m) social distance. There are only a few cases in our area so far but they are still increasing.
I’ve sewn some cloth face masks and have some other medical ones in the first aid kit. I went out today and a lot of people are wearing masks too. When I shop I don’t use a cart, I put the stuff in my bag, use self checkout or load my bag if they don’t have self checkout. I try to minimize the checker from touching my items. I sanitize my hands in the car and wash them immediately when I get home. I’ve been disinfecting common use areas and encouraging my Mom to wash her hands more often. I also made some hand sanitizer spritz with 90% isopropyl alcohol and some essential oils: lavender and peppermint.

On the toilet paper front, I’ve sewn some family cloth a few years back and use a bidet. I just wash the clothes when I wash my hands and hang them to dry. Every so often I’ll throw them in with a load of laundry for a more through cleaning. I recommend those micro fiber towels you use for washing cars, dusting and such. They are plush, clean your back side and wash well. I just cut them to a smaller size and serged the edges. I made some family cloth for my Mother last week, just in case she runs out of toilet paper. It is still impossible to get at the store. I bought a bunch of linen napkins at thrift stores and use them instead of paper towels.

I’ve been working in the garden getting it ready for planting vegetables. We can still have a frost in April or a hail storm. Some plants are out of the greenhouse already: beets, peppers, pumpkin and a few tomatoes. I have spares inside in case of bad weather.
I’ve propagated some fig tree cuttings and they are doing really well. I also bought a patio lemon tree and it’s looking like 7 lemons are forming on it.
I’ve also decided to try a worm bin with some Rubbermaid totes my neighbor left on the curb two weeks ago.

 

[Jake Monteleone]

It's been interesting to me that most of my family members and/or people I know, haven't had a lot of changes in their lives since the virus landed on our shores and restrictions have come into play. Some, like me, have lost their jobs - it may be temporary and it may not - mine was only a part time job and so I've had to stop spending money I made those last paychecks count!!
In our household, my husband and daughter both have what are considered 'essential services' jobs so they are still required to go to work, I wouldn't say as normal because there seems to be more work for both of them - even though they don't necessarily want it. So we are a bit more diligent with our cleanliness and keeping everyone's cups and plates separate. I work into my routine more targeted sanitizing of door handles, light switches, taps, basins etc just as an extra precaution.
I've always tried to keep our household expenses low and for years have been looking at providing not only most of our food but that of our animals as well so this hasn't thrown us into a panic in any way shape or form. I always (even when we were empty nesters) bought in bulk and decanted into smaller containers or vacuum sealed where necessary so always have 2 - 3 months supply of nearly everything that we can't provide from our one acre. I have planted more of everything and my panic purchases were a trailer load of loam and a range of compost or composted manures. I'm working on things that I haven't followed through with in the past, a worm farm, getting my meal worms going at maximum again but these are things that don't cost me money, just my time.
How has it affected your life?
Have you had any drastic changes happen and how are you coping?

hey i am 13 and i live in caboolture i also have a worm farm and a big
garden just keep up the great work because we are going to need it as we are in this virus.
Cheers Jake

 

[GKW]

My Mother is elderly, a diabetic, has heart disease, and kidney problems. She cannot afford to catch the Flu and especially not the COVID. Flu season she stays home except for doctor appointments. This year she hasn’t left the house since Feb 17th. She has canceled future doctor appointments until this is all over. I do all of her grocery shopping/cooking for her. Our area in Central Texas has gone to wearing masks while out in public places. We are only supposed to be getting groceries and essentials. People are taking it seriously here and are really good at the 6ft (1.5m) social distance. There are only a few cases in our area so far but they are still increasing.
I’ve sewn some cloth face masks and have some other medical ones in the first aid kit. I went out today and a lot of people are wearing masks too. When I shop I don’t use a cart, I put the stuff in my bag, use self checkout or load my bag if they don’t have self checkout. I try to minimize the checker from touching my items. I sanitize my hands in the car and wash them immediately when I get home. I’ve been disinfecting common use areas and encouraging my Mom to wash her hands more often. I also made some hand sanitizer spritz with 90% isopropyl alcohol and some essential oils: lavender and peppermint.

On the toilet paper front, I’ve sewn some family cloth a few years back and use a bidet. I just wash the clothes when I wash my hands and hang them to dry. Every so often I’ll throw them in with a load of laundry for a more through cleaning. I recommend those micro fiber towels you use for washing cars, dusting and such. They are plush, clean your back side and wash well. I just cut them to a smaller size and serged the edges. I made some family cloth for my Mother last week, just in case she runs out of toilet paper. It is still impossible to get at the store. I bought a bunch of linen napkins at thrift stores and use them instead of paper towels.

I’ve been working in the garden getting it ready for planting vegetables. We can still have a frost in April or a hail storm. Some plants are out of the greenhouse already: beets, peppers, pumpkin and a few tomatoes. I have spares inside in case of bad weather.
I’ve propagated some fig tree cuttings and they are doing really well. I also bought a patio lemon tree and it’s looking like 7 lemons are forming on it.
I’ve also decided to try a worm bin with some Rubbermaid totes my neighbor left on the curb two weeks ago.

I've got an 85 year old father with some of the ailments your mothers has and some others. For many years, it's been the major concern of us kids re Dad getting the flu. I'm big on complementary medicines and as such have had my Dad on Lysine for a few years due to it's ability to fight viruses and so far, he's not had a cold or flu for 3 years. I'm about to put him onto Vit D3 and zinc to help boost his immune system going into winter. One thing I found out recently that the human body doesn't absorb zinc all that well and needs a catalyst to enable the body to take in the zinc more effectively...that catalyst is Quinine, thus I'll be recommending to dear old Dad to enjoy an afternoon G&T to wash down his zinc tab...

 

[Wanda]

I've got an 85 year old father with some of the ailments your mothers has and some others. For many years, it's been the major concern of us kids re Dad getting the flu. I'm big on complementary medicines and as such have had my Dad on Lysine for a few years due to it's ability to fight viruses and so far, he's not had a cold or flu for 3 years. I'm about to put him onto Vit D3 and zinc to help boost his immune system going into winter. One thing I found out recently that the human body doesn't absorb zinc all that well and needs a catalyst to enable the body to take in the zinc more effectively...that catalyst is Quinine, thus I'll be recommending to dear old Dad to enjoy an afternoon G&T to wash down his zinc tab...

I’m taking Calcium,Magnesium and Zinc with D3. If I skip a day I get vicious leg cramps at night. I also take a B vitamin complex, it helps with, stress, depression and overall mood enhancement.
I’m a big fan of ginger in all forms. Tea, candied, crushed, grated and ground up. It helps with colds and allergies along with nausea and digestive issues. I bought some sub par rhizomes at the grocery, broke them up and planted in a raised bed. One is already peeking up out of the mulch.

 

[Wanda]

The fig cuttings I’ve propagated. Any ideas in the variety? I got the original tree in a pot from my neighbor.

 

[Vicky]

Take ya mask but I think you won't be wearing it. In my part of metro Sydney which has a decent size Asian population, I reckon its 1 in a 100 wearing a mask at the supermarkets / shopping centre / Bunnings, so I suspect the harder nut country folk won't be wearing them either.

Whilst I don't miss crowds and traffic, I'm missing my personal freedoms that the Govts have arbitrarily taken from us and to be honest I have no faith they roll back all their draconian laws and regulations back anytime soon. If this effective close down of the national and global economies goes on for much longer, I'm scared for what we'll find on the other re economic, social and political.....Lets see if Palaszczuk tries to push out the state election due in Oct to a date TBA due to Covid-19 risk.

I with ya on germs and flu vac. Stopped getting the flu shot about 15 years back and only three days off crook in that time as opposed to slammed by cold / flu and off work for a week. Eat healthy, take some supplements and don't be afraid of germs and sick people...ya body needs the practice. George Carlin said it best. If you haven't heard George Carlin before....LANGUAGE WARNING !!!!

My Mother is elderly, a diabetic, has heart disease, and kidney problems. She cannot afford to catch the Flu and especially not the COVID. Flu season she stays home except for doctor appointments. This year she hasn’t left the house since Feb 17th. She has canceled future doctor appointments until this is all over. I do all of her grocery shopping/cooking for her. Our area in Central Texas has gone to wearing masks while out in public places. We are only supposed to be getting groceries and essentials. People are taking it seriously here and are really good at the 6ft (1.5m) social distance. There are only a few cases in our area so far but they are still increasing.
I’ve sewn some cloth face masks and have some other medical ones in the first aid kit. I went out today and a lot of people are wearing masks too. When I shop I don’t use a cart, I put the stuff in my bag, use self checkout or load my bag if they don’t have self checkout. I try to minimize the checker from touching my items. I sanitize my hands in the car and wash them immediately when I get home. I’ve been disinfecting common use areas and encouraging my Mom to wash her hands more often. I also made some hand sanitizer spritz with 90% isopropyl alcohol and some essential oils: lavender and peppermint.

On the toilet paper front, I’ve sewn some family cloth a few years back and use a bidet. I just wash the clothes when I wash my hands and hang them to dry. Every so often I’ll throw them in with a load of laundry for a more through cleaning. I recommend those micro fiber towels you use for washing cars, dusting and such. They are plush, clean your back side and wash well. I just cut them to a smaller size and serged the edges. I made some family cloth for my Mother last week, just in case she runs out of toilet paper. It is still impossible to get at the store. I bought a bunch of linen napkins at thrift stores and use them instead of paper towels.

I’ve been working in the garden getting it ready for planting vegetables. We can still have a frost in April or a hail storm. Some plants are out of the greenhouse already: beets, peppers, pumpkin and a few tomatoes. I have spares inside in case of bad weather.
I’ve propagated some fig tree cuttings and they are doing really well. I also bought a patio lemon tree and it’s looking like 7 lemons are forming on it.
I’ve also decided to try a worm bin with some Rubbermaid totes my neighbor left on the curb two weeks ago.

Wow, so organised Wanda, its good to hear that many are taking this seriously because for some it is life depending serious!! I too have cloth 'wee wipes' I use mostly instead of t.p. Its something most people freak out about but as with the good old handkerchief, it is quite sanitary and sustainable when used thoughtfully and with due diligence to killing germs and keeping clean. Times like these can be good to slow down and re assess what we are doing and how we are doing them. Well done with the gardening etc and all the best regarding your Mum, hope she has enough to go on with in her isolation.

 

[Vicky]

hey i am 13 and i live in caboolture i also have a worm farm and a big
garden just keep up the great work because we are going to need it as we are in this virus.
Cheers Jake

Hi Jake, thanks for replying, good to hear you have a big garden and a work farm, I l
almost have my work farm complete and hope they make quick work so I can use the castings and effluent in the garden. What are you growing in your garden? I also have chickens and would like to see if I can live for a week on only the food I get out of the garden and eggs from the chickens. What do you think of that??

 

[GKW]

I’m taking Calcium,Magnesium and Zinc with D3. If I skip a day I get vicious leg cramps at night. I also take a B vitamin complex, it helps with, stress, depression and overall mood enhancement.
I’m a big fan of ginger in all forms. Tea, candied, crushed, grated and ground up. It helps with colds and allergies along with nausea and digestive issues. I bought some sub par rhizomes at the grocery, broke them up and planted in a raised bed. One is already peeking up out of the mulch.

Vit B is also a good for keeping the mozzies away and warding off cancer. Was talking 80 year old ex nurse a few years back and without going to length as to how the conversation got there, she said, some people have a naturally occurring high level of Vit B in their bodies and as such mozzies don't like it and stay away from such people. Same people also have a lower rate of cancer etc. It's only anecdotal comments but lady had been a nurse for 40+ years so had seen and heard a lot. Taking a Vit B supplement will have the same effect I was told....can't hurt.

 

[Jake Monteleone]

I've got an 85 year old father with some of the ailments your mothers has and some others. For many years, it's been the major concern of us kids re Dad getting the flu. I'm big on complementary medicines and as such have had my Dad on Lysine for a few years due to it's ability to fight viruses and so far, he's not had a cold or flu for 3 years. I'm about to put him onto Vit D3 and zinc to help boost his immune system going into winter. One thing I found out recently that the human body doesn't absorb zinc all that well and needs a catalyst to enable the body to take in the zinc more effectively...that catalyst is Quinine, thus I'll be recommending to dear old Dad to enjoy an afternoon G&T to wash down his zinc tab...

hope thats

The fig cuttings I’ve propagated. Any ideas in the variety? I got the original tree in a pot from my neighbor.

Hey wenda they look good and hope they go well for u
just remeber to cut it back when they get big
Regards Jake

 

[Mary Playford]

I’m taking Calcium,Magnesium and Zinc with D3. If I skip a day I get vicious leg cramps at night. I also take a B vitamin complex, it helps with, stress, depression and overall mood enhancement.
I’m a big fan of ginger in all forms. Tea, candied, crushed, grated and ground up. It helps with colds and allergies along with nausea and digestive issues. I bought some sub par rhizomes at the grocery, broke them up and planted in a raised bed. One is already peeking up out of the mulch.

Ouch! I hear ya on the cramps. I used to have that. Up with the fluid for relief. I love ginger drinks. Ginger doesn't grow easily like the Queenslanders but I will keep trying till my ginger gets the message to grow LOL. I am starting a tea garden this year.