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Author Topic: Covid-19 , what's your story ?  (Read 3970 times)

St Paul Steam

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Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« on: April 07, 2020, 07:47:47 am »
Hello Forum members, we have several members who have started a covid-19 thread of their own, but I thought I would start a General thread where we could each share how this covid -19 pandemic is affecting us personally.
For me , and my Son & Daughter , we are all involved in the trucking industry, and therefore are working daily. as many of you know I am a truck driver for FedEx Freight, and although working everyday, the number of businesses that are open are fewer and farther  between ...therefore there are less businesses to pick up from and less freight to deliver, routes are being combined & the talk of layoffs is in the air , I have enough seniority (hopefully) to see me through this time. I can see the sting  of financial difficulties & closures starting to affect people directly.
If your circumstances are good or bad...please with as much cander as you wish ,share with us...we're all in this together 😷
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
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Steamloco

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2020, 09:49:04 am »
I'm retired so being home a lot is nothing new. Bad part is not getting out to do anything even though I didn't get out much before this hit.
Family things, birthdays, holidays, and all are nixed. Otherwise, I'm in good shape. I'll be glad when this is over and everyone can get back to the "new" normal. There's going to be lasting changes from this.
Give us this day our daily Steam
And deliver us from Diesels
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St Paul Steam

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2020, 12:21:02 pm »
I just made a delivery at a florist,  I really didn't think they would be open , & they weren't. ..but I've learned to always check around back before giving up & I found the owners & completed the delivery. ...they told me they were only allowed to supply flowers for the funeral business. ...and they were busy 😳
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
  Nikola Tesla

RedRyder

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2020, 02:49:42 pm »
I have been to my office just once in the last 3 weeks. I went in at 7:15 am, got together what I needed to keep working from home and was out the door before 8:00 am. The regular co-workers usually show en mass from 8:15 to 9:00 am. Things may be very different going forward. I work for UBS Financial Services and they just nearly seamlessly transitioned form 7,000 people coming to offices daily in the U.S. to an average of about 450 people in daily attendance. I have a feeling that every major institution that just made this transition will take a long hard look at their real estate costs and ask themselves why are we paying for all this prime real estate when we might do just fine with half of what we support right now. My point is many of the office jobs have, in a few weeks, been successfully moved to employee's homes. It may very well be the next major trend. I would not want to be an owner of prime office buildings in major cities right now.

St Paul Steam

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2020, 03:16:41 pm »
Good point Gil , I imagine  this time in history is going to be a catalysis for a good many changes
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
  Nikola Tesla

Jim

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2020, 09:30:30 pm »
G'day all, Jenny and I are in day 20 of isolation. We use Zoom each day to talk to our children and grandchildren, they only live a few minutes walk away   :'(

Currently in Stage 3 Statewide lockdown in New South Wales which means no unnecessary being out of the house. Police are stopping people and asking what reasons they have for being on the road, if not in the 'prescribed list' a very hefty fine and/or 6 months jail.

Allowed out to walk for exercise, but not supposed to stop or sit down anywhere.

A few cafe's/restaurants in NSW are still open, but doing takeaways only.

Social distancing, we all have to stay 1.5 metres away from all other people who we don't reside with.

No groups over 2 allowed outdoors (even in your own home) unless they live permanently with you.

Government paying wages to those who aren't working and other massive generous stimulus packages.

Weddings, only can have 5 people. Funerals can have 10.

All sounds very onerous, but so far its put Australia in a good position, but there's no end it sight. If the government take their foot
off the brakes, infections will start to rise and then sky rocket and deaths will rise. Prime Minister has told us to prepare for this for a
long long time (6-18 months).......until 'herd immunity' slowly builds or a vaccine is invented.

Most people are following the restrictions, there's always some Richard Craniums and the police are onto them pretty quick. This 4 day Easter break
is going to be trying as its a time when most Aussies go away for a holiday. The Prime Minister has warned that if the restrictions are ignored it could
be catastrophic for Australia and increase person to person transmissions that aren't traceable.

I'd be lying if I didn't say that from New Years Eve 2020 has been one shitty year.

Please look after yourselves and your precious loved ones everyone. Seeing the worldwide figures of new infections and death totals each day......those figures are chillingly sobering.
_______________________________________________
Cheers.
Jim

My YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/Blue123Heeler/videos


St Paul Steam

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2020, 09:49:21 pm »
As I was reading your story Jim , I was thinking about the fires, then floods , and now the deadly virus that has us all on edge to one degree or another,  almost reads of biblical plagues doesn't it 😢
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
  Nikola Tesla

Maxwell

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2020, 09:51:55 pm »
Bruce, there maybe good news for UPS & Fedex that Amazon decided to stop it’s own delivery carrier.
As for me, working full time from home managing my employees to provide safe reliable utility services without risking their own safety. Two days ago, we got a call from a major hospital adding utility equipment & wing to accommodate the overflow of COVID-19 patients. Had to send a crew in full hazmat protection gear to energize equipment; very difficult to work in full Hazmat suit and do physical work in a very hazardous environment. We got the job done, but the key is to disinfect the hazmat suit very well before taking it off.

Jim

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2020, 10:08:10 pm »
As I was reading your story Jim , I was thinking about the fires, then floods , and now the deadly virus that has us all on edge to one degree or another,  almost reads of biblical plagues doesn't it 😢

Just waiting for the locusts Bruce !
_______________________________________________
Cheers.
Jim

My YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/Blue123Heeler/videos


St Paul Steam

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2020, 10:10:13 pm »
Very interesting Mike, I've always thought to myself  (when I see folks in full hazmat suits) that it must be very difficult to work in those outfits,  glad you folks got the work done at the hospital. ..heroic work imho👍.
As an aside ,FedEx discontinued their association with Amazon awhile back , Amazon is a notoriously ruthless customer. ..paying little for delivery services & using they're massive shipping volume as leverage, UPS is having the same problem with them now.. only making mere pocket change per package , USPS is in the same trap,  Pres Trump mentioned today (with the proposed Dem, bailout of the post office) that the post office should quite hauling Amazon pkgs. for cheap.
Just a little shipping insider info.
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
  Nikola Tesla

St Paul Steam

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2020, 10:12:24 pm »
As I was reading your story Jim , I was thinking about the fires, then floods , and now the deadly virus that has us all on edge to one degree or another,  almost reads of biblical plagues doesn't it 😢

Just waiting for the locusts Bruce !
I'm hoping we don't get to the 1st born Son 😢
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
  Nikola Tesla

Scalex

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2020, 11:10:04 pm »
Hi guys  I have not posted for a long time  been  busy with life work and  kids growing up to fast but Covid 19 has seen us in lockdown here in New Zealand my work is closed  and  unfortunately won't start again until lockdown is over so two weeks in and I have  repainted most of inside of my house  and  yesterday I steamed one of my  Jensens for the first time in ages  it was great fun and with 2-3 weeks of lockdown to go there should be many more steamings. Stay safe out there  everyone.
Regards Andrew

St Paul Steam

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2020, 06:06:38 am »
Hi guys  I have not posted for a long time  been  busy with life work and  kids growing up to fast but Covid 19 has seen us in lockdown here in New Zealand my work is closed  and  unfortunately won't start again until lockdown is over so two weeks in and I have  repainted most of inside of my house  and  yesterday I steamed one of my  Jensens for the first time in ages  it was great fun and with 2-3 weeks of lockdown to go there should be many more steamings. Stay safe out there  everyone.
Regards Andrew
Hello again Andrew, it is good to hear from you , I hope you all continue to stay well & safe, I remember you having probably one of the finest collections of Jensen's in New Zealand....sometimes we just need to pull em' off the shelf and fire them up , that rekindles the memories & fun all over again.
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
"Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind."
  Nikola Tesla

Scorpion2nz

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2020, 01:54:38 pm »
Well I  ( like Scalex ) am a Kiwi here in New  Zealand
Yes we are in a lockdown but i think to many are not taking it serious enough.
I am still working as I am a Farmer .
It is the perfect storm here for us .
We have a Fairly serious drought here in NZ this summer and autumn
Normally we send fat lambs to works to feed the world but take off at other end is slow .
Works are going slow as workers are spaced apart so the kill chain is slowed down.
So we have extra mouths to feed on farm and having to buy in feed ( a rare occurrence here for us )
Due to drought we have dried milking cows off ( 2 months early )  i have less spare time now as more feeding
out on top of usual jobs .
The boss is in his 70s and his wife have MS bad ( wheel chair hoist etc ) they are both vulnerable if CV 19 gets them .
My wife is prone to serious chest infections due to complications of Premature birth.
 This leaves me to be gopher  for groceries and farm supplies so no enforced holiday for me .
I have done 1 grocery foray ( a lot of shelves were bare )and 2 farm supply trips since lock down started .
Bonus is I am still getting paid .
Down side ?? Wife getting a bit touchy as can not go out and two house bound teenage daughters !!!!

Empire man 202

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Re: Covid-19 , what's your story ?
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2020, 08:47:18 pm »
Yea Boss we're all in this together Glad you still have work to do and hope every one still has some to do we will get through this in time my prayers go out to the whole world friends or foe at this time. we are still hunker down at the farm kids and grandkids every one but my wife Alison she is working in the E R back home she said its not to bad yet I hope it stays that way. we have been here almost 30 days now ant saw anybody so far . Good luck and prayers to every one