50 thoughts on “April 1, 2020: Raincheck”

  1. Actually, I've read more than one usual suspect state that they're giving April Fool's a rest this year. Good for them.

    Last night before bed I read that the nursing home that we normally sing at once a month is now up to 12 positive COVID-19 residents and 2 workers. And this is not a fancy facility for aging people, it's a nursing home for those who can't afford anything else.

    On a lighter note, today my RR retirement vests 100%, and Mrs. Runner can stop stressing about it and move on to something else.

  2. Twins get their first win of the season at strat-o-matic simulation.

    I feel like I'm gonna pay attention to this a lot. The realization that I'm going to be spending a lot of time at home, isolated from everyone else but my wife and daughter is sinking in. This is gonna be a tough time, I think. My daughter is gonna be a teenager in about 3 weeks and she's got all the symptoms. We have not established a good routine for all of this and I'd like to create a new normal, but that's gonna be tough. My wife and daughter are not used to life with not much to do besides work. I, on the other hand, grew up in SBGville, which gave me ample opportunities, especially in the dead of winter, to experience that life and I'm pretty used to it.

    My daughter has a virtual piano recital on Saturday via zoom. My parents have never heard her play at a recital, but might be able to this weekend. Also, she did have a piano lesson via Facetime yesterday. I think that actually went pretty well because the teacher (I love this woman, she is a great instructor) was sitting at her piano and playing parts for my daughter where she needed help. A level of separation, sure, but it seemed that she was getting good instruction.

    2. We have not established a good routine for all of this and I'd like to create a new normal, but that's gonna be tough.

      I keep lying to myself and saying that once the school's distance learning program starts next week it will get a lot better. But man, having a kindergartner in the house with two parents working full-time jobs is not easy at all.

      Last week was easier since it was quiet, but that suddenly changed this week and I have 2-3 hours of conference calls per day in addition to just getting work done. He loves doing iPad "learning" but is struggling with his parents not really playing with him like usual.

      It is increasingly exhausting to work as much as possible during the day but then having to make up time at night after bedtime. There really isn't a lot of downtime, but that's just our reality for now. We're incredibly blessed to have busy jobs that we can do from home right now.

      1. We have not established a good routine for all of this

        Also a problem in this house. We have "V-Learning" and it's fine, but like you, we're both working full time jobs and can't really teach grade school at the same time (also, let's say Pete needs more "hands on" attention/instruction as well). Rick's day care has remained open, though we only brought him back this week. Jane's very nervous about exposure, but at the same time, having one less baby in the house makes it that much easier to get stuff done. Overall, we're very fortunate, but it's still tricky.

        1. I was going to hassle you for saying "less" where you should have said "fewer," but based on how my brain's been operating while working full time from home while 2 kids are starting their new distance learning adventure, I'd say you're doing pretty well.

      2. Yes, the problem for you is different than for me. My daughter has been training for social distancing for the past couple of years. My main concern is that she will withdraw into a cocoon for weeks at a time unless I actively engage her. And sometimes actively engaging her nets a "leave me alone, Dad" response. So, I have taken to an interest in her video gaming -- playing animal crossing pocket camp on my ipad when she's playing animal crossing on her switch. She's 1000X more talkative when she's doing that than at any other time.

        1. Let me know if she wants instructions on how to apply black metal corpse paint to her AC character's face. Its the thing I'm most proud of with my AC experience.

          I also visited Zach's island yesterday evening, and it is way better than mine.

                1. It's the perfect game for these times. J & I just chill for hours together. It doesn't make up for the hell we're living in, but it helps.

                  1. You know that game in Wii Resort where you fly around looking for tokens and stuff.

                    That is my perfect decompression game. I just wish it didn't have a 5 minute timer on it.

  3. My Dad just informed me that he retired 15 years ago today! He's got his health issues now, but it has been a pretty great 15 years for him overall. Hopefully, he has a few more left.

  4. I played Euchre with my dad and sister on the Trickster Cards app last night. It worked pretty well. There is a video/audio feature so you can talk while you play. Not as good as being there but still a decent distraction.

    I've thought about setting up a little tournament for family. We'll see if I am that ambitious.

  6. Re: April Fools: We often try to do something. This year it was very gentle. Philosofette and the kids wore giant costume heads for their online meetings.

  7. Filled out my census form this afternoon. Listed my age (correctly) as 55 and my wife's as 54. Forevermore, she will be listed as being one year younger than me on this date.

    Spoiler SelectShow

    1. I didn't realize there was a DEADLINE! Also did not realize it was today.
      Took care of that. Consider me Censured. That's probably the word.

      1. Today is the reference day for the census, not the deadline, but it's a good day to get it done so the census takers don't have to get after you later when we should still be socially distancing.

    1. With the warm weather the cat, who can no longer go outdoors because the neighbor called the cops on her last year, is starting to get insufferable. So there's definitely a catio project in my near future.

  9. Well, then. Our four-year old grand-nephew Max is at Children's Hospital after falling out of a third floor apartment window yesterday. He has whiplash, two broken ribs, some cuts and large bruises, but otherwise he's doing okay. They're keeping him another night for observation, but so far no sign of internal injuries. If all remains well he'll go home tomorrow. He's one tough kid.

      1. So far so good. He was asking his mom today to bring him all of his Hot Wheels to show to the other kids.

    1. In some ways, Trevor Bauer is the player you love to hate, and in other ways, he's pretty awesome. This is definitely one of the ways he's awesome. He's definitely unique.

  12. with the projection of causalities from Covid-19 we'll all know someone who knows someone, but I now know several someones who've passed from this. Just really, really real. Stay safe, friends.

  13. NBBW and I were on a trip to central CT to 1) get cheese at Cato Corners farm by Colchester (awesome, 60 Jersey cows and award-winning cheeses), and 2) to scout out Salmon River for trout fishing.

    Saw gas at $2.02 in a station in Cobalt, CT. And then just read this.

      1. Yeah, that seems weird. I suppose a few people might, but even if I did it's not going to convince me to go inside the story to buy ten dollar bottle of twenty Tylenol

    1. Thought that seemed strangely bright. Also somewhat abnormally clear conditions here. Stars appeared as clear as they could out in Chicagoland.

    2. My kids pointed it out the other night. They insisted (jokingly) that it was 2020 CD3.

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