Covid Lockdown Day 29

Covid Lockdown Day 29 – We continue to be very blessed with our good health and a great location to weather this virus lockdown. The central Florida weather has been warm and sunny with only one day of rain since we arrived back on March 22nd. You might remember our prior RV park was quickly shutting down in Bowling Green Florida. We had planned to stay there until April 1st. But as the virus countermeasures swiftly grew more restrictive, it was time to move. Our move back to Clermont Florida was exactly what we needed.

I have added some relaxing photos from my archives. Sunsets and other scenery.

Having a small home might be a disadvantage during this stay at home order. Just not too many rooms to move around in. But we do have a great outside patio area under our awning to enjoy the day.

In a way it has been very relaxing if it were not for the stress of the pandemic. We have plenty of food and supplies and have been having some great stay at home meals. I’ve very fortunate to have a wife who is a great cook. Plus, I’ve been making some meals outside on the Blackstone.

I have been trying to walk two miles a day throughout the RV resort. Always keeping about a ten foot social distancing. And now maybe wearing a mask while walking due to the recent CDC guidelines of wearing a mask when out. I read something about the virus may last up to three hours in the air after someone passed by. Good grief!

It has now been 29 days since either Pat or myself have been inside of a store or business. We are very fortunate to have online grocery ordering at Publix and curbside pickup. No contact at all as they charge your card and place items in trunk. Of course, then it begins the decontamination drill once we have the stuff home. Yep, I’m already tired of that and my hands have been challenged with too much exposure to Clorox, hydrogen periode, and tons of soap and water washing.

Walmart now has one better with their home delivery of groceries and supplies. For a flat fee of $12 per month. There were quite a few substitutions and many items were still not available such as toilet paper. And I was very generous with the tip to the Walmart delivery guy. Pat was able to find a case of restaurant supply tp available in the large rolls. Woohoo!

Maybe it is time to risk it a bit for a restaurant curbside pickup order. Living on the edge by getting a take out order? How things have changed. I assume one would sanitize the outside of the clamshell styrofoam containers. More research required.

We have settled into a shelter in place routine. I wake up early and make a pot of coffee. Then I read a few daily blogs while watching the news. By then Pat wakes up and before long we are out for the morning walk. Then it is showers and a project or two before lunch. Lunch is usually a long relaxing one while we watch a show on Netflix or Hulu. The afternoon is reading outside on the patio as it is too hot to be out in the sun. About every other day we have a 4:30 happy hour with neighbors Sue and Calvin making sure to maintain a good ten foot distance. Then it is dinner, watch some TV then off to bed. Repeat…

I was watching way too much news early on in this thing. And then it just became way too negative. So just a small dose early morning and then maybe some of the daily news conference. Gotta focus on other things.

Like I mentioned in the last blog, we have cancelled most all of the summer travel plans. We stay here until either we get the all clear to travel memo or else the first major hurricane to head our direction. Hurricane season starts on June 1st with most of them in July to November.

Having wheels on our home is an advantage to get out of dodge in a hurricane’s path. There is usually plenty of advance notice for these big storms. You just never know the exact path though. It may be the time to go back to Virginia or Indiana when the evacuation comes.

For next winter we have options for both south Texas and Florida again. It just depends on how this thing plays out for which option we chose. Florida is much closer to home. While Texas has much to offer.

My IRA has certainly taken a major hit as I am more of a long term buy and hold investor and not a trader. I will use the stable money market funds until the stock funds make a come back. Some people always manage to get out at the market peak and then buy back in at the bottom. I would not even want to try to time it. Probably a good year to be more conservative with spending and this no travel plan year accomplishes that quite well.

Below are my data trackers for the world, US, and Florida. Hoping for a flattening of the curve very soon. The Florida authorities are now saying the new lower projections have the healthcare systems within their capacities. Good to hear since we are staying put for a time.

Stay safe out there and God Bless.