19 March 2020, Groceries Online?

Status: Homebound for the sixth day, we’re in good shape with supplies.

Plans: Work around the house and distance ourselves from the crowds by STAYING HOME! We’ll probably go for a walk around the block later this morning.

Narrative: Up with the wife at 7AM so she can watch the “Today” show on NBC. Coffee was done when I opened the bedroom door.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/coronavirus-could-be-changing-grocery-shopping-forever/ar-BB11pMiE?ocid=spartanntp

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/19/business/grocery-shopping-online-coronavirus/index.html

Coronavirus could be changing grocery shopping forever.

The outbreak of coronavirus is pushing Americans to buy their groceries online, a development that could have a lasting effect on the supermarket industry.

While shopping for books and electronics online and ordering dinner through delivery apps have become staples of American life, most customers still prefer to purchase their meat and vegetables at the store. Last year, just 4% of grocery sales in the United States came online, according to Nielsen.

However, with shoppers stuck in their homes in the wake of the virus, online grocery shopping is exploding. Downloads of Instacart, Walmart’s grocery app and Shipt increased 218%, 160%, and 124% respectively last Sunday compared with a year prior.

“We are seeing a larger percentage of customers over the age of 60 that are coming online,” said JJ Fleeman, chief e-commerce officer for Ahold Delhaize in the United States, which owns brands like Stop & Shop, Food Lion and the online delivery service Peapod. “We’re seeing a lot of new customers coming into the channel.”

A third of consumers said Sunday that they had purchased groceries for online pickup or delivery in the past seven days, according to a survey by analysts at Gordon Haskett Research Advisors. Around 41% said they were buying groceries online for the first time.

“Consumer behaviors always shift in times of disaster,” said Doug Baker, vice president of industry relations at FMI, a trade group for food retailers. “People are learning new skills and how to shop online as a result of what we’re experiencing today.”

Maria Alvarado in Phoenix usually shops in person for groceries at Walmart or Safeway, but she tried ordering online last week for the first time through Walmart’s in-store pickup option. She plans to keep using the service.

“Once things go back to normal, I will probably use online again,” she said. “It was really easy.”

Related video: Is it safe to go to the grocery store?Click to expand

Big grocers like Walmart, Albertsons, Stop & Shop, Meijer, Hy-Vee and others have been experimenting with new ways to fulfill online orders in recent years. They have increasingly looked to technology to reduce costs and keep aisles from jamming up with shoppers and workers picking customers’ orders.

Grocers have been building automated mini-warehouses inside their stores and opening up “dark stores” — locations that look like supermarkets but are closed to customers — to make deliveries and prepare pickup orders.

Yet the crush of demand in the wake of coronavirus has overwhelmed grocers’ delivery and pickup networks, causing long waits, cancellations and outages in some parts of the country.

“The surge in online grocery orders is causing operational difficulties,” said Bill Bishop, CEO of grocery consulting firm Brick Meets Click.

Grocers are scrambling to adjust and hiring workers to keep up.

Fleeman from Ahold Delhaize said the company was adding “web servers to help us process the increased demand” and offering more windows for customers to pickup their orders or get delivery.

This shift online during the crisis may reshape the supermarket industry by helping large grocers consolidate their grip, experts predict.

“We see this unfortunate period accelerating structural changes in consumer shopping,” possibly by five years, said Seth Sigman, analyst at Credit Suisse, wrote in a report. “This is driving significant growth in new customers” to Walmart.

Consumers adopting online grocery shopping may add to the pressure small and mid-sized grocers already face, analysts say. These smaller chains don’t have as much capital to invest in building out their delivery infrastructure. And delivery is less profitable for grocers than traditional purchases in stores.

Coronavirus “may hasten the adoption” of online delivery and pickup, touching off long-term challenges for smaller chains earlier than expected, Kelly Bania, analyst for BMO Capital Markets, said in a research report this week.

I attached four more NodeMCU (The name “NodeMCU” combines “Node” and “MCU” micro-controller unit) to my network this morning. These four are attached to a wireless access point near the garage and will control the shedding of loads and the solar charging to defend the refrigerator and our CPAPs with their last gasp.

For these small microcomputers to switch the loads I’ve bought some relay modules. They will either control the UPS using the Remote Off connection or larger relays to do the switching.

I attached five WiFi controlled outlets the Garage access point that I’ll use to switch UPS units on and off when solar is available. (Keeps me from opening the garage door to unplug them.) They can be programmed in advance with an assortment of triggers. I found five of the eight that I own, no idea where three of them are…

Had an awesome dinner and a good game of scrabble tonight. It’s looking like rain is approaching, but it was a beautiful day today.

Tomorrow: My last day with Triple Canopy and probably working altogether. (We’ll live on my AD retirement and SS)

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

From the book “Triggers” by Marshall Goldsmith
Did I DMBT set clear goals for the day? No
Did I DMBT make progress to those goals? No
Did I DMBT make my wife feel loved? Yes
Did I DMBT help my wife today? Yes
Did I DMBT fix something today? Yes
Did I DMBT improve something today? Yes
Did I DMBT be happy? Yes
Did I DMBT be fully engaged? Yes
*Did My Best To
Injuries: Arguments: Exercise: Feeling words: Travel: Noteworthy: Accomplishments: Purchases: Project: Theme: Engineering: Repairs: Pi News:

18 March 2020, Our first day out

Status: We went out last night to an almost empty Kroger and replenished our produce. The store was closing in 40 minutes at 9PM so the traffic was light. (Website said nothing about the limited hours that are applied store-by-store and I looked earlier today.) Thankfully the produce section was stocked! I think the only thing on the wife’s list we didn’t get last night was bagels.

Disinfecting our return trip was loaded with obstacles. If we assume that the buggy could have a virus on its surfaces then all the grocery items are now contaminated. Cept maybe the produce that was in separate bags. But even then the cashier handled the produce to get the bar code scanned.

We do have the option to wash the cans or just let them sit for a few days until the virus dies. The frozen shouldn’t be a problem. The produce surely is. Apples we can wash, bananas are a bit more difficult. Oranges are considerably more difficult but maybe the citric acid will kill the virus. (Need to look that up.) The plastic containers for the Strawberries and Blueberries are something we handle before we touch the fruit. (But we keep them in the fridge.) Anyways, we need a good plan going forward. Bringing disinfectants into the store rather than depending on the disinfectants that were previously in the store. (Not last night though.)

Found the following article online from NBC Today show in two places.

https://www.today.com/food/how-safely-shop-groceries-if-you-re-concerned-about-coronavirus-t176047

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/tipsandtricks/how-to-safely-shop-for-groceries-if-youre-concerned-about-coronavirus/ar-BB11jqt3

a person standing in front of a store: Shopping for groceries these days may require a few extra steps to cut down on the spread of germs.

The coronavirus pandemic is already wreaking havoc on the restaurant industry. But with more people being advised to eat meals at home, grocery shopping has become increasingly difficult as supermarkets adjust their schedules to keep up with the overwhelming demand.

Unless you are sick, elderly or an individual with a compromised immune system, grocery shopping can still be done safely. However, there are several guidelines shoppers should follow before, during and after their next trip to the store.

For starters, food isn’t the enemy.

“In general, places that sell food are hard-wired for sanitation and hygiene,” Celine Beitchman, director of nutrition at the Institute of Culinary Education, told TODAY Food. Health officials have yet to name food as a source of transmission, but since the virus spreads by human contact and can live on certain surfaces for hours, or even days, it’s important to minimize points of contact as much as possible, especially in the most public of places, like a grocery store.

When is the best time to go shopping?

Traditionally, it’s been early in the morning or late at night. But with major stores like Walmart, Albertsons and Trader Joe’s cutting store hours, and more people working from home, it’s harder to tell these days.

If you can go earlier in the day, you’ll have a better chance of finding what you’re looking for, but you may end up waiting in a line to get in. If you go later in the day (closer to closing time), there will likely be fewer crowds but emptier shelves.

Some stores in the U.S. and abroad have introduced senior-only hours in order to accommodate individuals who are most at risk.

What to do before you go

While shoppers can’t control who they will encounter in the store, they can make things easier — and safer — by preparing in advance. Now, more than ever, Beitchman recommends creating a list of what you’ll plan to make and eat for the days ahead.

Based on that list and your budget, make your concise shopping list. And don’t just rely on non-perishables. “Fruits and vegetables provide a wealth of nutrients that support whole body health, including a strong immune system,” said Beitchman.

Also, make sure to bring sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer with you to the store.

Don’t take the whole family along

In order to streamline the trip and keep grocery stores less crowded, try to limit how many people you take with you. The elderly and any immunosuppressed persons should stay home during peak hours. Kids may be attending school at home but, according to Beitchman, they probably shouldn’t be shopping unless they’re old enough to help and can be counted on to keep their hands away from their faces.

Sanitize your surroundings

When you get to the store, use a sanitizing wipe to rub down high-touch areas like cart and basket handles. You should also use hand sanitizer or wash your hands immediately after leaving the checkout lane, especially if you used the touch screen for payment.

Stay focused and be mindful

“I think the best strategy is to limit your time in the store as much as possible,” said Amanda J. Deering, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Food Science at Purdue University. Part of limiting one’s time in the store means understanding the general layout of aisles and knowing where everything is.

Most perishables (produce and dairy) are kept around the periphery of the store, while shelf-stable processed foods and cleaning products are in the middle aisles, said Beitchman. Plan to start with the non-perishable items.

Shop with your eyes, not your fingers

Deering told TODAY Food that the riskiest areas will be those with items people touch the most, like salad bars (which should be avoided these days) and the produce section. “Make these your last stops in the store to avoid transferring the virus, if present, to other areas,” she said.

Typically, picking produce involves touching and poking around for desired ripeness, but these days it’s best to avoid touching anything you don’t have to and use your eyes to dictate what’s fresh. For example, avoid fresh foods with obvious bruises or brown spots. If the food comes in plastic packages, be mindful to touch just the one you want to select.

“If you’re immunocompromised, consider buying pre-packaged produce that likely has undergone strict sanitation standards at the packing site,” added Beitchman, who also advised cooking any raw vegetables to further cut down on the risk of contamination.

Don’t hoard

Unless you’re shopping for dozens of people, buying a year’s worth of food may not only lead to potential waste, but it will also make it harder for others to feed their families. Unless your family has been placed under quarantine, current Department of Homeland Security guidelines recommend buying enough food to last for two weeks at a time. The same goes for toilet paper.

When you get home

After you wash your hands, don’t forget about washing your produce. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 being transmitted through food, but it’s possible for the virus to live on surfaces. When you get home, scrub hard-skinned produce with a soft-bristled vegetable brush, using a little bit of soap and warm water. Other types of produce, like fruits or leafy veggies, can be soaked for about 15 minutes in soapy water. Make sure to rinse them thoroughly before consuming.

If you used reusable bags at the store, make sure to wipe them down thoroughly or wash them immediately.

Yesterday we were looking for a freezer that could be used as a backup refrigerator. The smaller ones are all sold out of most stores. I was looking at Wally World and noticed they had an online seller that had one.

It was smaller than what I had hoped, but it uses a DC compressor and can get to a temperature something like -5 degrees. The battery connection is automatically used if the AC power fails. It’s about the size of a good sized ice chest ~3 Cu Ft. The vendor cancelled the order citing something wrong with my credit card. I checked my CC and reordered it. Again they cancelled the order with no explanation. I sent them a message and they cited the unit they were boxing up was damaged. (And it was out of the box Why?) I checked Amazon and they had one for $200 less than Wal-Mart at $600. It arrives next Wednesday, hopefully we’ll not need it. But we’ll have it if we do.

Plans: Stay low and plan our activities to prevent infection.

Narrative: Slept in again until 8AM, the Wife made healthy scrambled eggs (With Spinach) and a good pot of coffee.

The guys at work have been unbelievably quiet. (I assume that they’ve decided I am on Leave and to leave (No pun intended) me alone.

I’ve finally gotten through my magazines and most of them are in the recycling. My travel pile is still in the Livingroom, I’ll deal with that next.

My skivvies arrived yesterday from Amazon to replace the 16 pairs that I left at the hotel in Costa Rica. I don’t carry dirty ones home. I just toss them in the waste basket when I leave. (I used to toss them daily, but the housekeeping staff get a little too helpful and wash them for me. I’ve also had one instance when I was extended with only three pairs left to even wash them LOL.)

One thing I need to do is build a routine, I don’t have one. At the moment I am reactionary to stimulus that seems to keep me occupied throughout the day. Hopefully that will die down and i’ll be better organized.

Tomorrow: Stay home and have patience.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

17 March 2020, Behind the curve

Status: We’re staying put with the Virus outbreak like it is. We are good on supplies and have lots to do as can be seen below.

Plans: Continue to work on clearing my 2yr old magazine collection and learn enough about these ModeMCU’s to make them useful.

We also may need to rethink our food supplies: Like most Americans we have fresh “Perishable” food on the table and in the fridge. We also have frozen food, canned foods and dry goods. I am thinking we should go ahead and consume our perishable while looking for a way to replenish them and stocking up for a 30 day supply between the freezer and pantry.

I checked getting a small 7 CuFt freezer and everyone’s sold out here in the city. (That’s why the shelves at Kroger are empty, everyone is freezing their food.) Boy, you hope the power doesn’t go out! I did find a Whynter 85qt freezer on Wal-Mart’s website. It’s a bit small, but it is also DC compressor type (24V) which could be handy backup if the big fridge died. It can be a fridge up to 50 degrees or a freezer down to -8 degrees which is perfect if that is accurate.

Narrative: Had a hard time getting to sleep last night so I slept upright in the lounge chair, which worked pretty well. Kathy made a great pot of coffee and i’m typing on my blog at 07:00 DST.

The company still has not approved my Expense Report, but my boss did approve my Vacation on my timecard. (That should be the last time I have to enter anything in Deltek.)

My cameras and DVR are here, I need to decide where to put the DVR. The logical place would be the closet with the Network and Alarm system. However, there is no cooling in that small closet and it already gets too warm in the summer months. If I add another 30-50 watts for the DVR I will have to vent air into/out of that closet. The master bedroom closet is another option because it has direct access to the attic. But it backs up against the fireplace which can get a little warm. The garage is out of the question since it does get too warm. My cave is already getting too crowded, but that is where the old DVR is. Geez

Home Assistant is an ELEPHANT, my goodness…. Where have I been?

Kathy is getting restless, she asked if she could go to the Gym next week. The longer story is that the two of us are 65 and are high risk if we get the virus. The media is saying that we should “Stay Home unless we NEED to go out.” , the Gym is not quite a need. I get it, we (Americans) like our mobility. It’s that mobility that is aggregating the persistence of this virus into a nationwide outbreak. (My opinion, but hey this is my blog not a newspaper.)

We are still navigating my being home which has accelerated changes in my wife’s routine. They would have happened over the next month or so giving her time to acclimate to having me home emotionally. Now we are pinging our feelings between us. (Her feelings against my feelings.)

Tomorrow: No church since they’ve closed the schools.

To Do List

Check PO Box at night when traffic is minimal.
Travel paperwork (Waiting on approval)
Use Audible credits before May 24th.
Repair Toshiba laptop or replace it.
Order blood pressure cuff.
Instant ink for Mom’s printer
ST Fiber connectors
Car Emissions (One of two done.)
Clean out then sell Blue Saturn
Change Insurance to Leisure driving.
Repair homestead outside cameras using new ones.
Continuity Folders
Solar charge MOI
Router license
Circuit boards
Return TC Badge
Verify passwords for retirement websites then return CAC.
Weed & Feed for the lawn. (Forgot to look for the bag yesterday.)
Mow the back and side yards when the grass is dry. (Rained all day)
TPM sensor reset in both Ford Focus cars. (Ordered tool)
Return TC Phone to Dobbins ARB with CAC and badge.
Sort and Toss old magazines.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

16 March 2020, A day in progress

Status: Home bound for two weeks. Need to take company property to Dobbins this week.

Plans: Coordinate the best time to drop off the company property.

Narrative: Had to make a few changes in plans today due to the speed of which this virus is spreading and the Governments trying to contain it.

It’s raining today, actually I think it is going rain all week. (Might put out some weed and feed. (If I have it.) It’s also a good day to get in the attic and check things out. (It will be cool and I can look for leaks while I rewire the cameras.)

I’ve worked some on my IOT (Internet of Things) while I am home bound. A friend of mine got my Raspberry Pi setup with the Home Assistant software.

https://www.home-assistant.io/

I have setup dedicated Wireless for it and attached three “NodeMCU” modules yesterday. I’ve played with the three NodeMCU’s most of the day. I spent almost all evening fighting with a sensor that is clearly not what it is supposed to be. (Someone on Amazon substituted a cheaper version.) All in all it was a good day to be inside while it rained outside.

I emptied the 5 Gal gas can into the five generators and the two one gallon cans. I’ll get the 5 gallon can refilled with non ethanol gas to reduce the acid in the carburetors.

Had Pizza for dinner tonight and worked on the NodeMCU integration while the wife watched TV tonight. I had to get some of the hurtles behind me so I can start making plans how to use these devices that are a lot like lemmings, they cannot do a lot by themselves but are easy to connect together.

The DC systems in this house have a lot of tentacles, having these NodeMCU’s will make it possible to manage them as a team. Hopefully they can make decisions on maintain power to critical devices their own if need be. Another benefit from them being wireless is that they can float on the battery powered systems they are controlling.

I did log onto my company website and download my pay stubs for last year. I lost the pay stubs for 2017 due to a hard drive failure.

To Do List

Check PO Box at night when traffic is minimal.
Travel paperwork (Waiting on approval)
Blood pressure cuff.
Instant ink for Mom’s printer
ST Fiber connectors
Car Emissions (One of two done.)
Sell Blue Saturn
Change Insurance to Leisure driving.
Repair homestead outside cameras. (Ordered cameras today.)
Continuity Folders
Solar charge MOI
Router license
Circuit boards
Return TC Badge
Verify passwords for retirement websites then return CAC.
rental car insurance
Weed & Feed for the lawn
Mow the back and side yards when the grass is dry.
TPM sensor reset in both Ford Focus cars. (Ordered tool today)
Return TC Phone to Dobbins ARB before Noon Monday.
Sort and Toss old magazines.

Tomorrow: Enjoy another day at home. Verify my Expense report was approved.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

15 March 2020, Home Bound

Status:Home bound for the next 14 days, a person 2x distance from us was exposed to the virus. We’re in great shape and have everything we need.

Plans:Spend some quality time with the wife and play with my electronic toys.

Narrative: A friend of mine turned me on to a very small controller called an NodeMCU. They attach themselves to WiFi and communicate with a Raspberry Pi configured as a home controller.

Somewhere in my past I bought three Toshiba laptops. (I have two and a coworker had the third one.) One of the two I own died last night and I believe that the SSD was the cause. I hadn’t done much work on it since 2017 and I moved a bunch of files off of it to reduce the load on the SSD just a few months ago. (I might be in good shape having backed up the files.)

There might be a chance of pulling the SSD out of the laptop and reading the data from it. (But I have so much to do, LOL)

I took the second Toshiba (that I used as a work computer) and replaced the laptop computer at my desk that died. (It has the most recent files by far anyway.) I’ll start purging the files from the disk this week to give the SSD more life span.

I looked at the Intel NUC computers and see what I can get to pull the Toshiba off my desk. It looks to be about 700 bucks to replace the Toshiba.

I am sleeping in on a Sunday morning for the first time in many years. Normally I am up by 7:00 and out the door by 07:30 to set the cones out at the buildings. At 08:00 I assist the team set up the stage for services.

Our TP Link cameras have served us pretty well over the last 10 years but they are becoming problematic. I have a set of similar cameras and recorder, but the new cameras are inexpensive and 4x the quality. I’ve ordered a new DVR that comes with a set of POE cameras.

The one shortfall with these controllers is that they are 802.11A only. There is so much traffic on the 2GHZ frequency I may have to deploy dedicated access points for them.

I have started creating flow charts of what I want to do with these micro controllers. The first thing I want to use them for is a decision tree using Power Outage Time, Solar Power available, Stored Battery Power x 5 banks and have them do the load shedding automatically to maintain critical loads. (CPAP, Em lighting, water line heater etc.)

Travel paperwork (Waiting on approval)
Blood pressure cuff.
Instant ink for Mom’s printer
ST Fiber connectors
Car Emissions (One of two done.)
Sell Blue Saturn
Change Insurance to Leisure driving.
Repair homestead outside cameras. (Ordered cameras today.)
Continuity Folders
Solar charge MOI
Router license
Circuit boards
Return TC Badge
Verify passwords for retirement websites then return CAC.
rental car insurance
Weed & Feed for the lawn
Mow the back and side yards when the grass is dry.
TPM sensor reset in both Ford Focus cars. (Ordered tool today)
Return TC Phone to Dobbins ARB before Noon Monday.
Sort and Toss old magazines.

Tomorrow: Take the TC phone to work and charge the company for the time spent.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

14 March 2020, A close call.

Status: I have taken leave from work for next week and then I’ve resigned my position. (Retired) The two of us managed to get stocked on food and supplies. However, we’ve been with someone on Wednesday 11 March that was with someone on Monday 9 March that has the virus. They didn’t say what was the first day of the last three weeks that she was with the coworker. (Which would tell us the incubation period that has passed for our contact.)

Plans: Stay put as much as possible. We are in the high risk group of 60yrs and older that are advised NOT to travel unless necessary. I am beginning to believe we need to heed that advice. We’ll also keep close track of our consumption and make a list of any shortfalls as we go forward. I can apply for Social Security after April 4th.

Narrative: Before we knew about the virus risk we were in Kroger this morning picking up a few odds/ends.

I left my skivvies in Costa Rica and I just ordered replacements from Amazon. I tried Target, but it was going to take a week and I didn’t want to drive there and pick it up.

We’ve got lots of time to get organized being grounded for a couple weeks. There are considerable piles of paperwork on the table that need going through.

I pulled the five generators out of the garage and exercised them at full power today. (Okay, they are only 500 watts LOL.) I ran the homestead electronics and refrigerator on battery for about six hours today.

I have a problem with the AT&T IPV6 Internet connection that will have to wait until April to repair.

I broke out the lawn mower and managed to get the front lawn done this afternoon. (Almost the entire thing on just one EGO battery.)

Dinner was really good, some kind of chili with butternut squash. Yummy.

Tomorrow: No big church, we were planning to meet with a single family on Sunday. I am thinking we should dodge any contact with church family for at least two weeks.

To Do List:

Travel paperwork
Instant ink for Mom’s printer
ST Fiber connectors
Car Emissions
Repair homestead outside cameras
Remote access for shop
Continuity Folders
MOI List
Solar charge MOI
Router license
Circuit boards
rental car insurance

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

13 March 2020, A day in progress

Status:Friday the 13th, telecommute day. The virus is spreading, now is not the time to be careless with others.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/voices/young-and-unafraid-of-the-pandemic-good-for-you-now-stop-killing-people/ar-BB113BXB?ocid=spartanntp

Plans:Work from home and get my completed travel paperwork into the company.

Narrative: I am having a hard time getting to sleep so I am writing in my blog already this morning. I wash my clothes as soon as I arrive from travel to keep from moving bed bugs. I also had a large comforter on this trip, so it came first. I found out after I got home that I only have two pairs of skivvies and no matching socks LOL. (I threw them away in Costa Rica to make room for coffee.) I did manage to fill both my bags to 49 Lbs yesterday.

I am still very tired and my body is all out of whack, I am beginning to think it’s going to take a week to normalize my senses.

Tomorrow:Saturday, a day of rest and relaxation.

To Do List:

Travel paperwork
Instant ink for Mom’s printer
ST Fiber connectors
Car Emissions
Repair homestead outside cameras
Remote access for shop
Continuity Folders
MOI List
Solar charge MOI
Router license
Circuit boards
rental car insurance

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

12 March 2020, A day in Progress

Status:Last day in Costa Rica

Plans:Fly Home

Narrative:03:30 wakeup was pretty early. I packed the equipment I was using and the comforter I was sleeping on before taking a shower. I had weighed the bags the night before and they are both just under 50 Lbs.

Took a good hot shower and got ready to go to the airport at 04:30. A coworker took me to the airport and no issues with getting to the gate. It only took about 30 minutes for the whole process. I locked my phone into a VPN at the house and signed on to the airport WiFi to touch base with the family.

The flight was uneventful and I was able to use personal messaging during the entire flight at no cost. (In the past, Internet was only available while in the US and unless you had T-Mobile you had to pay.)

Ride home was scary, my Limo driver had a cough that he attributed to allergies. (I am not so certain.) This is not the time to be driving people around when you don’t feel well! The news had a good statement about personal responsibility.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/voices/young-and-unafraid-of-the-pandemic-good-for-you-now-stop-killing-people/ar-BB113BXB?ocid=spartanntp

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises those over age 60 to be prepared with medicine, household items and groceries for two weeks. I need to engage my mom in Florida and Pahrump NV, they are both like 20 years older than I am.

Our school system has closed for two weeks which affects our weekly worship.

I have decided to work from home since I’ve just been out where I could have contracted the virus. (Especially with my Limo driver, I need to address that with his company tomorrow.)

My receipt for the hotel did not arrive, nor did the receipt for the rental car.

We went to Chilis for lunch, I was little risk to them because I’ve only been out for hours. Going out tomorrow carries considerably more risk.

Fired up 600VA generator #3 for a couple hours today running critical loads of the homestead. It needs an oil change, but otherwise ready to go. Generator #1’s gasoline tank filter is inside the tank, I shouldn’t use the generator until I can pull the filter out of the tank. I need to find a way of holding the filter, running piano wire through it somehow. Generator #2, #4, #5 have empty fuel tanks for storage.

Tomorrow: Telecommute and complete travel documents for the company.

To Do List
1. Travel paperwork
2. Instant ink for Mom’s printer
3. ST Fiber connectors
4. Car Emissions
5. Repair homestead outside cameras
6. Remote access for shop
7. Continuity Folders
8. MOI List
9. Solar charge MOI
10. Router license
11. Circuit boards
12. rental car insurance

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

11 March 2020, A day in Progress

Status:Almost done with my last day manning the site. Looking forward to a hot shower and breakfast.

Plans:Pack for home…

Narrative:The system burped just before shift change, our boss showed up and wanted to drive us back to the hotel. I didn’t stop scrambling for three hours and now it’s 10 AM.

Hurridly carried the six grocery bags to the car and we drove to the hotel. I didn’t realize until we got there that i had forgotten my phone!

Headed back to the site picked up my phone and met with the guys at breakfast. That went ok until I choked on my corn flakes for 10 minutes. Geez

Headed back up to the room and a coworker wanted to take me to dinner. I realized once I got back to my room that I usually fast on the day before I fly so that I don’t have to use the bathroom.

It’s probably more important than ever that I not move about on the plane ride home.

Maid showed up, so it’ll be a minute before I can get some rest.

Emotionally and physically, I am spent!

Managed to sleep about 4 hours, started packing the first of three bags.

Started on 2nd bag, i have about 18 lbs of weight but not much room left in bag #2.

Tomorrow:Grab the first flight to Atlanta.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647

10 March 2020, A day in progress

Status:48 hours until I fly home. In my room sleeping until we go on shift at 07:15. Boss arrives at Noon today.

Plans:Operate the equipment and do some training.

Narrative:Sleep has been broken up in segments, which is about normal with this shift schedule.I accidently entered my time a day early, oops. (you loose track of days on these shifts.)

It:s 6:45, I am up for the day.

Tomorrow:Last day here, rest and pack!

https://www.verywellfamily.com/feelings-words-from-a-to-z-2086647