How is the corona virus affecting you?

flyinglentris said:
I wonder how many people have their utility companies banging at them because their power and water consumption has gone up during the pandemic? Does it make sense that with people home bound more often that such things are bound to happen? Do you find yourselves looking for neighbors tapping into your electric lines, cable TV and so forth. Are you looking for water leaks where there are none?
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Our utility bill has gone from 260 a month to 435 due to living in an un-isolated old home. The plan was to isolate the house in the first year we were living here, but that's when my oldest step son became psychotic and my husband's had a burnout ever since. So we're in a cold house currently, because we can't afford to keep it warm like we did. I keep warm by using an electric blanket.
Our usage has gone down significantly, so we'll get money back by the end of next year. But for now we're stuck with a contract for this incredibly high price.

We can't afford to live like we used to, on top of everything else.
 
TastyReuben said:
To continue, it's not even the specifics of having to wear a mask, or keeping your distance, it's the having to mentally process everything through your invisible COVID filter, as in:

"That doughnut looks good, let me just reach in there with these tongs and...wait a minute, can I still use public tongs with the virus everywhere?"

"Looking forward to buying a new car this year, that'll be fun...wait a minute, when I test drive a car now, do I have to wipe everything down first and when I'm done?"

"Hey, my neighbor got a new dog, I'm going to give her a pat on the head...wait a minute, do I have to wipe that dog's head off before I touch it?"

Everything, even the most ridiculous things, seem to have some COVID protocol, and it's exhausting constantly having to think COVID COVID COVID, all day long.
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Yeah, well, that. Exactly that.

And every second word wherever I look seems to be Covid related.. sigh
 
Morning Glory said:
I'm on the verge of sinking into depression, so I perfectly understand you Windigo. I have not much to look forward to except 'life as a carer' which will get more difficult, no doubt. Cooking and food photography is my 'escape' and creative outlet and I've been doing less of that due to other issues. I'll be OK. I have to be, to look after my partner. In truth I've been through worse situations on a domestic level, but in those days I was a bit younger, fitter and as they say 'when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping'! In my case it was clothes shopping. I could shop till I dropped. I do miss that.



I agree.
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Online shopping doesn't help? I do more of that than I probably should, but my husband lets me because he understands how difficult things are for me at the moment.

I'm sorry you're going through this too. Caregiver burnout is real. I hope 2022 will bring some ease for both of us :hug:
 
Windigo said:
Our utility bill has gone from 260 a month to 435 due to living in an un-isolated old home. The plan was to isolate the house in the first year we were living here, but that's when my oldest step son became psychotic and my husband's had a burnout ever since. So we're in a cold house currently, because we can't afford to keep it warm like we did. I keep warm by using an electric blanket.
Our usage has gone down significantly, so we'll get money back by the end of next year. But for now we're stuck with a contract for this incredibly high price.

We can't afford to live like we used to, on top of everything else.
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I feel bad for you. Winter where I live is when I save a ton of money on energy. Winters are generally mild here, my house is very well insulated, and my heat is natural gas, which is dirt cheap in Texas (where most of it comes from in the US).

Summer is the bank-breaker here.

CD
 
caseydog said:
I feel bad for you. Winter where I live is when I save a ton of money on energy. Winters are generally mild here, my house is very well insulated, and my heat is natural gas, which is dirt cheap in Texas (where most of it comes from in the US).

Summer is the bank-breaker here.

CD
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Well you don't get out unscathed then either.

We'll be OK, we're still able to cut it financially and we're thankful for that. Plenty of people who are going into debt currently because of this.

We know we'll get money back by the end of the year 2022 (we're far below our estimated use now and keeping track) so we might be able to finally have a nice holiday then . Until then though, it's definitely all become more of a grind.
 
Windigo said:
Our utility bill has gone from 260 a month to 435 due to living in an un-isolated old home. The plan was to isolate the house in the first year we were living here, but that's when my oldest step son became psychotic and my husband's had a burnout ever since. So we're in a cold house currently, because we can't afford to keep it warm like we did. I keep warm by using an electric blanket.
Our usage has gone down significantly, so we'll get money back by the end of next year. But for now we're stuck with a contract for this incredibly high price.

We can't afford to live like we used to, on top of everything else.
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yep, I hear you on that one. Australians didn't do insulation, so our house is also uninsulated.

our bills went from $200-300 per quarter to a whopping $800 these last 2 quarters due to not being able to use the wood burner and hubby also being home and needing the study warm (electric fires only option). no central heating, no insulation and windows that were hand built by a farmer 60 years ago.
good thing we like the bedroom cold at night.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
yep, I hear you on that one. Australians didn't do insulation, so our house is also uninsulated.

our bills went from $200-300 per quarter to a whopping $800 these last 2 quarters due to not being able to use the wood burner and hubby also being home and needing the study warm (electric fires only option). no central heating, no insulation and windows that were hand built by a farmer 60 years ago.
good thing we like the bedroom cold at night.
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Right, the term was ' insulation' not ' isolation'. Sorry to hear you're in the same position.
Our house is 96 years old so drafts everywhere. Glad I've got my electric duvets, the gas bill is the problem, at least not the electricity bill as well.
 
Windigo said:
Right, the term was ' insulation' not ' isolation'. Sorry to hear you're in the same position.
Our house is 96 years old so drafts everywhere. Glad I've got my electric duvets, the gas bill is the problem, at least not the electricity bill as well.
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I guessed what you meant.

given we've no mains water, no mains sewage, no hard telephone line, a 26km dirt road, and so on, gas isn't an option... just electricity here.

(drinking water isn't in short simply today lol!)

curiously, roofs are built to naturally ventilated here... so when the wind blows, it literally blows through the roof space! and the bathroom extractor fan just dumps the moisture into the roof space. (normal practice here)
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
I guessed what you meant.

given we've no mains water, no mains sewage, no hard telephone line, a 26km dirt road, and so on, gas isn't an option... just electricity here.

(drinking water isn't in short simply today lol!)

curiously, roofs are built to naturally ventilated here... so when the wind blows, it literally blows through the roof space! and the bathroom extractor fan just dumps the moisture into the roof space. (normal practice here)
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I guess thats because in sweltering hot summer thats comfortable, but not in winter? Is it a long cold season there?

Sorry to hear the conditions you find yourself in, that must be bad for your pain :hug:
 
Windigo said:
Online shopping doesn't help?
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Oh yes - I do buy stuff (non food) on-line too but buying clothes is not so easy. Anyway - I have nowhere to go to wear the clothes!

I buy stuff for food photography like designer plates, bowls etc. quite often - just one of each no sets. Its a bit of an indulgence really.
 
I think I'm getting or hitting my limit for total misinformation or just old school bull.

NEWS FLASH: Pfizer CEO says we may need a 4th vaccine dose to combat the omicron variant.

In an earlier video "Pfizer says 3 shots neutralize omicron variant in early findings"

None of the vaccines have neutralized any variant to date (we can still get the virus and we can still transmit the virus) with 2500 deaths in England in the last month of double vaccinated people over 50 and Pfizer is apparently formulating a new vaccine specifically for the omicron which I suspect will be as effective.

Crickets on killer T cells and B cells, not surprising.
 
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