Bill's Covid Journal #4
Item
Title
Bill's Covid Journal #4
Description
[Email #4 written to friends during the pandemic by Bill Hogan]
Sat 2020-04-18 4:55 AM
More of Bill and Pauline’s Excellent Adventures
Well, we've both had some excitement this week--I went to the bank and P. was visited by Easter Bunnies. This is what constitutes excitement in week 5 of THE LOCKDOWN.
Now I know some are shaking their heads about my needing to go to a physical bank in this day of ATM's and online bill paying, but this was a special case. You see, I owed the government money on 2019 income tax and they requested payment by April 30 and I wanted to really make sure they got it. Even though my accountant said to ignore this, I'm hoping somewhere in the future to qualify for CERB or some other government largesse and don't want it held up because I owe them money.
So, on to the bank. Well, I hadn't been forever, and since I use a bank with great hours, 8a.m to 8 p.m. five days a week and also open Saturdays and Sundays, I arrived at 8a.m. (still a night owl, up a little later than usual) to find the bank had reverted to what we used to call banker's hours--10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oh.
Back at 10 a.m., not quite so chipper now. Long line outside in 1 degree weather, people spaced somewhat, but not really six feet apart. Now I'm feeling a little surly. But I had my homemade mask (yea, Pauline) and good gloves, so no problem. When I got to the front of the line (still outside) I met my young Walmart greeter, dressed in a TD ball cap and TD jacket and a very cheery, chipper attitude. "So, how are you feeling today?" she goes.
Now I'm no fool. This isn't Maggie and I talking over the backyard fence where the response might have included the state of the arthritis (Maggie) or the insomnia (me), this was the all-powerful border agent controlling the entry gate, smile be damned.
My attitude did a 360 degree turnabout. "Great, just great, just waiting for Spring to come."
"Have you been travelling?"
"No, no. Just cocooning at home."
"Why did you need to come to the bank today?"
I knew I'd be in trouble if I said to pay a couple of bills because I'd probably get a lesson on how to pay online, so smart as anything I said I needed some toonies for my business (well, for buying Timmies, anyway, but that's MY business.) I thought I was homefree.
Then, just inside the bank I met border guard number two. No more cheery attitude from the flinty-eyed schoolmarm confronting me. "Clean your hands!" she barked. Off came the gloves. I mean my gloves. And I meekly washed my hands with a solution in the dispenser that made my hands feeling like they were being washed in lye. My hands are very chapped and at home I use special unscented hand soap specially prepared for me at a local shop. Grimacing in pain, I put my gloves back on for round two.
"Do you have your mobile phone?" She was stunned when I said I didn't have one. "Well, starting tomorrow, you have to download our app (eyes glazing over) and stay in your car until we text you for your appointment!" It seems they haven't quite worked out what happens to Luddites like me, but I guess starting the next day I would have to stand outside by myself until someone came to get me, maybe. Or maybe not. It looks like my going to the bank days are over.
I was well-served by the teller who managed to not touch anything, using a pencil to push things around and a stamp to show my bills paid. Oh, I got my toonies of course.
Pauline's excitement was much more positive. The Easter Bunnies (two of them cleverly disguised as Rick, P.'s brother, and Becky of Nigh's Sweet Shop) came to her the day before Easter with a care package of chocolate. We always go out to get Easter chocolate for us, for neighbours, for my co-workers at The Hilton, but this year talked it over and decided to "Just Stay Home" like good little lambs. Nigh's were taking telephone orders and delivering to people's cars throughout the Easter season. Rick said they sold about a third of what they usually would.
Pauline said they talked, her in the doorway, the Nighs on the sidewalk, for a good while, and it was so exhilarating, she said. Our first visitors in weeks! I was so sad I missed it, the visit being at the crack of noon, long before I get up. Becky said she missed her grandchildren so; she felt like driving all the way to Peterborough just to wave at them through the window.
Speaking of grandkids, this was the week that the long-term reality of this epidemic sank in. The kids were due to come over from Switzerland for the summer June 27. But how will that work, now? The government rules state that everyone from a foreign country must quarantine for two weeks. If there is no written plan, the government itself will quarantine the visitors in hotels. Can they come stay with us? Will there be summer camp for them at Camp Kahquah? And will there be anything to do, yet, or will we still be in lockdown?
Similarly, I guess I have to face the reality that The Hilton is unlikely to need valet drivers this summer. All 65 in the valet department have been laid off, and until about 500 of their 1050 rooms have been rented, patrons can self-park. Hilton International policy calls for valet service to be offered, but these are extraordinary times and rules may be out the window.
A couple of other observations. Correctly so, someone chided me about my bus comment last week. I realize bus drivers have died of Covid. But no bus in St. Catharines ever has more than five people on it, it seems, unless it's Brock students and Brock is shut down. As well, riders enter from the rear doors. Still it was insensitive and I apologize.
Something else. Lindsay reports that last week, with wonderful 20 degree weather, the usually law-abiding Swiss started to rebel. Whole families went grocery shopping, people gathered in the parks. Now Switzerland started its self-isolation a week before us, but their infected and dead almost exactly mirror Canada's, at this point. So if the law-abiding Swiss revolt, what's going to happen here? Maybe we've been lucky it's so cold (snow three times this week, minus six degrees one night) so it's easier to stay in and be cosy. I guess watch out for a blowback if it ever hits 20 degrees here before things are relaxed.
Other quick notes. The Beer Store is now accepting empties (in limited quantities per person!) at one location locally since they were running out of bottles. Oh, and that demand for cash only? That was just because someone hacked their system so their machines were down for up to three weeks.
Filled up with gas for the first time in 5 weeks. At 77cents.
Our backyard flowers will wait for nothing. We've had some snowdrops, countless crocuses, billions of bluebells, dozens of daffodils, and now the forsythia is starting to....bloom. (Sorry, ran out of alliteration.) Maggie's tulip tree, correct name unknown, that gorgeous showy thing, is in bud. Picture next week.
Peace to all, stay safe, keep your spirits up. More excitement next week, too.
Bill
Sat 2020-04-18 4:55 AM
More of Bill and Pauline’s Excellent Adventures
Well, we've both had some excitement this week--I went to the bank and P. was visited by Easter Bunnies. This is what constitutes excitement in week 5 of THE LOCKDOWN.
Now I know some are shaking their heads about my needing to go to a physical bank in this day of ATM's and online bill paying, but this was a special case. You see, I owed the government money on 2019 income tax and they requested payment by April 30 and I wanted to really make sure they got it. Even though my accountant said to ignore this, I'm hoping somewhere in the future to qualify for CERB or some other government largesse and don't want it held up because I owe them money.
So, on to the bank. Well, I hadn't been forever, and since I use a bank with great hours, 8a.m to 8 p.m. five days a week and also open Saturdays and Sundays, I arrived at 8a.m. (still a night owl, up a little later than usual) to find the bank had reverted to what we used to call banker's hours--10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oh.
Back at 10 a.m., not quite so chipper now. Long line outside in 1 degree weather, people spaced somewhat, but not really six feet apart. Now I'm feeling a little surly. But I had my homemade mask (yea, Pauline) and good gloves, so no problem. When I got to the front of the line (still outside) I met my young Walmart greeter, dressed in a TD ball cap and TD jacket and a very cheery, chipper attitude. "So, how are you feeling today?" she goes.
Now I'm no fool. This isn't Maggie and I talking over the backyard fence where the response might have included the state of the arthritis (Maggie) or the insomnia (me), this was the all-powerful border agent controlling the entry gate, smile be damned.
My attitude did a 360 degree turnabout. "Great, just great, just waiting for Spring to come."
"Have you been travelling?"
"No, no. Just cocooning at home."
"Why did you need to come to the bank today?"
I knew I'd be in trouble if I said to pay a couple of bills because I'd probably get a lesson on how to pay online, so smart as anything I said I needed some toonies for my business (well, for buying Timmies, anyway, but that's MY business.) I thought I was homefree.
Then, just inside the bank I met border guard number two. No more cheery attitude from the flinty-eyed schoolmarm confronting me. "Clean your hands!" she barked. Off came the gloves. I mean my gloves. And I meekly washed my hands with a solution in the dispenser that made my hands feeling like they were being washed in lye. My hands are very chapped and at home I use special unscented hand soap specially prepared for me at a local shop. Grimacing in pain, I put my gloves back on for round two.
"Do you have your mobile phone?" She was stunned when I said I didn't have one. "Well, starting tomorrow, you have to download our app (eyes glazing over) and stay in your car until we text you for your appointment!" It seems they haven't quite worked out what happens to Luddites like me, but I guess starting the next day I would have to stand outside by myself until someone came to get me, maybe. Or maybe not. It looks like my going to the bank days are over.
I was well-served by the teller who managed to not touch anything, using a pencil to push things around and a stamp to show my bills paid. Oh, I got my toonies of course.
Pauline's excitement was much more positive. The Easter Bunnies (two of them cleverly disguised as Rick, P.'s brother, and Becky of Nigh's Sweet Shop) came to her the day before Easter with a care package of chocolate. We always go out to get Easter chocolate for us, for neighbours, for my co-workers at The Hilton, but this year talked it over and decided to "Just Stay Home" like good little lambs. Nigh's were taking telephone orders and delivering to people's cars throughout the Easter season. Rick said they sold about a third of what they usually would.
Pauline said they talked, her in the doorway, the Nighs on the sidewalk, for a good while, and it was so exhilarating, she said. Our first visitors in weeks! I was so sad I missed it, the visit being at the crack of noon, long before I get up. Becky said she missed her grandchildren so; she felt like driving all the way to Peterborough just to wave at them through the window.
Speaking of grandkids, this was the week that the long-term reality of this epidemic sank in. The kids were due to come over from Switzerland for the summer June 27. But how will that work, now? The government rules state that everyone from a foreign country must quarantine for two weeks. If there is no written plan, the government itself will quarantine the visitors in hotels. Can they come stay with us? Will there be summer camp for them at Camp Kahquah? And will there be anything to do, yet, or will we still be in lockdown?
Similarly, I guess I have to face the reality that The Hilton is unlikely to need valet drivers this summer. All 65 in the valet department have been laid off, and until about 500 of their 1050 rooms have been rented, patrons can self-park. Hilton International policy calls for valet service to be offered, but these are extraordinary times and rules may be out the window.
A couple of other observations. Correctly so, someone chided me about my bus comment last week. I realize bus drivers have died of Covid. But no bus in St. Catharines ever has more than five people on it, it seems, unless it's Brock students and Brock is shut down. As well, riders enter from the rear doors. Still it was insensitive and I apologize.
Something else. Lindsay reports that last week, with wonderful 20 degree weather, the usually law-abiding Swiss started to rebel. Whole families went grocery shopping, people gathered in the parks. Now Switzerland started its self-isolation a week before us, but their infected and dead almost exactly mirror Canada's, at this point. So if the law-abiding Swiss revolt, what's going to happen here? Maybe we've been lucky it's so cold (snow three times this week, minus six degrees one night) so it's easier to stay in and be cosy. I guess watch out for a blowback if it ever hits 20 degrees here before things are relaxed.
Other quick notes. The Beer Store is now accepting empties (in limited quantities per person!) at one location locally since they were running out of bottles. Oh, and that demand for cash only? That was just because someone hacked their system so their machines were down for up to three weeks.
Filled up with gas for the first time in 5 weeks. At 77cents.
Our backyard flowers will wait for nothing. We've had some snowdrops, countless crocuses, billions of bluebells, dozens of daffodils, and now the forsythia is starting to....bloom. (Sorry, ran out of alliteration.) Maggie's tulip tree, correct name unknown, that gorgeous showy thing, is in bud. Picture next week.
Peace to all, stay safe, keep your spirits up. More excitement next week, too.
Bill
Creator
Bill Hogan
Date
April 18, 2020
Spatial Coverage
St. Catharines
Item sets
Site pages
This item was submitted on May 3, 2020 by [anonymous user] using the form “Digital Submissions” on the site “Documenting COVID-19 in Niagara”: https://exhibits.library.brocku.ca/s/COVID-Niagara
Click here to view the collected data.