Oh there it is

Good points jodi

quote:

What I plan to do about that is continue my social distancing while going about my business until that recommendation is changed.

Cindy, I get what you're saying and I don't want to argue with you (except, I guess I am

I just don't agree with your assessment that your bootcamp experience is "the moment when the quarantine went too far."

let's go back to what pique said:

quote:

I can't be sure i dont have it. The surgeon general said we should all act as if we have it

I think we should all be acting as if we have COVID, in which case: stay home, and only go outside when you are not going to be with a group of people.

Pique, I don't understand the horse-specific aspects to this, but it does sound like you are not ready physically.

Pique and Jodi, and Cindy too, I'm really sorry that COVID is having such a negative impact on activities that are very important to each of you.

It's really messing up everything for everyone.

I suppose we could all rely on our local officials.

Such as, for example, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, who said that grandparents would rather die than risk ruining the economy for their grandchildren. So we shouldn't shut down the economy.

I guess I could listen to him if I lived in Texas.

Or, Oklahoma, where the governor's doing nothing, but the mayor of Norman put the city on lockdown. I live a mile or so outside of Norman. Which local official should I listen to?

Instead, how about we all just listen to Dr. Fauci, instead of local officials who might know approximately as much as our pea-brained President?

If my neighbor is starting an outdoor fire in a high wind, even if it's legal, you can damn well bet I'm going to tell them that they're being stupid and they might burn down the entire neighborhood. Does my neighbor want to hear that? No. Will that stop me? Also no. If my neighbor is putting me or my family at high risk, even if they're acting within their rights, they're going to hear about it.

I do not advocate violence. I do not advocate in-your-face confrontation, unless someone is doing something like what that woman did in a grocery store, walking down the produce aisle and deliberately coughing on everything. I do, however, think that old-fashioned shunning might very well be called for, in appropriate circumstances.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I suppose we could all rely on our local officials.

Such as, for example, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, who said that grandparents would rather die than risk ruining the economy for their grandchildren. So we shouldn't shut down the economy.

I guess I could listen to him if I lived in Texas.

Or, Oklahoma, where the governor's doing nothing, but the mayor of Norman put the city on lockdown. I live a mile or so outside of Norman. Which local official should I listen to?

Instead, how about we all just listen to Dr. Fauci, instead of local officials who might know approximately as much as our pea-brained President?

If my neighbor is starting an outdoor fire in a high wind, even if it's legal, you can damn well bet I'm going to tell them that they're being stupid and they might burn down the entire neighborhood. Does my neighbor want to hear that? No. Will that stop me? Also no. If my neighbor is putting me or my family at high risk, even if they're acting within their rights, they're going to hear about it.

I do not advocate violence. I do not advocate in-your-face confrontation, unless someone is doing something like what that woman did in a grocery store, walking down the produce aisle and deliberately coughing on everything. I do, however, think that old-fashioned shunning might very well be called for, in appropriate circumstances.

The lack of a coordinated federal government response is a concern.

piqué, I agree with SK and Jodi.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I suppose we could all rely on our local officials.

Such as, for example, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, who said that grandparents would rather die than risk ruining the economy for their grandchildren. So we shouldn't shut down the economy.

I guess I could listen to him if I lived in Texas.

Speaking as a grandparent, I’m here to tell you that the lieutenant governor of Texas can kiss my alabaster ass.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I suppose we could all rely on our local officials.

I think we need to listen to our local and state officials, but not necessarily rely on them. We're getting enough information to know what to do - and not do.

And Steve? The Texas guy can kiss my ass too. If dying was the ONLY WAY to prevent economic ruin for my future grandchildren, well, I might change my mind. But it isn't and his statement is among the stupidest I have heard.

quote:

But it isn't and his statement is among the stupidest I have heard.

+1

So, with great regret, I cancelled my lesson. This morning's news reported that Montana is on a shelter-in-place lockdown for the next two weeks, starting tomorrow. That's an order, not a request, from the Governor. This, combined with my limited capacities, still, from my surgery, means I'm better off waiting. Meanwhile Mr. Pique will ride Deva every day to get her back into condition and make sure she is quiet and compliant before I get on. Even just sitting in the saddle is good for me physically and mentally, and helps with developing my ability to ride safely.

My teacher says they have a strict protocol in place at the barn so that they can continue to operate safely. As I mentioned, the barn owner is the state FEMA director, so she is on the front lines and knows more than most of us. But since I'm sure my teacher will have many students suspend lessons at this time, I am sending her a check to pay in advance for my next two lessons. She's a resident alien and may not qualify for any of the federal programs, and besides, she lives hand to mouth as it is.

Typically I always get help with spring tune-up from a professional rider every year. But Deva is 11 this year, has been under saddle since she was four, and as Mr Pique says, I've become a competent enough trainer and rider that I don't really need help tuning her up any more. If it weren't for the surgery I think that would certainly be true this year. But if I hope to ride her in the mountains this summer, she really needs to start physical training now to avoid injury. I'm lucky that my husband is an excellent and willing hand!

Also extremely lucky that he has a job deemed essential and I therefore have the ability to help out my teacher. If those federal checks materialize I will be looking for a way to use that money to help others in similar circumstances.

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
But since I'm sure my teacher will have many students suspend lessons at this time, I am sending her a check to pay in advance for my next two lessons.

We have been doing the same. For example, we bought a new package of dance lessons that we don't expect to use for some time, because the studio is probably experiencing cash flow issues.

And I've canceled the annual wellness exams for the dogs, but offered to pay the vet for them in advance, again to sustain her cash flow.

The dance studio was appropriately grateful, the vet was not. Oh well.

Despite my initial thoughts on how to minimize the risk to yourself and others and still go for the lesson, pique, I think you've made a good choice.

That's all any of us can do... make the best decisions we can based on the best information we have, knowing that it is incomplete and may be incorrect.

Hang in there.

quote:

Originally posted by pianojuggler:

That's all any of us can do... make the best decisions we can based on the best information we have, knowing that it is incomplete and may be incorrect.

Amen to that, brother. And no regrets if the decisions turn out wrong, as long as you made a good faith effort to make the right decision with the imperfect information that was available.

I'm still running. I've always run the streets which were never very busy - but now are pretty much devoid of anything resembling traffic. The only people out are typically on sidewalks walking dogs. I saw a couple of tween girls talking to one another...across the street from one another - perhaps 60 feet from one another.

The biggest thing I miss are the heavier weights - theoretically, I could have bought a weight bench - but there's enough stuff in our world already. I have some hand weights so can do some arm workouts.

As for group stuff - both running clubs have ceased group runs even though we all ran different paces and so not that much proximity. People check in online.

Our health clubs have all moved to video. In fact some folks have offered video classes. Wondering if Cindy's person could do that for your group?

The big issue for everyone I think is not knowing how long this goes one. 3-4 weeks - Ok. 8 weeks - and that's not fun. 18-30 months??! No hugs, classes, groups, parties, concerts, art fairs, etc. for anything like 6+ months? That's tough to even consider.