How has Covid Changed Your Life?

A little better than two years into the China Virus and I am curious how it has changed others lives?

For me the most significant changes have been in my housing situation. The cabin Mrs T5R and I shared is only 16'x48' ample room for the two of us. Ample room that is until the work from home order and the bedroom became a file room and the living room became a office and an extension of the bedroom/file room and the kitchen table and chairs file holding devices. It was about this time in 2020 that I said screw it and me and my two dogs moved into the Mike Cave. I got the Mike cave initially as a place for guest to stay for a while and not be in my hair Oddly enough with me living in the Mike Cave these last two years MRS T5R and I get along better than we ever have. It was a pretty major change though at first.



Joke about this but in reality one of my lower income friends for a few weeks when the store shelves here were completely empty was eating dog food and cutting clothes up for bathroom use. When I learned of her situation and reality, I hooked her up with a couple months of Canned goods, beef, pork and a 24 pack of toilet paper. While I generally have little sympathy for those who are not prepared, I will not let anyone in my inner circle of friends go without if I can reasonably help them out. And anytime we need help doing something she is always the first one to be here helping us. Bonus points to her for leaving half a arm and a tit in Afghanistan.

So this is kind of bitter humor......

The food situation either declined or improved...... depending on if I or MRS T5R was preparing the meal MRS T5R is very good at many things..... cooking ain't among them LOL. OK that is really Izzapoos plate for lunch, Pops plate is Pink and yes my dogs sit at the table and eat off plates with me. They also have better table manners than most people now days


Pops plate She gets a piece of maple candy with her meals because she struggles with low blood sugar.


More serious is the supply chain shortages 2020 I struggled to get cups, to go containers and straws as well as condiments like ketchup and Mustard. Then I needed to have 8 pigs and 2 steers processed to restock the freezers for the Chuck Wagon and found it would be 7 Months before I could get them in. While I have a small processing facility on the farm, it is strictly for my personal use and can't be used to supply my food service business. I have no interest in getting it inspected and licensed by the IDOA or USDA and having a Inspector here when I butcher. So I ended up parking the the food trailers in July 2020 and they have remained parked since. Was going to run the little All American this year but inflation and fuel prices convinced to just leave them parked until the inflation at least stabilizes. 10-15 years ago shutting half my income down for 2 years would have been devastating and put me in a really bad place. Fortunately 8 out of the last 10 years has been a VERY good run and put me in a position to be able to weather shutting the food service down indefinitely and not feel any financial pain.

Covid Coupled with inflation has been the major motivator in everything we are doing here this year. 2022 is our last big Yee Haw spend big infrastructure and quality of life upgrades on the farm. House, big solar, lake, roads, fencing, livestock upgrades, new long term tools, new truck for MRS T5R, Complete refurb of my 21 year old Dodge LOL I hate the new vehicles and love my old truck The two new 40' containers have proven to be invaluable over the last several weeks. Going to get a 3rd new one in a couple of weeks to sit beside the remaining high tunnel on the SW corner of it to act as a wind wall and a garden shed/plant starting room on the back 20 feet. Gets old replacing $1500 tunnel skins that get shredded at least every other year from the storms that love to make 70-80mph winds for 2-3 days. Buying another container will not cost anymore than building a wind wall and will be much more useful for other things. But everything we are doing and so far done either is for our own enjoyment or to make us even less dependent on the the system and society.

Energy conversions are a big change over the last two years. With business side we averaged 12,000KWH on the electric bill every month like clockwork. That kind of electric use made going 100% solar/battery/generator not really a feasible and viable option. I have gotten rid of 12 of the older less efficient chest freezers, sold the big walk in freezer and two medium size walk in fridges. Converted all of the electric appliances to propane. Converted to All LED Lighting and changed all of the electric fence to 2 and 3 strand barbed wire. Got the latest Electric bill today and was amazed to see it was only $278 and that we used only 2104 KWH the last billing cycle.

Now that I understand the heat pump minisplit systems better the Window A/Cs are going away with the back up electric space heaters. If my calculations are correct doing that conversion should get us down to 1000-1100 KWH per month. And a much more feasible solar/battery/generator system to power us 100% + I am going into the full solar cautiously and want to be 110% certain that we can do it 100% off the grid before making that size investment into it. LOL I want to put the big system in and other than maintenance and battery replacement be done with it for 25-30 years. Do NOT want to put it in then constantly need to add 10KW or more every time I turn around. Strong motivation to get off the grid when Ameren IL doubled their KWH rates on June 1st and our Electric Co-Op is going to follow suit soon. And then there is the 5GW shortfall that got upped to a 9GW shortfall a few days ago that they say is going to start being seen in July with rolling and some extended blackouts to compensate.

If you paid any attention at all to the Davos 2022 economic forum, it did not take long to see this inflation, shortages and attacks on freedoms is not accidental. No more than Covid was accidental. The world Elite have a very bright future envisioned for themselves and a very dark and dank future envisioned for everyone else. I have no interest in participating in their vision of the future for everyone that is not them. The only way I see to accomplish that is to be independent of them. Sorry but the USA that was once a pack of fierce wolves has became mostly a herd of docile sheep that will go wherever they are herded to. Some of us however are still wolves! It becomes more clear each passing day that Covid was the first shot fired and precursor to everything that has followed in the couple of years since and most likely for many years to come Hell most people do not even grasp the mass food shortages that are on the horizon. The world is only around 45-50 days out from the impact of that hitting them in the face.

I would say BOHICA but nothing like what is happening now has ever happened before, not even the great depression. Freedom and Liberty has never been kicked so hard in the nutts in the USA as it was with Covid and the blatant power grabs that took place. Hate to tell people SHTF a while ago and now we are entering the TEOTWAWKI phase.

Went to walmart yesterday and used a receipt from 2019 as the shopping list. Got the exact same things on the 2019 list. The bill was $129.70 in 2019 the Bill yesterday was $352.48 Dark and Dank days ahead indeed and there is another change brought about since Covid.

 

Covid hasn't changed my life appreciably...have had vaccinations and a booster without any adverse consequences...I maintain a hand hygiene and decontamination regime which isn't onerous, and maintain social distancing in most circumstances in enclosed spaces. I do regular shopping, and don't hang around large crowds of people (which is pretty much how it was before the Covid-19 pandemic). I travel by public transport on occasion, and mask up when I feel it is appropriate.

I probably eat out much less than I used to, and see films at the cinema much less frequently than I have hitherto done, , but that's ok...I save more money by cooking my own meals and buying scratch cooking ingredients. I read quite a bit, (presently reading A History of the British Cavalry -Volumes i-iv by Marquess of Anglesey)

, have been watching police and legal procedural dramas mostly on Netflix, and engaging in occasional online warfare with some of my Monkey associates takes care of most of my entertainment needs...have travelled interstate a few times, and attended a couple of conferences (One being a conference on Chaplaincy, which was informative, interesting, and entertaining). Have kept in touch with my extended family via WhatsApp or Discord and occasionally play World of Tanks with a sibling.

My life has steamed along through the Covid pandemic without many hiccups....so far.

 

Honestly it hasn't changed things here at all. We still do the same things the same way. I rarely leave the place here, but again it's been that way since I retired.

 

March 7th, 2020 we were told to pack up our desks and work from home.
I've not been back to the office since.
I used to hate working from home.
Now I'm not going back into the office ever.
Granted, I'm working more hours but I save the 3 hr rush hour round trip commute.

Mrs. VisuTrac however no longer has quiet time. That is causing her some strife. VTjr and Miss VT have had their post high school plans jacked all to hell, but online education was available so one finished off his associate and the other is starting Uni as a Junior this fall.

The septic tank probably had it the worst. 4 adults 7x24 for months on end. We scheduled an early clean out of the tank last year ... probably a good idea. Wonder how many septic systems are going to fail over the next year or so due to constant use w/o a break.

 

You may need a composting backup.

 

Good luck with all the changes and down sizing. Two thoughts, you have made a lot of progress in becoming more self sufficient and a lot of people are going to have problems in filling all the holes you are leaving in their supplies. Same thing happened here in New Hampshire about 2000. Small farmers and most truck garden stuff gone, at first it was supplied by the big box grocery stores with stuff from south and California. Now seems to come from out of country. Dollar type chains have replaced all the local small groceries etc and gas station chains have taken rest. Small towns have hardly anything left.

Agree with you about SHTF being already here. Getting ready to drive 100 miles each way for medical care, local system has equipment, but has been trying for a year to hire Dr to use it. So far no luck. 180,000 miles on my 2009 car, would replace it but new ones are twice as much and way too complicated. Have 2010 F250 and just had exhaust manifolds replaced. $1400 and over a full day labor to replace studs that had rusted off.

TEOTWAWKI it doesn't have to mean that things have fallen totally apart. Not being able to afford it, get spare parts for it, have it outlawed as not green, code changes in building specs, etc, can make it impossible for you to use, repair or replace what you need for a comfortable secure life. The high local taxes on real estate, low interest rates for your savings, risky stock market, destruction of small businesses, medical and long term care mafia has for the most part destroyed the ability to pass you life savings on to your kids and help them avoid most of the struggles we went thru to achieve what we have. In fact it may destroy your ability to lead the retirement life you expected to live. Then the "entitled class" is trying its best to grab the rest. If fuel oil prices don't come down and inflation doesn't stop, a good many of my retired neighbors aren't going to make it thru the winter in their houses. Most of them have kids that are grown and live far away, grand kids that can't live here and find a job, etc and of course having someone move in and share expenses is forbidden in a single family house. General attitude of society is that if you can't afford real estate taxes, heating and repair bills, electricity and propane bills, than you shouldn't live in such a big house. Of course if they force you to sell, in a very few years the system, high rents, expensive long term care, etc, will take everything that you worked 40 + years for.

 

For me CV has increased my awareness and consumption of news. When I see major gears like this turning I start to do a lot more research and contact my sources inside. Seeing all of this coming made me quit a job I liked and go get one that pays triple what I was making so I could speed up my plans. It's really strange that every time I start to do something it seems to get countered on a gov level. I started making more money, inflation sky rocketed. I started a business, taxes went up. I invested money in the stock market and cashed out THE day before it crashed. I started mining BTC, IRS put it on their forms. I used to travel a lot and then CV stopped it but luckily I was in the right place when things got locked down. I feel like I am only 1 step ahead before things get changed or eliminated. I know they aren't changing them for me but it sure feels like it. Some times when I think about doing something they come out with a law preventing it shortly after. Its really weird. One time I talked to my friend about starting up a business and within a month the exact business I had talked to him about was in the spot I was looking at. It happens ALL the time. Anyone else have this happen?

 

No,.I assess my risks and mitigate them as best I can. However, If I experienced your history of misfortune, I think I'd be very wary of space junk falling out of the sky.

 

I have a real job and rental houses to take care of so no hiding at home for me.
I also got covid because my wife works at a hospital and this was well before the koof jab was available. Since I got the China virus I figured I didn't need the koof jab. In hindsight I would say that call has aged spectacularly well with 6 year olds having heart attacks, healthy people in their 20s, 30s, 40s dropping dead from blood clots becoming "the new normal".
I was also enraged that the economy was shutdown over a moderately annoying cold that pretty much only kills pensioners.

 

Just wish that Dr Fauci wasn't in charge and didn't have the attitude that he knows it all. Ironic that his name is so close to fascism and all the negative thoughts that brings to us over 80 years of age. As a kid I went to the memorial services for those killed in the war as the bodies weren't shipped back.

Sure get the feeling that if a good excuse to do something doesn't exist, the powers that be will create one

 

I can't figure a way to produce and move my stuff and still cover my expenses and do a little better than break even. Still doing a limited amount of business with my longest running most loyal customers but it is pretty much shady black market type business. I have feeling the black and gray market will be common place at the rate things are going.

A big problem I have is my older and most fiercely loyal customers keep getting stuffed into nursing homes or dying from old age! I actually miss them more as friends than I do as customers. The way the Elder warehousing works now days really pisses me off. How easy it is to get a totally competent Elder declared incompetent and warehoused pisses me off even more.I do notice that less assets a Elder has the less likely a lawyer or family member is to head to court house filing for guardianship and control of those assets.

Sorry I am just in a bad mood caused mostly by nearly everything in the Country being upside down and backwards.

 

Yep, forced my mother in law into nursing home as we "couldn't properly care for her" but nothing happened until they "investigated her finances" to make sure we weren't stealing her money. Of course if she had no money, our level of care would have been fine, as it was, it was a lot better than the care she got at the nursing home / elder whare house, from a bunch of people that didn't speak english and stole everything that wasn't nailed down and the home supplied them with hammers in order to keep them working.

Don't see any answers and have lost all faith in the present culture and political system to do any thing but loot and burn and steal everything they can to pay their supporters. We are already a 3 rd world country in many senses and approaching that status in total. Millions of peons and a small number of super rich stealing every thing.

 

Up until about 2 weeks ago, covid didn't mean much to me. Yes, it allowed me to WFH for a while, but then then I changed jobs and my new position is totally WFH (with a rare exception to go to a clients location).
Now today, dealing with a "minor" covid run in my home after a recent family vacation, 3 out of 4 family members having tested positive for the latest "variant" of covid we are struggling to get well. According to our doc, this variant mimicks seasonal allergies, which is what we all thought we had. 2 weeks in and I'm finally feeling better, still have sinus issue as nothing seems to keep them opened up for more than a few hours.
Prior to our trip and covid, I was walking 2 miles every morning and running in the afternoon. I haven't been able to run since we got back, just no energy. I finally started walking again, may do a short run in the next day or 2 but I know that this bug has really set me back.

 

I didn't even know I had it this year. It was so mild, like allergies.
And no weird covid only symptoms like loss taste and smell as with the original China virus.
This variants weird symptom was the worst runny nose I have ever had in my life. Hardly worth shutting down or closing any over, makes forced vaccinations seem a gross over reaction.

 

Isn't it amazing that they are killing thousands and all they have to do is say "the new normal" and everyone just accepts it?

 

Fauci is Italian for Dr. Death. I think the literal translation is sickle, like in fascism, or the grim reaper.

 

I usually make decisions with confidence and don't look back. Usually it proves to be the right and wise decision, LOL not always but usually. As I am plotting out the course for this year and next I find myself questioning my self a whole lot more and second guessing decisions. I am usually very good at predicting likely outcomes of things and planning accordingly for those most likely outcomes and leaving enough adaptability to adapt a bit in the event of less likely outcomes. How in the hell do you even begin to predict anything with any accuracy in this environment of chaos! So I am just rolling with what I know, what I need to survive and thrive and what will eliminate the most expenses out of the monthly and yearly budgets.

The only reason I can afford to do this without getting into my retirement funds was to get into some of my retirement funds LOL. I liquidated all of the low yielding investments and scraped together $150,000 to make the upgrades for the future. That sounds like a lot of money but it goes fast when you start doing $30,000-$40,000 big projects. Going with what I know, trust and am confident with........ That 150k is going to Water, Food, Shelter, fuel and security. I have never really worried about my long term primary retirement investments, the markets go up, the markets go down but the markets have continually trended up and I have taken the approach of leave it alone and it will grow. I am seriously questioning if that will continue to be the case. A friend that is a financial advisor recently suggested turning my market investment into physical cash, Gold and Silver and leaving MRS T5Rs market investment where they are until if/when the markets start showing a consistent down turn and no indications of going back up anytime soon. Oh and investing a top of the line safe to hide the physical Cash/Gold/Silver in. I know I can't afford to lose more than 30% of my invested retirement fund in a full blown bear market and recession or depression. Very little if anything will be going into them from this point forward. If I liquidate and take the capital gains hit I will lose a fair amount but would still have enough to comfortably live on until my estimated dirt nap date. But then there is my luck and I would liquidate and the next day the markets will jump 10,000 points LOL. These are the debates and second guessing with almost every decision to be made now days.

 

I got the Koof back at Thanksgiving,, kicked my butt hard . Completely down for 2 weeks ,, almost 2 months to regain energy,, really not sure I have all of that back .
Now that I hear comments here ,, I think I'm getting over my 2nd batch. Real bad mucus problem,, I can't tell if I'm spitting it out running from my nose ,, or hacking it up from my lungs . I know I've coughed so hard trying to get it out that I've made myself dizzy and about passed out .

Other than that ,, I haven't paid much attention to it,, I've gone on about my business not caring what anyone else is doing. Stay out of my way ,, and I'll stay out theirs .

 

I'm stil recovering from the Koof, so not sure what changes were going to be seeing! I have ZERO energy and am taking naps, which is a big red flag that something ain't right, as I'm all go no sleep till it's done, wake me when i'm dead kinda guy! Still havint gotten any of me hearing back, the doctors tell me it's my new normal and start preparing for that eventuality! Honestly, it bothers me more only because I cant enjoy Music like I used to, not having to hear the Kens and Karen's is going to be a blessing.

I retired back in 08 so I didn't need the income stream working would generate, however, starting back up and working to build a nest egg was one of the best things I could have ever done, it's gotten us where we are completely debt free, everything is paid off, we own it all and tax free ( except property taxes) and we don't have to worry about some asshole taking any of it! Wife told the hospitals to go fuck themselves, she wouldn't take their fake shots, and she forced them into accepting her terms of retirement or answer some very tough questions! They did the smart thing and paid her off and let her go with out any adverse action! We got the big Family farm back, and were making money hand over fist, not just in the black, but in the green! We are debt free and functioning beyond the states control, which pisses them off to no end! When TEOTWAWKI finally hits, we have enough seed to make the farms into super producers, complete with cattle and dairy, so were pretty well set there! The Ranch is ready, and all we need to do is lay in the animals and start producing, and once things kick off, no more state dipping it's dick into our business! I have leases running as it is now, and part of my payment is animals, so we have a large food store put up! I have plans for raising Draft Horses soon, I have a good feeling they will be worth their weight in gold, and plan to leverage a good working animal against any machine available!
Fuel stash is right where I need it to be, and the one piece of equipment we use the most ii have laid in enough spairs and stuff to keep it going till rapture! It sipps fuel as it is, and when things finally go sideways, I have alternate fuel sources I can turn to to keep it going long after all the others grind to a hault! And then there is Steam, We have enough to run everything and then some, and while it's far from efficient, it's neutral, it's plentiful, and it takes us fully off grid and is zero tracked! We are also looking hard at raising large work dogs, I absolutely NOVE my Newfies, and we plan to start breeding them soon, we also want to start breeding King Shepherds and possibly Anatolians, only for ourselves! We plan to sell only the Newfies to proven buyers we trust, same with the Kings, so basically friends and family only!

 

I would love to see what you have setup for steam. That would be cool as I am also looking into setting something up.