This is the last one I have, folks, so if nobody steps up to the plate, this feature goes in the dumper.
Our next (and, I hope, not last) reader post is from Christopher Moss, who’s also contributed photos here. His captions are indented:
Just a thought that might be topical and help to drag in some more photos – why not appeal for photos of readers wearing face masks? Anything that normalises it would seem to be helpful for you guys. As of Friday, masks are mandatory in any indoor public space here in Nova Scotia, and no one has complained at all. We rather like staying safe and infection free. We have had no new cases for weeks that were locally transmitted, and the province currently has four cases in total, all of whom travelled abroad, self-isolated on return and were diagnosed when they got symptoms. Seems we ought to discourage all travel outside the province! It just seems quite remarkable to me that wearing a mask when suggested is universally adopted here (maybe because our responsibilities to our fellow citizens are paramount), whereas in certain localities it appears masks must be fought even if they may save your own life, never mind that of others. Once again, I find myself brimming with pride about the upright sensibilities of my adopted countrymen. Nova Scotians may actually just live up to their reputation of being the nicest people in the world.
Anyway, if the thought inspires you, here I am wearing my all too usual N95 as I wait for my bone marrow transplant (I’ve been in lockdown for many more months than the rest of you!):
. . .and my wife, a child psychiatrist who is figuring out how to conduct ADOS tests for diagnosing autism, during which the child must be able to see facial expressions, so she has come up with a homemade face shield:
Bravo!
And – I know this doesn’t express the idea very well as some comment on the Internet but – very best wishes for the bone marrow transplant.
Yes, good luck! Where did you come from before NS?
I was born in rural Wiltshire, grew up there, went to London for university, med school and residency, then moved to sanity in Nova Scotia in 1985.
And thank you all for the kind good wishes. I’m at the stage where I even thank people when they tell me they will pray for me, even though, as I like to say, I thank God I’m an atheist!
Thank god I’m an atheist!🤣
I’ve been in Ontario for 43 years (from mainly California) and was approved for Canuck citizenship in January, but the final ceremony, which was supposed to be in March, has not yet happened because of covid. I think the ceremonies are slowly starting to be held via zoom. Not that I need a Canadian passport for anything right now, and no elections seem imminent here, but I’ll certainly be voting absentee in California this November to vote the moron out. I’ve not yet been to your lovely province, but have seen it from NB across the Bay of Fundy. We had plans to drive through it this month, and on to NFLD for some hiking, but guess it will have to wait till next year.
My wife’s Mancunian originally, but has been a Canadian citizen for ages. I’ve lived over there, Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester, for about 6 years of my life total those three times.
And we two insist that all who live on this here property are ardent atheists. I am assured by one of our racoons that they all are.
Speaking of wildlife, one of the few things I watch on TV besides BBC World News is that ‘wild animal rescue and hospital one’, can’t recall the title right now—from N.S.
Also, the fastest nordic ski racers UWaterloo has ever had, with one exception, were all from Cape Breton. One even made the Canuck national team in sprint events.
What a terrific face shield. I certainly miss the facial cues and being able to lip read these days. Here’s to the best possible transplant outcome.
I like your wife’s mask..it appears to stick on her glasses. Good luck, here in England we sort of lost the plot with planning and transmission is rife of covid19. However, those of us with any sense have been staying close to home and extra cleaning since the end of January – my feelings go out to those and their families which didn’t get the chance to see it through to the end. Keep healthy!
Well, it sounds like you are in the best possible place you could be. Best of luck to you.
All-righty! I go out with both a mask and a face shield when I need to enter a store. But that face shield is just right for the needed application.
“[H]ere I am wearing my all too usual N95 as I wait for my bone marrow transplant (I’ve been in lockdown for many more months than the rest of you!)” – here’s hoping that you don’t have to wait too much longer, and that all goes well.
What, you think I’m taking a selfie with a mask on? Good effing luck! Even if the ones my wife made are rather fashionable, if I do say so myself.
Go, NS! Sensible and lovely people there. Thanks, Christopher and wife.
The way I figure it, if all those people on the recent Hajj can wear masks and physically distance themselves, so can everyone else!
It’s just immature and willful ignorance that makes certain people protest that their rights are being trampled on.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you, Christopher.
I just listened to a program on the radio about therapists who have to be more visible for their patients to see them speaking. There is a special mask that was designed to deal with the issue. It has material around the face to improve safety beyond what a shield can do. A Google search brought up this:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/786915992/clear-window-face-mask-for-lip-reading?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_c-bath_and_beauty-personal_care-other&utm_custom1=15db7d21-fd55-4d2d-890e-85b7ee8eaf47&utm_content=bing_352012655_1296324358487601_81020298792954_pla-4584619892923844:pla-4584619892923844_c__786915992&utm_custom2=352012655&msclkid=448ba65724ec1446c86af97ef20b4379
Best of luck to you Christopher and wife. We had things well under control too here in B.C. but some party animals stirred up the pot again. Still a small number of cases to be able to contact trace.
What part of BC? My son and family are moving from Pemberton to gorgeous Salmon Arm next week. Not sure when I’ll be able to get out and meet their new 6-week-old.
Hello. Good luck Christopher as you move toward the bone marrow transplant. You don’t say which part of Nova Scotia you and your wife are in. I was interested. I have visited NS several times over the years. Had relatives in the Inverness and Antigonish areas. Also travelled the wonderful Cabot Trail.
Merilee, I live in Kelowna about an hour and a half’s drive from Salmon Arm. I have spent a few weekends in a cabin on Shuswap Lake. Splendid in the summer. No doubt the family will share plenty of photos of their infant with you plus we have Zoom now – although it’s a poor substitute to the real thing when a baby is involved.
Stay safe and healthy.
Glenda, I will be flying to Kelowna as soon as it’s safe. We’ve driven through Salmon Arm a couple of times on our way west and it is glorious. My son managed to buy ten acres with two houses (one large, one to rent out) in exchange for his townhouse in Pemberton and have $50,000 left over. Crazy prices near Vancouver! My son says it’s a 5-hr shorter drive from here. Only 40 hours…Maybe next summer. We have seen and heard the newest little monkey on FaceTime. Is your area relatively covid-free? Littlest monkey’s older sister is due to start kindergarten in the Fall.
FaceTime – is great for staying in touch especially now days. Interesting real estate transaction – trading one beautiful location for another and having cash left in the bank. BC Interior Health serves ~750,000 people and we have had 377 cases of Covid with one confirmed death so I suppose we are doing OK. It mainly hit (sadly) care homes, foreign fruit pickers, international travellers and party people. Hope your area is doing OK also. Norm suggested we should do coffee when you come through. Let’s try to do this.
Your covid numbers sound pretty good. Where I am in Oakville we’ve had 3 deaths out of about 200,000 population, but Toronto’s a bit worse.
Thank you for sharing! And best wishes to you for your bone marrow transplant.
I’m an Ontarian. We clearly did not do well for residents of nursing homes. Quebec did considerably worse. Your excellent record there re covid must be partly because Nova Scotia did much much better than us in that respect.
Medically I lucked out in getting a hip replaced within a month of hospitals postponing all those.
Good luck on your procedure.
Merilee, Kelowna also.Salmon Arm a good choice. We should all do coffee with Glenda when you arrive.
Well Heavens to Murgatroyd – what a fine idea you have there Norm. Definitely I’m up for that. I can’t think of anything that would please me more than meeting other WEIT readers in person. Unless, of course, I could meet Jerry, our great WEIT leader. ☺️
Please do keep this idea in mind when the time comes and see if we can make it happen
I hope I’ll remember that it’s Glenda and Norm. Maybe I’ll have to do a shout-out to the group when I’m ready to head that way, hopefully mask-free😻
Sounds like fun! I just don’t feel ready to fly yet.
Oh you kanuks with your sane ways of living, universal health care and care about other people. Ugh.
Like Nova Scotia there are prefectures in Japan (which has about 50 prefectures) where there’s no covid because everybody there behaves pretty much like you do.
Societies with high public/social trust do better than those with low or no social trust.
Something for us south of the border to consider I think.
cheers,
D.A. NYC
Hi David, thank for your kind words about us kanuks. 😄 I know, I know, pain in the ass.
For what it is worth so many people here are seriously concerned about our US neighbours and truly hoping for a turnaround beginning November 3rd. I know we are not alone in this regard.
Stay well.
also… professor….plz don’t kill the readers’ section.
Maybe a sabbatical until you get more in?
I enjoy reading about the interesting people who contribute and read the site.
The face shields are only going to stop large droplets close up surely? They were introduced as it was feared droplets might go into the eyes. I doubt there is much risk from younger children as evidence suggests- it is older teenagers who are more of a risk.
I hope not permanently. I’m planning to do a submission but after I’ve moved to Bristol so I can be photographed in one of my new locals which will be the Bag of Nails.
Example of Nova Scotian wonderfulness: the federal government of Canada gives $5million to Lebanon for relief following the explosion. Little tiny NS pledges $1 million more because we know what it’s like (1917, 2.9kt versus 2020 2.7kt -look it up if you don’t understand!)
Good for Nova Scotia for sure. Wonderful how a terrible disaster from the past could spur such a kindly act of generosity years later. I was aware of the Halifax explosion because my dad came from NS and also I made a point of watching the mini-series CBC in 2003.