CoVid-19 Update 2

Today marks six days since leaving my property and eleven days since I visited a store (Sunday morning paper).  That streak ended yesterday.  My withdrawal for running finally got to me and I went out for a "short" 2.75 mile run.  There were very few cars and people out in the afternoon so I felt very safe from any infection.
   
Another thing that I am jonesing for is chocolate.  It's not as bad as missing running, but I don't plan on going out to buy some.  In fact, I am not looking forward to doing grocery shopping.  I am still rationing food and I feel I have about three weeks worth left.  Also I have lost three pounds in the past five days.
   
Been keeping busy with movies and other things including monitoring my plants (below).  I've watched two silent classics since self-isolation began.  Ben-Hur and Greed.  It's interesting that in the former, there is a sub-plot involving people with leprosy who are shunned and quarantined.
   

Pepper Plants

Tomato Plants - A ruler is near the last plant for scale

CoVid-19 Update

New Jersey has issued a "stay-at-home" order for almost all residents, so I am now in self isolation.  I plan on staying inside of my house with a trip or two in my back yard as long as possible.  That means I won't be getting the Sunday paper.  I also will be suspending my daily runs.  They got to be a challenge because running in the park was difficult since all of the human carriers were on the same paths as me.  I did set up a new course that had very little contact with humans but even when there was someone, I had to constantly make very wide spurs around that person.  The spurs were very wide becasue I really do not believe in the six foot social distance.  I would rather it be about 10 to 15.  It's a shame too because I was finally getting back into good running shape after a stoppage due to a kidney stone back in October and November followed by a winter where I ran maybe 50% of the time.
   
Staying in the house 100% of the time will mean I have to put off grocery shopping as long as I can.  I am not that keen anyway on being around people in a store.  But when I do I am lucky that Stop & Shop has set aside an hour in the morning for Senior Citiznes, of which I am now one.  I am rationing my current stockpile of food and anticipate being able to last 3 to 4 weeks.  One good thing that will come out of this is that I will probably lose some weight.
    
Being a anti-social hermit when there isn't a pandemic now makes this almost a wonderful vacation.  I doubt if I ever will get bored.  I have my old movies on VHS, Strat-O-Matic, and a record collection to keep me occupied.  Reading maybe be tough with the Library closed, but I am sure I can find some old sports or music books in the mean time.  And then there is always TV.  With all of his important decisions, Governor Murphy should also issue an executive order to have Comcast make TCM available on their channel line-up for all old timers to enjoy.
   
Well, that's it for now.  I'll provide further updates when there is something new.

I Witnessed A Fight Today

My morning run begins and ends in G.C. Park.  When I completed this morning's run, I looked over to the side of the pond and there were two combatants hammering each other while others circled them and cheered.
   
But instead of humans, it was two Canadian Geese.  They way they fight is to grab hold of the other in the area of the neck with their beaks so they are holding on to each other.  Then they just keep swinging their wings at each other.  It looks quite violent.  They then spilled into the lake where I thought one of them might be held under, but one of them finally gave up and flew to the other side of the pond.  A side of nature you don't often see.

Time To Get A GPS?

    
Last Friday I went down to Bennett Indoor Sports Complex in Tom's River to watch the Indoor Track State Championships.  I usually stop on the way to grab something to eat since I will be on my feet for about six hours watching the races.
    
There is conveniently a Mickey D's about a mile before the complex.  I was shocked to see that it was now closed for renovations.  I needed food so I decided to drive further south past the complex to find another fast food place.  And I figured I would re-trace my route to avoid getting lost.
   
Well, after several turns which I hoped would get me to a populous area, I was semi-lost.  I finally got on Route 37 which I had crossed previously.  Luck was shining on me because White Castle was one of the many fast food restaurants on the highway.
    
After throwing down some sliders, I started to head back to the complex.  To get back to the desired road, I would have to turn around which required two jug handles.  Traffic was heavy at that time of day, so I went down a road which looked like it ran parallel to my goal road.
   
In my life, every once in a while, if I am in an area I am unfamiliar with, I challenge myself to get to my goal by driving on back roads in the direction that I think will be successful.  I did that last Friday but it took longer than I thought, and at one point I thought I would be driving around for hours.  
    
I finally got to the complex but was 30 minutes late and missed the 400M races.  So the moral of the story is improve my trip plans or get a GPS (or put my Hagstom Maps back in my car!).