Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[frankp01]

> Mr HH is having to self isolate. 

Here's hoping he stays healthy!

[LewiLewi]

10 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks, me too !

No symptoms so far but it's very early days, I'll feel a bit more relaxed once we get through the weekend.

Fortunately we have enough room to be able to stay out of each other's way.

I hope for the best, Hattie. 

[bluemarble]

27 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

 

@Lanky Lad, I think this first picture of yours is pub lunch in the Golden Lion Pub on QM2.

 

Oh, sorry, wrong thread!!! 😉

[Lanky Lad]

2 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

@Lanky Lad, I think this first picture of yours is pub lunch in the Golden Lion Pub on QM2.

 

Oh, sorry, wrong thread!!! 😉

It is and I can't wait to taste it again.

[Camgirl]

All fingers crossed that Mr HH doesn't show any symptoms. A worrying time for you both. 

[alc13]

Sending good wishes to the HH household.

 

Anne

[Underwatr]

I've had to cancel lots of booked travel this year, although the QM2 Christmas itinerary is the only cruise (so far).

• 2 flights to California, including a planned climb of Half Dome in Yosemite in July
• Three weeks in Germany, France & Ireland, originally planned for May, rescheduled to September, canceled with airfare refunded
• Scuba week in the Cayman Islands, originally scheduled for April, rescheduled to December, to be rescheduled again for after the Caymans reopens for tourism
• I have an Alaska cruise booked for May (see sig) but probably I'll cancel that before final payment comes due in February.

A friend and I did travel from Pennsylvania to Vermont after a 10-day quarantine plus negative COVID test in July. It would have been nice to go back for fall foliage but I'll save it for later when less is involved. We've been to Virginia twice and north-central Pennsylvania once this fall; socially-distanced travel within a limited range isn't too difficult. As the weather cools outside dining will become less practical and we won't use inside seating so our travel will shut down.

[Lanky Lad]

Here is a very 2020 problem, job interviews by video call.

 

You now not only need to think about what to wear, but where to put your laptop, lighting and what's behind you.   

[Host Hattie]

And how to deal with the doorbell ringing/your pet deciding to "help" .... it's a whole new world. I was in a Teams call of ~ 400 people this afternoon, we were supposed to be on mute apart from the presenters but we got lots of random noises !

Mr HH seems fine so far, thanks for the good wishes.

Have a good weekend everyone

[Roger88]

2 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

Here is a very 2020 problem, job interviews by video call.

 

You now not only need to think about what to wear, but where to put your laptop, lighting and what's behind you.   

I think this is such a convenient way to go through the interview cause you dont have to worry about porfume and bad breath. Nobody will see you shaking or crying or whatever. You can have all of your answers to the questions ready on the laptop 

[Lanky Lad]

17 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I think this is such a convenient way to go through the interview cause you dont have to worry about porfume and bad breath. Nobody will see you shaking or crying or whatever. You can have all of your answers to the questions ready on the laptop 

It does have it's advantages as well, including no traveling.

[Lanky Lad]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

And how to deal with the doorbell ringing/your pet deciding to "help" .... it's a whole new world. I was in a Teams call of ~ 400 people this afternoon, we were supposed to be on mute apart from the presenters but we got lots of random noises !

No pets, but I do have a chiming clock that I need to remember to silence before the interview starts. 

[alc13]

4 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

Here is a very 2020 problem, job interviews by video call.

 

You now not only need to think about what to wear, but where to put your laptop, lighting and what's behind you.   

You can see how you will look in the interview by starting a Zoom meeting yourself.  You don't need to invite anyone to join, but you will see what an interviewer will see.  I think you are right to think about appearances and all the things you mention - lighting, camera angles, what's visible in the background - can affect how you come off to the interviewer.  And try to keep extraneous noises to a minimum.  You want to look completely in control of your setting.  Good luck!

[Lanky Lad]

2 hours ago, alc13 said:

You can see how you will look in the interview by starting a Zoom meeting yourself.  You don't need to invite anyone to join, but you will see what an interviewer will see.  I think you are right to think about appearances and all the things you mention - lighting, camera angles, what's visible in the background - can affect how you come off to the interviewer.  And try to keep extraneous noises to a minimum.  You want to look completely in control of your setting.  Good luck!

Thanks, I think I will go for a plain wall behind me for my next video interview.

[Host Hattie]

Blimey Roger job interviews must be tough where you come from, I've had a couple of shockers but I don't think there's been crying or shaking ! Good luck @Lanky Lad.

It's a horrible wet day, the first of our firebreak. I'm listening to the new Bruce Springsteen album and finishing the last of the Neapolitan quartet books. Mr HH is pottering about in his new shed, no symptoms yet.

[Lanky Lad]

Thanks HH and I hope Mr HH stays well.

[Kynance]

We had a dry day yesterday after a damp start and I was able to put my agapanthus “to bed” to over-winter in drier and more sheltered conditions. I have had a change of heart and am giving the non-flowering ones another chance by trying to keep them completely dry (I managed to make space in our shed for four of them and others have gone into our little “grow house units”).  Three of the reliable flowering plants are under fleece covers in a sheltered spot against a wall. One thing I have definitely learnt this year as a result of Covid - I don’t need to buy lots of new plants each year to enjoy my gardening I can just spend more time tending the ones I already have and I’ll get better results! 
 

I’ve already posted photos of a couple of our miniature acers in their autumn glory - here is another giving us a display this year for the first time. I am sure this is down  to them having more TLC than normal, with us spending far more time at home.  I also thought I would share a photo taken on a sunny day a couple of weeks ago - a close up of one of our sunflowers enjoying a visit from two species of bee (keeping their social distance from each other of course!). 
 

 

[Bigmike911]

Well, We have our first true 'cold front' of the fall season. At 8 pm last night the outside temp was 76f (24.4c) at 8:30 it was 55f (12.8c). 400 miles to the west in Lubbock and Amarillo, still in Texas they are having snow flurries. The white moths have destroyed the lawn in the rear garden, and the whole yard looks like it has a red beard from the pine needles that have dropped on it. Halloween is Saturday, and Sunday we do our 'fall back' on our clocks as the UK did last Sunday. It's not really a fall back as my manual clocks need to be wound forward eleven hours. The kiddie candy is pre-bagged in  zipped sandwich bags and will be handed out with spooky black gloves to the urchins. 

 

My drive through the Woodlands (a town deep in a forest) for yesterday's grocery shopping, shows lots of dropped leaves, but not much color. Still I find it very peaceful to drive for miles with only forest on either side of the roadway, and then an opening in the woods with a small sign announcing the market I was seeking. The election news (and whiney candidate adverts) fills the airwaves, and I have tuned OUT.  I early voted last week in person, masked, gloved and socially distant. Nothing left now but the shouting.

 

I hope HH and Mr. HH are doing well with Mr. HH's exposure, and LL, I am glad to see you are still interviewing virtually. Hopefully you will connect soon. To all our friends here, have a safe week. 

[Lanky Lad]

I think virtual interviewing might catch on even after Covid. 

 

With things as they are, I am grateful to be getting interviews of any sort, but hopefully, one will lead to a job.

[Host Hattie]

I'm sure lots of business meetings will carry on taking place virtually, it's much more productive. 

Thanks for the good wishes, Mr HH is still OK and it's over a week since his potential exposure so hopefully he's escaped. It's quite tricky keeping out of each other's way. I was in work Monday - Wednesday this week after my office sharer developed symptoms. Her test result was negative fortunately. It's odd, we share an office but we've not seen each other since March !

Hope everyone is having a good week

[Lanky Lad]

Glad to hear Mr HH is still well.  Hopefully that means he has been lucky. 

 

It's been very wet here today and forecast is not good for the next few days. All being well it will be nice but cool on Wednesday so I might have a trip out. Within local restrictions of course.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks, our forecast is pretty dreadful and we're locked down so there'll be plenty of tv watched this weekend !

Any suggestions for Netflix/iplayer or Amazon Prime gratefully received. We're up to Series 4 of Bosch.

[Camgirl]

Glad to hear all is well so far with mr HH. Fingers crossed you can relax a bit now. 

 

Hang on in there LL, there is a job there somewhere for you, I'm sure. 

 

The weather over here in the east is not too bad. Some heavy showers and a bit breezy, but quite warm for the time of year. Looks like it will be colder next week though. 

[navybankerteacher]

Woke to light snow this morning - none sticking, but it is damn early in the season - I think it’s been ten years or so since we had snow in October.  I hope it does not portend anything — my enthusiasm for snow probably peaked at about age eight, and has been declining at an accelerating rate every year since I turned 60.

[Bigmike911]

35 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Woke to light snow this morning - none sticking, but it is damn early in the season - I think it’s been ten years or so since we had snow in October.  I hope it does not portend anything — my enthusiasm for snow probably peaked at about age eight, and has been declining at an accelerating rate every year since I turned 60.

You and me both NBT.