Good morning!!!!

[rswyan]

22F and cloudy, headed up to a high of 26F with a few flurries possible. 15% chance of precipitation.

Four squirrels out scurrying around an empty feeder earlier, so need to handle that.

Ran out and filled up The Woman's car yesterday and then swung by Dollar General and grabbed some laundry and dishwashing soap.

The Woman fixed a can of bean soup yesterday afternoon while we were watching the movie which we split, so I wasn't very hungry when dinner time rolled around. Pulled out the duck and The Woman offered to heat it up, told nah ... lemme try a duck and mayo sandwich which caused her to make a funny face and turn up her nose. I'm not sure why because she said she liked the duck (if it ain't chicken ... :laughing At any rate, it turned out very good ... :licking:

After the nightly news we watched another movie - "American Hustle" - fictionalized account of the Abscam scandal, which neither of us had ever seen. Fairly good.

Have to see what presents for the rest of the day, might get out there and do a little snow clean up on the drive.

Hope everyone has an enjoyable, productive, and safe day ... :thumbsup:

 

[daugen]

very icy here also, had to put a lot of conventional salt melt down now that I ran out of Safe Paws, which really worked poorly IMHO.
Seemed to have more blue dye in it than melter...

scraped off crusty snow on bird feeding table, fed them again, they are all out there happy as can be now.

I need to go down to CVS to pick up some prescriptions but think I'll wait a few hours. Hills and ice are a bad combo.

 

[rswyan]

It's funny how they say whatever fits their present dilemma. How do they issue the first shot to patients and not have the second one waiting when it's a 2 shot vaccine?

Because with the efficacy rate of the vaccine, broadening the distribution to more people will potentially reduce the number of infections that would otherwise result ?

 

[rswyan]

Be careful with that ice all.

Some 40+ years ago we lost a next door neighbor when he went outside in the winter and tried to clear ice off his driveway. He slipped backwards and hit his head on the asphalt, passed a few days later.

He was a relatively young guy, athletic - raced motocross (Suzuki 125 and 400) - left behind a wife and a couple of kids.

A very nice guy, utterly tragic accident.

 

[daugen]

Because with the efficacy rate of the vaccine, broadening the distribution to more people will potentially reduce the number of infections that would otherwise result ?

interesting social good question. There was a big upset in the beginning about holding back doses for second shot and not sure how that got resolved.
But clear this is a huge logistical challenge to get this done in 6 weeks.
Yes I'm happy my Moderna first shot is 91 percent effective.
But if you offered me a free plane ticket and 9 percent of the free tickets crashed,
those aren't odds I'd be happy about.

what no one has discussed is what happens if you get your second shot two months later? Three months?
Do you lose all the immunities so far?

 

[lostcreekranch]

Good morning! 15˚F, yep back in the teens. However we have clear skies and a predicted high of 35˚F. Hopefully a little thawing this afternoon. Water is fine here but that seems to be the major problem facing Texas along with grocery trucks not being able to make deliveries. The news is showing long lines at every food store which includes fast food stores like gasoline stations. Still no mail or any vehicles making deliveries.

My neighbor is upset, since covid she has been having her groceries delivered. All deliveries of groceries are suspended. She is the very cautious type and puts on a mask and carries wipes to bring her garbage can in. We won't be going till the lines simmer down but with so many outages one really needs to shop themselves to figure out what they want to substitute. The stores are reportedly worse than the covid hoarding days.

I tried to help my neighbor re-light his hot water heater but he is iced in and I couldn't get up his driveway. His yard is a frozen rock yard and looks like a bone crusher. This is his first gas water heater and he read the instructions on how to light it but they scared him with all the warnings. He does not want to blow-up and since he is the only one on the street that is having problems with his hot water heater he things something is broke. He will just call the gas company to check it and relight it. He may be another week without hot water, but his stove is working.

Now the good news. First, The garbage trucks will start to roll for the first time this week at noon and our regular day is Friday so they will start with us. Hopefully enough vehicles will start driving to break up the ice on our street. With no snow plows and no sand/salt trucks you can imagine the icy mess.
Second, I received The turbotax refund.
Third, they have not canceled again the second shot and it's still on schedule to be given tomorrow, (3 miles away) now there will be some unavoidable lines.

They are saying now that the second shot may not be necessary and might stop it to get more people vaccinated.

"Together with previous findings that a single Moderna vaccine dose provides 92.1% efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection, investigators propose it is time to defer the second dose to extend protection to more people through single-dose mRNA vaccinations.". (Pfizer 92.6% efficacy)
Source, (you can't read it all without a subscription) New Data Boost Calls for Single COVID-19 Vaccine Dose

"They are saying now that the second shot may not be necessary and might stop it to get more people vaccinated."

Who is the "they" Don?

 

[Bird]

RNG have been wanting chili for two days now have all ingredients but one and it is not made anymore. Do you have a good recipe you could share?

My wife used to make her own chili, but it's been many, many years ago. We now just use Wick Fowler's 2 Alarm Chili mix, to which we add a little extra tomato sauce, and I add shredded cheese to my bowl, and have cornbread with it. And that's what I made yesterday.

 

[workinonit]

Because with the efficacy rate of the vaccine, broadening the distribution to more people will potentially reduce the number of infections that would otherwise result ?

What does this have to do with the distribution of the second shot? If the program was administered correctly the second shot would be earmarked for the patient that received the first shot and shipped with the first shot. Taking the first shot and not having the second on standby is like buying your tractor and the loader never showing up or getting there after you have hired someone to do the work. My understanding from my doctor daughter is that without the second shot and some flu like symptoms the process doesn't work. Now this is related to the Pfizer shot so that's the extent of my knowledge but I would think the Moderna is similar. My doctor wants me to go with the J&J shot. So bottom line, it sounds like nobody really knows. Which is my whole point.

 

[Bird]

15˚F, yep back in the teens. However we have clear skies and a predicted high of 35˚F.

9 degrees in Denton, and also 35 forecast.

The stores are reportedly worse than the covid hoarding days.

I have prepared the longest grocery list I've made in many, many years. Hope to go to the store later today or tomorrow and have no idea how much of it they will have. But we do have enough food in the house to last a good bit longer if necessary.

The garbage trucks will start to roll for the first time this week at noon and our regular day is Friday so they will start with us.

Our regular day is Monday and that's the day the city says they will start again.

I received The turbotax refund.

My credit union has been showing a "pending deposit" for about 3 days, but it's actually in my account this morning.

 

[workinonit]

Be careful out there. I lived in Grand Prairie and FW for 6 years and for the most part Texans can't drive on dry roads. I-30 would be a grid lock if someone was changing a flat tire on the off ramp.