Cavendish Update: 3/25/20: Staying Home for Bob

Maureen found Bobo, her 6 feet python, a big help in measuring social distance. Jane Hart

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3/25/20: Staying at Home for Bob

1.What’s Happened in the Last 24 Hours

2. Cavendish Transfer Station Notice: Please Read

3. Staying Connected with Family & Friends by Trevor Barlow

4. Sanity Break

5. Events

We’re staying at home today for Bob Kirkbride, and in respect for his family’s request that we all practice social distancing.  

If you need help with shopping, a transfer station run or something else, please call the Cavendish Town Office, M-F from 9-5 226-7291 or 7292.. We have a great group of volunteers ready willing and able to help you. We got this for you and each other.

So now the rest of Vermont is catching up with Cavendish and going to be staying at home. You know they’re doing this ‘cause of Denise and all the great classes dg Bodyworks is Facebooking Live. We’re just such trend setters.

Not to worry. We have plenty of ways for you to network and have cocktail hour and dinner parties, while social distancing. Proctorsville resident Trevor Barlow is an expert in telecommunications and has been at the forefront of digital communications and distance learning tech for the past 20 years. He is currently the Executive Director at the Black River Innovation Campus in Springfield and has written today’s special post on Staying Connected.

And the winner of the most famous Cavendish social distancer has to be Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. He really did stay home for his art. Check out the article at the Cavendish Historical Society Blog. One quote of his seems particularly relevant this morning Freedom is self-restriction! Restriction of the self for the sake of others! We are all staying home now so we can all be safe, including our essential on-line workers.

1. WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS:

• Scott Orders Vermonters To Stay Home And Businesses To Close By 5 p.m. Today March 25. Gov. Phil Scott has ordered Vermont residents to stay at home and directed businesses and non-profits to cease “in-person” operations by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Called Stay Home, Stay Safe, “I want to be very clear about this: We need everyone to limit activities outside of the home and to practice social distancing at all times to slow the spread of this highly contagious and potentially deadly virus.” Under Scott’s order, people in Vermont are permitted to leave their homes “only for essential reasons critical to health and safety.” This includes buying groceries and medicine and for exercise. The list of exempted businesses includes healthcare operations, grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, gas stations, and news media. The stay at home order stands until April 15. VPR

• Senate reconvenes to pass emergency COVID-19 measures: Help is on the way, so sit tight. The Vermont Senate on Tuesday swiftly passed measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing bills that will boost Vermonters’ access to unemployment benefits and bolster the state’s health care system during the crisis. The Senate passed a temporary expansion of the state’s unemployment insurance system so that all employees who are laid off because of the COVID-19 crisis, or have to quit as a result of it, can receive benefits. I do want to note that some of these legislators need to practice what they preach. It’s 6 feet apart and not elbow, fist, or feet taps or bumps. VT Digger

• The obituary of Bob Kirbridge is now on-line. His family is doing an incredible job of encouraging people to practice social distancing. Check out this press clip from one of them.

• Dish has upgraded the basic package with additional channels and added free movies-channels 318-333 plus 386.

• Step up your training, there is a chance to make the Olympics after all as they’ve been postponed until 2021.

2. CAVENDISH TRANSFER STATION NOTICE : Considering the current COVID-19 Situation, the Cavendish Transfer Station is asking you to adhere to the following guidelines at the Transfer Station until further notice. These new measures are meant to protect everyone. We are concerned with the safety of you and of our employees.

1: If you have Symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, etc.) please DO NOT use the Transfer Station. Please call the Town Office at 802-226-7291 for assistance.  

2: Employees have been instructed to refrain from direct contact with other employees or residents.

3: Please place all required transfer station tokens in the receptacle provided at the transfer station.

4: During this time, we encourage all residents to unload waste from their vehicle. If you are unable to unload your waste, please stay in your car and signal to the attendant for assistance.

5: Tokens can be purchased at Singletons or via mail through the Town Office. Tokens will be mailed upon receipt of a check. (Cavendish Town Office: PO BOX 126 Cavendish VT, 05142) Checks may also be written at the Transfer Station.

3. STAYING CONNECTED WITH FAMILY FRIENDS & MORE By Trevor Barlow: Video calls are a great way to stay connected with friends, family, community members, medical providers and coworkers during this time of social distancing. They are the modern day phone call but, with a bit more complexity and a bit more fun. The technology you use will depend on the purpose of your call and your equipment. For consumer use, you can choose the simplest tools. For professional use, you typically will need more specific or robust set of features. Here are some examples below.  

• FaceTime by apple: For iPhone/iPad/iDevice owners, it will probably be your go to but, the person you are calling will also need to have an apple device. So, although it is a great and easy to use, it is limited to apple products.

 • Skype by Microsoft: For any device, it has been around for a while and is pretty easy to use. So, no matter your device, it should work well.

 • Hangouts by Google: For any device and popular with android/gmail users due to it being integrated. 

 It should be noted that all of these require a download on your device and those that you are speaking with in order to enable them to work. There are some lesser known video call products that leverage the features of modern web browsers to allow you to make video calls without an app or special download on your device which will be the wave of the future; examples are eyeson, magnocall, linkello, and more.

On the professional side, you have products like webex, gotomeeting, Adobe Connect, Zoom, etc. With the recent pandemic, Zoom appears to have crossed over to the consumer space. With it's free version and video centric design (points for the throwback Brady Bunch style look/feel when you have more the 6 people on a call). It's gaining in popularity for gatherings that go beyond work type environments. It is currently being used by us at the Black River Innovation Campus to do storytime chats with uniquely Vermont stories, broadcasts of local musicians and tech talks to help people get support for the best ways to use tech for remote work.

In brief, there are many tools to choose from but, you need to find the best for you whether it be based on ease of use, cost, device or features; now is the time to get familiar with these tools as they are a valuable way to stay connected with the outside world while remaining safe at home.

Visit www.bricvt.org for more info on remote work and distance learning.

4. SANITY BREAK: Try a guided meditation to start the day or whenever you need a way to just calm down. This is just one possible video available for free online. There are many many options, and it can be the sound of someone’s voice that can make it right for you.

5. UPCOMING EVENTS: Go to dgBody Works Facebook page  for classes that are being posted via Facebook live. Take a new one, do an old one. Stay fit and healthy. Class schedule for the week.

Wednesday 5:30 pm Barre (Kata)

Wednesday 7 pm Bootcamp (Denise)

Thursday 5:45 pm Meditation (Lori)

Thursday 6 pm Yoga for Healthy Bones (Lori)

Friday 7 am Bootcamp (Lori)

Saturday 8 am Yoga Pose of the Day (Lori)

                       Staying home for Patty and Bob Kirkbride!

                      The Longer you delay, the longer we stay

  Have a Heart -stay home or 6 feet apart. 

                        Stay healthy to protect yourself and Cavendish.

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 3/24/20: A sorta snow day

Warren was determined to keep his home safe. Jane Hart

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3/24/20: Finances

1. What’s Happened in the Last 24 Hours

2. Financial Investment Perspective by Mark Huntley

3. Sanity Tip for the Day

4. Take a Break

5. Events

 Last night we posted to Facebook the picture of Patty Stern, a Proctorsvile resident who is an ER nurse at Ascutney, in full garb. She’s doing her job so we need to do ours. We’re staying home for Patty and all the other Cavendish essential workers. Please post and send pictures of those who are going the extra distance to keep us safe.

To let these amazing people know we appreciate them, several village residents are encouraging Solidarity @ 8 tonight. We’re going to go outside and shout a big “thank you” to all those who are helping to get us through this.

 “Can we talk?...”-a little Joan Rivers here. The school thing is a biach. Beyond the feel good stories of the school bus driver delivering special book bags with supplies and food so kids can learn remotely, there is the reality. For families it’s a farting dog, slow Internet (or none), the “I forgot to charge my ‘puter” (today’s equivalent of “the dog ate my homework”), “she started it,” all the while trying to juggle telecommuting for the first time, worrying about finances, and a host of other issues. The teachers have the flatulent dog’s litter mate and have many of the same concerns everyone else does, as well as missing their kids and classrooms, wondering if they are reaching them, if the power is going to go out (a real issue with our current storm), and just plain, is this working? They can’t just walk away from it and figure they’ll catch up tomorrow.

So if you feel like tearing your hair out, don’t. Ain’t no body around to give you a new do for a while.

Here’s the deal. As of yesterday, there are 69 clinical trials underway to find an effective treatment for Covid-19. Think of this as a very large clinical trial in remote learning. We’re going to figure out what works, what doesn’t and we’re going to do it together. If you want to cry, have at it, just not too long as nobody looks great after a long jag and besides I can see ugly from here. There’s a Sanity Tip below to help when you think you are just going to lose it. And if you do, apologize if needed, and turn the page. Hang in there.  

This week we want to try and help with some of the questions you might have by asking various members of our wonderful Cavendish community to help in addressing concerns. Today it’s financial investments with Mark Huntley. Tomorrow’s will be connecting remotely with family and friends from Trevor Barlow.

1. WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS:

• And you thought pretty much everything was shut down? At Gov. Scott’s news conference yesterday, he ordered all businesses and nonprofits to implement any possible work-from-home measures. He also warned Vermonters some version of a “stay-at-home” order will happen this week. " He is talking about measures similar to what New York, Illinois and California are doing. You’ll still be able to go outside and exercise. Just no early spring baseball. But we’re already doing this, so don’t stress about it.

• Scott pushes back income tax deadline; waives penalties on sales, rooms and meals payments: the state has pushed back tax deadlines for businesses and individual Vermonters, in an effort to provide economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Road construction season off to an early start in Vermont this year: Yes! Come on Depot St. Bridge. Thanks to Dawn Tyrrell we know that they are already working on it. Will keep you updated with her terrific pictures.

• DHMC Now Able to Process Covid-19 Tests in Lab: This is good news as it will tell us how fast the virus is spreading, or better yet, what an incredible job we’re all doing in practicing social distancing.

• There is enough for everyone, so please give it a rest!. Please don't shop for more than 2 weeks at a time. The supply chain is fine. Hording is not. VT Grocers Plead with Shoppers to Stop Hording. And I really don’t want to have to remind you again about the chocolate thing.

• If you are lucky enough to have Comcast, they’re coming through. More entertainment content is now available for you to watch for free. They  have worked with our partners to provide a range of additional free content to keep you entertained while you're at home. You can find it by saying "Free" into your Xfinity Voice Remote.

2. FINANCIAL INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVE: We know this is a big concern for those who have college savings plans, retirement funds etc.. Mark Huntley, who is now part of the Cavendish Covid-19 Task Force (Rotary/Black River Senior Center & American Portfolios) has written the following article to give you some insight into the current situation.

From the Desk of an Investment Professional: Uncharted-unprecedented-apocalyptic, and yes, scary.

We have been managing private retirement portfolios, corporations, endowments for 31 years, and this situation is different. For all the folks who are trying to navigate these waters alone, please consider talking with a financial professional, even just for a free consultation. 

The old stodgy asset allocation model is history, as it never assumed interest rates would go to zero. There is no blanket statement that tells one “what-when-why-how” to invest (especially now) regarding their money. EVERY situation is different, depending on income needs, risk tolerance, timeline, experience, age, etc. If you haven’t jumped out the window, congrats, you have survived a market crash (well, so far). (Year To Date) the general markets are down 35%. A little disconcerting is that was in 6 weeks.

So, what do you do? Listen to the talking heads or proactively do something about it? Here’s the rub: 

It’s about debt (bonds) and liquidity. Bonds? Flight to quality? I believe that flight crashed when rates hit zero (remember all of Europe has negative rates to prop up and repair their economy, well, that failed). Bonds are our biggest concern. Bank CD’s at 1.8% for a 1 year and 1.9% for a 5 year. Inflation is 2.73% and if they are taxable, you are under water. The debt fuse was lit back in Sept. 2019 when the repo market tanked. Money Market Accounts – Pensions – Insurance companies are all bond heavy. Is there enough liquidity if everyone wanted it? Money markets? That is ultra-short paper, BUT, some of that is commercial and floating rate which was a big problem in 2008.

How do bond mutual funds buy paper to support their yield, that many people live on. If/when the bonds in their portfolio get called, the manager has to go into the market and buy new rates (that are near zero); what will your dividend yield and value look like then? Stocks? We have private clients that felt a week ago was the bottom and went in (against our wishes).

We are, in our opinion, Global Recession Bound. We can all stay home for the sake of the country’s health, although we cannot shut down the economy--devastating to people, their jobs, small businesses, pensions.

I will end by saying that I know this is a rather bleak overview, and some of it is a little technical. I can give you the old " market always comes back, hang in there!”.

There is amazing work being done by the health community at large, so there is most definitely hope, and maybe a treatment. Fingers crossed…

If you want to call us for more detailed questions, we are happy to chat with you—no office visits…you know, social distancing and all. Our toll free number is 1-888-922-1035 or you can mail me at  mhuntley@americanportfolios.com.

May you be safe

3 .SANITY TIP FOR THE DAY: Feeling really anxious? Practice the rule of 5 and look around you. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. If you can’t remember the five, count every red (or your favorite color) item you see where you are standing. This helps to ground you and brings you back to center.

4. TAKE A BREAK: Make something you can hang outside that shows your solidarity to the community and most particularly to our essential workers. Give them some eye candy and love as they drive by to work each day. Send pictures cause we’re all staying home and don’t want to miss it.  

5. UPCOMING EVENTS: Go to dgBody Works https://www.facebook.com/dgbodyworks/  for classes that are being posted via Facebook live. Take a new one, do an old one. Stay fit and healthy. Class schedule for the week.

Wednesday 5:30 pm Barre (Kata)

Wednesday 7 pm Bootcamp (Denise)

Thursday 5:45 pm Meditation (Lori)

Thursday 6 pm Yoga for Healthy Bones (Lori)

Friday 7 am Bootcamp (Lori)

Saturday 8 am Yoga Pose of the Day (Lori)

           Staying home for Patty!

 The Longer you delay, the longer we stay

 Have a Heart -stay home or 6 feet apart. 

Stay healthy to protect yourself and Cavendish.

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 3/23/20 Monday! Monday!

CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

3/23/20: Monday, Monday

1. What’s Happened in the Last 24 Hours

2. Sanity Tip for the Day

3. Take a Break

4. Events

Well we’re on the roller coaster now. What a great community to be riding it with though! Yahee!.

Down & dirty-Stay home, kick back and get ready to do your bit by staying fit (with Denise, full week’s schedule below).  The Health Department is asking anyone who can stay home to do so, particularly those at highest risks-60+ and/or have a pre-existing condition. The longer we delay, the longer we stay, so do the right thing. Oh and please you can have all the TP you want but if there’s a run on chocolate, I’m taking names.

Oh yeah, and there’s this weather thing happening. Nature is pitching in this week to make sure you get the message to stay home. Please be sure to call neighbors and friends to check on them though. This can be a particularly tough time for anyone who is in quarantine. Oh, sorry kids. No more snow days now that remote learning is in place. Gee could that be one of the lasting changes from this pandemic-remote days instead of snow days?

1.WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS:

• Important Notice-No burning: Fire Warden Roger Sheehan said there will be No burn permits issued. This is to eliminate the Fire Warden from having to go to someone’s property to inspect the pile to be burned. It will also eliminate added chances for firefighters to be called out for uncontrolled fires creating possible exposure issues for firefighters and working in close proximity to each other.

• Yup you can have a slice of Lyme with your Corona. Already receiving reports that the ticks are out and about. Stick to the roads and paths if you are out walking.

• So they’re bringing back the shag and ditchin’ the tats: All close contact businesses are ordered to close today. This includes salons, gyms, spas, fitness centers, tattoo parlors etc. Be sure to check out Jane Hart’s drawing just for that occasion, “Jill felt weird without her weekly mani-pedi.

• For those making masks, with the pattern we posted on Saturday, Dartmouth has already provide information about where to drop them off. DHMC has lots of press about this. so you might want to consider Springfield or Ascutney Hospitals as well as our first responders. Springfield is supposed to announce today what type of mask they’d like you to make. Will post to Facebook as soon as I hear.

• Vermont’s cases are rapidly rising, in part because of the breakout in Burlington. There are 8 cases in Windsor County now and 52 statewide.

• We’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Women use slightly more than a role of toilet paper a week, while men use slightly less. In short, based on scientific data, a family of two can make do with two for a week. Judge accordingly and buy what you need for two weeks at a time. There is no shortage in the supply chain, just people who think a toilet paper fortress is going to save them from Covid-19. Remember, no hoarding the chocolate!

• Substance abuse treatment providers and recovery centers around Vermont are now offering over-the-phone services and video sessions to increase social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more

• Blood is needed. If you can donate contact the American Red Cross.

• GE to close Rutland plants for two days after worker tests positive for COVID-19:

• Solidarity at 8: The VT State Police have started #solidarity at 8-At 8 pm every day, go on your balcony or open your windows, and cheer for the health care workers on the front lines of this pandemic (or just spend a few moments in thought). #stayhome #flattenthecurve #sovid19

3 .SANITY TIP FOR THE DAY: You can only live in the moment you are in. Obsessing over “when will this end,” just makes it more challenging. When you start to obsess try a short yoga break with Kripalu-most are around 5 minutes.

4. TAKE A BREAK: We need a way to show our solidarity as a community, to one another, to our essential workers, who are going out every day to help protect us and to the world. Need your ideas about what we can make. Our town colors are green and white. Post them to Facebook or send them to cavendishconnects.com

5. UPCOMING EVENTS: Go to dgBody Works  for classes that are being posted via Facebook live. Take a new one, do an old one. Stay fit and healthy. Class schedule for the week and a quick note from Denise.

Monday 7 pm Bootcamp (Denise)

Wednesday 5:30 pm Barre (Kata)

Wednesday 7 pm Bootcamp (Denise)

Thursday 5:45 pm Meditation (Lori)

Thursday 6 pm Yoga for Healthy Bones (Lori)

Friday 7 am Bootcamp (Lori)

Saturday 8 am Yoga Pose of the Day (Lori)

Good for everyone to have a full week of movement planned.  I’m feeling great and ready to kick butt tonight!! Denise

The Longer you delay, the longer we stay

 Have a Heart -stay home or 6 feet apart. 

                        Stay healthy to protect yourself and Cavendish.

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 3/21/20: Weekend Report

She hunkers down. Norm Roosts by Jane Hart

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3/21/20: It’s the Weekend!

1. What’s Happened in the Last 24 Hours

2. Sanity Tip for the Day

3. Take a Break

4. Events

It’s Saturday and the amount of news you need to know about right now is slowing down. Much has been closed, reduced or cancelled in an effort to get the entire country into “hunker mode.” Yes Uncle Tony (Dr. Fauci) we’re doing what you told us and staying home and six feet apart.

Fortunately we live where we can walk in the woods and listen to the birds. Wonder if the song birds, bears and other animals are noticing that it’s not so noisy this spring? There’s less junk in the air and in general, good times in their world view.  

Unless there is something critical that happens today, no update tomorrow as I’m going to spend the weekend catching up on some needed housework. While you can’t see it, I can and it needs tending to.

A favor to ask. If you are keeping a journal, or are about to start one (highly recommend it), when this is over, can you donate a copy of it to the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS)?

I’ve been reading various CHS records about the town’s experiences during the war years. There are tips and tricks from 80 years ago that could help us today. It’s important to leave a legacy for future generations, as they too will deal with some version of this. Contrary to the shouting newscasters, “never before in the history….” Bull! The humans have been dealing with pandemics, natural disasters and worse since they first arrived.

Each of us has the responsibility to practice social distancing. If we all do it, we will significantly reduce the number of people who get sick. It’s up to each of us to be that difference so Show some heart and stay home or 6 feet apart. Want to understand why this works, read this article from Smithsonian Magazine.

1. WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS:

• Request from Ludlow Ambulance Services: Stop hiking up Okemo Mountain and skiing down. Ski Patrol is no longer there and they don’t have the time or resources to collect your sorry ass if you fall and hurt yourself.

• VT Legislature will return to the Statehouse Next Week to Pass Covid-19 measures. This will include legislation to expand unemployment benefits and aid health care providers.

• If you have a sewing machine and want to make masks, this is a good pattern. Now this is real throwback to the war years when there were lots of posters that said, “Do your bit and knit.”

• Highway rest areas are now closed. There ain’t a porta pottie to piss in.

• Vermont’s cases are increasing and sadly there is an outbreak of Covid-19 at Burlington Health & Rehab.

• To help those in quarantine or self-isolating, the Cavendish Covid-19 Team (CCT) now has a wonderful group of volunteers to help with everything from shopping, picking up prescriptions and even doing that transfer run. To arrange for assistance, call 226-7291 or 7292, Monday-Friday, 9-5.

2 .SANITY TIP FOR THE DAY: If you’ve never tried journaling, this is the perfect time to start. Lots of research shows that it will make you feel a lot better, and you have no idea if you share a copy with the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) how many people you’ll touch for generations to come. We still read Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD. Somewhere along the line somebody decided to dress up his journals and call them “Meditations.”

No special supplies. A notebook, paper, whatever you have handy. Use markers pens, whatever inspires and just write down, sketch, cut and paste, what’s going on in your life. For best results try to do it daily. Some like to start the day with it, others end with it or do it over lunch. Your call.

3. TAKE A BREAK: Coloring is a good way to relax. Meaning “circle,” in Tibetan Buddhism, a mandala is an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation. Below are resources to help you get started.

• Print Mandala:  Free Mandalas to print

• Create a virtual mandala

• Mandalas Coloring pages

Google up patterns that you may enjoy. Lots and lots and lots of them to choose from.

4. UPCOMING EVENTS Go to dgBody Works  for classes that are being posted via Facebook live. Take a new one, do an old one. Stay fit and healthy.

                      Have a Heart -stay home or 6 feet apart. 

                        Stay healthy to protect yourself and Cavendish.

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS