skidooboy

You are good CC, this was a nice attempt at humour, and a great distraction. for sure Ox... usps mail service is terrible (well, worse than it was, which wasnt stellar), right now. after they restructured the service centers, it really put mail in a tailspin in Michigan. i have watched parcels tracking bounce from detroit, to grand rapids, to lansing, and back. our normal center is lansing but, they dont service the area any longer. they are open and functioning but, all our mail comes from the detroit area centers. CRAZY INEFFICIENT SYSTEM!!! Ski

lets say, i am broker than i was. thanks CC! Ski

thank you Panther, and Pooman. i know i am frustrated, and irksome too. LOL! Ski

thank you Canuck for the props, it is appreciated. always liked your postings as well. on the border stuff... you are a little misinformed, on the canadians not being able to come to the states. canadians CAN fly to the states, and return home BUT, when they return to canada, they must quarantine for 14 days before making any contact with anyone. we dont have that option. i just want to go up, secure my house, barn, bring home some things we NEED (my tools), and go home to michigan. my only contact would be the border officials. maddening! Ski

at least you have that option. your govt is holding my property, tools, and snowmobiles hostage. cant get out of either, cant go sledding here, unless i buy all new EVERYTHING, INC SLEDS! Ski

welcome to our world. how would you feel if you owned a place in the ncdn, and were told you cant go there? cant go to fix it, cant go to move stuff and sell it. just sit, and wait for whatever happens, with no end in sight, no plan, no nothing. just on hold. Ski

do yourself a favor, skip the air mattress. when it is hot they get "clammy", when it is cold, they are colder, and lose air (plus the holes they ALL GET). Grab an rv short queen, or even a full size mattress, and throw it against the wall for travel. you and your back will thank me later. also, not many rv's will keep you warm enough at -20 to -30c... and the toilet, water will NOT BE VIABLE in those temps. then take the salt, brine, sand, gravel and slop on the roads... and you just effectively ruined your rv (permanently) in one trip. your results may vary. Ski

helps if you clean them in the spring and coat the working parts with fluid film. they will last longer, if you maintain them. the electrical assys are the only way to go, in the states. can get new assys for about 70 bucks ea, if you need drums too... another 80 each. cheap insurance. Ski

Up until now, with the pandemic status, that was no issue. we were there every 10-21 days. now... we cant do anything. ever tried to get ANYTHING DONE by a contractor in northern ontario? i mean far north ontario? 12 contractors called for an hvac system replacement... one, ONE returned our calls, then said he would put us on a list, and he might be able to get to it before the snow flies. roof... same thing, multiple people called, one returned call, to say he was too busy. seal the driveway... yeah, i will get to it... oh, we forgot about you, and now we are done sealing for the season. these were all highly recommended businesses too. the neighbor is mowing the lawn for us, without our asking or knowledge, and wont take anything for it. (trying to figure out how to do something nice for them). we are humbled by their help. they are great people! my stress comes from A LOT of different angles on this. Last fall, the township installed a new water main, new supply line to the house, dug up the lawn, refilled, last fall, and replanted grass this spring. didnt leak all winter but, after the thaw??? who knows. then we lost close to 4 feet of snow, in less than 10 days... may fifth, through the 15th. what did that due to my poured wall basement, with a wood over gravel floor? then the barn... we know 2 sections of snow shield were RIPPED off the metal roof, leaving 24 total exposed holes from the retaining screws. again... who am i going to get to fix/repair that but, myself??? we were supposed to have a new drain tile installed at the barn to aid with drainage this summer, as we get water in under the rat wall area, when it rains hard, or melts, even with gutters installed. lower walls are getting wet/rotting. this is not a camp, not a seasonal place, it is a year round home. back to the lawn mowing... if the lawn gets over 8", the township fines you. if you still dont mow, they do, then charge you. i have over an acre at the barn... no lawn mowing services in town. ask a neighbor to push mow it?... NOT ON YOUR LIFE. i did that the first year, then bought a tractor, just for that, due to size. to say i am stressed, is an UNDERSTATEMENT. Ski

moot point now... extended border closure at least another 30 days. i really hope, when i get there, the house is fubarred... i will turn an insurance claim in, take the cash, and WALK AWAY. Ski

that is one broad brush panther. i am not an anti vax'er by any means but, i am pro testing and REAL, LONG TERM, PEER REVIEWED, CLINICAL TRIALS. AND USING COMMON SENSE WHEN CONTACTING OTHERS, SICK OR NOT. I have been that way for 20+ years. ALSO, we have 10 times the population, just by that, we will have 10 times (or more) infection rate. the southern states blow up is sad but... how many of those people from texas, arizona, or florida, are going to come to canada, to take you over? i bet not any, if any at all. look at michigan... detroit is highish (getting under control), but, DETROIT IS NOT THE WHOLE OF MICHIGAN! northern lower, the U.P, (sault ste marie), have little to no cases, just like algoma. what is it going to hurt, for me to travel to my home, make my repairs, quarantine, self isolate, avoid townspeople, and then return to michigan, with only the border guard as my (our) contact? we have some stupid people, just like you guys do. dont back us all down into that corner, eh? Ski

i didnt say you couldnt get shingles if you get chicken pox (some adults 45-50+ will get shingles after having pox). i am saying the kids who were vaccined and didnt get pox, are now getting shingles as a side affect of the vaccine, that has been in place for almost 20 years. see where i am going with this, and rushing a covid vaccine?? my wife is in the medical field, and one smart cookie... and she said, she would NEVER get a rushed covid vaccine. NEVER! Ski

never said that. Ski

not trying to be a dick, just giving some information.... you do understand what the term flattening of the curve is correct? it means we understand ALMOST EVERYONE will get this virus, and the health care field needed time to beef up supplies, protocols, treatment, and policies. CANADA (ESPECIALLY ONTARIO), IS CRUSHING THIS! YOU ALL ARE DOING AN AWESOME JOB!!! BUT, these sanctions were not done to eliminate the virus, just slow its infection rates. to me, it seems canadians think that they can eliminate the virus entirely by hunkering down. this virus has shown to keep infecting even with strict measures in place. the virus isnt going anywhere. even with a vaccine, that will be rushed... do you really want to take it? look at chicken pox as an example. we all had it as kids (i am 53 now). those that got the vaccine much later than our generation, are JUST FINDING OUT, that they might not get chicken pox but, as twenty and thirty somethings, they are not getting the pox but, are getting PAINFUL shingles (15-20 years into this vaccine). what side effects do you think we will get with a rushed vaccine for this? the u.s has 9 or 10 times the population, and are more closely living together, than the Canadian population. our infection rate in some small areas (large towns, with huge populations) comes from our stupidity with the not following sanitary, and hygiene measures, and common sense. we will be completely infected, and rebounding faster than canada (both good and bad). that is what herd immunity is. Trying times for sure. Ski

people like that, should be fined, deported, and have their border crossing status revoked for 365 days. those types, are what ruins it for the rest of the people that can, and want to follow the rules in place. sounds familiar.. cans, trespassing, off trail riders. small groups ruin it for the rest. sad. Ski

watch what you wish for signfan... no tourists, less permit money, may collapse an already fragile system. personally (biased), they should implement some sort of screening process, and allow certain individuals (like property owners, with the means of no contact travel, able to quarantine no contact, and negative covid test) to cross, periodically. the system (both sides of border) is so flawed now, canadians can fly back and forth to the u.s, and they havent stopped flights from china but, any u.s citizen cannot cross, unless they are medical, military, or bringing in goods. something should be done for property owners soon. how long can people go without maintaining their property?have you ever tried to get a lawn mowed, roof repaired/replaced, hvac repair replaced in northern ontario... almost IMPOSSIBLE. remember, all those properties are insured by canadian providers. when they (we) do get to see our places, and find damage, there is going to be a large influx of claims, that will directly affect all canadian policy holders. Ski

black friday. Ski

VERY doubtful, any type of recreational trail system will be allowed access to this. a big portion will be through, around, or near pukaskawa national park. will be designated as "wilderness/natural area". that and it will be on the hyrdro line right of way, and with our newest litigious societal procedures... no one will give LUP's for that liability, ESPECIALLY, in that terrain. Ski

Ox, that is the Magpie river, behind the house. we are 4 houses west of the gas station. Ski

Dub, back yard, winter/summer

Dub, front yard winter/summer

usually when sinking a sled, you are covered for the sled but, the recovery may be on your dime. your results may vary. Ski

nice Matt! welcome back, you were missed on the trails, and on the forum. been keeping tabs on you the mrs, and Robin via FB. parenthood looks good on you. i have a new closer place for you to fish with us, same lake. Ski

riding in wawa/dubreuilvlle too. if they can make it 6 more days, they will have had rideable snow for SEVEN MONTHS! now you know why we bought a home there. Ski

from a friend in Georgia: Someone had posted it and she thought it was worth sharing. I agree. Ski “I am seeing so much anxiety about resuming business, and so much anger about continued regulations. People are feeling the need to catapult to one side or the other, then fight the opposition. Here’s my perspective, from a mainstream medical model. I think a lot of folks have fallen into the idea that social distancing was meant to stop the viral spread. It wasn’t-it was meant to SLOW it while we put medical infrastructure in place. It has worked. We have, in most parts of Georgia, not been overwhelmed like we likely would have been without protective measures. In the meantime, our testing procedures have gotten better. We’ve increased our ventilator count. We’ve gotten a little better handle on PPE supply chains, and many have helped by making masks and gowns. Phoebe in Albany has a second COVID-19 ICU opened, and Atlanta has a field hospital ready to go. It’s not perfect, but it’s much better than it was seven weeks ago. A vaccine is a long way off. At some point, people have to be systematically exposed to begin the building of (hopeful) herd immunity. We will likely begin to experience a real increase in cases after reopening. Ideally, that exposure is controlled and calculated, in phases, to allow our medical community to respond adequately, and reduce the number of severe or fatal cases. That’s where we are. Whether you feel like Georgia is opening too soon, or not soon enough, we were never going to social distance this thing into nonexistence. You now need to proceed as your health, wallet, and conscience allow. If you are medically vulnerable, you do not need to be a part of what is about to happen. Stay home if you can. If you’re not, or if your financial vulnerability trumps your health concerns, you need to proceed in ways that continue to protect yourself, and the elderly and medically vulnerable around you. All of us need to calm down. Quit telling people who are financially struggling that they don’t care about human lives. Quit telling people who are truly at risk of dying from this virus that they are cowering in fear. Remember that until you’ve walked in someone else’s shoes, you should probably be careful in your judgement's and subsequent harsh words. We don’t HAVE to choose an either/or proposition and fight, we could choose other ways to be. Examples include but are not limited to: “I think this may be too soon, so I will continue to shelter myself, and pray/make masks/ check on those who can’t.” “I really need to go back to work, so I will do so, but I will be careful and try to protect myself, my family, and those around me with healthy strategies.” See how those positions allow each of us to do what we need to, and also respect those who are choosing differently? One thing that allows us to do this is humility. I can acknowledge that I am not an epidemiologist/economist/whatever, that I am making decisions based on my understanding of complex subjects and my own personal health and financial situation, that I am not all knowing, always right, and an expert in all fields, and that each person around me is doing their best too. We can make different choices and still be a supportive community. We can learn and evolve in our understanding of these issues.”