Foghorn April  2, 2020 - Meeting News

Susan said she was doing fine, seeing neighbors out walking and  making efforts to help others. She remarked that there is a new baby in the house next door and that her partner Dennis had been among the first to get a look at it.

 

Ed said he was doing fine, had enough toilet paper and was continuing work. 

 

Jade said she was doing well, and enjoying time with her host family and riding her bike.

 

Dianne said she was doing fine and feeling well, and that her daughter Michelle was there, visiting from Italy, and did not have to  go back as scheduled. Dianne is still working on the Foghorn each week, catching up with the things at home that she didn't have time for in her regular schedule, and keeping an eye on her son and his partner in Brooklyn. Along the way, she was gaining familiarity with many online meeting platforms. as Bo is working from home and NASA is holding meeting on various platforms that are considered secure.  Ed asked if she liked Zoom. Dianne replied that she liked secure platforms she could use in work. (Many companies and organization are not allowing their employees to use ZOOM because of its major security problems including NASA).

 

Stacy said she was doing fine at home too with gardening, and told the story of the little white seed-bead earrings she wore, which were a gift from a longtime artisan friend -- made very realistically in the shape of rolls of toilet paper, "so you'll never run out," her friend said.

 

EJ is saving paper including the newspaper and started his spring cleaning early. He is seeking opportunities to rehearse with his fellow musicians. He is in touch with clients and family in Europe, and at this time he and they have realized how quickly and thoroughly things can change. He urged everyone to stay safe. 

 

Micah returned recently from Belgium, and spoke of his family's concern for him there at this time and of the route he took home. He spoke with the CDC and was advised to stay in for two weeks, which he is doing. He misses Belgium, and said it was tough to leave early but since it was  a "big mess for everyone there,"  it was for the best. It was hard that he could not say goodbye to his host families.  Now he is catching up with being home again, though the current circumstances have left him with "an apocalyptic feeling." But he has lots of time to figure out what he will d next.

 

Mary said she is "swamped" at the water district, where most of the office staff is  working from home. She updated us on exchange students whose schedules she is busily juggling: Jade from France and Laura from Brazil are in Half Moon Bay till the  end of June, and Juan from Chile and Maurice from Belgium will head home on Friday. Micah is here and safe. Most outbound students are staying home. 

 

Linda is continuing to work and considering online and social media classes.  She also updated us on her mother, who recently had her 88th birthday. She also said she is taking walks and discovering parts of Half Moon Bay she didn't know existed.  

 

Rose has been busy with virtual meetings with clients. She is grateful for the opportunities she has found through technology to connect with children and grandchildren. She also pointed out how hard it is to resist hugs from them! She noted that she misses all us Rotarians, and told us to be well.

 

"Sheltering in place" has been extended until May 3. 

 

Liz is involved with the Table of Plenty, and  Rose remarked how neighbors have helped with shopping, and that the Coastside  Women's Club has been making face masks. President Ed pointed out the silver lining in all this: "the kind of pulling together we haven't seen in our society recently."

 

Ed added that we as a Rotary club should do what we can at a time like this. Bill Johnston noted that he is hanging in there. He asked Mitone to show the photograph of her fishing pole, on the end of which dangled a 2-foot-long striped bass that she had hooked. Did that count as social distancing of some kind?  

 

In response,  Bill showed a video of his latest effort to stay active and upbeat: he converted his staircase into a basketball court with the basket at the top. He dribbles and shoots the ball  up from the bottom of the stairs.

 

Mitone immortalized this virtual Rotary meeting by taking a computer photo of everyone there. She said that she too had been very busy with work while her kids were at home. She said that the first time she went back to the office she found it kind of nice, but added her reaction  to going into Costco and finding supplies sold out. She gave an update on Shelter Box with a Zoom clip. \

 

John Evans said that he and Larkin were fine, though they missed seeing their children and grandchildren. He pointed out how tough the times were for the self-employed. He spoke of scholarship night, the scheduled date of which is to be determined. He also said that past exchange students including Carolina were fine. 

 

Kevin recounted the trials he and Debbie faced when shopping at Costco, but he is getting daily exercise, riding his bike. Unfortunately, he said that performances of "Hamilton," which several Rotarians had planned to attend as a group, had been cancelled. But these days he isn't bored since there are always honey-do jobs like the one he just accomplished: painting the inside of the garage door, which had not been done for 33 years. Fortunately, he is able to continue his business uninterrupted, though he said his heart goes out to small businesses that aren't so fortunate. He has made contributions to Coastside Hope, and asks for prayers for his brother Al, who is in chemotherapy.

 

Ginger shared an observation that she had made when she visited Barterra, that Main Street traffic is noisy, though usually it is quiet as people are sheltering in place. She mentioned Coast Mates Delivers, a local business which delivers food, produce, meals from participating local restaurants, etc., to Coastside homes. 

 

Dave Dickson said that all was well with his family hunkered down at home, and that he is keeping busy by walking his dog twice a day and whipping up home brew  -- who wanted some? What should it be called? Among the suggestions were "Social Distance" and "Flatten the Curve." The name "Corona" was suggested, but that one didn't meet with much enthusiasm. 

 

Warren said that he was seeing a lot of changes with his kids at home. He continues to serve his clients from two computer screens. He's doing a lot of talking with clients, focusing on their long-term goals  and discussing risks or emotional effects of what he sees in business today. He says he's lucky to work from home. Perhaps that helps with his resolution not to shave until the coronavirus crisis is over.

 

Mary described a text from her hairdresser, including some suggestions for color in this week off. Ever the wag, Bill asked Ed if he might be interested. 

 

Exchange student Laura said she'd put the time to good use studying, though since her host family lives a block from the beach she's able to go on some good walks. She said that things in Brazil and in her city were not bad, and that her family is safe. And she indicated that being quarantined isn't bad because she's close to town in Half Moon Bay.

 

Larkin Evans joined the meeting -- or rather, her voice did as her computer did not cooperate with getting her picture in. But she said she's appreciative of all of us, and that it's fun to be here, hearing all the comments and the chatter. At home she's been enjoying TedTalks and its broad spectrum of subjects, since you can type in questions to the speaker, and you can learn a great deal about the coronavirus

 

EJ encouraged us to stay positive and optimistic. After three weeks on lockdown, he's taking advantage of plenty of opportunities to get updated on what's going on with the Rotary Foundation . He encouraged us, at this time, to not lose our identities as Rotarians. He said he'd circulate a Foundation update around the club via email. He also noted that since the usual system of  collecting dues has been difficult lately, once things get back to normal, those who have been paying for lunches will get a credit against their dues for the lunches that were not served. 

 

Dave Andrews said that all was well with his family, and though no one is working there's no going crazy at his house.

 

Mitone said that though she had no heard from Bonnie Dunham, she had tried and would keep trying to get her on these calls, and likewise with Heather Bodmann. Ginger, who sometimes sees Heather, will try to get in touch with both. 

 

Next week's Rotary meeting will be held  the same time, same way

 

There will be a board and Foundation meeting on Monday. Ed said he'd welcome suggestions for anything we can do to make this time easier for our fellow members and for the Coastside.