Well, I made the decision to self quarantine today. Several reasons I've done this. I'm an optician working for Walmart, and as such am considered to be in a "non essential medical" classification. Strike one. I'm a Congestive Heart Failure survivor, which puts me at risk. Strike two. My Vision Center has been partially shuttered. We are only seeing patients who need emergency optical treatment, and have suspended sales of eyewear for the time being. Hours of operation have been cut, and we're falling all over each other trying to find stuff to do. I was given hours in the main store cashiering, but that just exposes me to more chances to come in contact with someone who's infected.

I don't want to steal hours off the other opticians. I'm the resident old fart in the crew. They need their hours just like the rest of us. I filled out the leave of absence paperwork this morning. They are saying here in MInnesota, we're still 10 days from the peak infection rate, so I guess at the very least, I'm off work for a couple weeks, but it could be much longer. My wife is relieved that I've take leave.

Oh well, here we go!

Very smart move on your part. Plan for the worst hope for the best. Hasbeen

Ten thousand plus square miles in this county and about 7,500 people. We have universally decided to stop waving at one another when passing on our remote highways.

Go outside and do something. I realize money is going to be short for a while. Shoot, fish,..... even a walk around town.
Probable the right move for your health and piece of mind. But don't shut up in the house.

I think you are damn smart!

I've been self quarantined since Mar 14th. Not so much because I'm afraid of the virus itself, just that the weather has been crappy, and I don't feel like going anywhere. Not great with crowds anyway. Was able to get out and rake leaves, pick up small tree droppings and trim and mow some of the yard last weekend. It will all come around and get back to semi-normal soon enough . . . I hope.

Well Jeff, we weren't about to go on an Ontario fishing trip.

Maybe by the end of the week you can be collecting that big money Oracle pay.

On a serious note, take care.

Awe dang it, now his head is gonna swell up AGAIN!

Stay healthy.

I just finished up my first fishing rod build. It came out pretty decent. I ordered a kit off Jan's Netcraft. Came with everything I needed to do the build. I've got a very basic rod building rack and a rod dryer. Thinking I might spin a rod for each of the kids. Gonna be doing some hiking to find some new deer hunting turf before all the snow goes away. I'll definitely keep busy.

Jeff, do you post pictures?

Sounds like a good pastime.
Know a guy who makes really nice stuff. It's all in the details.. and now you have time to refine the detail stuff
Enjoy!

I've got a Harley soft tail that needs some TLC, and since at age 74 I'm the youngest and healthiest member of my household, I think I'm going to spend the next several days in my shop. Once the bike is back in roadworthy shape, I just might practice some "social distancing" on two wheels! A helmet with a face shield, gloves, and leathers, and a few car lengths' worth of space between me and the rest of the people on the road, plus a "grumpy old man" attitude ought to serve to keep me healthy for quite a while!
Jerry

It's all in the details is a very accurate statement. This was a test run to see if I could do it. My finger dexterity leaves a bit to be desired these days, but the rod came out pretty good except that I used too much lacquer on the windings. I'll get a finer, better quality brush before I do the next one. I played around with a little custom wrap down by the handle, and it actually came out pretty good. Kind of a criss-cross pattern. I'm gonna do an ultralight for my daughter next, and then a muskie pole for her boyfriend.

Yep.

Best of luck!

My head's all ready so big I barely fit in the woods as it is! Seriously, I've got such a big noggin they had to special order me a helmet when I played football, and when we raced sleds, I had to special order a gigundus helmet to get one that fit.

You're a good man gopher' and a good citizen. I hope you catch fish like never before with that new rod

Every day is a "social distancing" day for me, by choice. Smart move on your behalf. Take care of #1.

I’ve been in self quarantine since November of 2016. Only go into town every 2-3 weeks as needed or if the wife needs meds. Freezer is stuffed full, just need milk and bread. Got a 13.5 pound sirloin roast thawing to make jerky. Got a front door in the garage for the one that needs replaced. Got a new post light in the garage to replace the one that’s rotted out.
Loaded 1000 rounds of 223 50 and 55 zambie max up to go along with the 1000 factory just in case the zambies decide to leave the demoncrat cities in search of rural blood. If all that doesn’t fill my time I got 1000 each of 380, 9mm, 357 mag, 41 mag and 45 ACP to load. Might coat them green just in case of zambies since they kill better.
In other words this is a normal time for a retired bum.

Swifty, your life sounds Idyllic to me. Best wishes to you sir, and thanks to everyone for the kind comments. I guess this would be a good chance to try my hand at reloading centerfire ammo. I've got a few weeks before fishing starts. Heck they were still driving on the ice yesterday up here.

Thank you sir, it is idyllic to me. Supposed to be in the 70’s here Wednesday and the outlook is upper 50’s to mid 60’s for the next 15 days. Most of the ice is out on the lakes as we had a mild winter by Nebraska standards so with everybody scared of this stuff I will probably go out and try for some walleye and panfish also.
Good luck and hope you and your family stay healthy.

Gopher-:

On the rod build. Two are three thin lacquer/epoxy layers work better than attempting to soak threads on a single pass. I use a tooth pick or some similar solid pointy object for application. Fewer bubbles than one typically gets with a brush.

Reminds me, I have some finishing touches to complete on a new 16 ft Spey rod.

On subject: If the wind will let up I'm going to the middle of an alfalfa field tomorrow and dump a brick of 22LR's on some Belding's ground squirrels.

Tight lines,

1 minute-thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to try that on the next build. It's looking to be a 5'6" ultralight spinning rod for my daughter. I'd like to just get a kit, but with a 2 piece fiberglass blank, but I'm having trouble finding any kits anywhere in fiberglass, preferably with two footed guides.