COVID Buddy-check thread

Blind Owl

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Come to the West Coast dude! I think a couple of Testies are out here including our Dear Leader.
Yeah man, I have so much history on the left coast, it ain't even funny. I was born in Squamish, went to high school in North Van, lived through the 90's range scene in Vancouver. Geographically, my heart has never left the PNW. I'd love to come home.
Come to LA, we can get a bunch of us and go have a picnic on the front lawn of CIG headquarters!
Amen to this. I'm thinking the trip in October may be kaput now, but I will make it down there at some point for a meetup of some sort.
 
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Vavrik

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Yeah man, I have so much history on the left coast, it ain't even funny. I was born in Squamish, went to high school in North Van, lived through the 90's range scene in Vancouver. Geographically, my heart has never left the PNW. I'd love to come home.
I was a military brat, so we moved too often for me to feel like I'm home. In my mind, my home is still the Ottawa Valley, that's where I raised my kids. But my family lives in Nova Scotia and B.C. In B.C., the epicenter is a little to the left of Vancouver. Most beautiful place on the planet to me.
 

Blind Owl

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I was a military brat, so we moved too often for me to feel like I'm home. In my mind, my home is still the Ottawa Valley, that's where I raised my kids. But my family lives in Nova Scotia and B.C. In B.C., the epicenter is a little to the left of Vancouver. Most beautiful place on the planet to me.
A little too the left of Vancouver. I love it. You know, every time I go back to the Island, I'm at risk of going AWOL, as it's just so freaking beautiful. The absolute stunning vistas... Good God I wanna go back.
 

Vavrik

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A little too the left of Vancouver. I love it. You know, every time I go back to the Island, I'm at risk of going AWOL, as it's just so freaking beautiful. The absolute stunning vistas... Good God I wanna go back.
You get to retire some day. My family mostly lives in the vicinity of Cowichan Bay, I forgot the new name of the straight that separates the island from the mainland, it changed recently to a more appropriate name. Salt Spring Island is a little to the north.

I once took a rowboat out (which... was a feat considering it was a 1970 14 foot aluminium car topper that had fallen off the car while traversing a freeway once) and dropped a crab pot in the water. Then I rowed back to shore, sprinted up to my uncle's house to go to the can, then rowed back to the crab pot. I mean the crabs were having races to see who could get the salmon head bate. 10 minutes max. Some were hanging on the sides of the crab pot. One decided to leave his claw behind and bailed at the last minute. I got 32 dungeness crab and 1 claw from that one trip. We fed 15 people with those crab and some roasted corn on the cob.
 

Blind Owl

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You get to retire some day.
Lol, I think my wifey wants to retire to the East Coast. I have no problem with this idea, apart from the differences in winters, lol. She's from New Brunswick.
My family mostly lives in the vicinity of Cowichan Bay, I forgot the new name of the straight that separates the island from the mainland, it changed recently to a more appropriate name. Salt Spring Island is a little to the north.
Strait of Georgia? Haro Strait?
I once took a rowboat out (which... was a feat considering it was a 1970 14 foot aluminium car topper that had fallen off the car while traversing a freeway once) and dropped a crab pot in the water. Then I rowed back to shore, sprinted up to my uncle's house to go to the can, then rowed back to the crab pot. I mean the crabs were having races to see who could get the salmon head bate. 10 minutes max. Some were hanging on the sides of the crab pot. One decided to leave his claw behind and bailed at the last minute. I got 32 dungeness crab and 1 claw from that one trip. We fed 15 people with those crab and some roasted corn on the cob.
Damn. That's a hell of a feast. And a damn good story, haha. Well done.
 

Blind Owl

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Pretty much. Gotta fly from the middle of the USA to Japan. Bit of a trip.
Damn brother, that's hard. I can't imagine being that far away from my family at a time like this. Although I did just get home from an 8 month deployment in February, so I was almost stuck overseas. What you're doing takes a lot of strength. Kudos to you. Don't hesitate to reach out if you're having a tough time. We're all in this together.
 

smeggy

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Damn brother, that's hard. I can't imagine being that far away from my family at a time like this. Although I did just get home from an 8 month deployment in February, so I was almost stuck overseas. What you're doing takes a lot of strength. Kudos to you. Don't hesitate to reach out if you're having a tough time. We're all in this together.
Yeah, it is tricky.
They have been over since July, so getting used it still. Being married for 10 years and having two kids, and suddenly going to just living with two insane cats is a bit of a change.
Luckily we talk almost weekly, depending on our schedules. Also got spend a month there the end of last year through mid January before this all began.
 

Blind Owl

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Yeah, it is tricky.
They have been over since July, so getting used it still. Being married for 10 years and having two kids, and suddenly going to just living with two insane cats is a bit of a change.
Luckily we talk almost weekly, depending on our schedules. Also got spend a month there the end of last year through mid January before this all began.
Yeah man, being able to video chat kept me sane while I was away. I'm glad that you had some time with them before this kicked off. Keep your lines of communications open with them and pray to God this thing is over sooner rather than later.
 

Grimbli

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Will we be wearing matching yellow and black outfits?
I'd almost want to get us t-shirts printed for an event like that.

Amen to this. I'm thinking the trip in October may be kaput now, but I will make it down there at some point for a meetup of some sort.
I hope not, but we'll have to see. Things are definitely messed up and will be for a while.
 

Blind Owl

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I'd almost want to get us t-shirts printed for an event like that.
Hahah, yeah man, I'm geek enough to do this, for sure.
I'd almost want to get us t-shirts printed for an event like that.


I hope not, but we'll have to see. Things are definitely messed up and will be for a while.
Yeah they are. And yeah they will be, unfortunately.
 

Vavrik

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Salish Sea is what I was looking for. My father had a bit of a business for a time after he retired, taking groups on 3 day hiking, biking or boating tours in the area. By boating I mean even kayaks. It depended on the skill of the group, but it was one of the best ways to see the whales.

On the East Coast, I strongly recommend the South Shore of Nova Scotia, or anywhere along either side of the Bay of Fundy. I don't recommend the Minas Basin if you have a boat... 50 foot tides are cool to watch but can play havoc with your wallet.
 

Sraika

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I was a military brat, so we moved too often for me to feel like I'm home. In my mind, my home is still the Ottawa Valley, that's where I raised my kids. But my family lives in Nova Scotia and B.C. In B.C., the epicenter is a little to the left of Vancouver. Most beautiful place on the planet to me.
A little too the left of Vancouver. I love it. You know, every time I go back to the Island, I'm at risk of going AWOL, as it's just so freaking beautiful. The absolute stunning vistas... Good God I wanna go back.
my grandparents on my dad's side live out there, a bit north of nanaimo
it's really nice
havent been out there for a while, tho, and if this whole lockdown thingy keeps up it'll also be a while before im able to again :/
 

Blind Owl

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Salish Sea is what I was looking for. My father had a bit of a business for a time after he retired, taking groups on 3 day hiking, biking or boating tours in the area. By boating I mean even kayaks. It depended on the skill of the group, but it was one of the best ways to see the whales.

On the East Coast, I strongly recommend the South Shore of Nova Scotia, or anywhere along either side of the Bay of Fundy. I don't recommend the Minas Basin if you have a boat... 50 foot tides are cool to watch but can play havoc with your wallet.
Oh we'll be on the bay, or the Saint John River. Her mom and family live in the Saint John area. I freaking love it. It's gorgeous there. Not quite BC, but quite nice.
my grandparents on my dad's side live out there, a bit north of nanaimo
it's really nice
havent been out there for a while, tho, and if this whole lockdown thingy keeps up it'll also be a while before im able to again :/
Yeah man, I have plenty of family from my moms side out on the Island in the Nanaimo area. It's amazing there.
 

Vavrik

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There are always solutions to the alcohol problem. Don't let a oil company brewer ruin your day, make your own. You can also let your son make some root beer at the same time, so he can be "just like dad". You can play a game of catch, then sit around with him having a brew, telling stories, shooting the shit breeze, and you can teach him how to whistle at the chicks or gamble his allowance away playing Go Fish.

People have been doing this (well the first part) for at least 7 thousand years, we actually have a recipe from 3900 BC.
 

Blind Owl

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You can play a game of catch, then sit around with him having a brew, telling stories, shooting the shit breeze, and you can teach him how to whistle at the chicks or gamble his allowance away playing Go Fish.

People have been doing this (well the first part) for at least 7 thousand years, we actually have a recipe from 3900 BC.
This is literally my life right now. Well, always, but always right now. If that makes sense?
 
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