I like to pause once every week or two and look back through my photos to relive memorable moments, remember the forgotten ones, and reflect upon adventures of the recent past. Sharing them here helps me live in the moment...retroactively.
Because of the recent lockdown and subsequent stay-at-home order, it took a couple weeks to come up with the level of action you are all used to. I strive to drink it all in no matter what is going on.
Let's check out a couple weeks of lockdown, Zeke style.
The weather is getting mild and sunny but many folks are staying home as is the order. Our province got up to over 4400 new Covid cases per day...let that sink in. It was enough to lock the whole province down including my small town which has 1 new case in a town of 40,000. It is easier to paint everyone with one brush so we have at least a month of lockdown which will not let up til the larger population centers get the outbreak under control.
Makes for limited adventure and sparse people watching.
One way to enjoy the spring during restrictions is time in the garden. It is still early and only the annual perennial plants are out, garden is unplanted for the most part, and things have just started to pop. My strawberries were planted last year and are apparently fixin' to come on early and strong.
If this sight it any indication, my lilacs may return after a fairly light summer of 2020. They are right beside the dining room window and make the house smell great when there is a breeze and the window is open.
When you work from home normally, it is unsurprising that there is no shortage of work to do in a lockdown. For the whole year, and especially this month, I work with select restaurants who don't enjoy closed dining rooms in the slightest. This is my buddy Blake and his latest creation. Popcorn Crawfish! Crawdad tails tossed in their in-house spices, fried golden perfect, and served with cajun aioli.
Work can be delicious too!
I did manage to get some onsite work done before the lockdown. A brewery is reopening after an ownership transformation and is doing it right with a new network. Wires to run and networks to assemble so that I can pay the team now and another cool chapter in Beerology along with a few pints when we are done.
When you are lucky like I am, you have access to a garage with mats where you can train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. My friends who train in the big city are going nuts right now because the schools are closed up tight, the pandemic his hitting extra hard with the tighter human concentration, and there is very little training going on at all. It is nice to stay a little active during gym closures and very encouraging to go through instructional videos and make progress on weaker spots in your game. With 10 extra pounds of covid weight and a pile of new sweeps and submissions to try out, I can't wait to get back to regular training asap.
I had the opportunity to spend some time with my friend Geza who is originally from Ethiopia and is the the president of the regional multicultural association www.maph.ca Some time, I am working on their digital business mechanisms, and others, we are shopping for community members in need.
More recently, they have launched a shuttle service for newcomers and vulnerable community members to bring them to their Covid vaccination. Only Geza would think to add a red carpet to the experience. "They are VIPs for doing what it takes and getting their shot" he says with that effervescent joy.
Of course there was beer! I have had to pivot to Shorty of the Week when hanging with @detlev and the #BeerSaturday crew as the pint in a pub of the week is not happening with all bars, pubs and restaurants closed. That is not slowing us down as, thankfully, the hoser government deemed breweries and beer stores to be essential and able to stay open in the lockdown. All the more time to enjoy a new pint at home, or an old one returned like this one from Great Lakes Brewery which I will review this weekend.
The sun is going down on another couple of fun and fruitful weeks. I was telling my little one about how @daveks has taken so many pictures of blazing western sunsets. While driving home from picking up some take-out, we caught a nice moment, though only on an iphone with an unwiped lens, and doing about 60. If this is as bad as it gets, I am pretty good with that!
We are back into grey LOCKDOWN mode for at least the month of April. Only essential stores are open and restricted in capacity and in-store service. The kids are taking their April Break (Delayed March Break) and will be learning from home rather than return to the schools next week. Bafflingly, teachers are not considered front line workers and are not cleared to receive the vaccine yet. Hopefully, numbers scare the shit out of people no longer being careful, and drop because of the lockdown restrictions. Small business depends upon a reopening and are ready to return to safe revenue generation and employing community members. Til, then, I have beer and blockchain!
Thanks for checking in. Stay safe and happy 'til the next Zekely.
I am honoured to curate for:
Looks like you guys are about a week ahead of us. Lilacs are just starting to bud. Love it when they are in full bloom. You are right they permeate through the whole house.
Indeed.
They don't seem to bloom every year and I think last year was an off year. Hopefully they go nuts this sumnmer.
!BEER
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BEER.Hey @jasonbu, here is a little bit of
BEERfrom @zekepickleman for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.Therefore a !BEER from me
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BEER.Hey @zekepickleman, here is a little bit of
BEERfrom @detlev for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.My oldest son also practices jiu jitsu.
He's in black clothes.