I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[Limes96]

It’s nice coming here every morning with my coffee and “listening” to everybody chat. I don’t post a lot but I enjoy being part of the group. So neat that you’re posting pics of the progress on your nanoblocks project, @ten6mom. Thinking of @Haley R and praying all goes well for you over the next month! I was happy to hear from @hulagirl again this week. I always enjoy those posts! @kylenne - did you go to a Villains After Hours party last August? I think we might have gone to the same party. Could be I’m misremembering. But I had so much fun that trip, with all of my kids plus my bonus daughter (DS’ gf ). Happy memories. I miss hearing from @speedyfishy but will assume all is well for our MS friend. Not much MSing going on right now for me. Some day I’ll make it back to Walmart to load my Serve again. Anyway, that’s my coffee ramble this morning. Everybody stay well!

 

[Judique]

Not sure how expensive your fence project will be but have you looked at U.S. Bank's Visa Leverage card? I hadn't heard of it but it popped up on my radar yesterday and I'm considering it. It's got a pretty high spend attached but in 4 months rather than 3. Annual fee waived the first year.

https://bizcards.usbank.com/credit/business-leverage-card.do

Thank you. I'll take a look at that.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Oh, and even better idea. A friend of mine was making masks for her son to wear at work (as a nurse). She offered to make some for my parents (she lives in my hometown) and me. I said take care of your son and his team, then my parents (who are too old to tolerate this).

Anyway, she is sewing a pouch into each mask, then inserts a cut piece of HEPA filter (which are readily available). She is a mechanical genius! Thought this might be worth it's weight in gold over the next few weeks!

That is the pattern my sister is using now. I think originally the idea was a sub for healthcare workers who couldn’t get medical grade masks. Now more people are just using them out and about.

 

[hsmamato2]

I was just thinking about posting something like this. Does anyone else think 2020 may be a total travel loss? Our next planned vacation is to Whistler B.C. in mid July. I think about the odds of that trip happening daily. So I’m curious as to what others are thinking, and your hopes in terms of when we may get back to traveling. Do you think September-December is possible? We’re postponing our Disneyland trip to December, but some days I wonder if that is even possible. Would love to hear your thoughts about your upcoming travels.

I'm seriously hoping (and maybe making some plans for fall/winter 2020.... but who really knows?

 

[kylenne]

@kylenne - did you go to a Villains After Hours party last August? I think we might have gone to the same party. Could be I’m misremembering. But I had so much fun that trip, with all of my kids plus my bonus daughter (DS’ gf ).

I did! I believe it was the very last one. I was dressed up like a lady Dr Facilier since I was staying at POFQ and it was a blast, so many compliments from CMs. I met Ariel before the party started and she loved my outfit. I loved the atmosphere then, very different to a normal MK day. And the dragon was the highlight.

That was my first solo trip and I had so much fun, I was hooked! Really brought me back to our family trips when I was a kid since we always went either during spring break or in August (NYC schools don’t go back until early September). I actually do really well in heat for the most part so I don’t mind it. Tbh Florida that time of year isn’t much worse than home, except the rain. But I’m the weirdo that loves Disney rain.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. Something like 99.5% effective at filtering down to 3 microns. High quality industrial (not medical) air filters. I'm not convinced you would see that level of filtration in a cloth mask with a pouch, because a lot of air will go around the filter, because the filter will add extra resistance. But, I'm convinced it's an improvement over a plain cloth mask.

The medical grade masks (N95) that healthcare workers use are very tight fitting so essentially all the air you breath must go thru it. We have yearly fit testing to go through to make sure we have the right size mask and know how to use it. They are also adding eye protection (shield, glasses ) now because Coronavirus can enter through your eyes as well apparently. You’re right that the cloth mask won’t do that job. I think my sister is using HEPA vacuum bags and cutting them up to put in masks. I’m not sure how much it helps but it won’t hurt. If you’re using cloth masks, make sure to wash them after every use. In the past we were told the regular thin masks we use are only good for 20-30 minutes and needed to be changed frequently.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

For me it definitely is. My better half has cystic fibrosis and I care for my 80 year old mom with COPD. So I’ve come to terms with 2020 being a wrap on the travel front. I already canceled my solo July trip to the World, even if it’s open I just can’t risk it. We also had Labor Day plans for Quebec City that are canceled. I doubt I could get any time off work anyway at this point. Even though our next new hire class in May will likely be cancelled it’s still all hands on deck.

I’m sorry for all your canceled plans. My mom also has COPD and an immune deficiency. Right now I’m not able to see her at all, my sister is helping her out (although my sister does what she wants, not what mom wants) By Friday it will have been 2 weeks since I’ve been at work, so plan on visiting mom Then I’m back in to work on Saturday.
We haven’t canceled our June DLR trip yet but in my heart I know we will. Since I have no idea how school schedule may change for fall, I can’t plan fall travel either. Right now not planning anything. I feel like there are too many unknowns, including whether we will even be able to pay our mortgage by this time next year.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Considering buying a mask on Etsy. We aren't peaking in VA for seven more weeks so it will get good use.

Did you buy? I need to snag one. Don’t feel like stabbing myself a dozen times trying to sew my own

 

[disneymagicgirl]

With every passing day I am coming more and more to grips that our May30th trip is not going to work out. This is the first one trip to WDW we've told DD7 about ahead of time so not sure how I am going to break that news now. Got all the dinning we wanted, got our FP's setup on Tues morning for everything we wanted except the 30th was 99% distributed, Bugs life was the ONLY thing left. Going to be a complicated trip to move so going to have to call Disney and see what that process will entail. Going to sit on it for a few more weeks tho.

I had to tell DD4 when our 3/16 trip was cancelled. It was cancelled last minute when Disney decided to close...it was only like 3 days prior. She came down to wake up up with a handful of clothing she wanted me to put in the suitcase. I had found out the night prior after she went to bed that they were closing Sunday. Our checkin was to be Monday. It was heartbreaking to tell her, but she took it really well. She was sad, but I just explained that a lot of germs are around and WDW is closing so more people won't get sick and that we would be there in May and if they opened before our next trip we'd squeeze in an extra. Well, now we know that even the may trip likely won't happen. She has no concept of time, so we will just go when it opens. Almost daily she says she wants to go, is it open, how about mickey's boat instead, etc. But she hasn't had a meltdown. Kids are resilient. It is hard though.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Decided to take another long bike ride this morning and ended up in Deerfield Beach. Quaint little beach area that I didn't know existed until I biked through it last Sunday; it was so pretty that I decided to go back this week. There is nothing like riding your bike down the side of the A1A with the Atlantic on one side and the intercoastal on the other (for a few miles of the ride). It's a nice little ride from our house -- 25 miles round trip. This will get me in road-worthy shape for my Backroads cycling trip (that I plan on taking sometime in the next 14 months). I wish I had a road bike here (have more of an off-road bike), but I have to make do with what I have.

Last night I decided to try a few homemade masks. I will donate them to non-essential healthcare workers who are in need. Nothing fancy, but if they can help than I am happy to donate as many as I can make over the next few weeks. I used the instructions from the government of India -- very helpful (I altered it a bit). For anyone interested, you can order baby headbands on Amazon that work very well for the elastic portion that goes behind your ears (I prefer the behind-the-ear method over behind-the-head).

 

[punkin]

DH was going through his craft stuff, cleaning it out and found 3 n95 masks. Not sure what 3 masks will do for me. are they in any way reusable?

 

[havaneselover]

Did you buy? I need to snag one. Don’t feel like stabbing myself a dozen times trying to sew my own

Yes. I bought from ShopNikNaksbyNik. I think she donates one for every one she sells. I also messed up my address and she was very nice and responded right away that she changed it. My estimated delivery date is Thursday.

And yes, I'm not a sewer. One of the few things I miss about my ex!

 

[georgina]

In credit card news, I need an MSR!

While I was outside yesterday I decided a new fence cannot wait any longer. It is a wooden 6ft fence on one side that keeps my dog from getting away and also from barking at the neighbors who enjoy their back yard a lot. The other side is also fenced but not 6ft and will have to wait awhile. It's older but still does what I need it to do. And since the older people don't come out at all, dog has no interest in that side.

Funny, I was just thinking yesterday that I am glad I don't have an MSR right now, as after cancelled May trip for DH (2 week dive resort) and return of a park hopper to UT for me (AP extension will make extra ticket unneeded) we will have over $3000 credit on his CSR to work off.

Edit to add -I am reminding myself that someone posted a while ago that you still need to pay the minimum payment each month even though the statement balance may say 0 owed.

He still hasn't gotten ahold of Chase about the URs for his flights, although he got an email from Philippine air today that they were changing his inbound flight by 24 hours. I know they were giving refunds for cancellations through April 30, hoping it works out.

I had opened BOA premium rewards for both of us as we had 2 air conditioning units replaced in early March. Glad we got that done before the virus hit. We won't be doing any MSR for a long time now!

 

[IFlossU]

I feel like there are too many unknowns, including whether we will even be able to pay our mortgage by this time next year.

This thought nags in the very back of my mind. I try to be optimistic/hopeful that it won’t get to that point, but all the time I have this sense of “how bad is this going to get?”

 

[MKTokyo]

DH was going through his craft stuff, cleaning it out and found 3 n95 masks. Not sure what 3 masks will do for me. are they in any way reusable?

I honestly don’t know. There is so much conflicting information. We bought a case of them at the very beginning of the crisis, but after learning more, we ended up keeping four of them (two for each of us) & donated the rest to the hospital. I really don’t think the average person needs to be wearing them whenever they go outside. I just couldn’t stop thinking “what if something happens to my parents & I want to fly to the US even if it means waiting out the quarantine” - hence why we kept those four. So, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have them around, but you would really only need them in an emergency situation IMO.

 

[nickle831]

I applied for another CIP and was denied. I haven't gone to read the letter yet. Not a big deal. I have one CIP AF coming up that I wanted to down grade. Not sure what I should do though since it may take up to a month for R.C. to refund our cancelled cruise. Has anyone had a refund return on a card that they downgraded?

I'm just waiting for the rest of the hotels/airlines to move their dates out thru June so I can finish canceling plans to get points & money back. I plan on re-booking, but will wait until they start lifting the Stay at home orders everywhere, until then I just browse and daydream about my next vacation. If stuff is still closed then there is no point in going. I will follow all guidelines and precautions, but when the govt says you can go out again, I plan on getting back to normal. The plus that I see to all of this is it has opened the eyes of many individuals and businesses to step up their game for hygiene and cleanliness and personal space and I see that becoming a more normal practice, ( Personal hygiene should already be there IMO, but ya know not everyone thinks like that). It has definitely made me more aware of how much stuff I touch when I go out.

 

[becauseimnew]

Our trip to Utah is in 80 days. Please let it happen.
I did notice that the car rental prices have gone down, I wonder if Delta Vacations will rebook for the lower price and use the savings to upgrade us to comfort plus.

 

[Oscar Madison]

I am so glad I'm not the only one.

I stayed up all night finishing Downton Abbey and working on Himeji Castle. Husband I had planned to ride somewhere today to get out of the house.

Of course I was too tired when the time came so I just cried and went back to bed.

Did you ever see the Downton Abbey movie? Pretty good story/wrap up I thought.

 

[tink1970]

For any of you Plane Princesses out there who don't/can't/won't sew...

https://frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/face-mask-eye-shade-amenity-kit/

 

[punkin]

I honestly don’t know. There is so much conflicting information. We bought a case of them at the very beginning of the crisis, but after learning more, we ended up keeping four of them (two for each of us) & donated the rest to the hospital. I really don’t think the average person needs to be wearing them whenever they go outside. I just couldn’t stop thinking “what if something happens to my parents & I want to fly to the US even if it means waiting out the quarantine” - hence why we kept those four. So, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have them around, but you would really only need them in an emergency situation IMO.

Yes. This is my thinking as well. 3 aren't worth donating and I'm not sure they're worth using. I will keep them just in case.