Curious: For those planning to be tested and then fully quarantine before gatherings: How many times can one be tested and paid by insurance? First time free, and then pay for each additional test? What is the cost per test?
@abasket, ShawWife is a dual citizen so can go. As the spouse of a Canadian citizen, I could go if it were for an essential purpose (e.g., helping a MIL post-surgery works but staying at our Canadian vacation house doesn’t) and @deb922, thanks.
@happy1, we have just ordered two outside heaters (the same kind that restaurants have). I had ordered two from Wayfair that were supposed to arrive on Sep 2, which got delayed to Sep 4, and then when they hadn’t arrived on Sep 9, I logged in and they said “backordered until Feb 15”. ShawWife called and they said, “Well, we ordered too many and we can’t get them at that price anymore so we could sell you one for $400.” We were not impressed. And, because we have over the last few years rebuilt a house in Canada and then bought a new house and made quite a few purchases, they classify ShawWife as a preferred customer or professional or something. Anyway, I found them for $109 online at Walmart, and they are now one the way.They haven’t arrived yet. We’ll see if they do. Yesterday afternoon, I ordered an infrared heater from Amazon to put in our screen porch. It came at 9 AM this morning. Hopefully that will enable us to have socialization at least for a while. I’m not sure patio heaters or infrared heaters will do much in February in Massachusetts.
@kjofkw - my brother got tested twice over 2 weeks period and he didn’t have to pay. This is in NY. When I got tested for covid antibody I also didn’t get billed.
@abasket I do love my SIL, but COVID has shown how our families differ! My husband is a physician, so at the beginning, he gave several family members a little talk about how to stay safe, along with what behaviors needed to be avoided. While BIL and SIL continued to go out often, we knew our opinion didn’t matter, and their actions were their choice. BUT, we would not continue with our dinners with that side of the family; we usually got together at least twice a month.
What bothered me the most was SIL knew our position, yet made the dinner offer in a way that she knew I would say no. Throwing in the no social distancing was just icing on the cake. She actually invited my 96 year old MIL, knowing MIL was not coming to expose herself, then uninvited her a few days later 
So MIL will not attend, my husband and I will not be there, and my other BIL will not attend. SIL got the holiday dinner she wanted-her kids and granddaughters only! Her oldest daughter is hosting Break the Fast and didn’t bother to invite us, which is fine with me so I don’t have to try to explain to her why we will not attend!
I expect to hike, ski and sled like normal this winter. Freezing temps and 50"+ of snow and all. Anyone who wants can join me. If nothing else, the dog will go. Group of people hike with their dogs every week all year round.
@saillakeerie here in my neck of the woods (Michigan) they are forecasting a colder wetter winter. My xc skis and I are ready! Although the warming huts might be tricky
I believe all Covid tests in CT are at no charge. People have reasons for needing more than one test.
I’m having surgery October 1, and my required Covid test is scheduled for Sept 26. As noted by @oldfort I am required to quarantine until the day of my surgery. There is a lengthy description of what this quarantine is supposed to be. Really, I’m not supposed to be around anyone. I can go outdoors for walks, but have to really keep my distance.
That test is at no charge. But if I traveled in December to a hotspot, I would need another when I returned, or 14 day quarantine.
So for frequent travelers, it’s very possible that more than one test will be needed.
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Happykid’s grad school semester wraps up at Thanksgiving, and she plans to go into self-isolation then for 14 days. After that, she’ll drive here (8 hours in good weather with no problems on I-81), and we will have her, the grand-cat, and the plants she doesn’t trust to a plant-sitter, with us until sometime in January. No road-trip to see MIL & SIL in Miami this year.
We’ve just started talking about Thanksgiving. It’s the one time of year my side of the family gets together and it rotates through 3 family homes and it’s our turn this year. My Ds all want to fly home so we think they’re going to fly out 5-6 days before any other family would come and quarantine in our downstairs. Separate entrance, everything but a kitchen. After 48-72 hours, they’ll take a self administered covid test that you mail in–results in 48h once mailed.
One brother already said he and his family were out but my younger brother and his family, all being cautious, are able to drive (7h) and they can pick up my mom and sister (also cautious) on the way. So, the tentative plan is that we’ll have 11 for Thanksgiving. A lot can happen between now and then but my fingers are crossed that we can be together in a way that feels safe for us.
I tried to get a covid test about a month ago and was told that, without symptoms, I couldn’t because they were in short supply. I really am stunned that we’re 6 months in and it’s still a challenge to get a test. It was shortly after that when I learned about the self-test mail in option.
@collage1 I would double check on those supplies. Are you near a college town at all? Or a large health system? I guess I wouldn’t want to trust the mailing process of the mail in option. (and the processing in time)
@collage1, the cynical part of me thinks the inability to get testing is politically motivated (the government can’t record cases if you can’t get tested), but who knows. I would try again.
We usually do a big Thanksgiving involving an overnight at the Inlaws. They want to do a camping trip the weekend before with about 16 people spread across 6 campsites instead. I’m not sure what they are thinking. Each family will bring their own food. I’m not sure why they think this is a better option and how they think we will social distance. Both of my sister in law’s have people in and out of their houses though they say they are “careful”.
Normal Thanksgiving is everyone comes to MIL and FIL and we all spend the night. We could do thanksgiving day without the sleeping over as all but one of my kids lives within an hour drive. Unless it rains we could eat outside or inside the breezeway of a barn.
Since we won’t be at the inlaws I’m planning my H, kids and their partners plus my sister at my house out on my veranda Thanksgiving day.
We “lucked out” this year. Mr Googie is on call the week, and day, of Thanksgiving so we won’t be able to go visit family as they are all too far away. Local friends know cranky he gets when on call and we wouldn’t subject anyone to that. I’m already planning on something other than turkey.
H confirmed last night that we will not be traveling for the holidays and he will put his foot down with his dad. I’m glad that is off the table.
We will try to see him, via car, in November. He isnt being safe and going out way too much so it will be outdoors.
We usually get together with several close friends for thanksgiving. However, in the last few years, that’s been changing since our friends have been traveling to their D’s place.
This year, we are thinking of driving down to see D for thanksgiving. She will only have one day off that weekend - we are comfortable with going down there (straight drive through, only stopping for gas/food). We will be in her house, cooking and eating at home. Perhaps some take-out. However, we will quarantine after we get back home.
Our friends that go to visit their D said that this year, they are not planning on seeing either of their kids. - for thanksgiving or xmas. Granted their kids are much further away than our D and so, visiting them will likely need a flight or overnight halts.
I will be cooking a thanksgiving dinner for two. We aren’t going anywhere.
Christmas will be celebrated probably on Dec 27, and I’ll be cooking for three (son from OOS will hopefully be here).
The thanksgiving menu is easy. Guess I need to figure out what to make for Christmas.
We’re starting the discussion in my family. Typically, I host, and for the last few years, it’s been at our second home, about two hours away. My kids and their sigs and grandchild stay with us, along with usually my sister. Others are close enough to come for the day.
This year, we’re putting out that the rule is, total two week quarantine if you want to come–no exceptions. My kids have already been being super careful, and can go into hyperdrive whenever needed, and my sister is the same. I just laid it out to my brother. He works part-time and I made it clear, if you can’t do WFH/vacation combo for two weeks, then another time, not this one (there are particular family circumstances that call for NO corner cutting this year.) I’m going to have the same discussion with an aunt we really want to come, who lives near there. I have some other inlaws whom I know can’t follow the rule, so they’ll have to skip this year.
I feel terrible about it, but that is what we are dealing with this year. Hoping next will be a bit more normal.
Well, all I know is S will be flying to Oahu on Wed and in quarantine for 14 days and then can be with us! I’m thrilled as we will have him and D. We also have my mom some days and nights so with just the 5 of us I’d be happy! We normally have the extended family at one of my sibs‘ homes but likely won’t do so this year.
H and I are high risk of complications and most of my sibs have at least 1 or more family members regularly working outside the home—teaching or medical/dental profession or other, so not a good idea to be exposed.
We can wait until there’s an effective vaccine that most folks have had.
Today I had some hard talks.
Background. My husband has an autoimmune disease that has been controlled with great medication. We can go about our daily life and forget about it. He’s had a few complications within the last month and it’s hit me on the head that he has this disease that affects his immune system.
My husband likes to ignore his disease and say that you don’t need to worry about him. Because he is very non confrontational.
My mom called today and asked about Christmas. My sister wants to get together with her family. She works out of the house and her daughter posts on social media many pictures of her out at restaurants with various friends.
I told my mom that I need to worry about my husband and that we will not be getting together this year. That the coronavirus will not have a good outcome for my H. She said that she was sad but she understood. She said that if she got Covid that was fine because she’s lived a good long life (this is very par for the course).
I had basically the same conversation with my mil. That this new diagnosis has hit me hard and that we will not be getting together with extended family.
My bil and sil are just back from a plane trip vacation. My mil planned a dinner before she knew that they were going out of town and can’t figure out how not to invite them. It will be ok, we will dine outside at mil’s house. But my mil understands that her other child is not social distancing and we can’t be around that. We are celebrating milestone birthdays.
My husband said that there was little chance that we would contract the coronavirus from family members but that we need to set the example. He is fine with sitting this year out.
So we will not get together with extended family over thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s only one year, I expect a vaccine next year and what is one year out of a lifetime.