Liezel and Larry Kennedy and their two children are finally headed home after gaining a Facebook following for their experience in quarantine..The ranchers from Shamrock, Saskatchewan returned from South Africa to the airport in Toronto on December 3. However, they had to stay in quarantine until a health officer could confirm their negative COVID-19 test results to get their connecting flight to Calgary..In the meantime, they suffered an ordeal..The ranchers made international news in November of 2015 for losing a flock of 550 sheep only to find they were well camouflaged in fields of snow and stubble. Their recent fame came with a series of “quarantine updates” on Facebook, the first being made at 8:17 am on December 4..For those following our quarantine travel:.Landed in Toronto at 1 p.m. Took forever through security. .They lost our luggage. .Got our COVID tests done and waited for the shuttle to the hotel. .Got to hotel after5- waited in shuttle..Finally got to our room at 6pm. .There’s no front desk to call, you have to call Red Cross office in Calgary to arrange anything..The water was cold. It worked a bit but cold water again this morning..Supper was delivered cold(burgers. Safe food handling anyone????) .we have no microwave . A second hot supper delivered later ð¤·âï¸ð¤ª.Was on hold with Red Cross 2x to try arrange for some milk for Lincoln. WE.are.in.a.hotel people!!!!!! Finally got milk delivered at 8pm..Not allowed outside food delivery..It looks like E.T. house in here- white tarps and duct tape covers everything. .Breakfast was pancakes, sausage and hash browns- stone cold. .There’s hot water again now. We have 2 towels for our family of 4..The hotel description was similar to one of a Calgary quarantine hotel by one of its residents, in a June article by this author entitled, “The cross-border quarantine gong show.” .The Kennedy family issued a second update at 7:28 am December 5..Part 2 of our quarantine saga!.Yesterdays lunch was better, had warm soup and a wrap at least. .Supper was rice and Mongolian beef- not really something the kids wanted to eat but ok. .Our test results came in last night- negative! .On the phone with Red Cross to try get clearance to leave. Average hold time is 30 minutes. .Breakfast was pretty gross. Pork sausage (possibly the same ones from yesterday morning judging by the texture).Hash Brown patty ( I’ve had better at fast food restaurants) and a gross soggy quiche- all cold. We think that you can get better at a 7/11…..Lucky we have a microwave now. .Yoghurt and apple and juice. .Made Some phone calls this morning, our luggage was located in Calgary yay! .Hoping we get bail today…...When asked by Marina Loots if the couple could take photos, Liezel Kennedy responded, “They ask us not to.”.To that Karen /Les Whittingham replied, “if there is nothing to hide … What communist country do we live in where they forbid taking pictures ð¤·âï¸ So crazy!”.At 4:39 a.m. on December 6, Liezel offered a third update..Monday morning! We are still here. Last night we had hot water!!! Managed to bathe kids and put them back in dirty clothes ð¤·âï¸ .That was short lived, Larry wanted to shower this morning back to cold water again. .Saturday we asked for pen and paper (cannot stress this enough, it’s a frikken HOTEL) dish soap for sippy cups, hot chocolate for Liam. Nothing yet. Requested diapers yesterday, I needed a size 5, Red Cross told me they got size 4 and 6 ð¤·âï¸ we are in Toronto. Surely there are size 5 diapers in Toronto? I’m not from here but 𤨠got diapers and wipes delivered at least. Supper was fish and rice and mixed veg. Lunch was wrap and cold soup. Spicy fish. 4 adult servings of spicy fish. .We got thermometers delivered and told to take our own temperature this morning, they will call us between 8 and 9. .Hazmat cleaning ladies came to vacuum yesterday afternoon — we had to stay in our room. Feel bad for them trying to work in full hazmat gear. .We’ve been contacting media through our WhatsApp group. Hoping to raise awareness of the ridiculousness here..Marcia Holmes asked on Facebook if they could order in food. Liezel Kennedy replied,.“No they don’t allow it although now that we’ve spoken to some staff here they might allow a few to slip through because they realize how ridiculous it is.”.Monday at 11:15 a.m. came the fourth update..Update 4!.Guess what? We still have cold water ð¤ªð .We spoke to CBC Saskatchewan .Some other folks here spoke to other reporters..Global News is parked outside the hotel. .Still no word on getting out ðððð.By 4:15 p.m, the couple had good news..WE GOT THE CALL!!!! WE GOT THE CALL!!!! we are free! We Will fly tomorrow as it’s too late now to make our connecting flight. .Can’t be more relieved right now!.Harding is a Western Standard contributor based in Saskatchewan.,.lharding@westernstandardonline.com
Liezel and Larry Kennedy and their two children are finally headed home after gaining a Facebook following for their experience in quarantine..The ranchers from Shamrock, Saskatchewan returned from South Africa to the airport in Toronto on December 3. However, they had to stay in quarantine until a health officer could confirm their negative COVID-19 test results to get their connecting flight to Calgary..In the meantime, they suffered an ordeal..The ranchers made international news in November of 2015 for losing a flock of 550 sheep only to find they were well camouflaged in fields of snow and stubble. Their recent fame came with a series of “quarantine updates” on Facebook, the first being made at 8:17 am on December 4..For those following our quarantine travel:.Landed in Toronto at 1 p.m. Took forever through security. .They lost our luggage. .Got our COVID tests done and waited for the shuttle to the hotel. .Got to hotel after5- waited in shuttle..Finally got to our room at 6pm. .There’s no front desk to call, you have to call Red Cross office in Calgary to arrange anything..The water was cold. It worked a bit but cold water again this morning..Supper was delivered cold(burgers. Safe food handling anyone????) .we have no microwave . A second hot supper delivered later ð¤·âï¸ð¤ª.Was on hold with Red Cross 2x to try arrange for some milk for Lincoln. WE.are.in.a.hotel people!!!!!! Finally got milk delivered at 8pm..Not allowed outside food delivery..It looks like E.T. house in here- white tarps and duct tape covers everything. .Breakfast was pancakes, sausage and hash browns- stone cold. .There’s hot water again now. We have 2 towels for our family of 4..The hotel description was similar to one of a Calgary quarantine hotel by one of its residents, in a June article by this author entitled, “The cross-border quarantine gong show.” .The Kennedy family issued a second update at 7:28 am December 5..Part 2 of our quarantine saga!.Yesterdays lunch was better, had warm soup and a wrap at least. .Supper was rice and Mongolian beef- not really something the kids wanted to eat but ok. .Our test results came in last night- negative! .On the phone with Red Cross to try get clearance to leave. Average hold time is 30 minutes. .Breakfast was pretty gross. Pork sausage (possibly the same ones from yesterday morning judging by the texture).Hash Brown patty ( I’ve had better at fast food restaurants) and a gross soggy quiche- all cold. We think that you can get better at a 7/11…..Lucky we have a microwave now. .Yoghurt and apple and juice. .Made Some phone calls this morning, our luggage was located in Calgary yay! .Hoping we get bail today…...When asked by Marina Loots if the couple could take photos, Liezel Kennedy responded, “They ask us not to.”.To that Karen /Les Whittingham replied, “if there is nothing to hide … What communist country do we live in where they forbid taking pictures ð¤·âï¸ So crazy!”.At 4:39 a.m. on December 6, Liezel offered a third update..Monday morning! We are still here. Last night we had hot water!!! Managed to bathe kids and put them back in dirty clothes ð¤·âï¸ .That was short lived, Larry wanted to shower this morning back to cold water again. .Saturday we asked for pen and paper (cannot stress this enough, it’s a frikken HOTEL) dish soap for sippy cups, hot chocolate for Liam. Nothing yet. Requested diapers yesterday, I needed a size 5, Red Cross told me they got size 4 and 6 ð¤·âï¸ we are in Toronto. Surely there are size 5 diapers in Toronto? I’m not from here but 𤨠got diapers and wipes delivered at least. Supper was fish and rice and mixed veg. Lunch was wrap and cold soup. Spicy fish. 4 adult servings of spicy fish. .We got thermometers delivered and told to take our own temperature this morning, they will call us between 8 and 9. .Hazmat cleaning ladies came to vacuum yesterday afternoon — we had to stay in our room. Feel bad for them trying to work in full hazmat gear. .We’ve been contacting media through our WhatsApp group. Hoping to raise awareness of the ridiculousness here..Marcia Holmes asked on Facebook if they could order in food. Liezel Kennedy replied,.“No they don’t allow it although now that we’ve spoken to some staff here they might allow a few to slip through because they realize how ridiculous it is.”.Monday at 11:15 a.m. came the fourth update..Update 4!.Guess what? We still have cold water ð¤ªð .We spoke to CBC Saskatchewan .Some other folks here spoke to other reporters..Global News is parked outside the hotel. .Still no word on getting out ðððð.By 4:15 p.m, the couple had good news..WE GOT THE CALL!!!! WE GOT THE CALL!!!! we are free! We Will fly tomorrow as it’s too late now to make our connecting flight. .Can’t be more relieved right now!.Harding is a Western Standard contributor based in Saskatchewan.,.lharding@westernstandardonline.com
