Tag: covid-19

The Numbers

428 new deaths taking the total to 33,614. Brazil seem to be at their peak now with 835 deaths in the last 24 hours. However, when we look at deaths per million population it’s a different picture:

• Belgium 769
• Spain 584
• Italy 519
• UK 495
• France 420
• Sweden 350
• Netherlands 326
• USA 263
• Germany 95
• Brazil 66

The News

An antibody test has been approved. It is said to be 100% accurate in terms of telling you if you have had the virus. That is all it tells you. That you have antibodies to the virus so you must have had it at some point and were immune at the time the test was done. It doesn’t tell you how long you will be immune for.

So, what does this mean. It means we could get a more accurate picture of how many people have been infected. It also means for the people that find out they have had it, that they had the illness and they didn’t die from it. For M that could be huge. He is living with the expectation that he will almost certainly die if he gets the virus. What if he won’t? What if he’s had it and he didn’t. It would take at least some of the risk out of travelling to Barbados.

One study has estimated that 19 million might already have been infected. Almost a third of the population. That could be good because the more people that have had it the closer we are to reducing the viral load out there in the community.

Its the first day of the new “relaxed” lockdown guidance. Garden Centres opened today and people have been out in their droves buying plants it appears. When M went for his bike ride hw said their were significantly more cars on the roads. Is transmission going to increase? Will we have another wave? There were still over 3,000 new cases reported yesterday so it’s still out there.

The New Way of Life

The big drama of the day was that I fell over when I was out for my daily walk. I was so shaken up I didn’t write this blog post yesterday – I’m writing it on Friday morning.

I was walking down a narrow footpath in the nature reserve near our village. I was rushing because I was conscious that the path was so narrow that if I met anyone coming the other way we’d have to get a bit too close for comfort.

Anyway, I tripped and fell flat on my face. I crashed nose first onto the edge of the path. I was so stunned I couldn’t even get up for couple of minutes. When I did, I realised my nose was bleeding. I had no tissues so my face and hands were quickly covered in blood. But, I had no idea what I looked like and I had to walk home.

I must have passed four or five people on my way back. All of them looked at me in horror and one woman placed a tissue on the ground for me to pick up.

I was almost home when I realised that I wasn’t wearing my glasses! They must have fallen off and in my daze I hadn’t noticed. I had to go back and try and find them. It took me a while, searching through the undergrowth, trying to remember exactly where I fell. A young couple stopped to help, in a socially distanced way. But, I did find them and headed home on another walk of shame to get myself cleaned up.

My nose is pretty sore and I had a headache for the rest of the day but I’m quite excited to have my first ever black eye!

 

We did some work on Key Ways yesterday. We have a seminar next Thursday which we need to prepare for.

We had a little writers group virtual catch-up at 3 to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting. Had to join them on a cheeky little afternoon glass of wine!

We had our first takeaway curry! Washed down all the packaging and only ate the cooked food – left the salad. It was nice but not as nice had we had imagined it would be. M says he prefers my home cooked curries which I have been doing every Friday but it taken me most of the afternoon.

So this week we have broken our new Covid routine. We had our curry on Thursday! What will we do Friday?!? Actually, I still have half of mine left so M is going to have a defrost a chill for himself. Yey! No cooking for two nights in a row!!!!

The Numbers

494 new deaths taking the “official” total to 33,186.

The News

The government have announced that house sales can resume, in a socially distanced and thoroughly sanitised way of course. Whatever?!

Primary schools are set to open on the 1st of June.

The unions are up in arms about all of this. I heard from a teacher that their unions are not happy about staff safety if schools re-open. The general feeling among teachers seems to be that this is not about children, but about getting their parents back to work.

Transport workers unions are threatening to stop trains running after crowds of people used public transport to return to work today.

I hope it doesn’t happen, but I’m predicting a second wave that is worse than the first. It’s just too soon. I know it’s hard and some people are really suffering economically but we could be making things even worse for ourselves.

Jeremy Corbyn posted this on Facebook a couple of days ago:

Today I challenged Boris Johnson on how this crisis has exposed grotesque levels of inequality and vulnerability.
Now he has given unscrupulous employers carte blanche to force people back to work when it is not safe, putting more lives in danger.
People must come before profit.

The New Way of Life

Sadly, the cleaner from the pub at the end of our road lost her battle with Covid-19 yesterday. She had been on a ventilator for 4 weeks after falling ill early on in the crisis.

Last night we finished watching Gangs of London. Very good. Very violent, very gripping and very confusing but very addictive. We would definitely recommend if you have a strong stomach!

Last night, around midnight, an ambulance pulled up next door. I thought it sounded like someone was having their shopping delivered and looked out the window to see who on earth would be delivering at that time!

Instead, I saw the baby next door being taken off in the ambulance with her mother. She’s only about 9 months old. Mum is still on maternity leave. Her parents are both doctors. Dad works in an Accident and Emergency Department. I hope she’s ok. No idea what could be wrong.

I’ve been feeling a bit off the past few days. Dull headache, slight sore throat, sore irritated eyes and feeling very tired. I think it might be hay fever. I can’t see how I could have caught a cold from anywhere! Last night I couldn’t sleep because I had a tickly cough. I felt so bad this morning I took a Lemsip and one of M’s super-strong antihistamines. I feel better but headache is creeping back in now.

This Covid-19 thing has a tendency to cause extreme sensitivity and paranoia about every ache or pain or sniffle.

We had a virtual meeting with our potential client this morning. Unfortunately, it turns out that they can’t use Zoom, our preferred platform, as they are a public sector organisation. They can only use Microsoft Teams.

I spent the whole morning and the first part of the afternoon looking into this. Making phone calls, watching tutorials, reading reviews etc. etc. about Microsoft Teams.

The conclusion is that Teams is just too “big” for us to consider as a small, family business. We’d have to transfer all our personal Microsoft data over to the business account.  It would duplicate some stuff and give us some stuff that we would never use. So, we’re going to stick with Zoom as the one we pay for. We’ll have to see if it will work if the client hosts the event and invites us as guests.

The good news is, that we have couple of takers for our free seminar next week for the local business network. That is a real motivation for us to do some work on that tomorrow.

The new guidance states that two people can meet in a park for a while as long as they stay 2 metres apart. It also allows picnics! My daughter and I have arranged to meet in a park next Thursday evening, after the baby has gone to bed (and after our on-line seminar!). We are going take rugs, snacks and wine! I can’t wait! I think its in keeping with the rules and safe. M is ok with it. He’s going to run me over there and pick me up.

I’ve had a really frustrating day. Seemed to have spend a lot of time with nothing to show for it. I went for a lovely long walk on my own in the late afternoon. M seems a bit grumpy too. He’ll read this and will get even grumpier but it is what it is …

Our supplies are running low. We badly need out next shop to arrive. It’s due Friday.

I’m on the wine early tonight! I need it!

The Numbers

627 new deaths taking the total to 32,965, reflecting the usual peak after the weekend trough. ONS data suggests that the UK has seen 55,000 excess mortality during the Covid-19 epidemic.

The News

The job furlough scheme is going to be extended until October at a cost of £8 billon per month to the government.

Lots of questions still about anomalies in the new guidance. For example, a fifty year old Teaching Assistant is to return to work but is still not permitted to see her own grandchildren. People can meet one person from their family in a park as long as they stay 2 metres apart, but they can’t do the same in their own garden no matter how big it is.

The New Way of Life

I smashed my phone screen this morning. Quite a disaster in The Time of Covid. It’s a bit of a lifeline. Found a shop online in Selly Oak where I could get it repaired. So, I got up and dressed and put my makeup on for my big adventure!

I took a mask with me. I didn’t wear it. I felt silly and no-one else was. I bought some back in March when we were still planning to go to Athens. Seems like a lifetime ago now.

It was nice to get out. The car was still working! The sun was shining. There was lots of traffic and people about. Where were they all going?

The shop felt very safe. One customer at a time, social distancing and all that. I handed over my phone, picked it up 40 minutes later with a brand new shiny screen for just £35.

Actually, it wasn’t quite like that! As soon as I had dropped it off I needed to go to the loo. Everywhere that might have been a potential loo stop In the past was closed. I couldn’t pop in to a garage or a café, or even a supermarket. By the time I had queued to get in I could have been home and back!  I was 15 minutes from home, around 6 or 7 miles away. I didn’t think I could wait 40 minutes for my phone and then another 15 in the car. So, I drove all the way home, relieved myself, and drove all the way back! Oh well, at least the car got a good run out!

Spent the afternoon reading and writing. The day seemed to fly past.

We’ve got some interest for an online seminar! Watch this space. Fingers crossed.

Trying out Fondant Potatoes for dinner tonight – along with jerk pork chops and greens.

 

The Numbers

There have been another 210 deaths taking the total to 32,065.

The News

It’s fair to say the country is in uproar since Boris’s statement last night. It seems to have generated more confusion than ever. Social media is awash with people scratching their heads. The police, businesses and unions seem horrified. Asking if they have to go to work or not? How are they going to get there? Do their kids have to go to school? Can they refuse? Can they go out more? What does that look like in reality? Some of the backlash has been really funny. Even people who are hard-nosed Tories are expressing their frustration. I think that Boris might finally have blown it!

Anonymous Facebook Quote: I’m staying home tomorrow. I don’t know how I’m going to get here; cos I can’t get the bus. Don’t worry though, on Wednesday we can all go and sit in the park; and if R doesn’t get any bigger we might go through to stage 3

A 50 page document has apparently been published outlining further details such as:

• the suggested wearing of face coverings in enclosed spaces like shops and public transport
• the ability to meet up with another member of your family in a park as along as you practice social distancing
• the ability to drive to open spaces irrespective of distance
• travel to work if its open
• avoid public transport where possible
• timetable will be delayed if infections rise.
• restrictions could be imposed at any time
• lockdown could be enforced in defined geographical areas.

There is a lot of discussion around the 14 day quarantine for people coming into the country.  Will this apply for people coming in by routes other than air. What about trains and boats and cars, via ferry or tunnel? If you go on a two week holiday or a weekend away, will you have to quarantine for two weeks when you return?

Scotland, Wales and Ireland have not relaxed their Stay at Home advice. Should they allow people from England into their countries and risk bringing the infection with them? How far can people travel to their open spaces. If they live near a border would that exclude Scotland or Wales from their potential options.

How can people go to work if the schools have not gone back? Who will look after their children? How will they get there is they cant use public transport. What if their workplace isn’t safe? Can they be forced to go back?

All I know is that none of it will affect M and I. We are continuing as instructed, at least, until the end of  June. We will watch what develops with interest.

The New Way of Life

As M and I enter month three of our isolation we are just carrying on as usual.

We stayed up late last night watching Gangs of London. M was up early for a virtual meeting. He’s been in and out them all day.

The weather isn’t great again.

I had a Zoom meeting with the subject and co-author of my biography project. Its coming along well. We’ve entered a new phase. Up until now I have been working from notes that she has made but I have reached the end of these now. Now I’m going to use legal and medical documents she has given me, a timeline spreadsheet I created at the start of the project and interview with her. I recorded our Zoom meeting today which will be a very useful function of the platform. I then spent the rest of the day working on the next chapter.

I made a stock with yesterdays chicken carcass and I’ll make some soup this evening. I’m making a veggie bake for dinner.

The icing arrived for the monkey cake! Eek!

M has been sent an appointment for a blood test by his immunologist at a special clean “shielded” centre on the 20th of May. That will be an adventure. I feel the need to get out the gloves and facemasks and to squirt a ton of First Defence up our noses, just thinking about it.

 

The Numbers

268 new deaths taking total to 31,855. We are now 3rd in the table with only Spain and the USA reporting higher numbers of cases than us.

The News

The PM gave a statement tonight at 7pm to outline the “road map” to the end of the lockdown.

Essentially, no dramatic changes but they have said that people who can’t work from home should try and go back to work tomorrow. They should not use public transport and either walk, cycle or drive to work.

The public can take more exercise outside the home from Wednesday, and maybe go and sit in parks or travel away from home to exercise.

Schools might open from the 1st of June and bars and restaurants might be able to open in July or August.

The 14 day quarantine for people traveling into the country has been confirmed, but no details on how this will be enforced have been given.

They have changed their slogan from Stay at Home > Protect the NHS > Save Lives to Stay Alert > Control the Virus > Save Lives.

It’s all a bit vague and peppered with IFs. It has been announced alongside a new alert system with 5 stages. It will reflect the R numbers and the rate of new infections. 1 will represent no virus in the community and 5 the NHS completely overwhelmed. We have been running at Level 4 since March and are moving towards 3.

The devolved nations, and Scotland in particular, have been adamant that they are not easing any restrictions yet. There is evidently considerable discord developing between the different country leaders.

Each stage of the exit plan will be tested and if R or the number of infections, and therefore the alert level, goes up restrictions will be re-imposed.

It’s worth noting here that infection rates have risen in Germany and South Korea since they have eased some of their lockdown restrictions.

Clearly, none of this is relative to the “shielded” and M has started to receive almost daily text messages reminding him about what he should be doing.

The New Way of Life

We had a quiet day today to try and make it feel like a Sunday. The weather has changed. It’s wet and cold so I read in bed in the morning. I finished The Testaments. I really enjoyed it. I love the way Margaret Atwood writes. Unpretentious style, good stories, great plot and brilliant characters. I enjoyed finding out what happened to some of the characters from the Handmaids Tale.

I ordered a couple of other books and they arrived today. I had told myself I should read all the books in the house that I haven’t read before buying any more, but I just couldn’t make myself do it! I really wanted to read the sequel to a book I read a while back called The End of the World Running Club by Adrian J Walker. It’s a post-apocalyptic story (meteor strike) about a man who has to get from Scotland to Cornwall to catch his wife and kids before they are evacuated by ship. He basically runs all the way. The sequel is called the End of the World Survivors Club and picks up the story with the wife and kids. I bought that!

I also bought a book by Dean R Koontz called The Eyes of Darkness. It’s purported to one of his better books and the one in which he accidentally predicted the current coronavirus outbreak back in 1981! I bought that too!

We went for a walk in the afternoon and had roast chicken for Sunday Lunch. We watched a slightly irritating movie about a group of old women rediscovering their sex lives called The Book Club. It was what they call a gentle romantic comedy. It didn’t blow me away I’m afraid.

 

The Numbers

346 new deaths taking the total to 31,587.

The News

The main news is that the government is planning to introduce a 14 day quarantine for people arriving into the country. The aviation industry is in uproar. They argue that it will be the kiss of death for air travel. Who is going to come here on business or holiday if they have to quarantine for 2 weeks? They say it would be better to test people before they get on the plane and then practice safe social distancing.

Frankly, I’m surprised that we didn’t do this from the beginning, but I can see the logic behind reducing the risk of the reintroduction of the virus into the community WHEN we get to a point where it is low enough for this to be effective.

There is a discussion going on about how and when bars and restaurants will reopen. If they practice rigorous social distancing it could reduce their customers by up to 75% and probably render most businesses unviable.

Little Richard, aka the father of rock and roll, has died at 87.

The New Way of Life

Last night, after our curry and “some” wine, we ended up watching a little bit of the VE Day celebrations on TV. We turned on the TV upstairs about 9pm just in time for Queen’s speech and then watched some footage of the celebrations 75 years ago, and some of the background stories of celebrities who remembered the day. It was really quiet interesting and moving at times. I felt more interested than I usually am when old footage the “the war” comes on.

I think our current situation created a new sense of connectivity for me with what people went through back then. What we are going through now is almost certainly going to be the biggest challenge our generation has faced. It is different of course. Very different. We are not facing the same physical dangers, death rates and hardship as they did, and we have only been in this situation for a few months, not years.

The one big difference that stands out for me though, is that back then they had each other. Friends and families could be together to support each other emotionally and physically. When it was over, they celebrated together in mass street parties all over the country. I doubt very much whether we will have a single special “day” that we can celebrate when this all comes to an end, if indeed it ever does.

We’ve had  very lazy day today but its been a good lazy day. Other “lazy” days have often been due to apathy and lack of motivation causing us (well mainly me) mooch about feeling miserable. Today, it was a choice and we’ve enjoyed it.

Shopping in the Time of Covid

It’s going to be the last good day, weather wise, for a while. We got up late. M had a long chat to his son. We ran out of bread so I went round to our local Tesco’s to get some so that I could make bacon sandwiches for breakfast.

I can count on one hand the number of times I have been in there since the 16th of March. It’s fairly well organised. Only two people are allowed in the shop at one time. There is a member of staff on the door allowing one person in as another comes out. Outside, crosses of black and yellow hazard tape on the pavement mark out where people waiting to get in should stand, to ensure that they are 2 metres apart.

This morning there were about 5 or 6 people ahead of me, and the queue snaked around the side of the building. It does move quite quickly though. I think I only waited for about 20 minutes or so.

When you get to the door there is a trolley with tissue paper, hand sanitiser and disinfectant spray for cleaning your basket if you wish to do so. As I only ever go for one or two items I try not to use a basket. Less things to touch!

Inside, arrows on the floor indicate the one-way system, and stickers and more hazard tape divide the aisles into sections. As it’s a small store, the aisles are narrow and it would be impossible to maintain a good social distance if you had to overtake someone or pass someone coming in the opposite direction. So, by moving from section to section  in one direction this is theoretically avoided.

It can be a bit slow, and mildly irritating, if you just want bread and you have to slowly follow the person ahead of you until you get to the bread aisle. But it does feel safe and I don’t feel I am taking a particularly big risk when I go there. Still, its not 100% safe. Some people, especially the staff, do squeeze past from time to time. Some people don’t follow the one way system. The biggest problem is staff restocking the shelves. Of course they have to do this, but it does mean passing them at close proximity. I personally think it might be better if they just closed for a while when they have to do this.

When you reach the check-out, again spots are marked out to indicate where you should stand. A perspex screen has been fitted across the length of the counter with a small opening to pass the products through and pay. The etiquette is that the assistant stands back while you pass your shopping, and your bag if you have one, through the gap. Then, you stand back on your spot again, while they check the goods through. When they are finished, they stand back again and you step forward, pay and take your shopping. I try to only get a few things at a time so that I can pay with contactless and avoid touching the key pad.

Despite all this, by the time I am done I feel as though my hands are contaminated. I have touched multiple items that have been recently touched by other people, be they staff or other customers who have picked them up and put them back. My shopping, my bag and my debit card are potentially all “dirty”.

When I get home, either M lets me in, or I come in through the back, having left the gate and the back door ajar. I wash my hands before I touch anything, then clean everything I have touched, put them away and wash my hands again.

Phew!

I’ve written this extremely tedious account of a simple shopping trip with my grandchildren in mind. It’s not a riveting read I know, but I’m imaging them, in 20 years time (assuming everything will have returned to normal by then ha! ha!) reading it and marvelling at how crazy the world was in The Time of Covid!

We spent the rest of the day reading and relaxing together. I didn’t go for a bike ride today as we did 25 miles over the last two days and my knees are complaining a little bit!

 

 

The Numbers

Still over 4000 new cases are being identified each day and that is only people who have been tested. The total death rate has risen to 31,241, a rise of 626 since yesterday.

The News

Today is the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. It does put a bit of context around what we are going through now.

In the UK, 449,700 people died over the 6 years of the war. 382,600 were military and 67,100 were civilian.

The war killed largely young, healthy people and lasted a very long time. The enemy was real and visible.

Covid-19 is an invisible enemy which is killing largely (but not exclusively) older people and people with health conditions and the pandemic is unlikely to last more than a year or two.

The big questions is what happens next? Will the economic impact last as long and be as severe as that which followed the war. Rationing persisted in to early 1950’s. The post-war period was a time of enormous social change. How will out society change in the wake of the Coronavirus? We will see …

Wales have allowed people to exercise for unlimited periods of time and have allowed Garden Centres, Libraries and Re-Cycling Centres to open. Oh, but the changes don’t apply to people who are shielding.

Scotland have announced that they are making no changes to their lockdown except to allow people to exercise more than once a day.

We will hear from Boris on Sunday.

The New Way of Life

It’s a glorious day again! We both got up reasonably early. M had some bits of work to do. I made some egg sandwiches for our planned big bike ride. I also cooked a lamb curry for tonight.

We set off on our bike ride around 1pm and got back about 4pm. We did a 15 mile wander around the countryside using the Bikemap App. We stopped for a break in a Business Park, assuming it would be deserted. It was, almost, but there were still a few construction workers on a big building site, and a couple of people walking through. We sat on a couple of benches and ate our sandwiches.

Lots of bunting and Union Jack’s everywhere and even a few socially distanct “street parties”. A few flags of St George – did I get it wrong? Did England win the war? I thought Scotland, Wales and Ireland were involved too! Sorry, not sorry, for the cynicism.

No quiz tonight because of VE Day but I’m going to have my big weekly wine session nevertheless!

 

 

 

The Numbers

539 new deaths taking the total to 30,615. It feels a little bit as though there’s been a little kick up?

The News

The Bank of England is predicting the biggest recession on record after the lock-down is over.

It seems that the transmission rate is rising. Could be due to care homes? Could also be due to selfish and irresponsible covidiots.

Evidence has shown that black British people are almost twice as likely to die from the virus than white.

Globally, they are predicting multiple famines of biblical proportions all over the world.
Brazil has seen the biggest daily death rate in the Southern Hemisphere, of 615.

The government has begged people to carry on following the rules to prevent a lethal wave. We haven’t seen much evidence of that. There seemed to be more cars than ever on the road when we went out for our bike ride.

The New Way of Life

Last night we finished watching Normal People. We really enjoyed it! Very well-observed and well-acted complex love affair. Definitely recommend.

I contacted the people who we have booked the house in Barbados with for next April. I asked them if we could move our booking forward by 6 months so that we would go out in October to April instead of April to October for the same price, even though it will be high season then. They said yes, as they have had so many cancellations. Now, we have to consider this very, very carefully. We don’t want to jump from the frying pan into the fires! Things to consider are:

• Flights – Will we get one that we can afford? Will it be safe?
• Quarantine – At the moment anyone entering Barbados is required to stay in their quarantine centre for 2 weeks. Will that be safe?
• Finance – Can we afford it? Will our savings and investments that we have put aside for the trip still we worth the same? What will the exchnage rate be doing if we are in a recession?
• Barbados – What will Barbados be like? If they are in recession too will there be more crime? Will prices be high? Will there be shortages of power and water etc?
• Another Global Crisis – If there is another wave over the winter could we get stuck there if more travel restrictions are put in place?
• Health – I was hoping to get my gall bladder out before we went next April – could it wait until next Spring? If we got the virus out there, how good would the healthcare be compared to the UK?

So, lots to think about!

M got a text from the government today, advising him to continue to shield until the 30th June. A week longer than originally requested. Not really a surprise.

I had a bit of a pamper today. I normally get my eyebrows done at a salon. I struggle with them these days. Doing them with my glasses on is tricky and I can’t see what I’m doing without them. So, I got M to do them! It went fairly well to be honest. I did my toenails as well and exfoliated in the shower.

The monkeys for the cake arrived today. I’ve selected the best 5 (on the left) to go on the cake and she can have the others to play with.

I also looked up some tips for making the perfect Victoria sponge. Apparently, it’s all about being quick and ensuring that all the ingredients are at room temperature to keep the air in. Going to practice next week!

It’s 6pm, we’ve just got back from a bike ride and I’m going to cook a chilli for dinner!

 

 

 

 

 

The Numbers

The new total number of deaths is now 30,076, an increase of 649. A big number again, so we are not out of the woods yet.

The News

One of the government experts on Covid-19, Professor Neil Ferguson, has resigned after he breached lockdown rules by receiving two visits at his home from his married lover. Ho hum. Covidiot.

Deaths in care homes continue to rise despite an improving picture elsewhere. Kier Starmar has challenged the PM on this and he apparently “bitterly regrets” what has happened in this sector. Oh, that’s alright then!

They are predicting that he will be announcing the start of the easing of lock-down on Monday. I wonder what that will look like. People are nervous. Many don’t want to go back to work and don’t want their kids to go back to school yet. Can they be forced to do so?

The New Way of Life

I’m definitely feeling better today. We actually had to set the alarm and get up early! M had a conference call and I had a virtual local business network meeting.

While I was in a business mindset, I took the opportunity to do some work on Key Ways Consulting. I shared a blog on Linked In and Facebook and sent some new dates for some additional online seminars to our website guy. I started an article on Resilience.

After lunch I finished my homework for Writers Group. I just need to proof-read and edit and polish it up before the meeting. Feeling pretty happy with it now, even if was like getting blood out of a stone at one point.

M had a virtual consultation with an immunologist this morning. His respiratory consultant is concerned that he may have some sort of immune deficiency. He has to have a blood test, but at a special “clean” off-site location. I wonder where that will be?

The weather is much better again and we went for a lovely long walk in the afternoon. We explored the open countryside between our village and the edge of the city.

We spoke about what some of our options might be for the future and some of the things we will be able to do, rather than focusing on what we won’t. We will be able to go to for long walks and bike rides and take picnics. We will be able to drive to lovely places for days out and picnics. We could even have trips away in a camper van if we could borrow or hire one.

We are seriously (well, maybe were just fantasising) considering moving to Barbados. If we can’t be with our friends and families here for months or years, we might as well just go if we can get there. Being away from family and friends has been the one thing that has stopped us going in the past – if that is no longer a reason, then what is stopping us?

We saw a bus go by today and more than half the seats had red bags over them. How can that be a viable option? I heard about a restaurant that had worked out it would have to take £300 per cover just to break even, if they reduced their number of tables to comply with social distancing.

When I was walking up the main street a bike toppled over and fell on me. I had grabbed it before I could stop myself and spent the rest of the walk home feeling anxious that I had TOUCHED SOMEBODY’S BIKE! A lot of handwashing and sanitising followed. How strange our lives have become.

We’ve only just found out that it’s a Bank Holiday on Friday! We thought we’d had one on Monday, but it turns out that it was moved to Friday to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day. We are all being encouraged to have our own individual street/back garden parties with tea and scones. To observe a 1 minute silence at 11am, watch the Churchill speech at 3pm, decorate our homes with Union Jacks and bunting and join together in a communal rendering of “We’ll meet again” at 9pm.

Sorry! No disrespect to our amazing war veterans, and we will be observing the 1 minute’s silence at 11am, but we won’t be taking part in the rest of the celebrations. It’s a shame, but we just can’t stop ourselves from associating this type of thing with the jingoistic, flag-waving, Jerusalem singing, far-right who frequent the likes of the BNP and the EDL. I’m afraid we’ll pass … it all makes us feel very uncomfortable.

The Numbers

Another 693 deaths taking the total to 29,227. The usual weekend dip and subsequent rise on Tuesday, but overall still very slowly going down. We now officially have the highest death toll in Europe and we are still behind most of them in terms of where we are in the course of the pandemic.

The News

Virgin Atlantic have announced that they have cut 3,000 jobs and pulled out of Gatwick Airport.

A new phrase has emerged in the plethora of Covid related  alliterations. “Segment and Sheild” would involve strengthening protection for people who are currently shielding and easing restrictions for everyone else. People would be segmented into 3 groups, the vunerable (M), people who live with them or care for them (me) and everyone else. It’s depressing but not a surprise and fairly logical. I just hope that the “shielded” would be first on the list for a vaccine.

The New Way of Life

I think I’m feeling a bit brighter today.

My daughter has asked me to make a birthday cake for my granddaughter’s 2nd birthday to try and help me feel involved as I won’t be able to see her on the day.

I’m not a very good baker but I’ll have a go! I think I could rustle up a simple Victoria sponge, sandwiched with raspberry jam and buttercream. How hard can it be?

I’m going to try and decorate it in the theme of the 5 Little Monkeys (jumping on the bed) – her favourite song at the moment. I’ve ordered (online) a square cake tin, some ready to roll fondant in white for the sheet and pillows, blue for the bedspread and brown for the headboard, as well as a pack of 6 plastic monkeys.

I’ve made a good start on my homework. The first line has to be, Calvin once thought that there were not enough (blank) in the world. I have an idea now and I think I should be able to finish it tomorrow.

M is busy with all sorts of stuff and didn’t have time for the long bike-ride we had planned for today. Disappointing, I was really looking forward to it but it is what it is.

I went for a long walk with a writer friend instead. Well, not with, exactly but we walked the same route at the same time, always a couple of metres apart. We were able to chat as we walked, and we ran into a few other people we know and so had a few other little socially distanced chats. The weather is great again. I really enjoyed it. I definitely felt better by the time I got home. I even felt motivated enough to write this blog for today and yesterday!

M is cooking tonight so I can put my feet up now and have the night off!