There were no messages for this week and only one for the following:
Week 15, 22-28 June 2020
Sue, 28 June 2020
Hi to you all
What dreadful scenes on the internet of the hordes on the beaches in the UK! I had forgotten the lemming instinct that strikes Poms when the weather is fine. With so many of you now living in attractive parts of the country, I hope you have all managed to stay clear of the crowds.
Well, the euphoria didn't last long for NZ. A couple of women returned to NZ from the UK and were allowed to leave their isolation hotel to drive from Auckland to Wellington; first they claimed they didn't stop on the 8 hour journey - amazing bladders they must have - but then the story started to unwind... Due to sloppy management at the isolation hotel, they were not tested before leaving, are now found to be infected, and no less that 400 direct and indirect contacts have had to be followed up. A new minister (known as Mrs Fixit) has been appointed to oversee quarantining, but we are not to see this as in any way a reflection on the competence of the Minister of Health, and the Defence Force have been brought in to manage the protocols. Worth noting that the Defence Force immediately doubled the staffing levels at the hotels which seems to point to the problem. With hotel space running out in Auckland, our main international hub, returning Kiwis are now being shipped to hotels across the country, including the South Island. Add to the mix that Australia is still deporting Kiwis for being sentenced to 12 months or more in jail, even if they have permanent residency and have lived and worked in Australia for decades (we don't reciprocate). Overall I think there are about 250 people (including felons) entering NZ each week. The taxpayer is currently picking up the tab for the hotel costs with respect to the isolation/quarantining, but that may change.
Like the UK, we now have new leader of the opposition; he's largely unknown, so will have to work hard if National is to make a reasonable showing in the September election. Polls show some interesting changes amongst the minor parties, but Jacinda's Labour lot are still ahead; I'd like to see a Labour/Green coalition since the Greens aren't strong enough to take the lead. It's a pity that the UK has such a long time to wait before the next election; any chance of Boris being out sooner?
Neil and I are still being quite circumspect and cautious about entering any busy place. Wintry weather tends to keep us at home anyway. I found myself, for example, hesitating when I met someone for the first time and he held out his hand for me to shake it; hesitating despite the fact that he had been in Christchurch since the start of lockdown, so was very unlikely to be infectious. The guy was a Malaysian, so I just hope he didn't see the hesitation as latent racism.
If you like music, you might enjoy this:
Melbourne is experiencing a spike, so they need all the support they can get.
Stay well, all of you - Love, Sue
Week 16, 29 June-5 July 2020
Jane, 30 June 2020
Dear All,
Interesting, Sue, to have your report from New Zealand. Friends of ours from Durham who emigrated there many years ago to be near their daughters who both married New Zealanders were supposed to come to the UK this summer and were going to stay in our ground floor flat for a day or two. Of course they had to cancel the whole trip, but we had a long chat when friend Anne phoned and she was not happy about how the virus returned to New Zealand.
It seems that perhaps Our Nicola is doing the right thing by not following Boris in the speed of easing lockdown. I would be really cross if renewed lockdown occurred as in Leicester because some people were foolish enough not to follow guidance. The pictures from Bournemouth, and of the rubbish strewn across The Meadows in Edinburgh were truly awful.
Apparently St Andrews was crowded yesterday as non-essential shops re-opened but it was fine when we went for our newspapers in the morning, and I am no great fan of shopping for the sake of it, so no need nor desire to join the crowds. We have been able to order books from Toppings, the splendid independent bookshop (with branches coincidentally in Ely where David's brother lives, Bath where Douglas and family live, and Edinburgh where my brother still stays). And the 2nd hand bookshop owner has said he is going through his 'warehouse' (a barn on his smallholding near Anstruther, we believe) and will let us know if he finds anything of interest. Now we wait for the Oxfam and Barnardo's bookshops to open - and British Heart Foundation where we can hand in the novels we have read in the last 3 months, at the moment in a toppling pile on the hall floor.
David is still working on family trees following the death notice in The Times for my father's 2nd cousin. If ever finished they will probably cover a bed sheet . . . And I have continued with newspaper references to St Pierre and rum-running. I was alerted to a book published last year in Canada on the American West Coast alcohol trade during Prohibition which has four pages on the ill-fated whisky run which one of my grandfather's ships embarked on in 1923. Fortunately it does not mention grandfather, only his twin brother (known in the family as WGUT, Wicked Great Uncle Tom) and the account is based on that of a crew member when in a bar in Vancouver. It differs slightly from that given in the Hull Daily Mail on the ship's return in 1924, and has us wondering about the true story. Fake news is not a new phenomenon.
The only thing I miss is escaping from St Andrews to work on the Civil War diary with friend and colleague near Nottingham. I think a trip away is a long way off as ON does not want English tourists coming over the border, so presumably if I went I would not be allowed back! Scotland is heading for Independence by default - aided and abetted by Boris seemingly not realising that UK is not just England.
But friends and I have met for cups of coffee/tea and 'get-it-off-our-chests' sessions in our gardens so life is not too bad. And one of those friends sent me the piece below which I enjoyed and perhaps you will too . . .
Hope all is well with you all, and look forward to your news,
Love, Jane
Sumer is i-cumen in
Llude wayle bu-hu-
Futbal gonne, Wimble-donne,
Hwaet the helle to do?
Sumer is a Cumynges sinne
Unlike we, the reste.
Norþward driveð, soon arriveð,
Eyen for to teste.
Sumer is a non-evente
This year alle shotte
Crikket cutten, pubbes shutten.
Falleth pounde, dettes abounde.
At insystaunce, keepeþ dystaunce-
Sodde the lotte- so bludi hwæt?
Cu-cu. Cuc-cu-
Yea, Thu- Cucc-Yu
Anne, 30 June 2020
Hello everyone,
Thanks to Sue and Jane for their latest updates, I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you all.
Here I can report that my social life is beginning to pick up as we are allowed to meet more people. Between last Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon I had meetings with no less than 4 different groups of friends! I was quite exhausted by Sunday evening and then participated in a family Zoom meeting. However these have all been private meetings, I have no wish to go to a beer garden at the moment, though they say it is all quite safe.
I have bought a ticket online for a performance of "3 Sisters" at the theatre in Ingolstadt on Thursday, feeling I should support them. I believe Mr Söder has announce today that wearing masks in cinemas, concert halls and theatres is now no longer necessary, which is good news.
I have been quite horrified at the pictures of the crowds on the beaches in UK and by what they left behind. How can people be so mindless?
It would appear now that this whole business is going to continue quite a bit longer, with spikes and 2nd waves etc so I'm glad that the University of York has cancelled my reservation for my group at the end of August. We are now booked in for the same period in 2021.
Thanks for the poem Jane. I will pass it on to my compatriots here!
Like you, Jane, I'm not much into shopping except for essential food at the supermarket so haven't bought anything except a new printer a few weeks ago and some stuff for the garden. Masks are obligatory in the shops and on public transport (which I haven't used).
It is all getting rather boring now but better safe than sorry.
Take care all of you, don't rush things, Anne
Margaret, 30 June 2020
Thanks, Sue, for getting us going again. I fear the Brits are not to be seen in a very good light in the corona virus saga. I was horrified by the scenes on our beaches over the weekend. And even more disgusted at the report in The Times of the broken bottles on Port Meadow causing cuts in the feet of cattle, one of which had died from swallowing plastic bags. Port Meadow is adjacent to Rowland Close and as Commoners we have grazing rights, not something I personally have claimed.
I am very happy to be home and am being very well looked after by my Cameroon carer.
Friends pop round but don't come to the front door - they come down the path at the side of the house, through the door and on to the patio at the back where my garden room is and where I am living. Penny came on Saturday which was nice. Sadly she is going through divorce proceedings and told me all about the recent mediation session by zoom. Fortunately the firm she works for are being very sympathetic and helpful.
Sue, I downloaded the Ravel and much enjoyed it as well as learning quite a bit about the work. Having lived in Nottingham for many years I always associate it with Torville and Dean.
Bye for now and love from Margaret
Sylvia, 1 July 2020
Dear All,
I've just returned from my first supermarket shop since March 20th and no, I haven't been surviving on whatever I had in the house. I've been relying on a friend whom I call my shopping angel, but for two reasons, I thought I should grasp the nettle and go out into the big wide world. There were things which my S.A. failed to get, or misinterpreted, in Morrisons which is her preferred supermarket. I shop in Lidl and when I went there today, I fondly thought, in my innocence, that I would be able to get everything on my list. Wrong! Although I did manage to get most things, my beloved Fruit and Nut Muesli was nowhere to be seen and nor was tinned sweetcorn or S.R. flour. I'm not "sacking" my S.A. just yet but will not be so (silently) critical of her when she fails to complete my order. Actually that sounds really harsh and I will be eternally grateful to her for her kindness. The shopping itself today was easy and not really stressful. In fact, it took me longer to disinfect everything I had touched in the car and on the door handles, etc., than to do the shop. My second reason for going today is that I'm not at all happy about the reduction in social distancing to 1 metre and decided that if I was going to venture out, it should be before Saturday. Who knows what the change will produce in the way of extra cases?
I did go on a lovely 3 mile plus walk along the River Wye in Hereford last Saturday with a friend who strolled along, while "Little Legs" (Sylvia) trotted along behind him. I was pretty shattered when I got back, but was glad I did it. It wasn't the distance, but the speed which I found really tiring.
Sue, how I envy you in New Zealand. OK, there has been a slight blip, but it looks as though it has been stamped on very quickly, while we are still floundering around and clutching at straws.
Margaret, I'm so glad things are going well for you. I haven't rung you because you said you would ring me and I don't know when would be a good time to contact you. How much longer is Juliana going to be with you?
Anne, masks are not mandatory in England and hardly anyone was wearing one today. In fact, apart from on public transport, I don't think anything is mandatory, which could be the main reason why so many people are going their own way, which I agree, is producing horrific scenes across the country. There are times when a "free" country isn't the best idea.
Love to everyone and stay well, Sylvia
Janet, 1 July 2020
Hello everyone
Good to hear all the news. Envious of you, Sue, in NZ as at least you seem to have the virus well under control there, backed up by track and trace, which it seems to me has yet to get going here. Margaret, I am so glad things are going well for you at the moment and that you have such a positive approach to dealing with your current situation. We are politely (though gratefully) declining all offers of socially-distanced get-togethers at the moment as one just doesn't know who has been in contact with whom and therefore may have picked up the virus themselves. The latest invitation was from some good friends who, like you, Margaret, have a side entrance to their back garden and terrace, and do have a downstairs loo one could reach through sliding doors into a downstairs guest room. However, they have just returned from a socially distanced meet-up with family in a park near Leicester, partly chosen as being halfway between the two households and also because it was known to have public loos available. All very well, especially if one takes care to use hand gel etc, but now Leicester has been designated a hotspot, with 3 times the "normal" rate of hospital admissions for Covid-19, so they might have been taking a risk.
Hence, we are sticking to Skype and Zoom for the moment. I have heard it could be September 21 before the NHS is ready to roll out vaccination nationwide. I don't suppose we will want to stay as recluses till then but I would like them to have the track-and-trace up and running at least. Sylvia, yes, now you know how difficult it is trying to shop for anyone else. First of all, the total number of items you can buy is limited - with Tesco it is 85 - so you have to be savvy and order 1 kg bananas rather than 8 bananas or you have used up 7 items more than you need. Next, you have no control over the substitutions - unless you want to risk saying "no substitutes" - so where we didn't mind too much what kind of lettuce they sent it was a bit of a surprise to find ourselves with 2 bunches of celery in place of 2 Gem Hearts. And one week there was no bread and no eggs by the time the person came to do the picking. Luckily, we have bread in the freezer and can get eggs from the farm but it's awkward if your shop is partly for someone else
You might like to know that they are managing very well in Switzerland. All the children are now back in school, and enjoying it. The under 16's don't need face masks or social distancing, other from their teachers, who can have a little square to stand in if they like. The 16 and overs have one week in, one week out, except for exams when the whole class goes in together but sits in extra classrooms to help keep to social distancing guidelines, and goes home straight afterwards - no congregating in groups. The hairdressers are open but everyone has to have PPE and customers pay a surcharge for it. Even the swimming pools are now open - just in time for our youngest grandson, who is 10 to earn his level 6 badge. (Just one more level (7) then the "graduation" level, followed by life-saving.) They just take extra care to sanitise everything - after all the water is already chlorinated - and acknowledge that the exercise is good for people. You'd think our government could learn from other countries around the world who are ahead of us in being able to ease lock-down and take note of what works for them. They started off so well, bringing the army in and setting up all the Covid field hospitals, so almost everyone who has needed hospital treatment has been able to have it - in principle at least - but things just seem to have gone to pot since then here.
My main gripe, Jane, is the difficulty of accessing GP care. One has to be quick off the mark on any given day to phone the GP surgery, listen to what seems like 10 minutes of "Go away" guff, be prepared to find oneself 10th in the queue to speak to reception, try to explain one's problem as quickly as possible and hope to then be put on the list for a call back from a GP. No hope of specifying which one or at what time. Then, if one is blessed with a call back one may or may not then be offered a link to which to send a photo of the injury/ rash or whatever, and maybe even subsequently an appointment to cross their threshold, or else one may be prescribed something which it is a bit pot luck will actually help. Then, if it doesn't work or makes things worse, it is harder still to speak to anyone. I wonder how long it will be before they are back to "normal". How is everyone else getting on in that regard?
However, all things considered, we are doing OK so far, and I hope the rest of you are, too?
Best wishes. Janet.
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