Week 18. 12-19 July 2020.
Jane 12 July 2020 Beware another rant from the North!
The latest in St Andrews is a plan to pedestrianise the centre 'to make life easier for cyclists and for self-distancing walkers'. I emailed a local councillor last Thursday (and have not yet had even an acknowledgement) to suggest that such a plan is madness when shops and businesses are trying to re-open now that ON is easing the lockdown. All the big national shops in Kirkcaldy closed down when the centre was pedestrianised last year. The pavements in St Andrews are quite wide enough for social distancing if everyone walked in single file when approaching others. According to a recent survey most cyclists are out on their bikes for leisure so they do not need to be in the shopping area - and as someone pointed out in a letter to the local paper, no-one is going to load their weekly shop from the little Tesco or Sainsbury's into bicycle panniers. I suggested that what should be removed from the centre of town are household and commercial bins, A- boards, and pedestrians glued to their mobile phones. I also pointed out that the plan must have been drawn up by someone who had never been to St Andrews - one of the streets marked for 'no parking' already has double yellow lines on both sides of the road. We understand the only people consulted about the plans where members of the cycling lobby, and with students away cyclists are definitely in a minority. But money for the plans has come from Sustrans among others. A better use would be filling in potholes in the roads so that cyclists don't fall into them.
We stick to having early morning walks. But yesterday afternoon I had to go to the ee shop when my smartphone froze (while playing patience) and town was heaving with pavements blocked by ambling visitors and queues for shops and take-aways. I get so cross that I think David will refuse soon to go out with me.
And if I see one more picture of, or read one more comment about, hugging grandchildren I shall scream, when ours live hundreds of miles away and we are dependent on public transport. My mother always said I would regret not learning to drive, and she is now watching me and saying 'told you so'.
Interesting that Boris decided facemasks were necessary the day after ON said they were mandatory in shops.
But the sun is shining so I am away out to talk to the blackbirds who demand porridge as soon as I appear, even hopping into our garden room when my back is turned. There is also a family of field mice who sit inside the fatball feeder with the pigeons waiting underneath for crumbs to fall.
Love to all, Grumpy Jane
Sylvia 12 July 2020
Dear All,
I was planning to send you all an email, detailing my cautious foray into the big wide world yesterday, but since Herefordshire has made headline news today, and not in a good way, I'd better address that first. It seems that a vegetable farm just west of Malvern, and therefore only just in the county, has at least 73 cases of Covid among its workers. This is going to bump up our local figures and possibly bring at least part of the county back into lockdown. Although the workers tend to live in accommodation on the farm, I'm guessing that they aren't normally provided with provisions, so have to shop elsewhere, probably in Malvern, but also in Ledbury, where it is cheaper to shop. Now, our poor council is having to provide food parcels to around 200 people in lockdown on the farm.
Back to my adventure yesterday. After much soul searching and angst on my daughter's part, we agreed that it should be quite safe for me to visit them in Church Stretton, which is 40 miles from Hereford. (My car is very familiar with the route, as under normal circumstances, I would make the journey every 4-5 weeks.) So, for the first time since February half term, I was able to see my two oldest grandsons, 13 and 10, and my son-in-law in the flesh. We spent a total of 5 hours 30 minutes in their garden and everything was very relaxed and fun. The only thing missing, of course, was hugs and kisses (sorry Jane, I've just read your comment on this), but otherwise it felt very normal. Access to the garden was via a path at the side of the house. The front door was left unlocked and I was able to get to the downstairs cloakroom from there without going through the rest of the house. (There was sign on the door saying "Granny's toilet", just in case anyone forgot.) I took a picnic with me and we all ate outside.
All this was in contrast with my shopping experience last Friday. I had ventured to Lidl the week before on a Wednesday afternoon and felt quite comfortable doing it, wearing my mask and disposable latex gloves, but Friday afternoon was another story with people just wandering around, not observing even the one meter rule. Only one other person was wearing a mask. So, obviously Friday is a no-no and I'll be shopping early in the week in future. I feel like an innocent abroad, since my friends seem to be aware that you don't shop on a Friday!
Like Ian, I can't understand why masks aren't compulsory in shops. It would seem that we are free to pass on the virus wherever and whenever we like. I'd love someone to explain to me how making everyone wear a mask when outside their own house wouldn't reduce the risk. If wearing a mask stops you from passing Covid on, then surely everyone wearing one would reduce the number of cases significantly. I think the "common sense" approach has been shown to be fatally (literally!) flawed.
Loved your analogy with the flying ants, Ian. When the lockdown was relaxed last weekend, I was comparing the efforts to keep control with herding cats, but yours is better.
I've given up trying to share my raspberries with the blackbirds. My resident pair have just reared their third brood and they are very adept at jumping up and pulling them off. Today I noticed that the latest young have now got the hang of it too! They are looking very well on them.
The Budgen's fire must have been quite a sight, Ange. I hope that, as in Christchurch after the earthquake, some enterprising person will soon set up an alternative in some shipping containers.
Continue to stay well everyone and avoid drunks, the Lone Ranger and flying ants!
Love to all, Sylvia
Tony 13 July 2020
Hello Ian
Your trip to Exmouth prompted me to make contact.
Shirley and I were married in late November, and as a mini honeymoon decided to spend three nights at Lympstone. I thought the location was fabulous and the walks up and down the estuary quite wonderful even in early December. I’d quite forgotten how beautiful it is – with the exception of Exmouth. It’s been such a long time since I’ve been to that corner of Devon, and seaside towns are never at their best in midwinter, but I was hugely disappointed in the town.
Lympstone was interesting. The hotel was great – bedrooms and public rooms really well designed, and the grounds were fine with sculpture scattered around. The food, which I guess is the main attraction for most, was a bit fazing though. We only ate ’in’ once, largely because we can’t handle the quantity / richness too frequently, even if it is top quality. (And the prices)
If we were to return, which is probably unlikely, it would only be for the location and the wonderful walking up and down the estuary.
Cheers, Tony
Howard 15 July 2020
Dear All
I haven't contributed to our emails for some time. I do enjoy them very much.
Well what is happening on our little island? We are really in a Bailiwick bubble which means that life is seemingly back to normal. No cases here and none for three months in Guernsey. :Life is strange though as it seems like the UK is in prison and we are not. Hence we cannot visit anywhere outside the Bailiwick without self isolating for two weeks when we get back. Apart from the Isle of Man that is which forms a sort of double bubble with us (sounds a bit like a misquote of Macbeth). Few flights and ferries to anywhere from Guernsey apart from within the Bailiwick.
It is good to hear that Scotland is performing better Jane. I can worry a little less about our daughters in Glasgow. ON seems to be playing her cards well.
It is a pity that the UK Govt. is surviving, however. And lets hope the Lone Ranger comes off his horse in November.
Keep well everyone and let us hope for vaccine soon.
Very best wishes, Howard
Jane 22 July 2020 New face covering
Dear All,
I have just received this from the co-ordinator of our Preservation Trust Museum gardening group. Best use of that sort of lettuce, David and I feel.
He had his hair cut yesterday and I hardly recognised him when he came home. I have an appointment for Friday. We will probably both take chills now the weather has turned cold and wet.
Not only has our cruise down the Rhone in September been cancelled because of the virus, but now the company running the 'no-fly' cruise to Canada in September next year, which we booked to cheer our selves up at the start of lockdown, has gone into administration. I am not booking a holiday ever again! We will just have a few days in our ground floor flat when we need a change of scene!
Hope you are all feeling more cheerful than us!!
Love, Jane
Lesley 22 July 2020
Well said, Janet - on the glum bit and the giggle on the lettuce-driven face mask. All steady from this northern tip of the country.
Just shown it to my son & grandson - “what a little gem of a gag” was their response!
Love to all and keep staying safe, Lesley
Sylvia 22 July 2020
A friend of mine said it was beyond be-leaf! Sylvia
Patricia
Today was just the tip of the iceberg. Tomorrow romaines to be seen. Pat
Margaret 23 July 2020
All very clever. The iceberg froze my smartphone - and I couldn't get rid of that image or activate any other service - until just now! All very frustrating.
Well, life here continues much the same with my super Cameroon carer and her delicious meals, no two the same. She has discovered my clump of chives in the garden which was intended to become a herb garden but never got developed. So all meals have a flavour of chives. She is not into desserts so it's a case of fresh fruit and yogurt twice a day, which suits me fine.
Margaret
Angela 23 July 2020
'New face covering' is just brilliant Jane, also the follow-up responses! Lettuce hope we see more like this! Angela
Week 20. 27 July-2 August 2020
[Silence]
Week 21. 3-9 August 2020
Ian 9 August 2020
During this second week of Supsliskan silence I though it might be of interest to forward this account from Chiang Mai by a library colleague who used to have a high position in Germany and has now retired to Thailand:
Thailand has now gone for 75+ days without a recorded case of local transmission. All the cases recorded since then have been in State Quarantine, in other words among Thai nationals returning from abroad. Most of these have been among Thais working or studying somewhere in the Middle East, but there have been cases of people infected in the US or Europe. There was a panic a few weeks ago when an Egyptian air force officer and the child of a Sudanese diplomat were found to be infected and not to be respecting self-isolation rules (the family, of course, not the child). These cases don’t seem to have led to local infections and the loopholes around diplomatic status are now closed.
In effect, the country has been closed to non-Thais since March, meaning foreigners with homes, businesses or family ties have not been able to re-enter if they found themselves abroad in March. Also, foreigners like me cannot leave as we should certainly not be allowed back (and I for one have no home abroad). Thai citizens are returning in manageable numbers but are confined to State Quarantine on arrival (not voluntary as in the chaotic UK). This - plus rigorous tracking and tracing back in February-March - seems to have ensured we’re Covid-free. There seems to be little support for allowing foreigners back in, and a determination to keep Covid out entirely, not just suppress it. I’m not sure how the country would react if outbreaks as recently in Vietnam should occur here. The state of affairs overseas (for example in the US, Australia or UK) is perplexing for people here.
Where it will all lead is far from certain. The Thai economy is heading for a depression, as 20% of businesses and jobs that depend on a mass tourist industry will soon disappear. Thai society is resilient (unemployment here is traditionally zero – anyone without a job returns to stay with their family) but Chiang Mai, a tourist hub, is already looking rough with boarded-up shops and empty hotels and restaurants. Unless things change radically in a few months, for example with an effective vaccine, a slump is inevitable, with all the social tensions that will cause (and not just here of course).
For British people here, there is the added horror of watching people at home apparently sleepwalking into the calamity that is Brexit -- not just a calamity in terms of the economy or society but also deeply unjust, indeed a moral outrage. Except, from here it seems no one at home feels much outrage, and protests have more-or-less stopped. British people have just been stripped of their rights (to work, travel, live anywhere in Europe) in a way that no other advanced country has experienced in peacetime – but people simply don’t seem to care or even notice. And of course, it’s the “will of the people”, or rather the large minority of our fellow citizens who support the Brexit project. But even they didn’t vote for what is now happening. And then there’s a government that is extraordinarily inept and quite possibly corrupt and seizing power wherever it can.
Frankly, it’s horrifying. And of course, deeply depressing. It’s something I wake up to every morning and go to sleep with every night, or rather lie awake. Like many (probably most) people, I really don’t know any more what to think or feel. Apart from stress and anger, of course. At least we can dismiss nonsense about Brexit’s supposed inevitability and the impossibility of changing it. In 1988, they said the same about German unity. Which came just two years later. If only people would start to push, the house of cards would collapse.
We have not travelled far from home since March, though restrictions here (internally) have mostly been lifted. No trips or holidays. There are still requirements on tracking-and-tracing. Masks are worn by everyone in shops and malls. Distancing is generally observed. Your temperature is taken at the entrance and you have to log in with an app (which is how they tracked the people in possible contact with the Egyptian, who all proved negative on testing). Restaurants have almost all abandoned even these measures – with no local cases, it’s difficult to keep them up. A group of Anglophone expats is keeping together virtually with friends overseas, and more recently meeting up for dinner.
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