General Chat

Sufficient paint bought to re-paint the whole house - ceilings, walls and wood work. That should keep him out of mischief for a while! Lots of trimming and tidying in the garden.

Wondering if we should buy a patio heater so friends can come round and we can shout at each other from a safe distance in the fresh air.

If we are allowed out will go for long walks at quiet times and trips in the car with flasks and picnics.

The coming week has gone from something every day to a complete blank - looking on the bright side, the house will probably be a lot tidier and possibly cleaner!

Government Ministers - idiots or blithering idiots?

Having given press conferences and made plenty of noise about the advantages of "building up herd immunity" the clique running health care have reacted by saying it was all a misunderstanding as football and others closed the show.

Only the WHO and all other European governments remain deeply sceptical of UK policies on the ground which remain the same as determined by herd immunity .
i.e.
schools, colleges remain open
bars and restaurants etc remain open
horse racing intends to continue unless the govt stops it
c-19 testing other than for in patients has ceased so the govt will have no idea as to the situation on the ground. Instead it has opted for modelling and controversial behavioural science.
wild and unrealistic idea that firms can instantly retool and retrain to make sophisticated bits of kit such as ventilators
still no plans at all as to how and where these ventilators will be deployed and where the trained staff will come from.

the govt is sending people up the garden path
nudge nudge wink wink

It has been said today that they are not looking for herd immunity at all. Wonder who is telling porkies?


My hair is due cutting next Friday, I wear it short but it is very think and bushy. I can imagine what a fright I would look after 4 months. :-D :-D

I have never heard such nonsense.

About 5 million UK residents are over 70 many of them in a robust state of health, many active. A lot work full/part time and run businesses employing others A great many are themselves carers whether or not they are registered.
Some are MPs.

Are by elections to be called for MPs over 70 as they will be unable to repreesent their constituencies? Or will the House of Commons be replaced by Skype ?

Who will replace their care contribution?

Who will deliver their shopping and other needs?
Ocado has already collapsed. Many, esp those over 80, have not joined the world of internet and smartphones and in any case distrust it.

Are driving licences for the over 70s to be suspended?
Lots of silversides stopped, cars confiscated, fined?

Stop and search fpr those over 60 to prove their right to be out and about ?

All this for months on end ?????

If this is how the insane herd immunity experiment is to be run it won't work.

Bring back cheques!

Do not panic buy but we will tell a large number of you to lock yourself away for four months :-S

I was wondering the same Gwyn. There is a senior housing area by us and the majority are living on their own so how will they cope with being isolated for so long. The warden left years ago and was never replaced . As was said previously how are they going to get money to pay for shopping even if there is someone to get it for them.

Good question Gwyn.

My daughter also lives at home and works in a food shop/petrol station.

Garden and house could both do with some tlc but it would be the actual staying home all day which would get to me.
Normally I'm out and about, shopping, helping at a pop-in group and often go into school as a volunteer.

I would not be in isolation at home, as my daughter lives at home and goes out to work each day.
Would she be expected to live elsewhere while I continue in the family home?

I think the private hospitals being mentioned are those that specialise more in surgery.

Phew. Looks like I won’t be in the 4 month isolation just yet. All very well for the government to say we would get supplies delivered. By whom, and would they be able to act actually deliver the specialist food needed. (I live with 2 coeliacs and it is a nightmare getting them eatable bread now that it’s not on prescription and some gf biscuits make OH violently ill as can’t tolerate gf oats)

I also noted Boris was going to call on all private hospitals to take in patients to help the NHS hospitals

My question ............... what happens to the patients already IN the private hospitals?

Aren't many of them long-term patients and the elderly? Where are they intended to go?

Tad difficult - hubby would be confined and I wouldn't.

Not helpful as I can't leave the house without him :-(

He'll continue running over the mountains as he won't see anyone lol

No problem with keeping occupied but I do tend to get cabin fever and that is relieved by a trip to the large lake, again we wouldn't be near anyone else.

Looks like a lot of face time with family, especially grandkids.

My sister (68) and her colleague (80+) run the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
Do they just cancel it, as her colleague has to stay indoors - where his wife runs a B&B!

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-14/elderly-to-be-quarantined-for-four-months-in-wartime-style-mobilisation-to-combat-coronavirus/

Worth a read. I'll go stir crazeeeeeeeeee. It aint been thought out proper. There are hell of a lot of elderly who do not use the 'net, others who wont shop online anyway. How do those living on their own, no relatives in area to get their shopping, those who never get visitors anyway get hold of cash? Who will draw their pension or go to ATM for them but that means giving someone your card and pin - card providers wont like that, what about hair cuts etc. Can see why its being suggested but is it practical? If it happens I can only hope that my terminal cancer termalises me - dunno how long I have left

Well, I'm getting more exercise walking the dog through mostly quiet streets so getting fit and might lose weight if I can't find enough food for us all to eat :-)
Then there's washing everything down whenever they come in from work just in case :-)
Then there's books to read and tree to work on....

I don't go out much anyway and keep away from places where a lot of people gather.

Got my medieval to write up, dishcloths to knit. Several books I have used for note- taking, I could buckle down and read all the way through.

Plenty of ironing hanging about, loads of sorting out needs doing following my prolonged withdrawal from reality.

Could start another patchwork and hope I can get it finished in less than 42 years this time.

There is always sitting mindlessly in front of the tele, the same as every day, as well!

I've got loads to do!
The stairwell needs repainting (as does a lot of the house).
I have the paint - just not the enthusiasm.
I have a couple or three dolls houses in mid-construction, and my newest acquisition (bought about 2 years ago) suffered serious damage when George (cat) tried to jump on top of it - he pulled the downstairs front windows off.
When I say he pulled the front windows off, it doesn't sound much - but some of the window frames broke.
This is the house/shop - you can see how many many frames there are :-S
He pulled the whole shop window/door off and I have individual wooden shales on the roof and the top of the window.

http://www.dollshouse.com/magpies

Some bits of the frame have split, but I have found some wooden 'sticks' about the same diameter, so I could renew them - but I need to find the paint I used - and spent most of today rummaging through drawers and cupboards - to no avail :-|

Our Provincial Health Officer was asked yesterday about self-isolation ................

she said there was no reason not to go out as along as you did not go very close to other people, to crowded places or anywhere where you might infect someone or be infected. Plus not use public transit, taxis etc.

Crowds of more than 250 people are banned here.

But that allows you to go for long walks as long as you keep 3 to 6 feet space between you and anyone else that is not your immediate family, you could even go shopping but not to crowded stores. You can garden or do maintenance round the outside of your house.

Quarantine here means that you are either suspected of being infected or have tested positive, and then you are not allowed to go out or have contact with other people. Even family members should wear protective gear if they have to take care of you.

Our PM Trudeau is facing this right now ......... his wife Sophie is in quarantine in one part of the house having been infected in England, he and their children are isolated in another part.

Every cloud has a silver lining....no sport :-D

As from tomorrow all gatherings of over 500 persons have been banned.

Knowing Australian TV they will probably show repeats of previously televised events, and knowing some Australians they will probably go out and bet on them expecting a different result ;-)

I am trying to compile a list of things to do. Loads of books to read, gardening, cards to make for a friend who sells them for charity. A couple of cupboards that need clearing out. A bit of admin that needs doing. Maybe scrapbook some photos. And probably waste a lot of time on the internet. I won’t miss sport but OH will.