Coping in the Time of Covid-19 - New and Improved!

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  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited July 2020
    Well, yes - and there are other US states, it seems, where infections are increasing, and lockdowns are being re-introduced.

    This might happen here in the UK - news bulletins today report that already a few pubs have closed again, with staff and/or customers infected. The irony is that those pubs appear to have followed all the guidance/instructions/rules/diktats etc.

    So much for Johnson's 'Super Saturday' - when one looks at the pictures of streets packed with 'revellers' (aka 'idiots'), one wonders how many of them are infected...or infecting other poor sods...

    ...but (votive) for the poor licensees etc. whose livelihood is at stake, too.
  • Went to the post office this morning. They have waiting area marked off in 6 foot blocks and large sign saying you must wear a mask and keep 6 feet apart. Women were all standing and waiting at back of their 6 foot blocks two sets of men were standing talking one at back of block and the other at the front so they were side by side. One man had mask over his mouth but not his nose. Is it a gender thing? One can only wonder.
  • It is really interesting though..... as has been mentioned a bazillion time already..... the UK is New to this mask wearing thing.

    I can remember living in an English large northern city and and puzzling about international students in Sept wearing masks on the trams.

    Now.....as of yesterday..... it is a case of which of the two masks shall I wear?

  • Went to the post office this morning. They have waiting area marked off in 6 foot blocks and large sign saying you must wear a mask and keep 6 feet apart. Women were all standing and waiting at back of their 6 foot blocks two sets of men were standing talking one at back of block and the other at the front so they were side by side.

    Major human interface flaw. You shouldn't mark out blocks - because that looks like "one person stands in each box". You should mark spots, 6 feet apart, so it looks like "one person stands on each spot".

    I was in the pharmacy yesterday. The male pharmacist wore his mask correctly; the female pharmacist had hers pulled down to expose her nose. I don't think this means anything systematic.
  • Alan Cresswell Alan Cresswell Admin, 8th Day Host
    The extra lockdown imposed in Dumfries and Galloway last week has now been lifted, the test and trace process has worked effectively identifying all the individuals affected allowing everyone else to continue with life as normal.
  • Went to the post office this morning. They have waiting area marked off in 6 foot blocks and large sign saying you must wear a mask and keep 6 feet apart. Women were all standing and waiting at back of their 6 foot blocks two sets of men were standing talking one at back of block and the other at the front so they were side by side. One man had mask over his mouth but not his nose. Is it a gender thing? One can only wonder.
    Based on what I’ve seen, it’s not a gender thing. I’ve seen as many women as men not being careful about distancing, and I see more women wearing masks improperly than I do men.

  • The laundromat opens at 6:00am. I try to get there around 6:15 and usually there are no other customers, or just one or two. Last week there was a woman there, unmasked, who yakked on the phone the whole time she was doing her laundry. I saw to it that she used machines at one end of the room, and I at the other. Still . . . .
  • PDRPDR Shipmate
    Unfortunately masks make my mild claustrophobia much worse, so I have to be a bit smart about it. If I am outside and there are not a lot of people about - no mask. Grocery store or post office I mask up, and hope I can get out of there before I start to panic, which usually gives me 15 to 20 minutes. Any environment where I would have to wear a mask for a sustained period of time is a no-go. I am not even thinking about flying until things have settled down a bit.
  • Graven ImageGraven Image Shipmate
    edited July 2020
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    Based on what I’ve seen, it’s not a gender thing. I’ve seen as many women as men not being careful about distancing, and I see more women wearing masks improperly than I do men.

    I was not clear, I did not mean the mask wearing. I meant that only the men were talking up close. I was aware that there were 4 women and 4 men in line, and all 4 of the men were chatting up close to each other, while the women were maintaining distance. I am sure it was just by chance.
  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    On a slightly different note, the resumption of Test Cricket today (not quite in bed yet) does give a hint of how big sporting events are going to potentially be staged over the next year: they're in Southampton as the stadium has an onsite hotel, so they can make everything bio-secure. I suspect that model of going to places which have everything together, or close accommodation that can be booked out to keep everyone separate in a small radius will become popular.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    Saw a film clip that Japan is putting robots in stadium seats. Some are humanoid, others (ISTM) like headless dogs that dance around on all fours. I'm guessing this is for televised baseball.
  • A sign of these times... I enjoyed seeing a picture (Washington Post, I think it was) of a lady lounging on a beach in a three piece swimsuit: red bikini with matching facemask - quite elegant, I thought.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    Which part covered more? ;)
  • I was trying to keep the discussion tasteful, but since you ask, I don't think the face mask was the smallest item.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    LOL. ;)
  • DoublethinkDoublethink Admin, 8th Day Host
    edited July 2020
    I wonder if you can buy a bikini with two bottoms and just wear one on each end ?
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    I would have thought an extra top would yield two usable masks.
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host
    No. One of them would make you look like a right tit.


    … I’ll get me coat
  • Booooooooooooooo!
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    First Covid-era shop in Waitrose. 15 minute wait to get in. Odd lacunae or imbalances in the stock - for example, vastly less picnic paraphernalia: many more large sliced loaves vs small: a lot of reductions on fresh produce.

    But I managed to source the essentials - dry Martini, Fiera, moules et frites.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I have to ask - what's Fiera? Google was not my friend - it came up with something about real-estate management!
  • JapesJapes Shipmate
    I had been shopping in the shops all through this, but stock, once it had recovered after the pre-lockdown idiocies, was clearly geared to larger households and not single people households. I couldn't get a 1 pint bottle of milk, which lasts me a week, for the first three months in any of the larger supermarkets and even now the 1 pint is hard to come by.

    I could have bought and frozen a larger quantity, but I didn't want to because of the weight of carrying stuff home when avoiding shopping more than once a week as well trying to avoid public transport as requested.

    I am afraid I did go to the local shops for my weekly pint of milk and do not feel one iota guilty about it.

    It made me very aware of how car-centric and larger household-biased so much of all the guidelines have been, and how easily my shopping is organised around small/often whilst going to and from work. I scarcely notice the effort of shopping pre-lockdown, now it's a massive complicated deal and takes up far more of my time and brain space than I want it to!
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Piglet wrote: »
    I have to ask - what's Fiera? Google was not my friend - it came up with something about real-estate management!

    I misspelt - it's Fiero. Which brings up a lot of sports cars. It's an aperitif, from Martini, flavoured with orange.

  • A person from our local senior center dropped by our house to deliver what can be a weekly box of food. This was a sample and if you wish to continue you need to phone to sign up. It appears it is free via the state government, during this pandemic to seniors to make sure we are feed with less going out to shop. There was a very large melon, a 2 lb bag of green beans, 4 large onions, a 5 lb bag of potatoes, loaf of bread, carton of milk, and a 2 lb bag of carrots. All very nice but as there are only 2 of us, and I know any number of seniors who live alone, I can not imagine this amount of food each week. It seems you must sign up for all or nothing. I am going to make some phone calls for more information. I did check carefully and could find no gin in the box.
  • I was about to say, that's a heck of a lot of food for a week. What are they thinking? And no Moscato or a nice Chianti?
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host
    If you can forgo some or all of the potatoes you could make a start on your own gin-substitute.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    The UK equivalent seemed to consist largely of pasta and biscuits.

    Talking of ignoring the true needs of the elderly, the supermarket I went to today has an hour - from 8 to 9 am reserved for the Aged and Infirm. But in Scotland you can't buy alcohol before 10.
  • MarthaMartha Shipmate
    In Tesco, on the other hand, they'd organised a single queue for all the tills... right down the booze aisle.
  • Firenze wrote: »

    Talking of ignoring the true needs of the elderly, the supermarket I went to today has an hour - from 8 to 9 am reserved for the Aged and Infirm. But in Scotland you can't buy alcohol before 10.

    And they cannot use their bus pass to get there at that time.
  • I believe they've relaxed the restrictions for the duration.
  • @Firenze, what is this 10am of which you speak?

    Not sure I ve seen one of those since arriving in Scotland.........
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I quite often see 10 a.m., but I find if I ignore it, it goes away ... :mrgreen:
    ... I did check carefully and could find no gin in the box.
    That's no fun!

    I agree though - that's a hell of a lot of veggies for one or even two people - and how many seniors live in households of more than two?
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    Yes, I am getting too much veg in my weekly veg box, but as I also rely on this firm for milk deliveries I am stuck with it. This week there were old and new potatoes, one parsnip, a cabbage, cauli, broccoli, and three bunches of carrots, one new, one older, and one “ heritage” bunch , all colours. Much as I love carrots, it is all too much.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    GI--

    Do you have a freezing compartment or freezer? If so, maybe make something and freeze it? There should be lots of info online about how to prep and freeze various things.

    Or maybe barter with someone?

    FWIW.
  • Yes, I wondered if perhaps some bartering might be in order, too.

    A bit of a retrograde step (sic ) at Tesco's this morning. They have given up on the one-way system, which most people were keeping to, so it is possible now to get rather more tangled-up with others in the various aisles. However, they are still maintaining queuing outside, and queuing for a vacant till.

    The queue for the tills was immensely long, so I did as a nice lady customer suggested, and took my meagre purchases to the self-service checkouts (where no queue is necessary). I always manage to co*k these up, but a nice young staff member chap duly helped me (enquiring the while whether I was old enough to buy the bottle of WINE I had in the trolley. O, replied I, that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all week!).
    :grin:
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    I love it!

    Yes, I must do some more freezing this weekend. I do give veg away to my daughter but her home grown veg is doing well now. Also to the neighbours who kindly do a top up shop for us - but I am not seeing anybody else as yet.
  • Not an entirely frivolous suggestion, but might those who have too much home-grown veg/fruit (or who have received it in the boxes of which some of you speak) arrange a sort of roadside or pavement stall, perhaps inviting £sd donations to a local charity?

    I had a little drive out into the countryside yesterday (just testing my eyesight, you understand), and noticed quite a few of the customary local fruit etc. stalls in laybys.
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    A bit of a retrograde step (sic ) at Tesco's this morning. They have given up on the one-way system, which most people were keeping to, so it is possible now to get rather more tangled-up with others in the various aisles. However, they are still maintaining queuing outside, and queuing for a vacant till.

    I gather it's the same at our local Tesco's and it seems highly premature to me. The one way system and barriers kept everyone focussed and there was no opportunity to hang about.

    However, it's my custom to go once a week, first thing in the morning, and people don't hang around then anyway. I see no reason to change my custom any time soon.
  • Yes, I was at ours much later in the day than usual (and I normally go on a less-busy weekday), so have taken due note of the retrograde changes.
    :disappointed:
  • I received some clarification on the food box. Yes, you must take a full pre boxed donation, meaning you can not pick or choose what you receive, but you can pick and choose how often you want to receive a box. That makes much more sense then what I understand the delivery person to say. As things like potatoes, onions, and carrots keep for several weeks I think I will get a box perhaps every second or even third week. Things like green beans I can share with neighbor, and flash freeze if need be. Mr Image and I split a baked potato last night for dinner because they are so big. I am guessing the vegetables are over large ones that stores do not chose to sell so are donated for the boxes. I am grateful if it means less trips to the store.
  • john holdingjohn holding Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Firenze wrote: »
    Piglet wrote: »
    I have to ask - what's Fiera? Google was not my friend - it came up with something about real-estate management!

    I misspelt - it's Fiero. Which brings up a lot of sports cars. It's an aperitif, from Martini, flavoured with orange.
    Encouraged by this I purchased a bottle, as it was next to the Pimms which was actually on my shopping list. (Bought the Pimms as well, of course). I see the Fiero is to be diluted somewhat (rather less than the Pimms I think) but with what? Plain club soda? Tonic? What you lot call lemonade and I call Sprite when I'm Canada? Enquiring minds (well, mine) want to know.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    It occurs to me that those seniors receiving excess veggies might have helpful neighbors who would appreciate getting what you can't use. Said helpful neighbors might then feel even more inclined to assist.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Firenze wrote: »
    Piglet wrote: »
    I have to ask - what's Fiera? Google was not my friend - it came up with something about real-estate management!

    I misspelt - it's Fiero. Which brings up a lot of sports cars. It's an aperitif, from Martini, flavoured with orange.
    Encouraged by this I purchased a bottle, as it was next to the Pimms which was actually on my shopping list. (Bought the Pimms as well, of course). I see the Fiero is to be diluted somewhat (rather less than the Pimms I think) but with what? Plain club soda? Tonic? What you lot call lemonade and I call Sprite when I'm Canada? Enquiring minds (well, mine) want to know.

    I have to say I drink it neat over ice with maybe a spritz of fresh orange or lime to up the citrusy edge. Or like the other Martinis (French, Italian) consider the appropriate mixer is gin.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    It does sound nice - I think I'd probably want it with soda water, as lemonade/Sprite might make it too sweet.
  • Around here it's ouzo weather. Desperate times call for desperate measures - doubles, at least.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Ouzo? The only weather that makes that palatable is: you are in a small seaside town in the Peloponnese, it is evening and due to the dynamics of land/sea heat exchange there is a raging onshore wind and heavy surf. You have eaten your lamb and aubergine, and drunk your bottle of Nemean red to the lively smack of plastic sheeting straining on its poles. The staff give you your bill and complementary glasses of ice-cold ouzo. It tastes wonderful.
  • Around here it's ouzo weather. Desperate times call for desperate measures - doubles, at least.
    I would indeed have to be desperate to resort to ouzo, I’m afraid.

  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Reading this thread with wry amusement because last night President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to say our rates of Covid-19 infection are soaring and so the liquor ban is back today: no sales of liquor, no transportation of alcohol, no alcohol consumption in a public place. His reasoning is that hospital trauma units and ICUs are over-crowded with severe alcoholism cases and casualties from drunk-driving accidents.

    Fortunately, last week I made some homemade limoncello with the zest of a dozen fresh Meyer lemons, affordable vodka and a simple sugar syrup. Smooth and pleasant taste so that was to be a summer treat, but instead I might use it to brighten winter evenings.
  • MaryLouise wrote: »
    President Cyril Ramaphosa

    of South Africa. Not always clear who the players are unless a scorecard is available.
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    edited July 2020
    Apologies, @Amanda B Reckondwyth. You'd have recognised Johnson, Macron, Merkel, Ardern, Trudeau, perhaps Bosanaro. But not the President of South Africa, because Africa is just nowhere -- even if I post on this forum at least once a week and have talked often about where I come from.
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