Autumn is Here

Here we are again – Happy Sunday!

I hope everyone is well and doing all they can to stay safe – Hands – Face – Space!

While this current interruption to normal life goes on, I was thinking that Social Media has come into its own.  People talk about ‘Zoom’ and so on as a way of not just working collaboratively but of drawing families together and enabling sharing of news.  A lot of older people (obviously I do not include myself in this group!) are not used to the technology available, so I think a lot of grandchildren and friends have been very helpful in ensuring everything is up and running so enable this vital family linkage.

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I don’t ‘Tweet’ nor do I ‘Insta’ or ‘Snapchat’ – but I do (as you will probably know) use Facebook, Text and e-mail.  On Facebook, I have been at a loss to understand why everyone is suddenly swearing all the time – not just the odd, mild word but really nasty language – my delete key is working overtime!

Yes, I get that we are all fed up, and because of that we get irritated or even cross about things but does using vile language help solve this – I think not!  I wish people would stop it -it’s not big and doesn’t make you look clever!

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While I’m having a good moan – what on earth is wrong with some elements of our society?  I am all for debate and discussion, and am always up for a conversation about most things.  However, this sudden growth of people who seem to be led by Piers Corbyn and David Icke (which says it all really) that maintain that there is no Virus – or there is but it is being spread by the Government on purpose; that people shouldn’t have the tests because it is a way of the Government tracing them; that we shouldn’t wear masks (sometimes referred to as Government Muzzles); that we shouldn’t obey any of the rules.  Their obsession that this is all being orchestrated by an unknown group who want to run the world and make us all slaves is just a step too far for rational people I think!  The best one I heard was that we shouldn’t have the vaccine (when it has been developed and is available) because there is a microchip embedded in it to trace us and control us.

I can only assume these people never use a debit card, a store loyalty card or a mobile phone – which would seem to make tracing you easy, if anyone was so inclined.

And where do the protesters get all this valuable information and knowledge?  Yup – from Facebook and You Tube!

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For me, one of the best things about staying at home for most of the time is the opportunity to read as much as I like, because I am not being pressed to be somewhere else.  So far, I’ve read 69 books (the good and the bad!) but here is a recommendation for you – if you have already read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (watching the TV version doesn’t count!) then try The Testaments.  It’s a sequel, but is really very good and solves queries you may have been left wondering about.  You may wonder if Gilead is closer than you thought.

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Not wishing to be political, but, as people, I am a great admirer of the Obamas.  I am not an admirer of the Trumps.

My friends in the US will be voting very shortly for their next President – and are so very worried about what might happen.  They have no protocol in their Constitution for what to do if the loser in the Presidential election refuses to leave the White House and tries to carry on – but I have heard many and varied ideas for a solution!

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This week I met up with a friend at Stansted Garden Centre (I know some of you won’t know where that it is!) for coffee (or black tea for me, as I think coffee is just too vile to drink) and a cheese scone.  Whoop whoop – their scone is definitely now at the top of my list of favourite places to eat them!

Their system is well organised – you collect a ‘one use’ menu, write your table number on it and tick what you want to order then take it to the till where you pay and register for ‘‘Track and trace’ (if you hold a loyalty card, you just show it as you are already on their data base) .  Your order is then delivered to your table – simples!

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As a result of my hospital appointment last week I am now on a salt free and sugar free diet.  I’m not doing too badly but there is the odd hitch when I want to use a tin or packet of something and find there is sugar or salt hidden in it – even in the most unlikely things.  What a God-send are the ‘Traffic Light’ values nowadays.

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Sorry, just re-read all this and it seems a bit of a moan this week – perhaps I need to get out more!  Roll on the day when I will feel comfortable to be roaming the south on my favourite 700 bus and eves-dropping on conversations – nowadays people keep a distance and I can never hear what is being said, especially through a mask!

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Have a good week, even though it is supposed to be a bit chilly.  Do take care and stay safe.

xx

Just Another Week

What?  Already? Closed my eyes for a few minutes and here we are – Sunday again!  Hope everyone is well and happy?

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Last week I mentioned having been to the Dentist.  This week my brother had an appointment at the same Dentist (I should just mention that we are all on Denplan!)  He had a phone call from the practice the day before to ask all the usual medical-type questions and was told he would have to pay £30 towards the cost of PPE.  He disagreed and a discussion resulted in the Practice Manager ringing him later, by which time I’d been told (I wasn’t asked for money last week!) and had done some research.  Apparently, according to Denplan, some practices are doing this but they had donated £2 million to be shared between all practices to cover PPE costs.

My brother imparted this bit of news to the Practice Manager, who went very quiet and said she would look into it.  He turned up for his appointment, had the treatment and left – and there was no mention at all of money – so signs, nothing!  He also took a photo (with their permission) of the Dentist and two nurses in their PPE – which was the same as they have worn for years.

We live in interesting times!

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I have been appalled and saddened in equal measure by the protests like the one held at Portsmouth Guildhall yesterday, against the wearing of masks, lockdowns etc and proclaiming that all the Covid information is just lies because ‘they’ want to take away our freedom and control us.

I perceive them to be dangerous idiots and, they claim that there is no pandemic and Covid isn’t dangerous anyway.

Sadly there are some people who believe all this!

These people ‘know’ what is going on because they have ‘inside information.’ One of the most outspoken was Piers Corbyn but apparently David Icke couldn’t make it as he was speaking at a rally in London.

I say no more.

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This week we went out for lunch with my brother and his wife (D&E).  It was a lovely day and we went to a country pub, which was almost empty.  We ordered drinks and when the very chatty barman brought them to our table he confided to D that if we said the password when we were presented with our bill, we would get 20% off!  D asked him what the password was, and he told us!

The food was excellent and we had a good time with lots of laughter.  When the bill arrived, D whispered the password to the waitress, who took the bill away and deducted 20%!  What a bargain and a good time too.

The following day we went for lunch with two friends to a different pub – no offers there, but tasty food and lots of laughter.

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I had an appointment at the local hospital on Friday at the Renal Department.  What a welcoming place with staff who chatted to you and made you feel comfortable – questions were answered fully, explanations were given, no feeling of being rushed at all.

Almost a pleasure to be there!

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This week will not involve so much gadding about – but I do still have a stash of new books to read, including a couple from my friend H, who popped in with them just now!  I love it when that happens.  I mean I am always pleased to see her, but when she comes bearing books – double pleasure!

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I hope you all have a good week, that the weather doesn’t become too cold and wet, and that you all stay well and safe.

xx

Mainly Memorials

Here we are, Sunday again, and how quickly they seem to arrive!  I hope you are all well and happy.

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As you might know from previous Rambles, the Main Man and I do enjoy our coach trips, although we haven’t been on one for so long now that we were a little apprehensive about risking it.

We decided we would and Monday saw us waiting to be picked up at 7 in the morning!  Coach was spot on time – and we were masked, sanitized and the step onto the bus was sprayed before we got on and after we had trodden on it!

There were only15 people on the trip and we were at the front, so whenever we stopped, we were the first off and the last back on, so that no-one had to brush past us and the seats on the other side on the bus were not in use.

We stopped for a ‘comfort break’ at a service station and I was pleasantly surprised at how few people were around – what a change!  We sat in the sunshine and enjoyed a cup of tea and a hot bacon roll may also have slipped down my throat purely by accident!

We eventually arrived at our destination – the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

It took me a few minutes to get our bearings but we then headed off for the Armed Forces Memorial, which lists all those serving members of the Armed Forces killed on duty, in battle or by terrorists since the end of the Second World War. 

(Pause for a moment – how many conflicts where British Armed Forces have served since 1945 do you think there have been?  Answer a bit further on to give you time to count up all those you can remember).

The memorial is beautiful, comprising two huge curved walls and two straight walls, faced in Portland stone.  All the names are carved on here, ordered by year, service and battle.  There is room left for 30,000 more names which is a frightening thought.

There are 132 acres of land here, with over 370 different memorials, with more added every year.  These vary from small, simple memorials to large areas and cover such a wide variety of people remembered here – from Scouts to Far Eastern prisoners of war; from individual navel vessels to the Police memorial; from the Burma railway to the Brigade of Gurkhas.

Because walking far is a bit of an issue now, we caught the land-train – separate carriages for two people and all well protected – which has a recorded commentary as it wends its way around the beautiful tree-covered site.  Some of the memorials are so very poignant but the whole atmosphere was very quiet and respectful.

Some visitors had come especially to see a particular memorial, others just to look around – but entry is free so some people may come often.  We looked carefully at the National Memorial for the name of the only person we know who was killed in Afghanistan, David O’Connor.  We found his name which was too high up for me to photograph for his mother, but, like so many other people there, I whispered a message to him to assure him that his Mum sent her love and he was still sadly missed.  You may think this me bonkers, but there you go!

It was a really good day out, tiring but so worth it.  We arrived back just after 9.00, tired but so glad we went.

How many conflicts did you come up with?  10? 20?  No – it is actually 52!  In 74 years, British Servicemen and women have been killed in 52 different conflicts.  When will we ever learn?

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In the gift shop just before we left there were three elderly gentlemen, smartly dressed in blazers with a regimental badge on the pocket.  One had a glorious walrus moustache and was very much ‘in charge’.  As he tutted a bit a fourth man came through the door to join them.  The ‘in charge’ man shouted to him to ‘get a move on’ and waved something in the air – ‘here’s a thingy for your whatsit’ he said.  The late man seemed to understand ‘Oh, good show’.  I never did manage to see what it was though!

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I also had the excitement of going to the dentist this week for a check-up.  Sadly my own dentist had retired a week after my last appointment (the two events were totally unconnected!) so I had a new one.  Fortunately all was well, but it always takes me ages to get used to someone new poking me about!

However, given that the dentist and the hygienist (who I like a lot and she always makes me laugh) are both very close to the face even though they are masked, it made me wonder why on earth I still can’t see a doctor across a large desk!  No – the consultation has to be by phone, and you can’t phone him – you phone and request him to phone you which may, or may not, happen! 

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I understand from the television forecast that we are in for a week of sunshine and warm weather – so I hope you’ll all enjoy your week.  Please stay safe and stick to the rules – you know it makes sense (who was it who used to say that?)

Take care of yourself and those whom you love.

xx