Stormy Weather II

[Serial_Apologist]

Generally people were observing social distancing protocols on my ride this afternoon, except in places where the path was too narrow to allow for distance. I just held my breath and pedalled past as fast as possible! You get lovely comments out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, such as this from a boy of about six or seven: "If I go on that side of the path, can I give that man conoro... coronorowo... virus, mummy?" "No dear, and you surely wouldn't want to now, WOULD you! Now, COME OVER HERE AND STAY ON THIS SIDE OF THE PATH!" I wanted to say, it's easier to write the word than speak it, but thought better of it...

[BBMmk2]

Generally people were observing social distancing protocols on my ride this afternoon, except in places where the path was too narrow to allow for distance. I just held my breath and pedalled past as fast as possible! You get lovely comments out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, such as this from a boy of about six or seven: "If I go on that side of the path, can I give that man conoro... coronorowo... virus, mummy?" "No dear, and you surely wouldn't want to now, WOULD you! Now, COME OVER HERE AND STAY ON THIS SIDE OF THE PATH!" I wanted to say, it's easier to write the word than speak it, but thought better of it...

There’s a certain amount of people that are not of course. I’m one of those that have to be shielded . So for twelve weeks I’ll be stuck. As will, no doubt, quite a few members of this Forum.

Another lovely day today. I think, of course, it’s much better to look out when it’s a blue sky, rather than the drab grey!

[oddoneout]

There’s a certain amount of people that are not of course. I’m one of those that have to be shielded . So for twelve weeks I’ll be stuck. As will, no doubt, quite a few members of this Forum.

Another lovely day today. I think, of course, it’s much better to look out when it’s a blue sky, rather than the drab grey!

Glass half full thinking - good on you! Some would find it worse looking out at blue sky and wishing they could be out. I can't help thinking that it's probably better to be going through this at this time of year when light levels and mother can nature increasingly provide entertainment and better mood and, for those able and so blessed, a chance to escape to the garden.

[Sir Velo]

Air noticeably better quality here than for many a moon. Some superb cycling to be had later once essential chores done.

[Serial_Apologist]

Air noticeably better quality here than for many a moon. Some superb cycling to be had later once essential chores done.

Don't mind if I join you Sir V. Today could be my last long cycle ride for a while as my 74-years old knee joints have taken rather a lot over the past four days of fairly long distance pedalling. Friday has to be my weekly permitted search for groceries and other necessaries, and after that the weather is due to undertake a considerable turn for the colder - as quite a few amateur forecasters had been predicting, following accurately calculating for a largely mildish but windy and wet winter.

[DracoM]

Fine, fine Spring day here - can feel the sun's warmth. AND local open air market - bit truncated - still operational.

[BBMmk2]

Glass half full thinking - good on you! Some would find it worse looking out at blue sky and wishing they could be out. I can't help thinking that it's probably better to be going through this at this time of year when light levels and mother can nature increasingly provide entertainment and better mood and, for those able and so blessed, a chance to escape to the garden.

Absolutely. I’m thinking along those lines as well. Thank goodness it’s at this time of year though?!?!?

Another very good day to look out on.

[DracoM]

Well, ironically, up here, we've had just about the best four or so days for mid-late March one could wish for.

[oddoneout]

Another sunny if somewhat chilly day. The only downside to this fine weather is that next door have now remembered that they have a garden so I have their 4 year old shouting at me, and trying to get balls over the fence so he can order me to return them. I think the parents did finally twig yesterday that having their little tyrant yelling to me "hey, get that ball" was possibly not the best strategy and softly softly asked him to ask properly and prompted to thank me when I complied. It's a shame as they are a nice couple and we mostly get along fine, but being in a mid terrace house with a narrow garden at such a time does bring challenges - not least that the child is too young to self monitor social distancing and insists on try to hang on my chain link fence to shout at me - the garden is scarcely 15' wide... Fortunately the gardens are very long and currently they can only use the top end nearest the house as the rest has been neglected and is a jungle so I can escape to my veg patch down the bottom end - fingers crossed that remains the case.
Grumble over,now I must finish the chores so I can get out there while the boy is inside doing his lessons.

[Bryn]

Spent a good while building stoking up the Vitamin D factory yesterday and plan to do likewise today. I'm guessing that the prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D tablets could do with some solar assistance. Though my 'exercise walk' can take in a local Tesco, I will not be bothering to shop today. Managed to get a 4 pint bottle of organic whole milk there yesterday. Otherwise, as far as 4 pint bottles are concerned, they only had skimmed (no semi-skimmed). I did consider getting the skimmed and a small pot of single cream to top up once the first cup of coffee had been made but then the three bottles of organic whole milk caught my eye, tucked away at the back of the bottom level of one of the racks. I had to shift all the other types from above it to open the hinged shelves to get at what I was after. I have sufficient eggs for a few more days but they are another thing disappearing from the shelves first thing in the morning. Fruit and veg were to be had in plenty.

[Serial_Apologist]

Spent a good while building stoking up the Vitamin D factory yesterday and plan to do likewise today. I'm guessing that the prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D tablets could do with some solar assistance. Though my 'exercise walk' can take in a local Tesco, I will not be bothering to shop today. Managed to get a 4 pint bottle of organic whole milk there yesterday. Otherwise, as far as 4 pint bottles are concerned, they only had skimmed (no semi-skimmed). I did consider getting the skimmed and a small pot of single cream to top up once the first cup of coffee had been made but then the three bottles of organic whole milk caught my eye, tucked away at the back of the bottom level of one of the racks. I had to shift all the other types from above it to open the hinged shelves to get at what I was after. I have sufficient eggs for a few more days but they are another thing disappearing from the shelves first thing in the morning. Fruit and veg were to be had in plenty.

Fruit and veg mostly gone here most days now, apart from cabbage and Brussel sprouts. Eggs have been almost impossible to get for a week now unless you hit the right target and the right time. Take the corner shop I mentioned yesterday: the man had said to come back today, late morning or early afternoon. This morning I had to dash back down there as I discovered I must have dropped both my bank cards somewhere yesterday afternoon while out. The man repeated that I should come back later - which I did, only to be told, "Nah, no eggs today mate". How about tomorrow then? Hmmmm. The other corner shop said yes, definitely; but you do wonder if such "promises" are to get you there to buy something else you might just be needing. In the end it was rather amusing. I paid a rare visit to Iceland, where I picked up a few unusual things otherwise unobtainable, and my mention of eggs to the check-out girl was met with, "He'll sort it for you", pointing to the young headphones-wearing guy "on the door", who then went to a locked cupboard and produced half a dozen large free-range eggs, handing them to the girl addressing me with the words, "We keep a few in store for older customers such as yourself"!

Losing my banking cards is another story - I returned from a 3-mile cycle ride from Herne Hill Sainsburys at around 7 pm last evening, and on emptying out my wallet to see if I needed more cash from the local lolly machine, found everything - existing cash, travel card - in place apart from the little nylon folding pouch containing my current and deposit account cards! By the time I retraced my route the shop was closed, and in any case street lighting only doing half its job these days made possibly finding the object improbable. I checked both accounts online - no money had been deducted unauthorised. So I would have to return to Herne Hill at opening time (7am) to find out if the cards had been handed in, and if not pop over to one of the two last remaining Lloyds branches within 5 miles when it opened and ask them to cancel the cards and order up new ones. To cut long story short, the national Lloyds website said branch 1 opens today at 9 am; other branch two miles away at 9.30. But the branch websites both individually state 9 am. Arrive at the first branch at 8.55 to find sign saying "opening 10 am closing 5 pm for emergency needs only". Rather than sit waiting an hour in subzero temperatures I head off to the other branch. Same notice! By the time I've window-shopped both sides of the Sydenham high street looking at mostly boarded up frontages the bank has opened its door and two ladies are being asked to queue outside; so I join them. Thankfully working class women of Jamaican descent are in my general experience more open to conversational banter and seeing funny sides to irritating situations than those from similar social and ethnic backgrounds to myself, which made the half hour wait while the first customer was presumably being delivered of a baby a lot more endurable than it would otherwise have been. What was causing the delay, one found out, was that the computer system used to sort out any presenting problem kept on crashing; so the first customer was able to leave with a neat wad of what looked like 50 squid notes while my newly acquired black lady friends left non-satisfied.

Always make sure in such circs to have some proof or at least evidence of identity - my driving license was enough, and from my name on it the counter attendant of severe countenance was able to access my respective two accounts, confirm cancelling each card, and let me know my replacements should be with me by the middle of next week. Let's hope so: and yes, I know - I really should have checked the online website to see if there was any way I could have reported the loss without literally going to these lengths - but in a panic one does not automatically think straight or in terms of options. And I still haven't been checked if such as indeed possible - I have so many emails from concerned friends that needed prioritising with answers. Phew!

[greenilex]

Hope it doesn’t turn out you had the cards all along...that’s what would happen to me.

[BBMmk2]

At least, one thing is certain, whilst we have these sunny days, it’s not too bad being stuck in 24/7.

[Pulcinella]

A much colder start today here: frost on roofs and the meadow, some mist round the lake.
It'll burn off quickly, I'm pretty sure, as another glorious day looks in prospect.
I'm very lucky to be able to sit out in the sunshine at the front of the house, more than 2 m from anyone walking or cycling by.
It will be Hilary Mantel in hands (the tension is building superbly), and iPod with headphones as earmuffs!

[teamsaint]

Bright and cool again here, frost for about the fourth morning in a row.

I'm exhausted just reading S-A's thorough account of the lost/mislaid bank cards. A bit like his cards, I got lost somewhere along Sydenham High St

Our garden is a rather work- heavy affair, but just for once I'm not too bothered. It's certainly looking the best it ever has. We are turning a couple of borders that have become a bit scruffy over to extra veg for this year, and have splashed out on a wooden lean -to style greenhouse, assembling which will test my DIY skills. Could do with a cordless drill, but that's probably a bit of a luxury for a reluctant DIY-er !

If only we had something like a local " Library of things "...........

Perhaps like UBI, it is an idea whose time has come.