160 days since lockdown/isolation.

What is going on now? Anyone on holiday abroad or who may have booked flights (in our case, well before the pandemic) must be totally confused. In our case the final destination is Austria but we land with Easyjet in Germany (Munich). In the case of both countries we must isolate when we get back which we can accommodate but can we go between Germany and Austria in the hire car? Our accommodation is in Salzburg so should we cancel and book accommodation in Germany? And we must take into account the wishes of our friends who are travelling with us. And will Easyjet even fly and, more importantly, fly back to Manchester where our car will be parked? I have messaged my friends Andy and Lindy, with whom we are going, and we are keeping an eye on the situation.

Being in relative isolation means that your day to day routine is very boring and leaves a lot of time for reflection. A few years ago when I went to sleep I would hope to feel a bit better when I woke up in the morning. Now, at 72, I just hope to wake up. And all the things I looked forward to doing, when I was younger, I can no longer be bothered with, unless it involves sitting down. Like listening to Test Match Special, which I am doing now.

Maybe we could try “glamping” like our esteemed Prime Minister. It looks fun but where is there space for the bar and the jacuzzi hot tub? Why is Boris even there? Churchill had his faults but I am pretty sure he never took time off during times of crisis. Which this is!! The situation changes daily and the public really do not know what they are able to do. Can they go camping in Northumberland or fly to Greece without the fear of lockdown/isolation when they get back? And where is Dominic Cummings in all this? He has kept very quiet of late.

Is Cummings behind the shambles involving evictions? Is he quietly going to protect tenants at the expense of landlords? It is correct to look after tenants who cannot pay their rents through no fault of their own. However, landlords need the rent to pay the mortgages which many of them still have on their properties without getting tax relief on the mortgage interest which has been withdrawn in recent years.

An old colleague of mine, Rhys Hobley, died last week after suffering for some years from Motor Neuron Disease. I posted his passing on an Inland Revenue facebook page and was astounded at the huge loving response. He was a lovable rogue much admired and liked by all. He was 74 and will be sadly missed. We ought to be more thankful that we are in reasonable health and can still enjoy a wee dram of malt whiskey now and again.

Sally and Jim have been having a wonderful time in Spain and Sally flies home today. Jim is staying on in their apartment and will fly home in a week or two to avoid the height pollen count in Bucharest at this time. They have sorted out our Mitsubishi during their stay, sorting out road tax, insurance, MOT and a repair. All the more reason to try to get out there and see some old friends but that is not going to be until November at least.

David took the kids to Beamish last week but it was a little disappointing as many of the attractions were closed. They made up for that with a day at Flamingoland where they had a great time.

I have found an old school photo from when I was 8/9 in Miss Solly’s class and have been trying to fill in all the names of my classmates. I am only about three short with one or two I may have got wrong but what is interesting is the class numbers. There were 36 pupils (more than once I was 35th or 36th in exams at the end of term) and we never thought about it being too many. I wonder where they all are now?

Stay safe!