28th February, 2021. 351 days of Lockdown/Isolation.

I notice that China has announced 11 new cases of Covid today making a total of 89,842 cases in total. That puts them in 84th place on the table of countries and their reported cases (the UK has had 4,177,330 (5th place) by comparison. If anybody believes that load of conkers, they will believe anything. Everybody needs to see a great documentary of two episodes which was on BBC 2 and is now on iPlayer. They are called respectively:- “54 days – China and the Pandemic” and “America and the Pandemic”. Riveting stuff!! In the meantime all that is coming from our government and scientists, is good news. We are first in the world on vaccinations and all infection numbers are plummeting, in the right direction and vaccinations are being given at a rate of over 500,000 per day including 2nd vaccinations.

What have I learned about lockdown? What do I do now that I did not do over a year ago?

I, like many others, talk to strangers a lot but then, I always did. The difference is that now, everyone talks back and they don’t think I am some random nutter. Or maybe they do. But as before, I don’t really care. I have got to know so many faces that I couldn’t begin to count them. Even when I do my usual walks for bread and milk, The Times or Fish and chips on a Friday, I know that those on the route will be saying “There he goes again. Regular as clockwork. You could set your watch by him” I know that because it’s what we say as we look out of our window at the passers by. The man who walks three cockapoos three times a day. The Little girl with the pink crash helmet and pink bike, twice a day. The cars that break the speed limit. The delivery drivers (and there are dozens of them) and which house gets the most parcels. No. 25, if you are interested.

I eat more biscuits and cakes and sweets and have taken to making scones and Whiskey marmalade. I could eat that straight from the jar. Comfort food is so necessary and done without a thought to the waistline It’s hard to remember a time when we did not have chocolate covered raisins in the house. When this madness finishes, hopefully this year, I will suffer a huge sugar crash and nobody should speak to me for a week. Cold turkey on chocolate. I cannot wait.

I am under no illusions that I could learn a new skill or learn a new language during lockdown. Even write a book, as some have done. Why do any of those things when there is a ready supply of lemons to make gin and tonics? Why bother with intellectual stuff when you can binge on twitter? And are those people pleased with themselves who have achieved reading War and Peace or written a self gratifying tome of hugely boring proportions or learnt Welsh (why would they) and know the meaning of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilogogogoch. That should be 58 characters. You count them. I cannot be bothered. And I’ve been there. Those who did those things would not declare it for being declared as sad buggers. So what is the point.

Unlike many others, we have not bought a dog. Or a cat or lizard or goldfish or tarantula. No pet of any kind will ever cross our threshold. Even a “visitor” would be chucked into the back garden for the duration of the visit. Don’t get me wrong. I quite like dogs. They are to some extent loyal, friendly and trainable. Unlike cats who are “tarts” and spread their love to any one who will feed them. And leave a calling card. It is estimated that the number of pets during lock down have increased to 1 in every 4 households. Goodness gracious! I have a pet who cleans up after me!

We in the UK seem to be forging ahead of most countries with our vaccination programme whilst simultaneously having the highest number of deaths per million. That must change if for no other reason than to ease my troubled mind at the dichotomy. Boris has given a list of dates to slowly and gradually come out of lockdown. There are several milestones going up to June. Why make it a time thing? Why not just say, for example, 4 weeks after everyone has had their second dose? Except we should exclude anti-vaxxers who should be incarcerated and have a big black cross painted on their front doors.

Sally and Jim continue to video call from Romania (it is always lovely to hear from them for an update. They are both bearing up very well) and we are getting messages from Petra and Manfred in Germany and Bernard and Sue in France. Those two latter countries are not doing as well as the UK with their vacination programme. Very frustrating for all. We have not seen any of those lovely people for over a year and the prospects for 2021 are slim. At least for the first half. This may of course (along with Brexit) explain the appalling refereeing by the French chap who was in charge of the match against Wales on Saturday. I fear the worst for the Eurovision Song Contest. It would not matter if we had Shirley Bassey or Paul McCartney representing he UK, we are guaranteed “Nul Points” I’ll go one further. We are likely to be the first country to score a minus figure. Forget any points from the Mediterranean. The Balkan countries and the Scandinavians all vote for each other and of course we can forget any of our old friends in the EU. Especially the French. As usual, I won’t be listening to all the rubbish songs (which, ironically, many of the competitors sing in English) but I will take time to watch the voting. I predict that The Ukraine will win.

Only 35 days until our second Pfizer jab. Then a couple of weeks later, almost immune!