Nothing to Say...

Lock Down Saturday Market

The bustling Saturday market, one fruit and veg stall, one van selling fish, that is the result of Lock Down.  Even the Tesco queue is sparse.  The town is hiding.

The Bustling High Street.  Four people in view, two others pass by, rather close I thought, and a handful wait outside 'Iceland,' six feet apart.  I was glad I had visited the butcher earlier in the week, there were two customers today and I didn't wish to wait.

In Edwardian days the scene to the left was very different.  Then the area was filled with cattle or sheep on this day, the public houses, three of them in the area to our right alone, filled with farmers and their men lunching, arguing and buying and selling.  Today Tesco dominate.  Beyond the Old Town Hall lay a 'Fair Field' where the Fair would arrive annually generating much pleasure and much money.  Before the war a Cinema opened and found favour with the populace.

 
Having dragged myself across the park, dog walkers and a child or two with mum, and around the town I made my way home through the crowds.  It was interesting how people kept a good distance from me, interesting also that when a party came close the expectation in their eyes was for me to move, not them!   The other person owns the pavement even if there are so few around! 

  
Almost opposite me stands this 'Arts & Crafts' house.  This is very much in keeping with many other such houses along the main road.  These were the offerings of the Courtaulds who built them for their workers.  The man who got this must have been quite high up in the ranks.  All feature red brick interspersed with blue and Tudor like chimneys above.   The Courtaulds built houses, offered doctors, schools and even hospitals to the towns around.  All such buildings are still in very good condition and still occupied.  

 
The rest of the time is spent looking out the window wishing I had a dog to walk when the sun shone.  Someone else could feed them.   

Fumbling Friday...

Friday has been the usual Lock Down day of joy and happiness.  I began by following up a comment I made on the local facebook page.  They had all been out clapping and banging and sending up fireworks to 'support the NHS staff.'  I suggested they may be better writing to their MP and making the point that this government ought to respect such staff by paying them better.  
I forgot this was a Tory area and those who supported my idea were outnumbered ten to one.
Sadly, after a 'debate,' if that is the word, with many who did not like my idea as 'political' which it was not, I dislike all parties, and one female who failed to understand what was written, along with the type of abuse received from the 'Daily Mail/Express' reader,' the admin removed the post.  
Typical!
However I had followed this up with another making more suggestions.  By nine am this morning I was banned from the page and the post removed.  I had wondered how fake Boris's illness had been.  The sheep considered this rude...

Once the major job of the day has been attended to, the needless argument come to a result, the tea made, the chocolate released, I then have much time to read books.  How come I have only read a wee bit off the vast array around me?  Two books are in the process of reading yet one is not a quarter of the way through and the other just over half way, what have I been doing?  It is one of those great puzzles in life, when there is time to do something absolutely nothing gets done!  Even the whisky has been abandoned, cards to be sent lie unwritten, dust begins to re-emerge after having been strenuously removed just over a week or two ago.  
I must do more tomorrow....

Hold on, tomorrow is Saturday, doesn't that mean something?  It used to.  
Now with no football there is no way to differentiate the days.  Sunday brings church, but only online, no-one leaves home.  Many are trapped inside for three months, maybe more, news is not spread about, fear of the virus keeps strangers at bay when outside, fear of virus keeps neighbours six feet apart.  
Never mind, all is on the hands of our disappearing PM and his cabinet.  What could possibly go wrong...?   

Laugh!

Shoppers Paradise...

The inability to wander abroad increases the limitations of my intellect and outlook.  Thus once again I make mention of Tesco!  The traffic being light this morning, lighter than normal for an Easter Monday, I wended my way to Tesco via Sainsburys car park.  There was no queue here and none at Tesco either.  Inside, once I had mopped the basket handle and received instruction on the one way system, I and a handful of old men wandered about, not always following the arrows on the floor, attempting to collect enough for a week.  This done, staff conversed with, money paid £32, I waddled home, two bulging bags weighing me down.
Having dumped things in appropriate places, boiled the kettle and began to plan the next step I discovered the two pints of milk left in the bottle were off!  Grrrr!  

   
Around three I decided the traffic was still calm so I made my way to Sainsburys for milk.  As hoped there was no queue, no offer to wipe handle either, and I soon gathered another £32 worth of goods along with the milk, no I don't know how either, chatted up the young lass at the checkout to no avail and hobbled home with another two heavy bags. 
At least the satisfaction of gathering all I require took from the wearisome business and I relaxed until I made what passes for evening meal around here.  As the aroma of properly cooked food wafted across the landing from next door, where the delightful young wife cooks proper food for him, I took the bundle of sausages from the fridge only to discover it was mince, rather like this blog.
As I had prepared everything for sausage.egg and chips, I was a bit annoyed.  Anyway I cooked mince and will use it later this week, but as I reached for instant chips I discovered there was only a few left.  I needed to return soon for chips!!!  Will this never end?
Anyway, my eggs stuck to the pan, again, and the chips were not that good.
Another good day of joy an laughter in Lock Down Britain... 

Oh one of my women, a beautiful, ex-model, with money, did contact me on the basis that I was a 'vulnerable adult.'  Offering to shop for me as long as I buy chocolate and leave it with her!!!
'Vulnerable adult?'  Since when was I considered an 'adult?'

Easter Sunday Lock Down 2020

Mutterings...

One of the joys of Spring is sitting in my bed in the evening with the late sun shining brightly, then turning into fancy sunsets as it gores down far over the field. 
Thus it was last night.  It would be again tonight, if I could drag my hulk off the couch and go through.  The thing is during the day I am now placed in the 'Summer Palace' position, where more light gets in and I am more comfy. 
The disadvantage is that I am thus tempted to switch on the TV and scrawl through it again and again in an attempt to find something to watch, in these days this is important.  As you will realise this is a failed endeavour.  Nothing is worth watching today, one programme might have been but my feeble aerial could not receive it.  Not much lost really. 
The radio is poor also just now and variety is not the spice of life today.
Good job I am not one to complain.

Today we hear of over a thousand deaths, no news on the number who recovered, usually about ten times as many, nor the number who died of other things, unknown but possibly of the virus, and no news of testing everyone.  There was a grumble that enough equipment has gone to the NHS but they misuse this, an interesting number of replies on Twitter to that one, and the people are beginning to wonder when journalists will appear and question this government about their work.  I would not expect that in a hurry. 
I expect at least 18 months of this.  If I am right consider the implications.  Business hampered, few working, lack of money, evictions, mortgage failures, economic collapse, even if the banks are stronger it will be difficult.  The WTO claim the worst could be like the 1930's again!  I see no answer until a vaccine arrives, and do not trust this lot to offer it willingly or properly. 
The immediate future is not looking good. 

One day soon we will be back here again....

Good Friday Meditation

Thursday Trivia

'Thursday Trivia?'  What am I on about?  It's always trivia on here!!!

For a start there is this brute! 
Every time it 'ping's' I rush to see what unimportant item of tat has been sent by one of my few compatriots.  Tat it is, and tat it will remain yet I rush, putting aside important things just to be disappointed.  The other day crossing the field I took it out just in case I had not heard the 'ping' while it was in my pocket!   I felt lost for a while yesterday, then realised I had left the phone elsewhere and was missing it!
I may not charge it up later....

"Lexophile" describes those that have a love for words, such as 
"you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", and "To write with a broken pencil is pointless."

I changed my iPod's name to Titanic.  It's syncing now. 
 
I got some batteries that were given out free of charge.
 
A will is a dead giveaway.
 
A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
 
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine last week is now fully recovered.
 
He had a photographic memory but it was never fully developed.
 
I didn't like my beard at first.  Then it grew on me.
 
I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.
 
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity.  I just can't put it down.

Just as I was closing up last night I noticed the 'Pink Moon' glimpsed through cloud.  Of course it is not 'Pink' and, so NASA tell me, it is not made of cheese either.  They would say that wouldn't they.  What they say about Trump signing an order claiming the right to 'Mine' on the moon may be clear to most of us.  So there I was, squeezing out the small kitchen window, trying to avoid the TV aerial and grab a shot of my moon.  It turned out 'no bad' after all.  Mind you, my nieces husband got a similar picture, so they must have a moon up there in West Lothian also.  Not as good as mine...

Excitement missed!  Some shouting outside today.  But by the time I got my head out the window it was almost over.  Three chaps, of late teen age, had been urged to leave the skatepark.  They did not look like locals and one in particular, large and loud, did not appear happy with the situation.  There was more to this than just keeping people indoors as two men in dark outfits with no insignia were also in the park.  
They black clad officer, now four together. discussed the situation while the three gentlemen making their way East informed them of their opinion in words I do not catch but intrigued the constables so much they hared off out of view to get a better knowledge of the terms used.  Out of vision, isn't it always the way, cars slowed, voices of struggle were heard, and cars stopped then moved on again slowly, each filled with individuals reaching for their mobiles.  It is not difficult to presume drugs were involved here, plus a degree of antagonism not related to being forced indoors, although I suspect someone might be forced inside tonight!
Camera at the ready and I missed it all!  Bah!

Tusday Totter

As the day wore on I kept thinking it was Sunday.  The slow traffic, the empty park, nothing on TV, it was slow and quiet and with the neighbours being even quieter than usual it was all very strange.

I was very tired last night, put my head on the pillow and slept.  I woke up at 12:30 and was awake for ages!  I then awoke at 8:24!  By the time breakfast was over it was lunchtime, I was so far behind.
The relative warmth, 63% by lunchtime, was helpful.  The park was not busy but people exercising in family groups appeared often.  Remain indoors yes, but we need air and sunshine.  

 
I tried to capture the flowers, all small things and too far away from me for the mobiles camera to get properly, hence enlarged and fuzzy.  This time of year brings many colours to the gardens and are a delight to see, I love the blue ones.  

Tomorrow my exercise will be stretching my muscles.  I walk so slow I was overtaken by a snail at one point.  Our thoughts will be with Boris while he genuinely suffers the virus.  I doubted him at first but look forward to a new Boris coming out of this, a spiritual renewing as well as physical rebuilding.  This horrid episode might well see an improvement in the NHS after this.

Declaration!

Clan McAlister

700 years ago today the nobles gathered to offer the 

Declaration of Arbroath.  

You can read it on the Clan McAlister page. 

I Broke Out!

From early yesterday morning I planned a break out.  The day looked good for it, they said the sun would shine, and it did rising early around 6 am and encouraging people to rise also and queue outside of Sainsburys!  
I was not one of them.

The day was indeed warmish, you can see how the crowds flocked to the park er, well, later on that is.  I remained hooked on staring into space, this now replaces football as my favourite sport.

 
I sit at the desk, piles of work all around, 'To Do' lists littering the area, and stare out the window at the sunshine across the road.  This is usually more productive.
I listen to the news and decide that I can say little, occasionally grieving as a 5 year old dies, or anger rising as another minister lies barefaced to the camera.  It appears to be what they do these days.  No shame is felt, lie barefaced Boris style and they expect to get away with it.  This the result of not having a 'Free Press.'  The lackeys are all tied in with the Boris gangland so they cannot grumble, they may be found out also.
These are the men who demand footballers give up their high pay to help the NHS.  These ministers who have deliberately run the NHS into the ground, failed it in the hour of need, and are themselves all multi millionaire who are not putting their hands into their own pockets for the NHS, which they all wish to privatise, demand footballers pay towards their, the ministers, mistakes!
The irony.   

I broke out.
Late at night, as the sun began to hide behind the trees, I left my abode, dressed for the chilly wind, and took pictures of the dying sun.  Nobody was about, except one poor lad who is either of low intellect, has mental problems or is on drugs.  He walked ahead of me talking and singing to himself. He often passes this way and I wonder what goes on inside, what is the cause?  Not much I can do.
No-one else is about.

The round yellow thing goes down there every night, there must be hundreds of them lying there burning themselves out...

A flock of Geese fly over, or is it Swans, surely not?  Geese I think, heading to a farmers field or down towards the Blackwater Basin for the night.  They could at least have come closer.

A walk in the park, a blast of cold air, some pictures of the sunset, I went home happy but cold.  The little things in life are more enjoyable, going outside, when no policemen are about, is more enjoyable than before.  Finding things hidden away indoors, things long forgotten and now appear as new gifts, is also fun.  Cooking however remains a drag...

Today I ventured out in the hottest day so far of the year, large coat and pullover,  to deliver a letter I thought urgent.  The park was busier, two or three dog walkers and a couple with kids, those I met on the road kept more than 6ft apart from me.  One poor man (with mask) jumped 6 ft as I came around a corner, was the mask to protect him or us I wonder?  Are we genuinely protecting ourselves from the virus or overreacting?  I'm not sure face masks help unless we sit at a checkout or drive a bus.     
However, I did attempt to catch a picture of this Red Kite twirling around.  Several groups of pigeons were scurrying while a flock of seagulls languidly made their way south.  I fer the Red Kite caught no-one as the gulls would put him off trying anything.  He refuse to pose either, coming quite close and disappearing.  I have several shots of the sky!   
I hope you remain at peace, but I fear this period has a long way to go yet.  The virus will only die when  vaccine arrives.  Some pre-vaccines are being tried on Chinese volunteers (do they know they have volunteered?) but at least a year will be required.  I hope the sanity remains with us...

Today is Palm Sunday, therefore here is our improvised social media church service.

Hosanna!

Friday Frittered...

It took a while but I have finally worked out 'Voicemail!'  The cheery voice at the other end told me to change my pin, he did not tell me I had one in the first place.  What he meant was 'Make one up' but he did not state that!  However I worked it out, entered appropriate numbers, and found two boring voices.  Was it worth it?  No!
I am getting the hang of this now, making use of 'Whatsupp' as it costs nothing, not counting all the info they have stolen from me and sold to China, unless China already knows all that useless info of course.  
My laptop suddenly ran slow also.  This took 24 hours to fix.  Once I remembered the trick was to switch the router off, then back on, all was well.  I was getting 30, now I am back to 71 at the moment!  It must be said there is not much going or or much that is worth searching for, especially now that football is dying.  
Maybe I ought to try my hand at fixing that VCR/DVD player...?

However, Spring, if you look out the window, is here.  Grey clouds may cover much of the sky but light is getting through.  Little plants abound, not that we are allowed out to look, and the sky is light early in the morning.  Good times!
This weekend will be warm they say, don't even think about hitting the beach!  I may rebel and wander across the park!  At the moment it is 12% and some sick person thinks it may reach 15 tomorrow.  Lots of exercise outside Tesco for some I see arriving.