Panic stations already!

Since mid-March I’ve sent several online e-cards and have been surprised by the strong positive reactions from relatives and friends. For GC I have send actual cards via Mxxpxg or Fxnky Pigxxn, personalised with photographs once I fumbled my way into being able to do so! I was also encouraged by DS to make a brief video (my first!) for his youngest’s birthday. Apparently the bit where my party popper fails to do what I expect is hilarious.
I shall order packs of charity Christmas cards online and have bought stamps online from the supermarket with my grocery order. I long to see my family but want us all to stay safe.

We went to Morrisons this morning. It was quiet and the shelves were fully stocked. I guess the panic was in the first couple of days.

Went to a local garden centre today (part of a Nationwide chain). Met outside and told there was no cafe and no browsing allowed. Knew what I wanted, so in and out in 5 minutes. Could have bought lots but had to abide by their rules. Only 2 other customers in.

I just despair, I really do. It looks like people are trying their very best to go out and catch the virus.

Is Christmas shopping and card buying so important that you'd risk your life?

It's true - there's no cure for stupid!

annesixty I’ve no idea where you are but your daughter obviously lives not too far from me. I live on the south coast, but sometimes I go into the city and go to Gunwharf. However I haven’t been there since the first lockdown started in March, actually I haven’t been there all this year. One reason is that although the whole area is in Tier One with low numbers, the city has much higher figures than our area. In fact I haven’t been outside our area all year, except for a couple of visits to our son’s house about 45 minutes away, and our holiday to Kefalonia in September (which was like a breath of fresh air because Greece has so little Covid.)

I had to collect something from Marks and Spencers today, was surprised to find the whole shop was open, but there was no-one in the whole store. If that is the future for M & S, it is bleak indeed.

Here we go again. People 'despairing' about others doing exactly what they themselves are doing, and making assumptions about their motives.

My local FB page is the same: 'I was driving around and saw so many other people in their cars. What do they not understand?', 'I was in X shop, and there were so many other people in there who can't possibly need to be shopping. Do they not care?', I went for a walk to take exercise, and there were so many other people walking about! Is it any wonder the R rate is so high?'

All we can do is obey the rules as best we can, and leave others to do the same. Moaning on social media helps no-one, and fuels anxiety in those who are already worried.

i hate garden centres.
i find them depressing.

I have been ill recently (again!) and so has my husband (most unusual), so we booked a week’s holiday in a cottage in Cornwall to recover. We thought we may have had to cut short our time away, but the guidelines say we can keep to our original dates. Today we drove into the city to visit a mentally ill (and therefore ‘vulnerable’) relative. We met by the river and had a take-away pasty and a chat before saying goodbye and returning to our car. On the way we passed by a large M&S, I popped in to buy a couple of their ‘dine in a for £12’ meals and was surprised to find the whole store was open. Apart from maybe 4 or 5 customers in the food hall the place was completely empty, which suited me very well as it’s the first time in more than a YEAR that I’ve been in a large shop.

Living in a low COVID area, I am continuing on as I have done since lockdown started last March. Wear mask and gloves when shopping, wash my hands as soon as I get home and socially distance.

I went and did the weeks shopping as usual yesterday morning, the supermarket was almost devoid of customers. We went to the tip with two huge builders sacks of leaves (and there are four more to go) and I visted a friend, who is shielding to take her, her shopping and we had a chat, she at the far end of her kitchen, me just outside the back door.

I see no point in getting paranoid about the risks of COVID before or after lockdown. Just take sensible precautions, obey the rules and continue your life as normally as possible.

I took 3 pairs of boots to the cobblers on Tuesday. He can do them whilst he is closed. Otherwise done nothing any different to normal.
We are a county of 2halves here. We have the highest rate in the country , just in one very small town and the rest of the county is very low.

Everything is available on line, no need to queue anywhere.