crochet

I’ve changed the title from Isolation Diaries to Covid diaries. As of this moment we are still in Isolation and haven’t been out, but the rules are relaxing and we are now one of the few. Things will be changing for us soon too. I don’t know if the kids will be going back to school before Summer, but it’s still a wait and see situation.

It seems for us that everything is a wait and see situation. Thanks Covid!

Lock down Broken

So, the Prime Minister’s advisor broke lock down but apparently he didn’t. But the people say he did, the PM says he didn’t. The people say, it’s there in black and white, the PM says he didn’t. The people say it’s not fair, the police need to do something. The Police say, he would have been warned if we caught him but he’s not being prosecuted. What a shambles. The people are angry so the PM comes up with a new plan. He refuses to talk about his advisor any more and lets everybody have their freedom back.

So, from Monday you are allowed out to meet other people. The rules are clear (haha) as always. You can meet with up to six people from another family. So six teenagers from different families are welcome to gather on the street corner. But, if you have four kids in your family, and two parents then you cannot meet up with the grandparents together. One parent can take three kids and meet up with both grandparents, or one parent can take four kids and meet up with one grandparent. It all makes sense doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? Clear as mud.

You can meet these other people outside in the fresh air. Don’t go to their house, unless you go in the garden. But then you can’t use their toilet, unless you really need to go, then it’s ok so long as you wash your hands. You can have a BBQ together and pass food around. So long as you wash your hands. But it’s best if you just meet in the park because you MUST still stay 2 metres apart…stretch those arms while passing that hot dog or burger! And don’t hug or kiss, no, not even the grandkids. Do you know why? Why you have to follow these rules? BECAUSE COVID IS STILL OUT THERE! We haven’t beaten this virus, it hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s just not spread so much because we have been staying home. (Well, some of us.)

If it all goes wrong then it’s our fault for not following the clear and precise rules and many more will die…you know…just in case the death toll of (currently) 37,837 is not enough.

Contact Tracing and Covid

Covid isn’t going anywhere and contact tracing is the best way of controlling outbreaks. So if you are sick you call 119 or go to the website. Get a test, get the results, and as soon as possible let them know who you’ve been in contact with so that they can tell them to isolate just in case. It’s brilliant. But in my opinion (disclaimer, it’s just my opinion) it’s not going to work.

Here are my reasons for contact tracing not working:

• It’s a simple system but way too complicated
• The phone lines are already having problems on day one
• It relies on the British public to inform of illness, get tested then tell of all their contacts.
• It relies on people listening to the warnings that they have been in contact with someone and then isolating
• It relies on common sense
• It relies on things like computers and phones and people working properly
• It relies on people doing as they are told
• It relies on people honestly believing that it’s for their own good and not some elaborate government plan to control the population.
• It relies on trust and honesty

I’m not even going to mention the app. because what’s the point. No-one is going to download and use it.

Holiday

Oh how I long for the beach, to feel the sand beneath my toes and the cold water of the sea wash over my feet and dissolve my woes.

Only joking! I haven’t been able to walk on the beach properly for over four years anyway, and the last two times I did manage to get my feet in the cold water I went into spasm.

I do love the seaside though and watching the kids play. We have a holiday booked in August in Weymouth. A caravan holiday with a beach nearby, and a big entertainment complex and pool. We love our holidays and this year was important to me because Star is getting older. When my older kids were a year older than her they started going away with friends or their Dad. I don’t think Star will be ready by next year, but then I never imagined my older kids would be either. I was looking forward to this years holiday.

The campsite is making adjustments. The caravans are great for keeping away from other people. The beach is fairly quiet (There is a much busier one nearby if you don’t mind more people) I am guessing they will limit their guests and close their clubs. (the club houses are generally packed to the hilt and we avoid them mostly anyway because they are not good for wheelchairs.) The kids love the amusement arcade, but again, it’s always rammed with people. And the pool will be a no go area too. The shop will be open with social distancing. We can still go but it won’t be the same. Honestly, I think we could be happy spending the whole week in the caravan with a view of the sea and the sea air. We could miss out on the arcades and pool, and eating out (although we love eating out on holiday.) We could still get take outs and have a BBQ next to the caravan. If the beach is quiet the kids can still go and play.

I’m faced with a difficult decision, but I have a month to make it. I’ve been told it will be July 29th week that I will be contacted and asked if I still want to go. As much as I want to, I’m scared.

What we’ve been up to during our Covid lock down

It’s been 10 days since my last update so I’ll fill you in with our week and a half of excitement.

We had another BBQ. The weather has been so warm and sunny and eating out in the garden is so much nicer than sweating away in the kitchen.

Graham cut the grass again. My Willow tree is growing and so is my lavender. I just need my roses to grow now, we have buds. Graham has moved the post so I can see them from the window.

The new garden furniture has not yet arrived…watch the weather change when it does!

I’ve almost finished crocheting the back of my new cardigan and I’ve read three books (or rather listened to them) you can read my reviews on my other blog if you wish.

I’ve been busy working, it’s strange but while I was trying to home school the kids I was inundated with work, but it dried up at half term. Thankfully, I still had plenty to get on with.

We played a new game, Sproutword and you can see my review here. Go take a look it’s great fun.

I can see you yawning now. I am too. So I’ll catch up with you soon. In the meantime here’s my Covid link up thingy if you want to add a post or two.