Spring and Autumn are quite similar; they are both unpredictable and prompt our weather forecasters to say silly things like 'changeable' or 'variable' or 'mercurial'. In other words, one needs to expect a bit of everything.
Take yesterday for example, the morning started wet, then it turned into a nasty drizzly mist, then warm but cloudy, and eventually sunny with a distant rainbow (above). Lady Magnon really didn't know whether to wear her Bikini or her Barbour.
At 5.30 pm we even discussed whether we needed an evening fire or not. We eventually decided we did, but as a result the house became too hot.
During the afternoon my friend Jean-Claude delivered a few cubic metres of Oak logs up to the barn. Whilst stacking them, he informed me that COVID-19 has reached our small nearby Town/Village. There have been several cases, which he informed me were all 'mild'. The town is just 7 Kms away.
This has shocked me, as I was living in the belief that we were reasonably immune out here in no-mans-land. I suppose it was inevitable, complacency has overcome common sense.
We, ourselves, can take all the precautions imaginable, but one can't count on the behaviour of others.
I am now thinking that it's only a matter of time before it reaches us; unless, of course, there's a bloody miracle.
Still, the sight of a rainbow gives us hope.
I wouldn't worry too much. The town 6 miles from me got a 100 positive tests at the Banham poultry factory outbreak. After a couple of weeks the news all died down, nobody was particularly ill, if at all, and we are now back to normal which is about zero.
ReplyDeleteWe'll be specially careful for the next couple of weeks, then hope to hear that it has all died down. I hope your experience will be the same here. I was shocked.
DeleteIt pays to be very careful. For every hundred who are not very ill there's someone with underlying health issues such as diabetes who becomes very ill indeed and may even die. Which is fine for those who are feeling cavalier about it and don't know of anyone who has died. I know of four. They were all around our age.
DeleteThank you for that learned input Jean. No doubt you got it from the BBC.
DeleteThe point I was making for Cro is that there is no need to live in fear because the chances of catching it, with normal precautions, are still pretty slim. The BBC held 24 hour vigils at the factory where business was carrying on as usual and the factory never shut but the non stop news coverage sent shock waves and fear through the town. It all died down in a fortnight and nothing further happened.
DeleteIf you know of four people who have died of around your age then you are above the national average of knowing people who have died or your age is over 80. I cannot believe that they were fit and healthy people of a younger than 80 age with no underlying health conditions or history of smoking. It is sad that you are now missing four friends. But we all die in the end.
DeleteGood luck and don't worry. It seems that most people that test positive don't know they've had it.
ReplyDeleteIt could be worse were you living in Wales you would be locked in Wales. Hard to imagine a worse fate.
After leaving college I lived in Wales for a while. I bought an ancient run-down house, in a tiny village, which I totally restored, and eventually sold for a handsome profit. I won't repeat what I thought about my neighbours there. Nightmare!
DeleteWell thanks for that, both of you.
DeleteIf you'd experienced what we did; you'd have felt the same. I'm a huge fan of Wales (I'm half Welsh), and I can assure you that all other Welsh people I've ever met have been charming.
DeleteCro, it's the exception that proves the rule. A huge half fan you are. The half is possibly what saved your house from being raised to the ground.
DeleteOut in the sticks of West Cumbria we also seemed to be relatively unaffected, but the last week has see a big rise in cases, it's getting close to home.
ReplyDeleteLike yourselves we take all possible precautions, but as you say this is futile if some proportion of the population ignore the rules.
We shall continue to take precautions, much as before. Other than locking ourselves away 24/24, we can do no more.
DeleteIt sounds as though you don't venture out very often and then wear a mask etc. so you should be o.k. I think I would be more worried about people arriving from Sweden and, presumably driving across Europe.
ReplyDeleteThey are being very responsible, and abiding by all the social distancing regulations, etc.
DeleteYou just cannot tell . Our village of 3.5 k population has 100 cases. Our nearest six doors down. His grandson is a farmworker, and the virus spreader was the milk tanker driver... Grandson brought it back unknowingly to his family, his parents' home and grandparents' home....
ReplyDeleteIt's very worrying. I shall now be checking on each local town I need to visit. More 'at home' time, I think.
DeleteAt least we get our sunshine one day and rain the next.
ReplyDeleteAs for covid, it seems that is has come and gone once again from here. We only found from the local gossip. Our mayor has stopped telling us the virus news. We are cautiously out and about but keep our distance, wear masks inside and carry little bottles of hand wash .
That's the best you can do.
Stay home as much as you can and cross your fingers.
Yesterday, I came from two days at camp. In that rural area, there is no need for a mask. But I had some errands to run. I wanted to pick up a couple barbecue chickens from drive thru fundraiser for my grandson's boy scout troop. Coming back from that, passing a small store, I remembered something that I needed, and I stopped on the spur of the moment to grab it. In the store, in my absent minded bumbling way, I passed someone wearing a mask, and was horrified to realize that I hadn't grabbed mine from the car. I was so embarrassed that I immediately left the store and decided that I could do without q-tips.
ReplyDeleteWash your hands, wear a mask.
ReplyDeleteWash, Wear
WW
Your countryside photo is very lovely and the rainbow adds a touch of magic. Living in this setting, I suspect you will be fine.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed, Susan.
DeleteAs the mantra goes, stay home where possible, sanitise hands frequently and mask up. It seems to work.
ReplyDelete