It’s the first day of another lockdown today, and to be honest I haven’t seen much of a difference. The A143 was just as busy as I set off to the hospital to type an increasing amount of Respiratory clinic letters. Okay, yeah, I was adding to the traffic jams, but I’m needed to do my bit for the NHS! When I finished work and walked the mile back to where I park my car, there were children playing in a nearby school playground, and the roads around Bury St. Edmunds looked no different than usual.
Back at my village the same people were out walking their dogs. I popped into the butcher’s shop to order my Christmas turkey and roll of topside, and a healthy queue had built up outside by the time the butcher had taken my order (they only allow one in the shop at a time). Same old same old there. Soon after that my daughter-in-law phoned to ask me to pick her up from work as she had a migraine and couldn’t drive, and I noticed her village was teeming with cars and people.
Somehow I don’t think people are treating this second lockdown as seriously as the first. Maybe complacency has set in, I don’t know, or perhaps they’ve all had enough of the first lockdown and do not want to be cooped up again. Apart from heading out to Morrisons supermarket tomorrow morning at around 07:30, I don’t plan on going out any more apart from permitted exercise for an hour or so. For me it will be an ideal time to catch up with social media and write Chapter 5 of my latest WIP. At the weekend I’ll be out gardening, as there’s lots of leaves to sweep up.
I don’t know how it is with yourselves, but it seems like business as usual around here. However, I didn’t go into the town centre, and there I suppose I’d find the difference as all the non-essential shops are closed. Hey ho, hopefully we’ll be able to get back to some semblance of normality by Christmas? What do you think?
Phil Huston said:
As there’s lots of leaves to sweep up. Amen. I have a rant that could go on so I’ll save it. Suffice it to say that a serious percentage of people are just plain stupid or suicidal. The office park parking lots are full again, no one is paying attention in the grocery stores. Masks are an executive order, signs say must wear to enter. Unless you forget or don’t want to and that’s okay because no one will stop you. It’s crazy. Rules and common sense and common decency? That’s for other people. Like the more expensive your car is the more likely you are to blow off traffic control signs.
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Stevie Turner said:
Well said. There are some true morons about.
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Clive said:
I’m afraid I’m not that optimistic about Christmas. Covid has been allowed to spike again and the lockdown is too late. As for all those out shopping, words fail me. Don’t they realise what they’re do8ng?
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Stevie Turner said:
They don’t realise, Clive. They don’t want their liberty infringed and they will go out whether Boris likes it or not. The virus will spread and this state of affairs will go on and on…
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Clive said:
That’s my fear, too. They were stupid enough to vote him in so they’re also stupid enough to ignore him now.
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jwebster2 said:
Here the morning was normal but apparently the afternoon was quieter. I had to collect stuff from town about 4:30pm and it was quiet.
But this is a town where few people work from home. Most jobs are such that people have to turn up to do them. It’s a bit tricky assembling your bit of a submarine in the back yard 🙂
I imagine it could be very different in different areas
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Stevie Turner said:
Lol. I wish I could type my clinic letters at home, but the data protection guy says no.
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OIKOS™-Editorial said:
It’s true. You could get used to these lockdowns. Be well, stay save! Michael
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Stevie Turner said:
You too, Michael. Thanks for your comment.
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OIKOS™-Editorial said:
Thank you for sharing a lot of useful information, and beeing a famous writer too. Enjoy your weekend, Stevie! Best wishes, Michael
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Stevie Turner said:
Ha ha, I don’t know about famous… more infamous I think!
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Mister Bump UK said:
I think you’re probably right in your assessment.
Also, for me, I now know where to access quite fine-grained PH|E data, which I didn’t last time. Plus it is more accurate now. It shows our village as between 0-2 cases in the last week, effectively suppressed, so I’m not so nervous about going out locally. I’m more inclined to follow these numbers than a politician.
At the risk of writing an essay, I have never felt locked down, at any time.
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Stevie Turner said:
Nor do I really, out here in the wilds of East Anglia.
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Mister Bump UK said:
I loved it over there but,,, a bit flat!
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Stevie Turner said:
Very. Every time I go over to the IOW after a bit of an absence, my calf muscles play up until they strengthen up again.
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Mister Bump UK said:
/that’s a long journey. I remember I drove from here (New Forest) up to Lincolnshire once and it was awful.
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Stevie Turner said:
200 miles. We’re used to it now as we’ve been going there since 2004.
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