Corona Virus

[MauriceMynah]

RumPunch,

Very roughly speaking, where does your Mother-in-law live?

[Regulo]

There's the trouble. Even if you want to help the elderly and self-isolating, or get your own minimum of essentials, there's nothing on the shelves. What a mess!

[RumPunch]

14 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

RumPunch,

Very roughly speaking, where does your Mother-in-law live?

Shenfield

[DAVIDH]

3 hours ago, ChrisB said:

Exactly, anybody want to order their food using one of those screens like in Mc Donalds?

I was talking to a member of staff in my local McDonalds. They told me all such surfaces are regularly wiped down. They do it continuously, almost so customers cannot fail to see it being done.

[Chelsea14Ian]

I think the government needs to step in regarding food.At present a large percentage of the public are buying every thing in sight we no regard to those that most need it.The government should use powers to stop those that stock pile.We keep being told theres plenty of food and stock items,but all the while the idiots keep buying everything. Get tough on those that hold.

[grendel]

the tricky bit if they start rationing is for those that are buying for a neighbour or elderly relative at the same time as doing their own shopping, where they may require two of something one for themselves and one for the old person, how shops could police that I dont know.

the other problem could be resolved by making everyone do their shopping online either click and collect or delivery, but then what about the elderly that dont have access to a computer or phone to order.

[addicted]

Had this text yesterday from the lovely young family who are our nearest neighbours.  " Hope you don't think I'm being rude but if you need anything just let us know" We were very moved by such kindness.  Apparently although they know we are of the vulnerable age group  mentioned in advice directives because we don't seem like it they didn't want to insult us The husband is an area director for Tesco. They are really lovely neighbours and have been for 16 years and at the moment  probably very useful too!

 

 

Carole

[Paul]

I was expecting an announcement yesterday but it never came. I do support the keep calm and carry on principle on which this great nation was built but I am starting to slide towards thinking our government is not now doing enough, and is in many ways passing the buck and with it the responsibility that should be theirs. From what was said towards the end of last week, the possibility of government invoking emergency measures, requiring shops to prevent panic buying, criminalizing profiteering I thought something might happen but it seems the government is happy to just plod along saying much and doing little. 

Our village bakery started reserving bread last week, something it hasn't done for many years as there has never been a need, but the village fb page carried an order form. To ensure that everyone in the village had bread they were reserving one loaf or a dozen rolls per household each day. Sadly, since starting on Thursday last they have had over 160 loaves or batches of rolls not collected amid comments like "I managed to get some at Tesco". I find that attitude disgusting. So this morning they have posted an update that anyone who fails to collect their order will not have products put by in the future. Already there are people moaning saying that's not fair. 

Also on the village FB page this morning is the expected news that both the Cricket & Social Club and the village's last remaining freehouse will close from tomorrow. They are both open tonight to sell off any open kegs after which the shutters come down. The cricket club I have no doubt can survive but the pub will not. Here lies a problem of government making. They tell us we should not go the pub, restaurant etc but have made no provision for these businesses which are going to lose a lot of custom. I shall be there, supporting them to the last. 

[Regulo]

So will Rene and I. I am not (quite) in the "vulnerable" age group, but Rene definitely is (don't ask, she'd kill me if I told you!). She insists we carry on, supporting our usual lunchtime haunts. This virus is out there, and can't be stopped, unless there's troops on the streets. I understand the reasoning behind the advice, but I don't see how it will help. If I get shopping for someone, I have to leave it on their doorstep - contaminated with whatever I've picked up in the shop. If I touch ANY public door handle, I've got it. If I sit indoors, it will not help one bit in the overall spread of this virus. Our economy will be decimated, with businesses going under, and great loss of jobs. So, we will carry on, as we always have, come what may.

[Victoryv]

I had a hospital appointment yesterday for chemotherapy, no visitors allowed, chemotherapy cancelled, I feel like a victim of the virus already !

[MauriceMynah]

I'm with you Ray (Regulo), I'm 65, type 2 diabetic and at the moment, gout ridden, BUT, I shall go to Tesco either today or tomorrow, I shall visit my normal haunts and if I get the bloody thing and snuff it, the rest of the world can shout "I told you so". 

Rufus is in hospital, his mother is relying on me to feed and look after her. Self isolate???? Chance would be a fine thing.

When Rufus is out of hospital and the weather gets warmer I shall self isolate on Nyx, That should be about May! 

RumPunch. Shenfield is about 35 minutes drive away but if she gets desperate, send me a shopping list and I'll see what I can do.

[grendel]

well thinking about our yoga lady, she does this most of the week and tops up her earnings doing 2 days as a classroom assistant, when one of our staff talked to her this morning (before the announcement that all non essential meetings were banned, she had already had to cancel the rest of her classes as the venues had shut their doors - so no mass meetings. how this will effect her income I dont know, but if the schools shut as well I could see her becoming unemployed for the duration, and all the hard work she has done building her business over the last few years will have been wasted.

[ExSurveyor]

The thing to remember is that you can happily have the virus on your hands and not catch it, as soon as you touch your face you have a risk of transferring it via your mouth, eyes or nose.

That is why it is so important that we wash our hands often.

 

Take extra care and WASH YOUR HANDS.

 

[ExSurveyor]

Hope this is a useful guide.

[SteveO]

20 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Yes you can, just start a brewery

Fortunately I do make my own beer. Just hope that the pillo*ks don't start hoarding sugar.

 

[Paul]

2 minutes ago, SteveO said:

Fortunately I do make my own beer. Just hope that the pillo*ks don't start hoarding sugar.

 

Please SteveO, sugar in beer? Do you full mash or kit?

I used to full mash, I had a 1/4 barrel set up at the old house but don't have the space or time nowadays. Wifey suggested I start making kits again recently, better than doing nothing and I may have some time on y hands over the next four months. 

[SteveO]

18 minutes ago, Paul said:

Please SteveO, sugar in beer? Do you full mash or kit?

I used to full mash, I had a 1/4 barrel set up at the old house but don't have the space or time nowadays. Wifey suggested I start making kits again recently, better than doing nothing and I may have some time on y hands over the next four months. 

20 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Yes you can, just start a brewery

 I used to full mash, but gave it up when I worked out I could drink it much faster than I could make it. Nowadays I use kits but personalise them by adding things like spray malt and dry hopping.  Because I age the beer off the yeast in bulk before bottling for around a month to six weeks, I have managed to avoid the dreaded "home-brew" taste and the results are pretty palatable, even though I say so myself. The dry hops I use are a mixture of Mosaic, Citra and Columbus, which give a character very much like Adnams Ghost Ship. Fortunately I don't drink anywhere near as much as I used to, so 2 or 3 x 5 gallon batches per year is sufficient for my needs.

[Hylander]

1 hour ago, psychicsurveyor said:

Hope this is a useful guide.

Bloody Hell - Common Sense -  where have you been hiding.......    

[unclemike]

having just returned from morrisons skegness,it wont be the virus that kills us oldies, starvation is a greater threat, very little of anything, eggs, beans, tinned tomatoes, sausages, bread were all missing, didnt even look for loo rolls,thanks to the panic buyers.

[Paul]

37 minutes ago, SteveO said:

 I used to full mash, but gave it up when I worked out I could drink it much faster than I could make it. Nowadays I use kits but personalise them by adding things like spray malt and dry hopping.  Because I age the beer off the yeast in bulk before bottling for around a month to six weeks, I have managed to avoid the dreaded "home-brew" taste and the results are pretty palatable, even though I say so myself. The dry hops I use are a mixture of Mosaic, Citra and Columbus, which give a character very much like Adnams Ghost Ship. Fortunately I don't drink anywhere near as much as I used to, so 2 or 3 x 5 gallon batches per year is sufficient for my needs.

I always dry hop kits, though your choice is a bit citric for me. I tend to stick to the old traditionals like fuggles, EKG or occasionally cascade. Our local homebrew shop, now defunct sadly used to sell sterile hop plugs specifically designed for dry hopping. I also started substituting the included yeast for my preferred varieties though in the quality, two can kits I used to favour i was finding this made little if any difference and went back to using the included packet.

[Paul]

5 minutes ago, chameleon said:

having just returned from morrisons skegness,it wont be the virus that kills us oldies, starvation is a greater threat, very little of anything, eggs, beans, tinned tomatoes, sausages, bread were all missing, didnt even look for loo rolls,thanks to the panic buyers.

As yet, we have resisted changing our shopping habits, but it is getting increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that we cannot rely on the local supermarket for our regular needs. There will come a time when we will have to think about laying a few things down, not to protect ourselves from the virus, but to protect ourselves from panic buyers.

[vanessan]

41 minutes ago, Paul said:

There will come a time when we will have to think about laying a few things down, not to protect ourselves from the virus, but to protect ourselves from panic buyers.

I’ve started to do that now to an extent. As we had to be out this morning anyway, we took the opportunity of doing a bit of shopping. It was ‘a bit’ too! Went to a Sainsbury’s - no fresh meat or chicken, devoid of potatoes and carrots plus loads of empty shelves. As we went in, people were coming out with several giant packs of toilet rolls. Not a single roll left by the time we got there. On to Tesco’s, same story although they did have lots of carrots! My store cupboards/freezer are usually well stocked thank goodness so we won’t starve just yet. 
My thoughts at the moment are for the thousands of small businesses that are suffering or certainly going to in the coming weeks and months. I really think this is the time that the government should discard HS2 and put the billions into saving the UK economy. 

[eddybear]

2 hours ago, psychicsurveyor said:

Hope this is a useful guide.

Safe to do Boating on the Norfolk Broads, but staying away from the official national parks

[JennyMorgan]

11 minutes ago, eddybear said:

. . . . . . staying away from the official national parks

No fun with all those tree-huggers going shhhhhhhh!!

[FairTmiddlin]

9 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

No fun with all those tree-huggers going shhhhhhhh!!

Most of them will be out licking the willow bark