DECEMBER 2020

Tuesday 1 December 2020

6 days of isolation. Tomorrow I will be free. Yay! When I was pinged on the app last Wednesday evening, to say that I'd been contact with someone who had Covid (the exposure date was a week earlier) I didn't really know what to do. Anyway as I had enough food and drink in the house I decided that I would 'follow the rules' and not have any contact with anyone. I've still been doing the dog walks but I've not been into any shops or had any face to face contact with a human at all. It's been a long six days.

I don't think that the 'Test & Protect' app is very good. What is the point of it if it doesn't let you know who you've been in contact with until a week later. Also the blurb that I got said, 'If you think this message is incorrect you have the right to challenge it by calling the above number.' Mmmmm.............. the helpline no was about as useful as a chocolate teapot. After waiting for a very long time, I eventually got through to a real live person who said that they couldn't help and I had to email 'Test & Protect Scotland NHS'. I did that but to date I haven't had a reply. Dreadful service! I think I might as well just delete the app.

Put my Christmas tree up today. Don't really know why because I'm not allowed to have any friends round to see it. Some Christmas this is going to be.

Wednesday 2 December 2020

Popped into Waitrose to pick up a new Ipad that I'd ordered from John Lewis. Was worried that I wouldn't be able to transfer all my stuff over from the old one, but all I had to do was put it beside my phone and it miraculously transferred everything over. Isn't technology great. I'm not sure if phone shops are actually open at the moment. I have totally lost track of what's essential, what's not essential and what is open/closed.

Thursday 3 December 2020

Went out to do a 'Meet & Greet'. We might be in Tier 3 but nobody seems to be following the rules. In the first lock down, I didn't get any work for four months. Now everyone just seems to be deciding for themselves whether their visit is essential.

Monday 7 December 2020

Why is their no personal service anywhere these days. Surely it can't all be down to Covid?

Went to the PO to post a birthday present to my nephew. There were at least twenty people in the queue outside and who knows how many people in the queue inside. Don't really know why, because apart from posting parcels and a few other things; why would anyone need to go to a PO. This particular PO has the most grumpiest, inefficient staff in the world so no way was I going to wait in a queue that long. Jumped on a bus and went down the road to another PO where there was no queue and friendly, efficient staff. In fact when I came back and passed the first PO the same people were still outside in the queue. Don't know why it was taking so long for the staff to deal with people.

Went to the bank to pay in a cheque. I hardly ever go into the bank because I do everything online, but I had a cheque, so into the bank I went. 12 year old on the door told me that the easiest way to do it would be via the paying in machine. Machine didn't like my card so the girl who just stands around telling people to do it themselves, had to direct me to a real live person. Why couldn't she just have done this in the first place?

Went to M&S to buy a gift card. My local M&S used to have the nicest staff ever. Now ALL their checkouts are self-service. Apparently this is due to Covid and health & safety measures. Really? What's happened to all the staff. I suppose they've all lost their jobs or been moved to other stores. Buying a gift card via the self-service check out is not easy because obviously a card is too light for the bagging area to realise that there is something on it. There was only one assistant for eight check outs so I had to wait for ages for someone to assist me.

Went to Superdrug to buy a lipstick. I haven't worn any make-up during lockdown apart from lipstick. They didn't have the colour I wanted to I asked the assistant if she could order it for me. the answer was NO. I'd have to go on line and order it myself.

Went to Waitrose. Spotted an empty check out with a real live assistant so went straight to it and started unloading my basket. Then I saw that there was a sign that said, 'Please queue in aisle 11'. I really don't get why all the shops are making everyone queue in one queue. It was the same in the 'Range' a couple of weeks ago. Is forcing everyone together in one aisle really Covid friendly? And the two staff that were supposed to be directing the queue were just standing around chatting to each other and not directing anyone anywhere which is why I'd been able to walk straight up to an empty check out.

Tuesday 8 December 2020

Today everyone was expecting Nicola Sturgeon to move us into Tier 2. She's keeping us in Tier 3 for at least another week. Why? The number of people testing positive for Covid has dropped dramatically. Looks like we're going to be spending even more time in prison.

Wednesday 9 December 2020

Got my letter for a flu jab today. Seriously? What does this letter tell anyone. Apparently, I've got to go online, find a centre that is doing the flu jabs and then book an appointment online. Why does everything have to be done online. Why does no one care. People over 60 are the aged community. Some people don't even have access to the internet. What are they supposed to do? Oh, but there's a free helpline number. How useful. Not! This is just an automated recording that doesn't tell you a single thing that you want to know. So do I go off to a mass testing centre and stand in line with a load of other people and risk getting Covid, or, do I not bother getting the flu jab and hope that I don't catch flu? Who knows what I should do.

Bought a thermometer today because I've been feeling pretty ropey for about three weeks and I don't actually know what my temperature is. It's 35.7C so I'm guessing that's fine. I've not got Covid.

Friday 11 December 2020

It's Christmas Sweater day. Normally I be going out somewhere with my friends and we'd be wearing our Christmas sweaters. As I'm 'home alone' I've put my Christmas sweater on, Trixie the Collie pup is wearing her Christmas sweater, I'm having a glass of wine to celebrate and I've set the camera to record this momentous occasion. How sad am I?

Saturday 12 December 2020

Went to get my flu jab at Gracemount Medical Centre. I'd heard horrific stories of how the over 70s had gone to the drive thru centres, had to wait more than three hours, only to be told (when they got to the front of the queue) that there was no vaccine left for that day and to come back the following day. No way was I going to go to a drive thru.

I fully expected to see a long queue outside the medical centre but when I got there, there were only a few people in front of me. I was in and out really quickly, the staff were lovely and I hardly even felt the needle going into my arm. Well done NHS.

Took Trixie, the Collie pup, for a walk past Blackford Pond and down into the Hermitage this afternoon. There's always loads of rats by the pond and now I've just read a report from 'Edinburgh Live' to say that in Edinburgh there is now two rats to every one person. What a horrible thought.

So here I am. Another Saturday night, home alone. For months everyone has been saying, 'this time next year', but we've all pretty much been in prison for nine months now and nothing much has changed. OK so a vaccine might be imminent but I reckon it's going to be at least Easter before I'm eligible to get it. To be honest, I'm not sure if I would want it anyway. Vaccines normally take years to develop and this one has been produced in a few months. Who knows what the long term effects of it are going to be?

Monday 14 December 2020

Just watching the news. There's a new variant of Covid. I was really hoping that Nicola would put us into Tier 2 this week. Can't see that happening.

…...........And now there's talk about changing the Christmas rules re meeting people. Seriously?! The people who want to meet up are going to meet up, whatever the rules. People actually need to take responsibility for their owns actions. Ie, if you have elderly relatives then you have to make the decision whether it is safe to see them or not. I know people who have been seeing their parents throughout the whole of lockdown. I also know people who haven't seen their parents for months. Everybody should have a choice. The trouble is.................... the government have said that people can meet up at Christmas so that is what they will do. Arrangements will have been made by now. It's a bit like when all the coffee shops opened up during first lock down. People queued for ages just to get a coffee. Why? Why would anybody put themselves at risk just to get a coffee? But they did and that is their choice.

For the first time in 20 years I had already made the decision that I wasn't going to drive hundreds of miles to go to family for Christmas. Christmas is going to be spent in my own flat with my support bubble. However, I can understand how people who haven't seen their families for months will be looking forward to meeting up with them at Christmas. I really don't think that the government can start mucking about and changing the rules now.

Wednesday 16 December 2020

As usual, today has just been frittered away. I can hardly remember what normal life is like. Fortunately I have social media to jog my memory.

A year ago I was going to my fitness club 4-5 times a week, I was going out socialising a few times a week and I was doing 5-7 Meet & Greets a week. …........Haven't been to the fitness club for about three weeks because I've not had much energy and none of the classes are running anyway. Having to book a slot for swimming is just irritating and for some reason we aren't allowed to use the hairdryers. That means that I can't pop into a supermarket on the way home because my hair is usually dripping wet. I did one Meet & Greet last week, but haven't had any work this week. As for socialising.................. I can hardly remember what socialising is.

I've spent hours doing a 1000 piece jigsaw and I'm not even a quarter of the way through it. What's the point of doing a jigsaw anyway. It's not really very enjoyable. It's just something to do. A bit like reading a book. Why would anyone want to read a book? Or even watch TV. I spend hours watching TV. Why?

I'm starting to think I've got mental health issues. During the first lockdown there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel, but whoever would have thought we'd be in this situation, 9 months later. …........And yes, it's brilliant that there is now a vaccine, but for normal single people, the tunnel just seems to be getting longer and longer.............

Friday 18 December 2020

Today I came to the realisation that I hadn't had a real live face to face conversation with anybody since last Friday, so did the dog walk this afternoon over to my 'support bubble', S, and we shared a bottle of wine.

This second attempt at lock down is really hard. It's not a proper lock down. Schools/universities are open, non essential shops are open. Nobody knows what the rules are. Unless you watch the daily briefing every day how on earth are you supposed to know what is going on. There doesn't seem to be any central place where one can go to get proper up to date proper information.

I have to admit that I've had more bookings for my house in Cornwall for December than I've ever had, but I've also had more cancellations. This 'tier' system is very complicated. The minute anyone goes into Tier 3 they're not allowed to travel out of their area so they then have to cancel their bookings. Life certainly isn't easy at the moment.

During 'proper' lock down I could have walked down the middle of the main road, there were so few cars about. Now, the traffic is pretty much back to what it's always been. I know we're in the middle of a major pandemic, but my mantra is, 'lock us up, or let us go'.

Painted my nails this evening for the first time in about 4 months because I am going out for lunch tomorrow. Yay! I can only meet one friend and we're not allowed any alcohol but I'm going out for lunch. How fabulous is that?!!

Saturday 19 December 2020

Went out for lunch with J today. We went to 'McLarens on the Corner' and sat in a converted ski gondola in the garden. The table between myself and J was about 40cms wide. I know I keep mentioning this; but how on earth can the Government think that sitting in an 'enclosed ski gondola outside is safer than sitting on separate sofas in a private home? The world has gone mad!

Also, we weren't allowed any alcohol. Don't really understand the reasoning behind not being allowed a glass of wine with lunch. We could only book the table for two hours and let's face it; how drunk can anyone get in two hours. Selling alcohol would help the hospitality industry enormously. There's going be be a lot of pubs/restaurants that are never going to recover from this pandemic.

Got home just in time to watch Boris (with his bad haircut) and Nicola (with her high heeled shoes) telling the nation that Christmas was cancelled. That doesn't really bother me that much because I'd already decided that I wasn't going to do much. But what about all the people that were really looking forward to meeting up with friends and family for the first time in months?

Oh and Nicola has put Scotland back into lock down from Boxing Day until 11 January. To say I'm angry about that is an understandment. Grrrrrr................

Sunday 20 December 2020

After yesterday's depressing news about cancelled Christmas and Scotland's imminent lockdown, I am really depressed and have absolutely nothing to say.

Monday 21 December 2020

Hasn't everywhere been really busy today. The buses were busy, the shops all had very long queues outside them and everyone seemed to be rushing around in frantic mode.

Went to do a Meet & Greet this evening. Nobody is supposed to be coming in or out of Scotland and Nicola Sturgeon is doubling the amount of police patrolling the border. Mmmmm........... doesn't seem like she's doing anything about the flights arriving from all over the place. The guy that I was meeting said that he was exempt because he worked in the construction industry. Normally, that's probably true but everyone knows that most of the construction industry closes down over Christmas and New Year. And if he were here for work, he shouldn't be bringing his girlfriend. Obviously thought a two week break in Edinburgh might be a nice little jolly. Just saying!

Tuesday 22 December 2020

Queue, queues and more queues, everywhere today. When I walked past Waitrose at 8.15am I couldn't believe the length of the queue. It was longer than I'd ever seen it in first lock down.

About 9.45am I thought I would go to Aldi because there's never been a queue there. Popped to the Cheese shop first to get some nice cheese for myself and S for Christmas Day. Neither of us do puddings so I thought nice cheese would be a suitable alternative. OMG! The queue at the Cheese shop stretched all the way down the road, round the corner and half way along the next street. I don't need cheese that badly!

And then when I got to Aldi the car park was full and there was a queue to get in. There was never, ever a queue to get in during first lock down. That's why I started shopping in Aldi. Bought enough stuff (including cheese) to last me a week because I certainly have no intention of going into any shops until after Christmas. When I left the car park two drivers were fighting over my space. Seriously?!

Got back from the afternoon dog walk at about 4pm and there were still queues everywhere. Not just outside the food shops...................... the charity shops, the nail bars, the hairdressers, the chemists, everywhere.

When will it ever end?

Wednesday 23 December 2020

When I did the morning dog walk, at 8.15am, the queues at the Cheese shop were already all the way down down the road, round the corner and half way along the next street. I don't think it opens till 8.30am. Why are people so desperate for cheese? The queue at M&S was also about a mile long. The great British public do like to queue don't they?

Thursday 24 December 2020

Christmas Eve and I did the afternoon dog walk to my support bubble, Ss, house where we indulged in a festive few glasses of wine. I feel as if the only person I see these days is S. Actually S is the only person I see these days. I'm only allowed one friend!

Friday 25 December 2020

Christmas Day and who would have thought, a year ago, that we'd all be in prison?

Took, Trixie the Collie pup, for a really long walk this morning and then S came round about 1pm. First time ever, that I've made Christmas dinner. Actually, I didn't make it. I bought it all from the Cook shop so just opened a few boxes and shoved them in the oven. It was surprisingly tasty and there was loads so even Trixie got a nice Christmas dinner. Drank lots of wine and Prosecco and that's been my Covid Christmas. S has gone home now but at least there's 'Call the Midwife' and 'Eastenders' on TV tonight.

Saturday 26 December 2020

Boxing day and day one of yet another lock down. Went for a little trek around the streets of the city to see how busy it was. It was extremely quiet. All the shops were shut and there was nobody about.

Sunday 27 December 2020

Walked past the local hardware store and spotted a sign on their window which said that as they were an 'essential' business that they would remain open. Well they weren't an 'essential' business during first lock down, so what's changed?

Broke the rules and walked over to Js house for lunch. I don't think either of us were at risk. Walked all the way there and back and we sat on different sofas and were well over 2m away from each other.

Monday 28 December 2020

I'm just wondering whether this three week lock down is going to morph into a three month one like last time. Everyone who has been furloughed seems to have been furloughed until 31 March.

Tuesday 29 December 2020

Woke up to a world covered in snow so went up Blackford Hill this afternoon. OMG! It was like the whole of Edinburgh were up there. We're supposed to be in lock down. In proper lock down we weren't even allowed to meet anyone outside. And as for social distancing................. there was no social distancing.

Wednesday 30 December 2020

Went for a long walk with F. In proper lock down we weren't allowed to meet anyone outside.

My intention this afternoon was to pop into Waitrose to buy myself some yummy treats for my 'home alone' New Year's Eve party tomorrow. The queue was about a mile long and I overheard someone saying there was a 45-60 min wait. Obviously I didn't bother to wait. However, it does pose the question................... why were all these people stocking up with food. It seems to me that there's going to be a lot of rule breaking going on tomorrow night.

Went to Ss house for dinner tonight. Got the bus there and back. In proper lock down buses were only operating on a skeleton service for key workers. Now it seems like everyone is just jumping on buses.

This whole tier thing is obviously not working. Just heard today that as from 12.01am tomorrow Cornwall is going into Tier 3. Great! That means that I can't rent out my house there anymore and I can't go there myself. So there goes my main source of income again. And what annoys me more than anything is the fact that I'm paying full council tax on a house that I've only spent 5 weeks in this year. When I lived there permanently between 2002 -2019 I got a 25% discount as a single person. In 2019, when I realised that I would be spending more time in Edinburgh, I thought I would do the honest thing and register my Cornish house as my second home and make my Edinburgh home my main residence. What a mistake that was?! Council tax in Cornwall is a lot more than it is in Edinburgh and I'm not even allowed to go to my own home. I'm not using any of the council maintained things in Cornwall and yet I bet I won't be offered a refund?

I'd like to say that things can only get better but I've been saying that for months now and nothing has got any better.

We need to stop all this half hearted faffing around and just do another full lock down for a month where everything is closed (apart from supermarkets & pharmacies). This lock down is supposed to end on 11^th Jan. I bet it won't. It will be extended just like the first one. If we all knew that we'd be locked down for a month, there would be 'light at the end of the tunnel'. The trouble is there is no light at the end of the tunnel at the moment. Unfortunately, I believe that Nicola will extend this lock down on 11 January. It's the uncertainty that causes depression and fear.

Thursday 31 December 2020

2020 has been a horrible year. Here's hoping 2021 will be a whole lot better and that we'll all be able to meet up with friends and family in real life very soon.