NOVEMBER 2021

 Monday 1 November 2021

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am so lucky to have had a gorgeous little Collie pup who has been by my side throughout the whole of this horrid pandemic. Today we went trekking about up Arthurs Seat. It was a lovely day and we could see for miles. If I hadn't had Trixie, the Collie pup, I don't know what I would have done. She's given me a reason to get up and dressed every day. She's given me a reason to live.

I really do believe that if I hadn't had Trixie, I probably wouldn't even have bothered getting out of bed some days. I certainly wouldn't have bothered getting dressed. Well why would I, if I had no where to go and no one to see?

I still truly believe that I am one of the 'lucky ones'. Even though I've lost a lot of money due to the pandemic; I'm still financially secure. I'm not living hand to mouth like a lot of people are having to do. I will always be angry that I've lost 8 months of income through no fault of my own, but I have so much to be grateful for.

I have my health. Having said that, my physical health is no where near what it was like pre-lock down. Since the 23 March 2020, I've done hardly any fitness classes so my strength, flexibility and balance are really poor now. I've given up my membership of the fitness club because it was just too much of an effort to have to book everything, including the pool. As far as I know, the hairdryers still aren't back in use and as I often used to do a supermarket shop on the way home............ who wants to go wandering around Asda with soaking wet hair.

I'm extremely fortunate that, in general, my health is good. I haven't needed to see a doctor for about 10 years. Long may it continue.

And although I joke about having 'mental health issues', I think my mental health is OK. It has been extremely hard being so isolated, but I'd like to think I've come out the other side. Having said that, things still aren't back to normal in Scotland. Will things ever get back to normal? Personally I think that Covid has changed the world forever!!

Wednesday 3 November 2021

I've been trying for a week to change my flu vaccine to a venue nearer home (and I was hoping to get my Covid one at the same time). My appointment is at Ingliston on Friday. For anyone who doesn't know Edinburgh; Ingliston is an out of town venue. I live pretty much, a mile from the city centre. There are at least three vaccination centres within two miles of my home so why am I being sent out of town?

I've given up trying to phone to change the appointment now. Since last Tuesday, I've spent 1 hour, 47 mins & 3 secs 'on hold'. And, no, I can't do it online because there are no appointments available. Would I really be trying to phone if I could do it online? The NHS website now has a message on it saying that they use the same system as the phone line, so if you can't change your appointment online, don't bother phoning. Try again tomorrow. As of half an hour ago the system hadn't been updated since the 29^th October. What a shambles??!!

Friday 5 November 2021

Today was flu vaccination day. Having been unable to change my appointment to a venue in town, I had to trek all the way out to Ingliston. Decided against going in the car as various friends/posts on social media, had said that parking was a nightmare. Went on the tram and very efficient it was too.

My appointment was at 1.50pm and I arrived at 1.35pm. I joined a very, very, very, long queue. I estimated that there were probably at least 250 people in the queue before me, all just snaking along the roped off sections to get to the registration points. However, that was just the queue to get to the registration point. Once past the registration point there were probably another 100 people in the queue, but at least we could all sit down and wait after that. Having said that, I know I mentioned this the last time I went to have a vaccine..................... How safe is it for people to be sitting on seats that loads of other people have been sitting on without them being sanitized in between people? I guess after waiting for more than two hours nobody cared.

I was there this afternoon for almost 3 hours. #nightmare.

The registration guy said it will be like this till Christmas. He also said they didn’t have enough vaccinators. And judging by the ‘empty vaccinator booths’ (at least 50%) that’s probably true.

The very lovely lady who vaccinated me (I was booked in for a flu vac but also got my Covid booster) said that people were turning up 2/3 hours early for their appointments and just joining the queue (which obv is why the queue was so long). In my opinion they shouldn’t be allowed to do this. Surely the NHS can employ someone to stand on the door, check the appointments and tell them to go away if they’re more than half an hour early?? It's not fair on the people who are sticking to their appointments.

Anyway even though I’ve had a horrible afternoon, I’ve now had my flu vaccine & my Covid booster and in the big scheme of things; what’s 3 hours out of my life to stay well & healthy???

Sunday 21 November 2021

Don't you just love it when your whole life comes together? Since the 23^rd March 2020, when Boris said, 'You must stay at home', my life changed dramatically and I've been in a big depressing hole. In the last 18 months all I've done is walk the dog for miles and miles, watch hours and hours of crap TV and drink gallons and gallons of white wine.

I still think that Scotland is miles behind England re getting out of this lock down thing. I'm not bothered about re-joing my fitness club. Having to book every single session from a fitness class to a swim is just not feasible. I like to multi-task and if I go to a supermarket en-route, I don't know the exact time that I'm going to get to the club. One of the reasons that I did so much swimming before lock down, was because I could just turn up when I wanted. Not so any more. Everything just seems like so much of an effort.

Anyway, when I came back from Cornwall, I kept walking past local ladies clothes shop, Wilkies. There was an advert in the window for a sales assistant for 12 hours a week. After 3 weeks the advert was still there so I applied for it. Was interviewed by a very lovely lady. A face to face interview, not any of this video rubbish asking such questions as what makes you a good team player, etc. A proper interview where she asked proper questions relevant to the job. I got the job. Yay! And the best thing about it...................... I said I wanted to go down to Cornwall 4/5 times a year so they've put me on a zero hour contract and I can go off and do what I want when I want. She did however, say that there might be weeks when I don't get any work. Well, I don't care about that. From what I've seen so far everyone is working a lot more than their contracted hours. I've done three shifts so far and all is good. At least it'll get me out of the house a bit more.