Day 386 – Reflections on Lockdown

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Well it’s been 6 days since I last wrote the blog, I apologise for the lack of warning!  My motivation to keep it going after my year of writing it everyday was up, I was exhausted – so I just stopped!

I can’t say I have missed it, it’s been great to have my evenings back and to go to bed at a reasonable time.  I am now waking up feeling rested and refreshed 🙂

My reluctance to stop it, was that I wanted to keep it going as a record for future historians.  As Brian said (in Readers Corner) on Day 340 – “as historians who come across the blog in 100 years will always wonder why you didn’t continue until the Great British Day of Freedom….!”.

So with quite a lot of significant changes across Scotland and England over the last 24 hours, I decided it was time to write it to get a record for the historians, but more importantly the blog community (Brayshaw, MJ, 2020).

Coincidently, a year ago today, was 3 weeks from when lockdown first began (see ‘On This Day in History’).

You will also see that I have made the Covid figures more meaningful in ‘On This Day in History’.  Showing the increase in cases and deaths over a 24 hour period, a year ago today.  Plus, also including the increase in the last 24 hours for today.  This will allow us to see how cases and deaths were a year ago, compared to today!

For those who enjoy my photos, here is a wee catch-up on my days with photos.

 

Day 382, Friday 9th April 2021

A glorious morning to start of the day!  On our morning walk at the Coffee Boat, Kenny one of the owners of the boat said he was taking stakes on the Grand National, not even knowing it was going ahead, but finding £5 in my pocket, I put £5 (£2.50 each way) on Milan Native at 33/1.  NOT £25 as the piece of paper suggests, but hoped that Kenny may forget and if won give me £825 😉

About a week ago I had met a guy who said could fix a wooden cabinet which had belonged to my Dad, which had subsequently belonged to his Dad,  I met Rich the Woodman, by chance about a week ago – he sent me some photos on how he was getting on.

Of course today at about midday there was the announcement of the death of Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh.  Shortly after hearing the news I read that the national plan for his death is called Operation Forth Bridge, which included the lowering of all flags to half mast, all TV presenters to wear black until the funeral and no laws can be passed for 8-days of mourning.  Coincidently, about an hour after reading this, I spotted the Union Jack being lowered over Edinburgh Castle – but alas no time for a video for the blog!

Later I was on Easter Road and spotted a small queue outside a Barber Shop which had opened up with all barbers (in Scotland) a few days earlier.

But of course, the talking point of everyone in Scotland is 26th April, which seems to have become ‘Scotland’s Great Day of Freedom’.  Here is one of many Covid signs stating this!

Then round to my flat to collect the ‘painting ladder’ that my tenants don’t want in my flat.  They let me in the flat, raving about the hanging shelf in the Kitchen – seemed to be their favourite thing!  I got that from IKEA (on recommendation from Danny) to fill the space where the extractor fan used to be.

Back at the boat, the sun was setting and another beautiful sunset 🙂

 

 

Day 383, Saturday 10th April 2021

Another glorious morning of blue skies, although quite cold.

Somehow, I volunteered to help my friend Adam paint his flat, to get ready for renting out – he is between tenants!  I must admit painting for someone else is so much more a pleasure than when I was doing it for myself.  I could just walk away and forget about it all!

Painting the bedroom from orange to light purple – or so Adam said 😉

Late afternoon I got a text from Kevin (the other Coffee Boat owner) saying my horse had won!  I had forgotten all about The Grand National.  Super excited, I hoped that Kenny would forget I only gave £5, not £25 and so would pay me £412!!  But even if not I would be getting £82.50!!  Until I looked at the results, Kevin had got it wrong – no win for me 🙁

Later, back at the boat it started snowing with massive snow flakes, although not very clear from the photo.

 

Day 384, Sunday 11th April 2021

It was cold in the night!  At 6am I woke up to see Honey in a tight ball to stay warm – at that point I realised why dogs have tails – to keep their noses warm when it’s super cold!  She tucks her nose under her tail !!

At 8.30am there was loads of frost on Discovery, onboard she was +4 centigrade.  Another stunning morning, although cold.

I had offered to spend the morning helping Adam shift some things between flats.

It was a super sunny day, I was hot in t-shirt and jeans.  Then at 3pm it started snowing!!!  I got a video this time – you can spot the snow at the start 🙂

Back at Discovery late afternoon, it was sunny again and I sat outside on my table and chairs, with a cup of tea and a book.  I’ve realised that the sun is best in the afternoon/evening for my table and chairs.  I then filled her up with water, before Rich the Woodman came round to drop off the now fixed wooden cabinet, which we took aboard.

 

Day 385, Monday 12th April 2021

Another cold night, but also a glorious sunny, but cold, morning with more frost on Discovery.

This morning I saw Kevin at the Coffee Boat and he asked who I had put my money on for The Grand National, I acted vague, hoping that I would get my £82.50, but then he asked to see the photo and I was caught out – no winnings for me 🙁

On our afternoon walk we went through The Meadows, the first time in about a week.  Hardly no groups of people, until I spotted many large signs saying NO ALCOHOL and lots of police presence.  Phew – thank goodness for that 🙂

Another lovely sunset in the evening.

Day 386, Tuesday 13th April 2021 (TODAY)

A few clouds in the sky today and slightly warmer in the night.  I have been lighting my wood burner every night, I’ve just put my last log on it, with just one coffee log left for tomorrow, some kindling and coal.

This morning I spotted Covid signs painted on the quayside.

Helen and I went for a walk to Blackford Hill, The Braids and The Hermitage, was a lovely walk 🙂

Helen explained quite a few times that these 3 areas are all one!  An interesting fact that I found out the other week is that the song ‘Magic’ by Pilot, was inspired by the sunrise on Blackford Hill !!  I randomly met David Paton who wrote the song about 10 years ago in a pub in Balerno.

 

 

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On This Day In History

A year ago today was Day 21

 

Here’s some extracts from that blog from Day 13

“Today is Monday 13th April 2020.  Three weeks ago, at 8pm (I think) Boris Johnson announced the UK was going into a lock-down.  We all knew it was coming, some had suggested by the end of the week or maybe by Wednesday, but still it was a bit of a shock.  The main guidelines, although confusing and unclear at the time were (this is a wee quiz for me to get it right!):

• • • • • • You should only leave your house for food shopping and medicine, as least frequent as possible
          • You can have one form of exercise a day – run, walk, cycle – either alone or with members of your household
          • You can leave your home for medical needs – provide care support for vulnerable people (over 70 years old, most vulnerably sick – who had already been told they should not leave their home for 12 weeks)
          • You can leave you home to travel to work – but only if you cannot work from you – or you are a ‘Key Worker’
          • If you have symptoms of Covid-19 and live alone – you should self-isolate for 7 days (longer if symptoms remain)
          • If you have symptoms of Covid-19 and live with others – everyone should self-isolate for 14 days (with or without symptoms) and if anyone gets symptoms they should start their 7 day self-isolation.
          • We should wash our hands whenever possible and avoid touching our eyes, mouth and nose.

I think that is it?  What have I missed?  Oh of course, the one most talked about:

• • • • • • We must social distance from each other – being 2 metres (or more) apart from each other (unless they are in our household).

Why am I mentioning all this now?  Boris Johnson said that every 3 weeks he would review the lock-down.  That is today!  So I have been doing a mini review of my blog over the last 3 weeks.

So much has happened.  The confusing guidelines / rules have now become clearer and stuck in our minds.  A whole new discourse has been formed – with a whole host of new words.  Zoom has become a verb.  Boris Johnson himself has had Covid-19 and been to the brink of death, relying on the NHS and ITU to help him recover.  And over a quarter of the world is now on lock-down.

So today, I have re-read all my blogs and picked out all the themes.  I  have also created a Word Cloud.  For those who don’t know what a Word Cloud is – it picks out the main key / repeating words (about 100) that are used in a piece of text.  I copied and pasted all the blogs into a Word Document, before entering this into an online Word Cloud website.

My daily Reflections on Lockdown blog (not including today) has 22,032 words and took up 51 pages on a Microsoft Word Document!  Below is the Word Cloud.  What I love about it the most if it has placed ‘Jim’ where the UK is!

 

 

This is what I wrote in my diary on Day 21

• • • Late to bed.
    • Honey caught a squirrel today!!
    • Weather = cold, but sunny.
    • Bed at 01:39

 

Covid News Headlines on Day 21

• • • No review – lockdown continues.
    • Online child sex exploitation on the rise due to lockdown.
    • USA considering to reopen the country.
    • Cruise Ship on Edinburgh coastline has the virus.

 

Increase in Covid Cases and Deaths 

 

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Lockdown Restrictions Corner

Lots going on with lockdown easing across the UK!

 

Scotland

Today Nicola announced more easing of lockdown restrictions ahead of time, to help with people’s mental health.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-56733608

From this Friday (Day 389) lots of changes:

• Travel ban across Scotland will be lifted.  People can travel across Scotland
• NO overnight stays
• Meeting Outdoors – up to 6 people from 6 households (6/6 Rule)
• When outdoor hospitality opens on 26th April up to 6 people from 6 households will be allowed to meet outdoors

 

England

Lockdown restrictions were eased yesterday after 97 days, with many parts of England “buzzing”.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56727568

From yesterday –

• Outdoor drinking allowed including private gardens
• Non-essential shops – opened
• Hairdressers – opened
• Gyms – opened
• Zoos – opened

Many people were out drinking last night for the first time.  The streets were packed with roads closed to give more space for fresco drinking and dining.

In Newcastle people said it “was worth it” to brave freezing pub terraces.

 

Some quotes from people –

“It’s full everywhere, it feels like a celebration”.

“Honestly, it feels so good, it feels like we’re out of prison.  We’re celebrating a birthday, so it’s the best gift”.

“Amazing, it’s lovely just to see people out, to have life around us, I’ve missed it so much”.

“Just to see the buzzing again is beautiful and to see all the local businesses come alive again, it’s great”.

“Like how I imagine VE Day”.

 

Early yesterday morning Boris had urged people to “continue to behave responsibility”.

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It Made Me Smile

The latest song by The Marsh Family, which made me smile 🙂

 

 

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As I come to the end of this blog, it’s massive!! It’s taken me 4 hours to put it together and write it!!  Hope it means you can all get your ‘blog fix’ for a few days 😉

I found in interesting looking at the Covid figures from a year ago compared to today.   The UK seems pretty much in a similar place as it was a year ago, but the cases for the world are over 7.5 times higher now compared to a year ago!  Also, Italy and Spain have significantly high cases compared to this time last year.

26th April is the date that everyone is talking about in Scotland, but more and more speculation and debates are currently around Vaccine Passports and Covid Testing to go to any indoor event like theatres, cinemas, etc…

Until the next blog, Stay Safe 🙂

Good Night!

Jim xx

 

 

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