Interestingly, crunching the numbers, Australia’s death rate from COVID-19, as of today, is .29 per 100,000 population. NZ has .33 per 100,000. The UK has 27.2 per 100,000, and unlike Aus and NZ, the UK does not count Care Home deaths!! It is absolutely terrible how much risk some Government’s responses have been. I didn’t add the US. We all know the problem there.
Keep safe our UK friends. P

Yes. I think it is the future!!!

I’ve just lost another long post and the will to live! 🤪

Have you got this sorted, Polly? So frustrating for you!

We are on the last day of level 4 lockdown today (Monday, public holiday in lieu of Anzac Day). We seem to be on track to eliminate the disease (not eradicate, which will be impossible, particularly when we open our borders again to the wide world – probably not this year!)

Stay safe, everyone.

Yay, success, Polly. Can’t advise about JJ, never had to contact – him?

Life – and rugby competitions – will have changed forever before all this is over. And we were at the start of our season.

We have only in the last few years Monday-ised Anzac Day. Waitangi Day stands where it lands.

I have to encourage OH to take walks – they don’t happen daily! We have not been able to drive far to exercise, but I am looking forward to exploring the closest nice beach to our new home.

In south Australia we didn’t have such severe restrictions as some other states or New Zealand. We’ve done well with low infection rate and low deaths. Our domestic borders were closed very quickly which probably assisted greatly, with most of our cases being linked to people returning to SA from interstate or overseas with most of the cases being linked to cruise ships. Not sure how that industry will fare in the future 😳. I’m watching the ABC news now where they’re discussing wether we went into lockdown too quickly and too severely which of course has affected our economy dramatically.

No idea what the future holds for us. Government is saying we may never stop social distancing. I think this problem has raised awareness amongst us about how disease and infection spread can be minimized. On a positive note, our flu rates are very low, due to social distancing and I think everyone is more knowledgeable re the benefits of hand washing etc.

There’s talk of lifting restrictions, but when and what is still unknown. I turn 70 early May so not only will there be no celebration I’m also joining the group being encouraged to stay at home ☹️. I don’t actually see myself at risk, being a generally healthy person, but there you go! 😊

Stay well everyone.

Oh, yes, hugs and kisses for all and sundry. We’ve had discussions about this. My family were not at all tactile and I find it difficult. One lovely friend does the hug and kiss at every greeting and farewell. Then our other good friend and I never touch! Keep hugs for special occasions!

Youre lucky to be able to drive in your government area. We’re stuck. 5 minutes up the road and we’re in the beautiful Clwydian Range. All car parks closed, though, so parking would have to be a lane. Ok if one or two cars do it, once started everyone could feel able to do so. 15 minutes away we could be on the coast and the Wales Coastal Park. Again car parks closed. Just walks around the town and gawping at gardens.

I couldn’t find Clwydian Range on my very tatty A-Z, Polly. What’s your nearest town?

As a professional I have developed a handshaking habit – might have to un-learn it 🙂 .

OH was 70 in January (had a lovely family gathering on the Gold Coast). They keep saying ‘over-seventies’ – we assume he falls into that category, but he said the other day he feels 40, so we go with that!

We have ‘met’ all our new neighbours – five houses on our lane. Often we are spied by the dogwalkers from the end two homes as we sit on the patio supping tea or coffee – lots of that happening 🙂 .

Next door neighbour kindly mowed our lawn again on Friday, and I’m afraid the social distance was rather short. He and OH discussed points of the mower, and OH tried it out. We are having to buy a ride-on for our 3,000 sq.m., but of course have not been able to, or get a contractor in, during level 4. We were going to buy the vendor’s when we moved in, but it conked out just before settlement. But we know next door and his wife have been isolated as we have, so pretty safe by now. And he’s off to work, with the easing of the restrictions today.

I fasted yesterday as I woke up to a kg loss and wanted to lock it in. Up 800 gm this morning! Bah, humbug. I know it will show on the scales tomorrow, but only back to yesterday’s reading!

I have had a better night, slept til 6.30am. I had woken to hear the clock chime 5am, but OH tells me I was definitely asleep again – audible evidence 🙁

So provided audible evidence of sleep, Barata! Love it. Light at the end of the tunnel in New Zealand, too. Brilliant.

I know we shouldn’t have milk in our drinks when fasting, but I can’t do without it in coffee. I only like herb teas, anyway, but not in the morning as I need the caffeine.

If you use google maps, the Clwydian Range can been found between Ruthin and Mold, where we live. Both are market towns, serving outlying villages, although Mold was part of the North Wales coalfield. It’s a great area to live.

We drink black coffee, so no milk during fasts! 🙂
I see where you are, Polly. My grandmother came from Heswell. Not far from you.

And remember, I had a Kiwi grandfather, B. Way back, I guess we all are. 😉

Wow! Small world, eh! I’m from South Wales originally, the Rhondda Valley. We came here when OH went yo work at Vauxhall’s in Ellesmere Port. It was with them that he had a month at Holden’s in Melbourne in 1996. He was asked to stay there, but it was difficult for me and the kids. He’s always wanted to go back to Australia.

Heswall is a nice place on the Wirral. We did look at a property there all those years ago when we moved up.

Our diet this week is based on what was in the freezer. Somebody didn’t close it properly so we’ve had a problem. 😲

All is quiet on the thread. I trust you are all safe and well, bearing up with the Covid restrictions. Our lockdown eases again tonight, with a move from level 3 to level 2, which will mean I can go shopping, visiting, travelling (domestically) and dining out – all with restraint and social distancing still though. We had no new infections reported yesterday or today, any recent cases have all been linked to known cases or are returning Kiwis. These folks get put into managed quarantine as they come back into the country, so no transmission can occur.

I have another ancestor, the Master Mariner, who hailed from SW Wales, one of the isolated valleys down that way.

My passport expires on Friday! I thought it would last til June, until I checked. So I am having to wait until tomorrow to get a photo for it. At least the next one will be for ten years, the government has removed the five-year limit, just after we got our last ones 🙁 And it’s not likely I am going to need it for a while!

We’re still waiting for our refund Purple. Our booking was done through an agent, don’t know if that makes it better or worse!

I celebrated(?) my 70th birthday last week. I hadn’t been planning anything big but not quite as small as it was 😂. It was actually really lovely though,. The day before the big day I had a catch-up in the park with 2 friends who bought bubbly and cake. On the actual day 5 friends called in at various times of the day, lots of phone calls, a few deliveries, many cards. I made scones for afternoon tea and we had takeaway from a very nice restaurant for our tea. Then the next day it was drinks and nibbles at another friends house. So all in all I had a really nice celebration.

On the food front – I’m baking, making comfort food, trying not to eat it but failing at times. Bingeing on the chocolate left over from Easter that was meant for the Canadian family.

Exercise wise – my husband and I walk each day 45-60 minutes to relieve the ISO. He’s lost 5kg, I‘Ve lost nothing! 😂 On the bright side I’m not gaining which is a surprise considering what I’m eating!

We’re still mainly staying at home. I don’t go out just for something to do, only to go to shops if I need something and that’s a quick trip into the supermarket or fruit and veg and out again.

I’m waiting for the second wave!

I hope everyone is going ok and that your families are all safe as well. We’ve been relatively lucky here in Aus but other countries are not faring so well.

Congratulations Carol on reaching the age when you get home deliveries!!! 😄😄 Mr P and I are not quite there yet. It sounds as if you ended up having a lovely intimate series of get togethers. They often mean you get to speak for longer to people than at a large party, really.
We had also booked through an agent, and cancelled mid March, as soon as we realised this was going to be a problem for travel, long term, but before they were restricting flights. We didn’t want to wait until there was a rush and companies potentially went bankrupt. We were offered flights in 12 months, but wisely decided to take what money they were offering. We received our partial refund within 10 days. Mr P will just have to settle for a trip on the Manly Ferry for his 70th!
We try to do 6 or 7km walking every day. The weather is now too cool for kayaking, but bushwalks are just as strenuous. Our fitness (and injuries 🤔) has increased, I’m sure. I’m fasting twice weekly to try to eat away at the excess I have gained from being a slacker. The results are good enough for me to keep going.
Keep safe all…especially our UK mates. P

Please forgive me ladies (and gentlemen). I only ever show up on here when I have reason to whinge. I must stop it and just be sociable.

It’s good to hear how you’re all managing to stay afloat, happy and healthy and doing nice things, despite the dreaded bug. Both of us are thankfully in good shape, but really missing family and friends. What follows is not so much a whinge as a very loud rant.

I’m a freelance translator specialising in Arts & Media and, after a madly busy 10 months or so, I’ve had no work and hence no earnings since mid-February. I’m not alone. The clientele we arty-farties tend to attract are museums, art exhibition organisers, publishers of art books, as well as glossy magazines that often include articles on the fine and applied arts. All of these are having a rough time, among them the big German publishers who more or less adopted me over the last year. Which is why us lot are twiddling our thumbs.

Our inadequate apology for a government promised to provide financial support to the self-employed and freelance workers who had no or fewer customers due to Covid-19. I have now been told I do not qualify because my pension income, which is recorded in my tax returns is “sufficient to live on”.

Him Indoors didn’t even try because his earnings have crept downwards as several of his Tai Chi groups based in leisure centres have been disbanded because of too low attendance and now, quite rightly, the centres remain closed for the foreseeable future.

In my middle years after much messing about, trying various careers -journalism, odd jobs in mainland Europe, banking, going to uni as a mature student, then teaching, I finally found my niche as a translator, which is a wonderful job that can be continued into an even riper age than mine. It is also a feast or famine business. This prompted me to take out additional private pensions paying out alongside the state pension.

The Boris Brigade’s decision would be fair enough if these were bringing in megabucks, but their dubious principle that what works out to £240 a week (i.e. below the minimum wage for a 5-day week at 7 hours a day), is enough to live on I find downright insulting.

I feel I’m being punished for being responsible enough to attempt to ensure that I have enough to keep me in a reasonably civilised state if and when I’m too old and doddery to work. Fortunately, I’m not a big spender and a fairly effective saver, but I think the government criteria stink!

Right, rant over! It’s a lovely sunny day, Cambridge is in blossom, and I’ve found something new for today’s fast day dinner.

Stay safe and well, 5:2 buddies.
Hermaj

Dear Herm, you should do some writing, too. Vent and submit to the Guardian. My tai chi teacher is using zoom. But he will not take any payment! We all want to pay him for his skills and his trouble. Strangely the online classes seem more intense!

Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, P. This is such a worrying time

I don’t know why my last post was repeated. 🤔.

Oh, Barata, a meal out! Wonderful. Hope you enjoyed the farmers market. Oh, yes, Holidays. you’re like us, and for us it’s rare that we have poised and lacked for the off. We were heading to Scandinavia this time last year. Thankfully there’s not a couple of thousand or so tied up.

We had to have a plumber in yesterday, to replace a radiator which had started to leak. Are you doing lots of improvements in your new house?

I’m really fed up with this. Now the NHS is not overrun, I think I’m prepared to take some risk, as this is no way to live. Not seen daughter since 30th January, not seen friends since 13th February. Zoom is good but doesn’t really cut it. My poor nephew has had to cancel his wedding.

Take care, everyone.

Oh, I’m envious. I just want to walk into the Glasfryn, local pub, or Prezzo, a chain Italian restaurant, be greeted and relax. Well, family quiz tonight and chat with friends In Melbourne on Wednesday.

Polly, the farmers’ market was almost back to full strength. The usual fresh veggies (don’t need fruit, apples and mandarins from our estate, anyone?), eggs, and of course, coffee at nephew’s cart. He and his wife will come to lunch next Sunday after the market 🙂

We have come to realise that the previous owners were CHEAP! When a leak had apparently occurred in the cold water feed from the lane, they laid a pipe on the surface down the drive, around the back of the separate single garage, and into the house from the back. So the cold water will always be warm, and in summer, hot! The plumber talked of legionnaire’s disease risk! We refrained from mentioning to him that previous owner was, allegedly, a plumber and gasfitter 🙁 . He will give a price for laying the pipe 30cm below the ground. I am happy to do it myself, but will probably be overruled.

One of the points I raised with the plumber was the inability to simmer my stock on the gas element all day, or to slow-cook jams and relishes. Response – cheap cooktop. And the badly flushing toilet? – cheap pan. We can live with the pan, but the cooktop might get to really bug me!

Every time I look at the Metservice rain radar I can see some showers blowing our way. Makes it difficult to take OH for a walk. I think we will be tending our acres tomorrow, weather looks a little more hopeful.

Stay safe, everyone. 🙂

Pol, your message no doubt appeared twice because of its proximity to yours truly who is death to things technological, especially IT. 🙂

I’m considering writing a rant to the Guardian or Independent. It also so happens that I’ll shortly be starting a 7-week online course with Cambridge Uni’s Institute of Continuing Education in writing for kids.

And while I’m earning nothing from commissioned translations, I’m having a go at some short stories by a German author – quite a lady, imprisoned for high treason by the Nazi’s which, provided translation rights are available, I will present one or maybe two stories to a UK publisher, who might like them enough to commission a few for an anthology. This may, or may not happen, but at least it’s helping to bring the idle brain in gear.

Thank you all, Pol, Purple and Barata, for your sympathy. I’ve calmed down somewhat but am still far from being a happy bunny. 🙁