The Home Front meets Covid-19

basketcase

jinny said:

If your reading this you are probably ok. Thank goodness.
stay safe everyone. XXX

You too, jinny - and everyone else!

basketcase

greenbee - Get well soon.  Hope the ABs kick in over the weekend.

monnagran

Thank you all for your input.  I don't worry for myself, I'm a tough old bird, haven't even had a cold for nearly 10 years.  Probably 40 years spent in the classroom being sneezed and coughed over built my immune system up to "suit of armour" status.  However I couldn't live with the thought of transferring the virus to another person.  I will have to work out another way of getting my vitamins.
-taff, thanks for the suggestion but as far as I know our council doesn't do food boxes for the "cough" over 70s, or even the "cough cough"  over 80s.   Anyway, I am well sorted for everything except  fresh fruit and veg and those I will have to do without.

basketcase

Good idea about the To Do List, jinny.  I've started one too and, like you, had decided to take 3 things off it.  Today's 3 things are:

1.  Cut old cotton jumper into squares for more bleach 'wipes' - some temp, some to hem before use...
2. Turn in edges of the wipes I'd already used before I realised they'd probably fray when I washed them.  They did.  Dope. So I'll iron in the edges and over-sew them.  (They're made from old, past their best dishcloths and have 2 layers.
3. Declutter my verandah and wash the outside of the living room window.  Get the plants which arrived yesterday out of their packaging before it's too late.  Maybe plant of enough energy!

That should keep me occupied.

  Now that I've started using wipes  I'm going to continue into the future.  I didn't use them because they were wasteful and expensive.  But these are all-but free and it's so convenient to have them to hand, given that I've become a fanatical wiper-downer.  (DS is at risk but not classified as highly vulnerable, which seems like the worst of both worlds.  Shouldn't go out as there's an increased risk of bringing back infection, but don't count for deliveries etc)

  Speaking of deliveries.  It's really hard to find a balance.  If you can't get a delivery, I'd get someone else to go if you can.  The shops near us don't have everything, but I went to Sainsbs and got a reasonable amount of stuff at 7.30pm.  That included bread and milk.  I found the whole experience tense.  I did the smart shopping thing, so minimal contact with people but I had to use a touch screen/card machine that someone else had just used, with nobody wiping it in between.  So I don't really want to do that again.

  I actually managed to get a Click & Collect spot for this coming Sunday.  Prefer to pick my own stuff, but needs must.  I'm going to take a box of my wipes with me and use them before and after.  We'll see how much I get.  I've not used it before so I'll have to see how it goes.

  Anyway, enough blether.  Stay safe and well.

Pyxis

monnagran said:

Thank you all for your input.  I don't worry for myself, I'm a tough old bird, haven't even had a cold for nearly 10 years.  Probably 40 years spent in the classroom being sneezed and coughed over built my immune system up to "suit of armour" status.  However I couldn't live with the thought of transferring the virus to another person.  I will have to work out another way of getting my vitamins.

PipneyJane

monnagran said:

Oh yes PYXIS, and we believe you.

Gosh P-J that is an adventurous menu.  I had sausage, chips and beans for lunch.   I've had these chips lurking at the bottom of the freezer for far too long but they were OK.  I am trying to use up the most ancient food first.

Now, a friend has offered to give me a lift to Tescos next week at one of the wrinkly times.  I would dearly love some fresh fruit and veg  and salad stuff but not quite sure If this is breaking the rules or not.  She has said that I can sit in the back of the car and I think it possibly safer than going on the bus, which is my only  alternative.  Any thoughts on this?

Not really adventurous for me, @monnagran.  My Mum didn’t enjoy cooking so while I learned the basics from her, all the big culinary memories from my childhood are from the kitchen of my Dad’s Italian workmate (his wife, Aunty Theresa, was my biggest food influence).  When I was a student nurse, I’d phone home to tell them that I was coming home for my days off and Dad would ask me what I’d like for dinner.  My response was always: “What would you like me to cook?”  My huge recipe book collection is the result of trying something in a restaurant or on my travels and wanting to make it when I got home.  

To answer your question, @monnagran, I think that if you sit in the back left of the car, you will be fine.  My reasoning:-

1). You will be out of range of immediate contamination from your friend’s breath.
2). Most vehicles are parked outside and should get hot enough in the sunshine to kill off virus particles.  Also, they don’t do well with UV radiation.

@greenbee I hope the anti bugs work.  It makes sense that an opportunist bacteria will take advantage of your immune system being “busy elsewhere” and attempt a takeover.  

- Pip

-taff

monnagran said:

   Anyway, I am well sorted for everything except  fresh fruit and veg and those I will have to do without.

There are quite a few farm shops around me that have changed to delivery for everything, a few butchers are also doing veg boxes, and some are doing click and collect. If you don't go shopping with your friend , can they pick you up some? Even if you are tougher than King Kong on an extrememly bullet proof day, asking someone for something is allowed....:) *cough cough*

needmoney

basketcase said:

1.  Cut old cotton jumper into squares for more bleach 'wipes' - some temp, some to hem before use...

@basketcase , can I ask what solution you are using for your wipes please.

greenbee

@monnagran - if your friend is going shopping themselves, could they get something for you and drop it off? They can leave it on the doorstep and you can then go through the disinfection process... Alternatively, check online to see whether volunteers can do some shopping for you (they've been doing bits for me - I'm desperate to go out and buy proper food but am having to restrain myself). The chances are there will be something on the council website or your local FB group. If you don't do FB I'm sure you know someone who does who can check with you. Or maybe ask the church? After all, you've done plenty for them in the past.

It's a lovely sunny day here, but I'm mostly indoors today as a. it's quite chilly out and b. one lot of the ABs cause photosensitivity. So I've opened all the windows, am doing washing, and have just tipped patio cleaner on the patio to do it's thing while I ignore it. I'll rinse it off later. 12 of my 60 tablets taken... 

monnagran

Greenbee, thank you.  I am sure that my friend would gladly shop for me, but if I asked her to do that I would be putting her in exactly the same position that I would be in if I went myself.  The same thing goes for anyone else who shopped for me.  I feel that if it is wrong for me to shop, it must be wrong for everybody else and I wouldn't want that on my conscience.
It is a huge problem.  It seems that the only sensible thing is to close all supermarkets and have only online ordering and deliveries.
In the meantime the sun is shining, all my friends and neighbours are keeping in touch by phone, I have my books, music, hobbies, radio and TV and I won't starve.  Added to which, unlike the Home Front, no one is dropping bombs on me. Nothing to complain about.