Seeking a simpler, less frantic and much slower way of life.

GreyQueen

  I’m sorry to hear that you have not seen your eldest for such a long time, Floss, that must be incredibly difficult.

I’ve been thinking about infectious diseases in the historical context. Not going into the many iterations of the plague, it and Covid are so far apart in severity as to render any comparison facetious. But there have been other things within living memory, such as polio, and ones just past living memory, like tuberculosis. We vaccinate successfully against these now, but in their time, they were horrible beyond Covid. The world went on about its business, and you hoped not to become ill.

How did society cope? It went about business as usual. I know several people approaching 80 who were sick in the pandemic flu of 1957-58 and the flu pandemic of 1968 falls within my own lifetime. If you look at some reputable online sources, such as The Lancet, you will discover that both these pandemics were of many times the order of magnitude of Covid. Up to 4 million died globally in the 1957-58 pandemic. And that was pretty small beer for a flu pandemic in the last century.

Of course, Covid is not an influenza, but the modes of transmission are identical, and the mortality and morbidity far less than the flu pandemics of the mid 20th century. I think it’s worthwhile asking ourselves why this virus is causing such a response from TPTB? What are we being distracted from? What is coming down the road and about to be blamed on Covid?

It would be far more effective, in terms of saving lives and preventing terrible misery, to wage all-out health resource wars on diabetes mellitis. Diabetes is crashing healthcare systems across the planet, killing millions before their time, yet is mostly reversible in its early stages and generally preventable.

silvasava

Greenbee - I've been retired some years now and like you I don't miss the travel. I've noticed how many businesses are finding out that many jobs can be done from home, including areas that have always been resistant to technological advances in communications. They've found that 'presenteeism' isn't always necessary. Hopefully it will be a good thing as more jobs may be suitable to be done from home.
As far as covid and lockdown is concerned I was diagnosed with a serious health problem at the end of last year so needed to isolate during covid. I have since been informed that I can now go to the pharmacy or shop. I sometimes shop (suitably masked) and I've used a couple of shops that I know have good procedures in place but TBH I'm not pinning my hopes on a vaccine, I'm relying on common sense.  I still see friends and family outside and socially distanced ( apart from my bubble) I don't see this as a limiting factor just a new normal. TBH my health is limiting me more than covid.

cbsexec

I think people need to give themselves permission to relax and do nothing and not feel guilty.  Life is short and as we have all found out we don’t know what is around the corner. We have learn to enjoy what we have and stop striving for something more.  

Blue_Doggy

Have you discussed your feelings with your OH? How does he feel about things? Does he work in the allotments and vegetable garden solely for his own pleasure or because he knows (or thinks he knows) you want to spend your time enjoying making preserves? Or would he welcome a less pressured life?
 

Others have suggested selling, or giving away, your surplus produce. If you have a favourite charity, perhaps you could place an honesty box (or jar with disinfectant solution if you’d rather not touch other people’s money) requesting a donation for that charity.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the suggestions, food for much debate.

greenbee

People may find this article helpful https://elemental-medium-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/elemental.medium.com/amp/p/de285d542f4c

VJsmum

And this one may allay some fears

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53783890

Floss

greenbee said:

People may find this article helpful https://elemental-medium-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/elemental.medium.com/amp/p/de285d542f4c

Thanks Greenbee, that's really interesting

greenbee

VJsmum said:

And this one may allay some fears

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53783890

So normal food-hygiene practices should be sufficient then

I was thinking about the newspaper @boazu, and while most of what I've heard has suggested that viruses are very difficult to detect on paper after more than an hour or two, if you're really worried it is worth bearing in mind that most of the process for the manufacture and supply of newspapers is automated/mechanical. If you're getting your paper from a pile in the shop it may not have been touched at all. If it has been delivered, it will only be the outside pages that have been touched by the delivery person. So if your OH read the outside pages outside, then disposed of them, washed his hands he could then safely bring the rest of the paper inside. I don't read newsprint anymore, but handwashing every few pages is necessary anyway to avoid ending up covered in ink! 

-taff

I think you need to cut yourself some slack too. Growing so much and preserving so much was probably also a bit of 'what if' in the current situation of covid and a probably no deal brexit, so it's a way of coping with uncertainties about the future that you're doing your best to prepare against, food and availability of food being one of the the things that was interrupted during lockdown to whatever extent and one of the things that is really important in some families. [My mother was Italian, we had very well stocked cupboards in the eventuality that a horde would descend and need feeding]

Have a sit down, examine your preparations, decide when you have amassed a suitable buffer and then stop and enjoy doing whatever you enjoy doing. It took me a long time to realise that needing to feel like I'd achieved something on my days off from work was a bit of a silly thing to do, I was always looking to achieve anything, whether that was building something, growing something, looking after someone etc. I fear I have fallen too far the other way now though with indolence taking a hold, but a balance is always preferable. Sit down and smell the flowers.