So tired...can't cope!

Yesterday
Total world cases:768,764-------------------84.955 increase
Total fatalities:  37,027-----------------------4,850 increase
UK total: 22,141------------------------------2,619 increase
UK Fatalities: 1,408--------------------------180 increase

Today
Total world cases: 839,631-------------------70,867 increase
Total fatalities:  41,392-----------------------4,365 increase
UK total: 25,150-------------------------------3,009 increase
UK Fatalities: 1,789---------------------------381 increase

The news today is basically the same as every other day lately.  People dying, people in lock down, super markets this and that, companies going bust, ppl losing jobs.

On the other hand there are a lot of people making very funny video's - people have a lot of time on their hands - and it is pretty awesome seeing the British sense of humour.

I've not had a good day.  I am struggling on this course - so tired...very long day, the time is going so slowly.  I am learning about the IT system which is essential but not interesting.  I drove home very teary and then cried when I got home.  I am definitely hormonal, but the whole situation in the world is very stressful and upsetting.  The roads are all empty and society is just so different and weird.

I don't really know why I was as emotional as I was/am.  I think it is just everything.  I don't like driving so far and then being so bored - struggling with my bad eye sight and stinging eyes - and just wanting to sleep.  Other than our room of ppl on the course, HQ is empty and depressing. I can see complacency setting in - people are getting to know each other and not keeping their distance.  When I'm driving there and back on very empty roads I feel like I am one of the very few ppl out and about in the world.   I just feel very down.  Today is just not a good day.

New job, 1st day during Armageddon

Hi,

So before I bore you about my first day at work - here are the figures....

Yesterday
Total world cases:  683,809------------------82.032 increase
Total fatalities:  32,177-----------------------4,659 increase
UK total: 19,522------------------------------2,433 increase
UK Fatalities: 1,228--------------------------209 increase

Today
Total world cases:768,764-------------------84.955 increase
Total fatalities:  37,027-----------------------4,850 increase
UK total: 22,141------------------------------2,619 increase
UK Fatalities: 1,408--------------------------180 increase

I usually do this number comparison earlier in the day but having been at work - these are early evening figures - which is what I'll probably stick to.

In the news today they are saying there are early signs of a decrease in the UK, and they are also saying we have not reached our peak yet.  India was in the news again because so many people were so packed together trying to get back to villages - same as yesterday really.  There are also pictures of major cities around the world deserted. 

So - I hardly slept last night for worrying about not getting enough sleep!  I was up at 6.50am  and Andy got up too and made me some sandwiches and a coffee to take with me! and then I was off....I got there in plenty of time as the roads were very very quiet!  First thing I was asked to do was to sign in, using a pen used by everybody else!  Exactly what we should avoid - I obviously used my own pen!  I think there were 8 of us on the training course - we were taken to a room where the desks had all been separated and we were given anti bacterial wipes and stuff so I was relieved that safety measures were in place.  I was given a laptop, and my collar number - warrant card etc.  We did a bit of training on the intranet etc. Was a long day really and I was knackered and my eyes were struggling to stay open, and I was cold all day!  However, I am impressed with everything tbh - much easier computer system than at Surrey.  So I am now much more relaxed about the whole thing.

Got back home and got straight into my PJ's with big dressing gown and got comfy and warm!  I'm sat here now - its 7.30pm and I'm so tired! guess I'll sleep much better tonight - and can leave a little later tomorrow.

Day before I go back to work!

Hi.

Lets have a look at the figures for today - not really seen them yet - I expect a much bigger jump today...

Yesterday
Total world cases:  601,777
Total fatalities:  27,518
UK total: 17,089
UK Fatalities: 1019

Today
Total world cases:  683,809------------------82.032 increase
Total fatalities:  32,177-----------------------4,659 increase
UK total: 19,522------------------------------2,433 increase
UK Fatalities: 1,228--------------------------209 increase

The PM Boris Johnson has caught the virus - he apparently has mild symptoms so he'll be back to normal very soon.

Very scarily, Italy are really suffering and there are reports of social unrest - so people are stealing and raiding - out of necessity apparently.  Many people were working for cash so they are not being helped out financially by their government.  They have also been on lock down longer than us so they are going stir-crazy.  I really feel so bad for these people!  In other countries - it looks like they don't stand a chance - with people still gathering - but when you live in a single room with 5 other people what can you do? Actually - from what I have seen they are not even trying to stay apart outdoors...its going to spread  like wild fire, and they wont have the hospitals to try and save people.

This is a picture from India today:



No attempt whatsoever at social distancing.  Apparently these people are migrant workers unable to pay their rent, trying to get back to their villages.  The news reports say that there was no public transport so some people were having to walk hundreds of miles - I don't really know how that is possible - but that is what it says!  So - they are going to be taking the virus back to their villages.  A disaster waiting to happen - with the virus and also possible starvation!  You can't dwell on things like this too much because it gets way too upsetting.

There is talk in the UK that we might be on lock down until June.  Imagine all the people living alone!  It is a very depressing thought.  So many businesses are going to be screwed, so many people are going to be skint and so stressed out about losing their house etc.  The banks are saying people can take mortgage breaks, and I don't think they will be allowed to repossess houses, so there are some reassurances.

We went for a drive this morning - first time we have left the house in 2 weeks.  I was curious to see the outside world, and see how busy the roads are.  It was a little bit like going out on Christmas day - it was very quiet.  I filled the car up with petrol (which was much reduced in price!) I took rubber gloves and hand sanitiser and was extremely careful....we got petrol from Asda - where you could see a queue all the way to the back of the car park, with people standing 2 metres apart - looked like a weird queue everybody spread out so much.  Some people were not quite far apart enough - but they were mostly good.  It was a strange sight to be honest.  We came straight back home after filling up - its nice to know that the car is full ready for work tomorrow!  When we got home we had a walk around the garden - like we keep doing just to get outdoors!

We had another enquiry on Airbnb from a camera woman for the BBC - we were a little concerned that really it was a reporter testing our Airbnb hosts, to see if we are following the rules!  As it happens the dates they wanted clashed with a doctor that has made an enquiry, and he wont know for sure until 2nd April, so we told the BBC person that the Doctor takes priority.  We may consider them if he doesn't want the place.  She replied saying - thank you Christine! lol - I guess she has been making enquiries at other places too and got me mixed up with somebody else!  We are thinking that the BBC want to come here because we are getting reports of deaths at our local hospital.

So - I'm all ready for work tomorrow.  I ordered new clothes online as I couldn't go out shopping and most of my existing work clothes are too small and are old! I've not worked for over 3 years (other than in the house which required totally different type of work clothes!).  Luckily the stuff I ordered were all on sale because of the current situation - and they all fit me (I stuck to stretchy stuff lol).

I have no idea what to expect tomorrow - 9 of us on this training course - I am going to insist that the rules on social distancing are followed otherwise I will just leave.  I really hope I get there and am reassured that I'll be safe.  Have to wait and see.....

Feeling yuck - alcohol related! Not Covid-19!

BLURG

Yesterday
Total world cases:  537,785
Total fatalities:  24,156
UK total: 11,813
UK Fatalities: 578

Today
Total world cases:  601,777
Total fatalities:  27,518
UK total: 14,751
UK Fatalities: 769

Later in the day our figures increased to UK total: 17,089, UK Fatalities: 1019


Yesterday there were 46,000 new cases and around 2,000 new deaths and today there are 63,000 new cases and 3,000 deaths.  So the rate is speeding up now - as expected.  I don't think it will start to decrease (because the whole country is on lock down) for another week or two.

So yesterday was awful.  We had a bit of a fallout - over nothing really.  We have both got ourselves wound up about the virus and me going to work next week - and its stressful!!  I ended up crying! Not because of Andy! I think it just built up gradually over the last week or so - watching all the figures - the temporary hospitals being built etc.  Andy is also very stressed! Not knowing if he is losing his job - on top of everything else....

I've also been waking up really early everyday - and only getting 5 hours sleep or so, and then feeling really sick.  According to google nausea in the mornings - which I've been getting everyday - can be down to lack of sleep and anxiety, which would definitely explain things!  This morning was worse - I woke up at 6pm after going to bed quite drunk last night, we didn't eat either last night, and I was quite drunk so I feel really sick and horrible.  I expect Andy is gonna feel as rough as I do!

Last night we got online with Helen and Paul - we had them on my monitor which has quite a large screen so it wasn't too much different than being sat with them! We played Play your cards Rights lol, but mostly just chatted and had a laugh - and we did not really talk about anything negative as the point was to try and de-stress.

So, knowing Lissa is ALWAYS up early, I video called her and we had a bit of a catch-up - always nice just to see her little face - and her not so little baby bump!  We spoke for ages before realising that we hadn't even mentioned the Coronavirus - which was good!  So we didn't focus on it too much when we realised either.  We did discuss the impact on them however in terms of having the baby.  I really feel for her - and Erika.  She can have Antony with her during the labour and once the baby is born he has to leave and won't see them again until she is discharged from hospital.  If she ends up in hospital for a couple of days that will suck.  Hopefully they will be trying to get her out of the hospital as soon as possible because the hospital will be full of people with the virus.  Both her and Erika feel that this very special time where they should be blooming and enjoying life with a baby on the way has been ruined somewhat - and I don't blame them for feeling that way!

We ended our call when we both needed a poo hahah we reminisced about the times we used to race having a poo when we lived in Sunmead Rd, one of us would leg it to the upstairs loo - and the other downstairs and see who could get back 1st.  hahah

We have just been out into the garden because its lovely outside and we have been cooped up in the house for weeks (2).

The cats always come and join us when we go into the garden!

Coronavirus FEAR

Hi.

I'm up early today (again!)- keep waking up at 7am - which is actually a good thing as I'm going to have to start getting up early every day soon!

Yesterday
Total world cases:  491,768
Total fatalities:  22,173
UK total:  9,529
UK Fatalities: 465

Today
Total world cases:  537,785
Total fatalities:  24,156
UK total: 11,813
UK Fatalities: 578

The UK has not updated it's figures yet.  46,000 new cases and around 2,000 new deaths.  Wow.

Update UK - 14,751 cases, 769 deaths. Big Jump.


So - I had a bit of a breakdown last night.  We watched, on youtube a doctor - youngish guy - just do a little video update at a couple of points during the day - he spoke about people in the wards with the virus and how hard it was for them suffering alone, watching those around them die.  I properly appreciated what he was saying, and felt it.  He spoke about the numbers of people they were seeing and how the ages varied - he said - we are seeing a lot of people in their 30's and 40's - and I am 48!  He said we have one side of the corridor for the Coronavirus patients, and the rest of the hospital is for everything else.  he went on to say that they were swapping it around - so that one corridor is for everything else and the rest of the hospital will be for the virus!

Knowing I have to leave our safe cocoon on Monday and everyday after that - scares me to the core.  I am pretty terrified of getting the virus and giving it to Andy - we have no assurances that we will live through it and it sounds awful.  Imagine what it would be like if me or Andy got the virus and were one of the ones that got really bad - we'd end up in hospital leaving the other at home to simply wait and see if we survive and see each other again - or get called in to say goodbye by which time the sick person is not aware of what is happening around them.  It really is so horrific.  Every now and again - I end up thinking - is this really happening?? It feels like we have entered the twilight zone. 

Andy was telling me last night - you are going to need to do this and that - stay away - stop people walking towards you - all these things, and eventually I just burst into tears - I felt that the pressure was too much - I've got to go out and mingle with people and do a training course and then a job whilst staying 2 metres away from every other person and clean my hands constantly in case I've touched anything contaminated, not touch my face - how I am going to keep this up!!  I really feel it is just a matter of time regardless of how careful I am.  Andy would argue with that last statement because as far as he is concerned we are NOT getting this virus!

Last night at 8pm the country all came out onto their doorsteps and clapped - for the NHS.  What those people are going to have to do over the next few months is probably going to push them to the brink - and I have no doubt that some will catch the virus too.  Its going to get hectic at the hospitals - so much suffering and death.  I am not sure how many deaths we are expecting - but Italy so far have had over 8,000.

This morning, I woke up at 7am - got up opened the curtains and shutters - gorgeous day - and the first thing I saw was an ambulance go past - lights flashing.  I thought - oh-oh - bet that has come from the Manor nursing home.  Then I thought, oh god this place is FULL of older people and retired people and nursing homes - our local hospital is going to be crazy! This is why we are getting newly qualified doctors being shipped in! (we have had a few enquiries now for the Airbnb from these Dr's).

I'm still alive

Hi again.

Today's figures as at 1.23pm

Yesterday:

Total world cases:  384,838
Total fatalities:  16,595
UK total:  6,726
UK Fatalities: 335

Today:

Total world cases:  491,768
Total fatalities:  22,173
UK total:  9,529
UK Fatalities: 465

Each country is trying to 'flatten the curve' i.e. stop the cases increasing so much each day.  Most countries are now on lock down - and it is so strange seeing images of usually extremely busy cities looking empty.  It is like a scene from 28 days Later in which the guy at the beginning wakes up and walks around a deserted London.

I have no idea what it is like in my local area as I haven't left the house in around 2 1/2 weeks - when we went to see Helen and Paul for Helen's birthday - which makes me worry that the battery in my car will be flat!

I have now had communication about my new job - I have been asking how many people on the course? What measures have been put in place etc.  I was told to ask my line manager! ha! like I know who that is!  So now - I have been put in touch with ppl I will be working with - and hopefully when they reply - I will know what my shift pattern is going to be...

We had all our bookings for the Airbnb cancelled - which is a good thing really because ppl need to stay at home - so we wrote on the listing that we would only be accepting NHS staff that are being brought in to assist at our local hospital - and at reduced rates.  We are getting a fair few enquiries - although ppl seem to want to pay next to nothing - and we have quite high running costs.  Seems like we are going to be having a couple of newly qualified doctors stay for a month or so.

We are getting quite stressed.  Everything seems to be going badly this year - Andy said it so early in the year that things seems to be going wrong - and then it went REALLY wrong - with this virus, his job not being secure - he got a speeding ticket from Xmas day when the roads were empty - he broke his phone...all our bookings got cancelled...the thing I was looking forward to more than ANYTHING - being there for Lissa when she has the baby - is no longer possible, we wont be able to attend Adam's wedding...and other stuff I can't remember.

Mostly we are fine - but every now and again (like today) it starts to get to you!  I guess - probably more than a guess tbh, that some people are having a MUCH worse time of it than us! People are dying all over the world, people are ill, people have lost jobs and can't pay the rent.  I can't remember the last time I saw any good news!  So - maybe while we have our health and our house - we should think ourselves lucky - and just hope we come out of all this unscathed.

Corona-virus...what are the chances?

I don't plan on giving each post the title 'coronavirus' however, I dont really have much else to talk about!

It is 6.20pm - and today I have put some washing away, done a couple of logic problems in the bath! made spaghetti on toast and emptied the dishwasher.  So - no real stories there!

I did also manage to get an online shopping delivery for tomorrow (after emailing and complaining that they claim to be giving priority to loyal customers!).  I think I am most relieved because it means that I can get my neighbour the things that she needs!

Other than that, I have been chilling, watching the news, reading the news, watching the worldwide figures.....so continuing to obsess....although I am boring myself really....

The figures as at 6.20 pm (usually I have given the mornings numbers) are:

Yesterday:
Total world cases:  384,838
Total fatalities:  16,595
UK total:  6,726
UK Fatalities: 335

Today
Total world cases: 455,202
Total fatalities: 20,609
UK total: 8,227
UK Fatalities: 435

So - going up and up...

The ExCel Centre in central London, or whatever it is called is being turned into a hospital.  I saw this happening in another Country the other day, and I said to Andy - wow have you seen that! It would be like us doing that with the place we saw the Ideal Home Show - and apparently this ExCel building IS the place we saw the Ideal Home Show!  Its massive! If they expect to need that amount of space for all the people that need hospital treatment in London - then omg - the figures we are looking at are just numbers, imagining that ExCel Centre full of very sick people needing treatment is SCARY.

There have been reports of healthy young people dying too - mostly it is the elderly and people with medical problems who succumb - but then there are random reports, such as a 21 year old girl - died today and was previously healthy.  This makes you wonder if you will survive if you get it.  However, it seems we'll all get it eventually.

I'm guessing that as hard as I try to distance myself and take all precautions - I'm going to catch it and soon - seeing as I am out at work as from Monday...then Andy will get it.  Lets just hope we get mild symptoms like a lot of people are reporting.

Lock down

Hi again.

8am

I got woken up early by the cats, and sun is shining brightly - by all accounts a really nice day!

First of all - today's corona-virus figures:

Yesterday:
Total world cases:  346,877
Total fatalities:  14,914
UK total:  5,748
UK Fatalities: 281

Today
Total world cases:  384,838
Total fatalities:  16,595
UK total:  6,726
UK Fatalities: 335

Last night Boris Johnson put the country into lock down for the next 3 weeks - we have a national emergency.  How strange is this?  It had become inevitable that this was going to happen - I believe the Government were just trying to get their timing right.

It seems like Connor  & possibly Emily have contracted the virus!!  Connor said last night that they both felt ill and were aching all over with sore throats, and then this morning he said - I'm very ill I haven't slept at all.  Lets hope that at 25, they are both young and healthy enough to easily get through it!

My mum has apparently felt rough too - flu and cough - not been able to sleep because of it - although no high temp - it could be normal flu or a very bad cold - my dad - who is high risk - started to develop a cough yesterday.  I have messaged them just now - to see how they are but they haven't replied yet (it is only 8.30am).

So the situation under this lock down is this -

You cannot leave your house unless it is absolutely essential - like shopping for essential supplies.
You are allowed one form of exercise a day - alone or with a family member who you live with. You can leave the house for a medical need or to give help to a vulnerable person, and to travel to and from work if it is absolutely essential.    This is for the next 3 weeks.

Yesterday I was told that my training course for my new job is still on - I'll have to wait and see if it is still on now these new measures have been put into place.  To be honest I am not being told anything as far as my new job is concerned (with the police) I have no idea if they are desperate for me to go to work and that is why the course is still running.  I know the police are utilising people still in training - so I guess that they are struggling for staff - or are expecting social unrest - I have no idea!

My mum just replied - said she cannot stop coughing - and she is running out of insulin.  She said my dad had a bit of a tickly cough but that has gone.  If she has the virus my dad will definitely get it.  We will just have to wait and see.

I just messaged my old boss to see how Surrey Police are coping - I am just trying to get some info - are the police really short staffed? really busy and desperate for new staff? are they really quiet because most ppl are at home? It would be helpful to know - then I can guess whether I am really needed or not.

I have also emailed HR but I had to guess their email address so it might just bounce back.

My boss just messaged back - lots of ppl working from home - and other than that fairly quiet atm but they expecting it to get busy! She reckons the police will really want me to start work.  I'll have to wait and see - my email to HR hasn't bounced back un-deliverable - so it may have got through!

I am trying to get onto Ocado online - I was told my delivery on Friday has been cancelled but then I saw that for Friday deliveries you can edit the order today - I can't get onto the site though!  I am in a queue - but then the page says error and when get back onto it - I am back of the queue again - the queue currently has 14, 186 ppl in it and I am number 13,167! Claims to be a 2 hour wait - but it seems to go much quicker than that - probably cos ppl wait ages only to find that they can't book a delivery anyway and so leave.

11am

So Ocado kept me waiting an hour or so - only to be told I can't edit my order until tomorrow!

Some things in the news are awful - Spain are really hard hit and they said they found an abandoned care home with people dead in their beds and some ppl alive and alone!

We have a full lock down and apparently the tubes in London were PACKED this morning - they have a cut down service, so I am guessing those who HAVE to go to work are being squashed up! The people are the ones being blamed though....

The total worldwide cases have gone up by around 1000 since 8am this morning - its speeding up now as it spreads.

We had a couple of guests turn up yesterday - all our other guests cancelled.  They are supposed to be here until tomorrow but are going home today - this is good.  This is what ppl are supposed to be doing.  I think we are going to change our airbnb listing to say only people working or visiting the hospital can book (we are about a mile a away), plus we will drastically reduce our prices.  See if we can do our bit...

12pm

Total world cases - 393,547

Almost 10,000 more infected people since 8am this morning.  Obviously they didn't get infected since 8am! Its the results of the testing being done - but in our country it is only the ppl turning up at the hospitals being tested - so we have no idea at all really how wide spread it is - the only accurate figures really are the deaths.  That stands at 335 - so if 1% die - we must have around 33,500 infected.

Changing the subject! I have had a few fun video chats with my mum and dad - and often Helen and on one occasion my brother Andrew (all of us together at the same time) - and I have found that all the family are currently chatting more often - which is nice.  We've been chatting with the kids on Whattsapp today - apart from hearing that Connor & Emily are likely to have the virus - and that Adam is having his salary reduced....we have been having a chat and a laugh - laughing at Adam's lame attempt at a moustache...

Lissa was rocking her own frizz.....

I am being totally lazy!!  I dressed to continue painting in the attic this morning, but I may as well go and get changed because I am just sat here, playing, watching the news, chatting to people...obsessing about whether I am going to be at work or not next week....

Coronavirus - ongoing

Hi again.

So - I wrote about the Corona-virus just two days ago - at that time the figures were:

Total world cases:  288,593
Total fatalities:  11,947
UK total:  4.104
UK Fatalities: 178

Today the figures are:

Total world cases:  346,877
Total fatalities:  14,914
UK total:  5,748
UK Fatalities: 281

The cases across the world - other than China and South Korea - are just going up and up - and hospitals are starting to struggle - especially in Italy - who seem to have the most cases.  Although our London hospitals are struggling - it hasn't hit the rest of the country hard yet - I suspect that it will however - and this is the MOST scary thing - if we need care to get over this - it might get so crazy that only a fraction of people will get that help and so the death rate will rocket - and most of us will probably lose somebody we love - or our own lives.

Andy had a moment last night - talking about not coming in contact with ANYBODY as he is worried that he might not survive or at least he will really suffer and find it hard.  He is worried because he has high blood pressure, has had asthma in the past....I am having the same panic even though really I am quite healthy - because you just never know!!

I have started to think - we should write a will.  I was even thinking this morning that I should write letters to my kids and Andy, which they will eventually find should I die...

The government put a lot of things in place to stop people mixing - and some idiots are ignoring it.  There were pictures in the news this morning of a very busy flower market in London yesterday.  WHAT!!??  People WILL absolutely die because of those people mixing yesterday!!  At the same time, I was informed this morning that my training course due to start next Monday (one week today) is still running...I have mixed feelings.  My biggest fear is that I catch the virus and bring it back home to Andy.  I expect today that the Government will impose a lock down and we will get much tougher on the idiots who think they are invincible and are not intelligent enough to realise that they are helping to spread the virus.  So....me going back to work after 3 years at the time the country has gone crazy seems a little strange.

I have emailed to ask what measures have been put in place - and what I can expect after the training and in the normal working day.  That will be interesting to know - if they reply!

So - Ocado who we have used for our shopping deliveries for years - said they would honour regular customers orders - have cancelled my order.  I had told my elderly neighbour that I will order her shopping for her along side my own - now I don't have a delivery slot!  So looks like I am going to have to venture out for supplies at some point...

Just in the time I have been writing this - the total world cases of the virus has increased by almost 1000.  As it is spreading, it is speeding up....

This virus will change things in the world that will never go back the same again - politics, jobs, the economy - many things I can't even appreciate at the moment.

I know soon - I'll be reporting here that the UK cases have plateaued and eventually will start going down - but where are we going to end up before that happens?

I was supposed to be with Lissa when she has the baby - and it was something that meant so much to me...already I know I won't be there - and rather than feel really disappointed - all I can think of is how hard it will be for her - having a baby in a chaotic world, where she wont be able to have any visitors and the hospital might be swamped - it could put her and the baby in danger.  This is the same for Erika who is due twins in July - for her it might be much worse by then - or the opposite.....

So much uncertainty at the moment.  If I was religious I'd be praying that all the people I love will come out of this unharmed.


UPDATE

So our shopping deliveries are now uncertain - I said to Andy I might just have a drive around to our local tesco and see what the situation is - I looked up our local Tesco online and found this image...

That image was taken this morning.  So - I expect we will see the numbers of infected will rise in Taunton today!  There is no way I am going out shopping with all those people totally ignoring the social segregation advice!  We won't starve.  Andy was very stressed when I told him Ocado had cancelled our order - we have enough on our plate not knowing if Andy is going to lose his job and in turn we lose the house, without worrying about getting supplies.  I guess however, as I will be out and about next week - I'll be able to hunt and gather if needed.  

BTW it is now midday and the world figures are now: 352,398 - 6,000 (ish) increase in a few hours.  The death figure is 15,330 - an increase of 416 - in just a few hours! The UK just added another 4 deaths...

Scary times.

Coronavirus

Hi,

Well.....the world as we know is has changed since I last wrote on here!  It is surreal, and I suspect we are just on the cusp of the craziness.

So, this virus - the Coronavirus - started in china and they kept quiet about it at first - even arresting the Dr who tried to bring it to the attention of people (he later died of the virus and eventually china apologised to him posthumously).  China must have realised that they could not contain it and so the rest of the world was informed - but there was no sense of panic or urgency, not in the general population anyway! I'm sure some experts were crapping themselves!  Saying that, I do remember Andy saying to me - this is big...this is going to be big, and he was taking it seriously and he made me wonder...we had a discussion about it and I asked Paul if he was worried and he said no.  At that time, I took it more seriously than Paul, but probably not as much as Andy.  I didn't really think too much of it.  Then China started getting lots of cases, with ppl dying, and other parts of the world started to get get cases - then BOOM. The world went mad.

As Andy had thought it was going to be bad, we had kept a close eye on it and watched everything we could find about it - and it brought us to tears at times.  I felt the fear - the real fear at what this was going to do to the world - both health wise - and to the economy.  We spent quite a lot of time panicking about Andy losing his job and us losing the house, and thinking that we could lose our parents who are most at risk.  The realisation that hospitals would never cope - many of these things sank in with me quite slowly - I would suddenly say - oh God...this or that will happen - and Andy would say - that's what I have been trying to tell you!!  I suddenly realised the extent of the situation and then started to try and make other people understand - like my parents! Wow, that was frustrating! My Dad posted on facebook, that he was self isolating at the Trafford centre because the place was empty!  I commented - something along the lines - Its a good job you are not old and in the "at risk" group then! Which is exactly what they are - especially my Dad who is 79.  The next day they called me from a cafe - and I properly told them off - which i think they found amusing.  So - I tried to explain, and then got my sisters Helen and Joanne to help me get through to them - and now they are self isolating.  I think that they understood around the same time as the rest of the Country really started to understand, as this was about the same time as our Government started to take extremely drastic, unprecedented action.

From last night, all pubs, restaurants. cinemas etc. were all told to close.  The Government are really trying to ram the point home that we really need to stop it spreading and quickly.  I hope we don't have too many stupid people in this country....

We are living through an unprecedented thing that will go down in history.  If President Trump has anything to do with it, it will be referred to as the Chinese Flu.  Apparently somebody in the White house referred to it as Kung Flu - you gotta laugh, but at the same time it comes across as wrong and racist!  According to Trump the Chinese President tried to claim that American soldiers infected China with the virus and Trump being the weirdo that he is reacted very childishly and is now trying to get the virus to be called the Chinese Virus.

This morning I tried to get all my kids to watch Dr John Campbell on youtube, who has recorded a daily rundown of all the things we know scientifically and mathematically - what to expect and how to effect it.  But I don't think I succeeded in getting any of them to watch - apart from Lissa who watched one of them but is so scared she doesn't seem to want to know the extent of it - which is understandable as she is 30 weeks pregnant!

So - my view about this - we won't be able to stop this virus and although we might slow it down - it is going to alter life as we know it for at least a year - we will either all succumb because we couldn't stop it or slow it down and only the fittest will survive or we do slow it down and we get a vaccine.  Either way - it has already had the effect of millions of ppl not at work, massive job losses - and the government handing out billions to businesses and to the people. 

As far as I am concerned personally - I am quite scared about catching it, because some younger/healthy people have also had a really hard time of it with this virus, and for all I know by the time I get it, the hospitals will be so overrun I wont be able to get any medical help.  I worry the same (more) about Andy who has had mild asthma in the past and is probably not at his healthiest.  So there is a real fear about not surviving the virus and also even if not fatal it sounds really awful.  This fear is then multiplied so much when you think of all your family members - all the people you love and who might suffer or even die.  This is not even being dramatic - these are genuine concerns because we are being reminded 24 hours a day of the spread - of the numbers going up and up all over the world.  Number of new cases and deaths, as well as recovered.  As I write this there are currently 288,593 cases in the world (what we know about - it must be WAY higher than this) with 11,947 deaths.  In the UK we have 4,104 known cases (thought to actually be 30,00-40,000 in reality) and 178 deaths.

So - in all this madness, I am supposed to be starting a new job on 31 March 2020 (a week on Monday), with a one week IT training course.  I have no idea at all if that will be cancelled along with my offer of employment or whether, it might be seen as an essential role at the moment....I am waiting to find out.

I might try and keep this blog updated at this historical time!

Keep safe!

Ages, again!

Hi,

I've been lazy about writing in here because I was stressed about remembering what we all did at xmas! So - you won't get much detail about that here!

I am going to be starting work at the end of March - I wrote a post about the pro's and con's of starting work - and then vetting was done and I had to remove that post from the public domain! lol.

I have mere weeks left before I start work :-( I really really hope I love it!!!

There are so many things going on this year too! Adam & Erika having twins and getting married - Lissa having a daughter and I am going to be there with her!

so - Christmas was fun! we did fancy dress again! we had fake Xmas day on 22nd Dec as they were all going to their in-laws for actual Xmas day this year.  We did everything as we normally - had stockings - Xmas dinner - played games.  One evening (might have been fake Boxing day) we all couldn't be bothered to do anything and American football was on - and Connor was having a mini strop because they had arranged to stay over meaning they would have to go straight to work the next morning - and we were all boring! So, we all dragged ourselves up and made the effort and ended up having such a good time! We were all very glad we had made the effort!

I do have an awesome family!!

It felt so like the real thing (Xmas day) that after they had left, on the real Xmas eve it felt like Xmas was over - not just about to happen!  But Xmas morning was awesome because me and Andy had got each other really awesome gifts!!  I got the Peleton (bike) and an amazing coffee machine - and loads of other stuff and I got Andy the Surface Pro...

We went to Helen and Pauls for actual xmas day, after we had opened our pressies and stuff - was a bit frustrating having to leave our stuff because we had a chance to play with it all, but once we got to Helan and Pauls - it was lots of fun all over again!  We had xmas dinner all over again - which was NOT a problem! We had cooked it the day before and just stuck it in the oven (as they are vegans).  We played on their VR - Oculus - it was so good that we ordered one straight away - we now have two!  We had a really fun time!

Gender Reveal

The gender reveal for Lissa went so well!  I was very stressed about it! I managed to keep the secret!!  We wrapped a big box in yellow (gender neutral) and inside that box was another box with a PINK teddy bear from Build a Bear - so when she saw the teddy she knew it was going to be a girl - and secretly both her and Antony wanted a girl - and I knew that - and EVERYBODY thought she was going to have a boy so it was a big, and awesome surprise!! 

Ian (my ex) and his wife Karen were both there so it was a tad strange attending a joint family event - but I guess we are going to have a lot more of those now the kids are getting older, getting married and having kids etc. but we get on fine when we see each other.

It was held at a pub, and we decorated it with pink and blue, and had cards for ppl to fill in with predictions and advice - and ppl had badges - Girl or Boy - depending on what they expected it to be.  Most ppl chose boy.

The last picture really made me laugh because Connor was pretending to be stroppy because it wasn't a boy! hahahah

It was such a beautiful moment!! Because I just KNEW Lissa was going to be really happy with a girl, and I can just see my little baby girl, with a little baby girl! and Antony had said to me really early on in the pregnancy that he thought he wanted a girl - and I knew it was a girl because the gender had been revealed to me weeks earlier - so that I be the revealer!!!  So all this lead up to a reveal that I just knew everybody would be happy about - and it was very emotional seeing Lissa and Antony react!  The stress of keeping the secret and, finding and booking somewhere, deciding how the reveal would go - and travelling to Surrey - was TOTALLY worth it - loved the whole event and the emotion and happiness!!

SO....other little memories - we all had to wait for the reveal because Connor & Emily were late! lol So typical but I also felt sorry for them because they got stuck in traffic and were stressing.  We were stressing because his estimated arrival time - was the same time the food was due to be put out.  The food would have been later but me and Lissa decided that day to bring it forward cos we'd have loads of time!  ha!  In actual fact, we waited for Connor only to discover Antony's Dad was also late - but very late - so it went ahead when Connor got there!

I got to meet Antony's family too - who all seem really nice decent people! I already knew that already to be honest - I have known his sister Hannah since Lissa was at school with her - and they were drinking buddies after school (a large group of them - too much drinking tbh but they had a lot of fun!)- and that is how Lissa met Antony.  We know her as mad Hannah for self-explanatory reasons lol, she was quite wild!

Lissa's sister Beth was there and I haven't seen her (other than in pics) since she was really little - and she seemed really lovely!

Adam & Erika are now happy that their two little babies are going to be fine after quite a few scans and the pregnancy progressing fine - and they announced that they were going to do a reveal as well - but via facebook live - so we could all watch in a group as they opened up their envelopes - so that was something else to look forward to!!

Fast-forward to Adams reveal - and Helen & Paul were here - so we were all able to watch and Zack & Eloise were watching from home - Lissa, Antony, Connor & Emily were in the group and Erika's parents, and brother were with them - so it was really exciting and fun to watch! Adam opened the first envelope and it was a boy! lol.  I think they didn't want two boys, but didn't mind a boy & girl and preferred two girls.  So - it wasn't going to be two girls!  The next envelope - another boy! lol So Adam is going to have two sons and Lissa a daughter!

My niece (the first born of her generation - the second being Adam) had a baby boy on 21st February - Peter.  My sister Beverley (Rebecca's mum) was with them for the birth and said it was the most amazing thing ever - watching him being born!

So - I'm officially old and really looking it too.  Look at this pic (just for some realism)

I'm getting jowls....and old.....and this pic is probably not as bad as it gets!  Andy looks good though! lol

Anyway - this has been an exceptionally long post so I'll leave it there!