CORONAVIRUS WEEK 31 OF LOCKDOWN: HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SUFFERING

Mid-week there was an announcement to say that restrictions are to be increased in the Glasgow (and central belt) area.  Pubs and restaurants are to close and other hospitality places are to be more restricted in their serving hours.  Travel restrictions are 'advisory' only.  Basically, these changes do not affect our lifestyle, such as it is these days.  All off this is because the infection rate and number of hospital admissions has risen sharply.  Death rate has not, however.

A sign on the door of the TSB bank in Milngavie. "We're closed but we're still here to help."  What a joke!  A bank that helps?  "Gee us a break!" , as they say in Glasgow.

Banks, and many other establishments are increasingly not open, open but not staffed, staffed but only with limited services available.  I am sure there are many good reasons but sometimes I do wonder! I suppose when things break down it is harder to get workmen out, if there are any workmen still in their jobs!

* * * * * *  AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES * * * * * * 

Harriet and Ellie are in our social bubble; i.e. they come after school for 2 hours once a week.   If we can't get to the park behind the house we tend to stay in the kitchen.  To that end I have gathered materials to keep them busy at the kitchen table.  They love being busy... of course, they are at the age when industriousness is a dominant feature.

Harriet just loves constructing things.  She has always loved Lego but once the box of bits has been put together the play in it is  limited.  

I got together some boxes, tape, bits and pieces like lollipop sticks. Also I dug out my button box. She's off....  actually we start out building something together but I am careful to say "Let's see where it takes us.... we are going to be 'creative' today."

This photo shows a 'project' I thought might interest her but really did not fly.  We made a see-saw using the Toblerone chocolate bar box for a fulcrum.  Iain supplied the stick and we tried a bit of balancing.  However I think that is going to have to be for another day.

Ellie and I made a cake from a cake mix. This is the final result here.  There's a long story here which will go in another (subsequent) post.  

Ellie got the Hundreds and Thousand sprinkles and carefully spooned the whole bottle on to the top of the cake (many  of which tumbled to the floor!).   It certainly kept her occupied and that, basically, was the object of the exercise!

To keep Ellie from disturbing Harriet I purchased a Practice Your Letters book at the local newsagent.  It was money well spent! She sat at the kitchen table totally absorbed until she finished every page: "This page took forever!"  (Uh-h-h... yes, that was the idea, pal!)

This was Ellie at the weekend. She had her dolls lined up in the corner of the kitchen and was having a picnic.  She is very much Little Miss Razzle Dazzle so this was her in one of her rare 'quiet' modes!

 * * * * * * * * AUTUMN COLOURS * * * * * * * * 

Early morning photo today