WEEK 92 CORNAVIRUS: CHRISTMAS IS CURTAILED

The infection rate has soared in the past week with increased restrictions either mandatory or suggest to help slow the spread.  Although the pathogenicity is not as bad as the Delta variant the number of people testing positive continues to increase. 

That meant that Christmas gathering with friends and family has been greatly modified. Instead of 10 for dinner this weekend it was a short visit to CVD to meet up in the porch, i.e. not in the house. Why?

Young Alastair, aged nearly 14 years, has tested positive so that meant 10 days isolation for him and the rest of the household.  This is Day 7.

We held a wee gathering in the porch at noon where we exchanged presents and had some pancakes aka 'blinis' and chocolate cake made by the lovely Syrian baker in Bearsden (a present to myself).

 * * * * * * * *  MEANWHILE * * * * * * * * 

Iain and I have found the supporting the local shops makes life a lot easier when it comes to giving each other a gift this year. (For example, we are not using public transport.) So I got him a jigsaw in the local gift shop 'Elba' which is a map of the Cullin Ridge in Skye.  He got me a bottle of Arran malt whisky in a local whisky shop (which, like butchers, has stayed open the whole period of covid restrictions for shops, restaurants etc.) One bottle lasts me about a year;  I really do enjoy a dram now and again!

Harriet keeps me up-to-date with her iMessaging.  I mean... do parents know their kids are doing this from the comfort/privacy of their bedroom?!  Be that as it may, I enjoyed a 10 minute (!) chat while I was sitting in front of the fire and she was getting ready for Santa's visit Christmas Eve.  I showed her how I put my stocking out.  I have a lovely Norwegian Christmas stocking knitted by Ragnar some years ago. I bought it at the Scottish-Norwegian Society's Annual Christmas Bazaar. It comes out every year.

And finally ... sent to me from a kindred spirit (if you'll forgive the pun)...

WEEK 91 CORONAVIRUS: RESTRICTIONS RETURNING

As the number of daily cases rises (by a factor of 2.5) new restrictions state no more that 3 households in a gathering. Basically the measure is to try and slow down the rate of transmission by discouraging large parties.  Bars, restaurants are open; sports events take place; concerts take place but because we have been here before movement is noticeably decreased.  Roads are less busy, shops are less busy.  Like everyone else we are either cutting down or cutting out past seasonal activities.  

An interesting point to note, nowhere is there ever any discussion about preventative measures for people to take, especially as it is winter, to help decrease the risk of catching or dying from the virus(es). (Vitamins, sleep, life-style measures.)

On a lighter note Ellie made me laugh this week (again).  She likes to be busy and help.  So in preparing the usual Tuesday evening meal I got her to mash the potatoes.  Very well done ... except for bits which flew around the kitchen and the finished potato masher replaced back into he drawer... unwashed!

At dinner, after we had served ourselves from the various dishes, I said to her "What would you give yourself in marks out of 10 for your dish of potatoes?"  "Eight" she says holding up her hands with her fingers forming two circles, one on top of the other,"... but if I turn sideways [two owl-eye circles] it's infinity!"  Aha! Clever!

* * * * * * * * * CHRISTMAS SCENES  * * * * * * * * * * 

Pillar box opposite Stockiemuir shops, with a knitted display on top!

My knitting at the moment.  Top photo is of left-over yarn from Maggie which she had used to knit Harriet a baby sweater  8 years ago.  Now they are mitts for Ellie. The bottom are hats for refugees (well that was the intention) and (gold) mitts for Harriet.

Angela's tearoom at Millport.

Music practice continues, thankfully!

Cairns Church display at concert Dec 10th

The Ghost of Christmas Past (J Watson 19th Century)

WEEK 90 CORONAVIRUS: OMIVARIANT NOW DOMINANT / DOSE OF CULTURE

We managed a 24 hour trip to Millport to attend a 'do' by a friend of ours who has restored an 1832 'square' piano.  Three of us travelled by car (to avoid train carriages and ferry passenger areas).

We enjoyed an hour's concert of square piano, harpsichord, oboe playing. This was followed by drinks and cake afterwards.  10 of us sat down to a lovely meal in the refectory... cooked by chef Angela.  Such a treat!

The event was held just in time as (was increasingly becoming evident) new restrictions are due to be put in place due to the rapid spread of the Omicron virus.  We are now awaiting new announcements for legally binding or simply suggestions as to the next stage.  

WEEK 89 CORONAVIRUS: WATCHING AND WAITING (OMNICRON SPREAD)

Time to catch the light as we head to the shortest day.  At 3:30 pm the sun was shining and I ran outside to catch the last of the light as it left the garden.

Warm light on roses still blooming.

Looking eastwards 

Finally it has gone below the horizon but leaving a wonderful sky before the light disappeared entirely.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

CORONAVIRUS POSITION TO DATE

We are watching and waiting to see what the Omnicron virus spread is going to be like now that we know it is in the community.

I continue to be irritated by news presentation which talks about the virus "starting in South Africa .... or Angola... or wherever."   Nobody knows where it has started nor when.  I wish they would  report along the lines of "The labs in X country have identified a mutation etc etc."

A study done in South Africa of a selected group of people who were hospitalised but not having Covid i.e. tested negative upon admission, showed that of those who got infected subsequently, the symptoms were not severe and did not last long. None ended up in ICU.  

Another study (?UK) showed the predominant type of patient in ICU was pregnant women who were unvaccinated.  There is a big push on now to reach pregnant women.  Also booster shots are being planned for the next couple of years.

The infection rate in the UK is rising slowly; the same for Scotland.  The hope is they can get most people vaccinated and/or their booster shots before the end of January which is the 'deepest' part of winter. (Last year was very bad.)

There is no change to restrictions in Scotland, still to wear masks in public buildings, shops, restaurant (unless eating), social distancing continues, track and trace continues.  England did not have compulsory mask wearing but now has made it manatory as above.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Creative Bakers in the Kitchen This Week - Jaffa Cakes - Mary Berry look to your laurels!

WEEK 88 CONONAVIRUS: THE AT HOME AND THE GLOBAL PICTURE

An assessment was done by the Scottish government to assess whether to introduce stricter lockdown measures.  At the moment we are masking wearing and social distancing with hygiene measures in place in public places, schools, offices etc.  So the long and short of it is that no further measures will be added i.e. no passport necessary for pubs and restaurants, but other concerts, discos etc will require evidence of vaccination.

We had a concert locally last week with masks being worn, a shorter programme with a short interval, social distancing, restricted ticket sales.  It was all fine.  People (most retired) were comfortable with that.

In December our local lad, Ryan and his teacher, Gjordje are going to play.  Interest is good and ticket sales are healthy.

* * * * * * * * * * MIGRANT CRISIS * * * * * * * * * 

Mid week tragedy happened in The Channel as 27 migrants drown when their inflatable boat deflated.  Women and children among the bodies washed up on the beaches.

In the meantime....

An ever increasing problem is finding a solution to the survivors who made it. Working with French border controls and political pressures on both sides, have been causing a lot of hurdles.  Meanwhile Calais has ever increasing make-shift camps with people in tents in winter weather, and in the UK admission centres  receiving migrants are facing the job of where to put the shear numbers of human cargo used by criminal gangs making a lucrative trade across the globe.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * NEW VARIANT * * * * * * * * * * 

Further worries: South African, which appears to have excellent lab facilities for 'genome sequencing' i.e. analysis that identifies a virus's genetic make-up, allowing new variants or mutations in existing variants to be detected.  There has been an announcement by them of a new variant which has a very much increased transmissibility.  Pathogenicity, of course, is still unknown.  There are always variants emerging; the problem is flagging up ones 'of concern' [WHO terminology]. It was 2 weeks from first identify it that the announcement was made (i.e. they realised there was something worrying here. It just takes that long.)

South Africa has lots of experience due to the prevalence of the HIV virus.  It's a pity, however, that once the alarm was raised (very socially responsible of them), it has been a case of 'shoot the messenger', i.e. all travel to South Africa stopped with no prior warning.  Lots of stories of people being stuck there or, if they come back, they will have to pay for hotel to be isolated for 2 weeks.  Methinks the virus has already been circulating; it just hasn't been classified.  

WEEK 87 CORONAVIRUS: SLIGHT UPHEAVAL

Another week of semi-lockdown and we are watching other European countries as they start to impose stricter lockdown rules.  Austria has found that due to the low uptake of vaccinations they are introducing stricter measures to try and curb the increase in people getting ill with Coronavirus.  Germany and The Netherlands are looking at the same situation.  Set against this are demonstrations against further lockdown restrictions where people are taking to the streets in protest.

They should read a recent Guardian article written by Anonymous stating that most of the people he is treating in ICU in the UK are unvaccinated, e.g. pregnant woman worried about effect on the baby, fit young male who 'never gets ill', etc.  

Yes, people who are vaccinated can get infected but they tend not to end up in ICU; if they do they often have underlying health problems.

In the meantime we note that this is the week of Thanksgiving in Alastair's part of the world.  We had a meal here on Sunday where I don't use the word 'Thanksgiving' but did try out my own pumpkin pie.  Iain eschews it as "highly over-rated". He may even be right but both Ishbel and I thought I did a 5 star job as I produced my mother's version (1950s Chatelaine magazine) using evaporated milk and a tin of Libby's (UK is Baking Buddy brand) pumpkin.

Tastes Trigger Memories: I did a taste test on John and Iain asking if they could recognise the flavour (of tinned milk, i.e. Carnation Evaporated Milk).  Yes, John did and associated it with camping.  Me?  I associate it with every home in my youth having it (i.e I am  talking about  'Pacific Milk' brand here) on the table where the top was punched open with triangular 'can opener' and appeared at every coffee time.  I recall my father... if he wanted a fill-up in his coffee cup he would rattle the tin back and forth to send out a signal. [Grounds for divorce nowadays!]

I also recall that is was standard practice to use evaporated milk for baby formula (mixed half evaporated milk and half water).  And while we had milk delivered every day in glass bottles (homogenised where the cream rose to the top) lots of communities had nothing but evaporated milk e.g. visiting the Messers in late 60s in Newfoundland.

Otherwise we are all well and so are the family... for which we are always very thankful!

On other matters ... Iain had a wee bit drama to report Friday morning November 19th:

He was sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen when this large (39" x 34") very heavy picture on the wall fell off smashing various items on the sideboard below.

Upon closer inspection he found both the screw holding the picture (not a nail) and the professionally framed piece of double string at the back were both intact!

Two days later it emerged that there had been an earthquake Nov 19th which showed the centre to be Lochgilphead.  It must have been an aftershock.  Iain thinks that the string on the nail was in a 'critically unstable' position, i.e. just took a minimum of force to cause a catastrophic failure.  

I know people who are like that; one small event is all it took to push them over the edge; the proverbial Last Straw!

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

UPDATE:

The picture is back up on the wall and a friend gave me a plate to replace the one that was broken.

 

I filled in a form on the website of 

British Geological Survey, The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK

They replied:

I've scrutinised the signals from the nearest BGS seismograph sites to you [...] for around an hour either side of the date and time stated (19 November 2021 @ 09:40 BST / UTC) and can inform you that there was no evidence of a seismic disturbance, detected by the BGS seismograph network, in your area.

It's a mystery!

WEEK 86 CORONAVIRUS: ENJOYING LIFE'S LITTLE ACHIEVMENTS

Another week... we continue to wear masks in shops and restaurants, banks, offices, or sitting in well ventilated rooms with other people. The news this week is that Austria is going to make unvaccinated people go into lockdown with only essential shopping and travel to workplace allowed. This is because infections rates are high and their vaccinated levels are low.

The UK vaccination levels are quite good and they are offering second jabs to the teenagers now. However the rate of infection remains medium high with hospitals getting more and more worried about the upcoming winter months. 

So we continue to enjoy the grandchildren especially as they pass the various milestones as the years go by. For example, Ellie came bursting through the door to say..."I can tie my own shoelaces!"

And ...  the tooth fairy has been busy!

Iain in his 'advisory' role  showing Ellie his knowledge of knots!

* * * * * * * * * * * 

I was out this week picking up litter along the Leven with the Alexandria group.  It was a glorious day in Bonhill.  

The COP26 crowds have all gone home now. It remains to be seen what action comes from the (well intended) talking.

 

 

WEEK 85: COP26 IN GLASGOW - PHOTOS

Week 1 of 2 has now taken place where the leaders of the world and activists and protesters have all gathered in Glasgow to look at the problem of climate change.

Here are some photos taken on Saturday. They are all of the city centre where people were gathered in preparation for a scheduled march where everyone could express their views using, beside shear numbers, their various placards and banners.

The crowd appeared to be all ages including many grey-haired folk joining the families, students and visitors from other countries.

There was a strong police presence.  Well, there would be; they drafted in thousands.  Apparently many are staying in the local Premier Inn and similar hotels in our suburban area.  That would explain the noticeable sprinkling of healthy, fit, fairly tall males (all of which Glasgow tend not to be!) as I move about the local streets and on the suburban trains.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lastly.... I am not marching but rather I am joining a group near Loch Lomond who are helping to save the planet....by...

... picking up litter in Dumbarton.