Here we go again

[Flo]

Another month of lock down in England - from next Thursday

Much good it will do as most of the world will rush out to do the Christmas shopping the minute that the restrictions are lifted. However it may decimate Black Friday for those who don't do the internet.

[Green Aura]

Too little, too late.

[Flo]

Third time this year for me. This time last year I was housebound letting the knee recover from replacement. Just got mobile and the first lock down came in for 12 weeks. Social life hasn't recovered in the village as a lot of the groups that meet in the village hall are for older folks (Over 60s chat club - WI - the craft group is older). Tell you what, I shall be down to painting the walls indoors at this rate. Self sufficient may well become even more force of habit.

[Green Aura]

The biggest problem I still have is the amount of cardboard we've accumulated over the last few months. It really goes against the grain to burn it but there's so much, plus the designated tree planting pile!

Looks like we might have dodged a bullet up here - we're in Scotland's tier one restrictions which aren't too bad. So I'm off to Inverness in the morning to shop and meet a friend for lunch. I am concerned about how long these restrictions will hold - so I'm afraid I have resorted to adding a couple of extra bits to any order, in case they, or the weather, get much worse. Not major stockpiling but a little, to ensure we don't get that awful stomach lurch we had in April, not knowing when or if we could get orders at all.

[Flo]

Apparently the supermarkets locally have been crowded ... It's a month and people can't remember that they didn't run out of toilet paper and food last time round.

[Green Aura]

Fortunately mine's a click and collect. I probably wont go inside - certainly not if it's looking crowded.

[Odsox]

We've been back in lock down since last weekend, not that it worries me
I think I have been off the property 3 times since the first lock down on March 16th, and it's not bothered me at all.
Of course I have the luxury of having the greenhouses and tunnels on the property, plus my radios, so plenty to do and keeping in touch with the rest of the world.

[Flo]

Rush to the shops in England some of whom have been opening late to catch any trade available

That will be good then - can you see the spike in the cases of virus? Which should just be winding down as the lock down restrictions are lifted just in time to start another spike ready for the new year.

Local family made a list of things needed to finish off the home projects as soon as the news came out. Son-in-law has just got back to work (self employed) and I've lost the thread of if his work has now all been cancelled. But he has been busy these last few weeks. Daughter has been working from home.

Humf.

[Green Aura]

I did my shop on monday, as planned, and I have to say it all seemed very civilised - most people wearing masks, keeping a safe distance etc. I'm glad I went, getting a lot of stuff that the local click and collect don't stock. So even if Scotland follows the lockdown we should be OK for a good while.

[Flo]

Have spent this morning going through the kitchen cupboards, doing an inventory and adding to the online order for 18th. First one available - I must have been slow off the mark on hearing the announcement of the lock down in England. Spent yesterday attacking the home small patch of garden, starting to clean the greenhouse, piling up tubs to wash. No rush for tub cleaning as the greenhouse won't be used again this year except for one small lupin that doesn't look to be thriving so which can be sheltered a bit.

Looked at the baking tins in the kitchen cupboard and thought - yes those can come back into use. Running two allotments has left them in limbo. Not that there will be much Christmas baking as I don't think there will be much Christmas celebrations family wise. Can't see a gathering of the clans this year.

This afternoon is inspection of drawers and cupboard in the bedroom. Don't think there are any lurkers but who knows. Job hasn't been done this year. The charity bags have been for very obscure charities. And probably won't appear again till after Christmas.

[Green Aura]

As there's talk of lockdown in Scotland too, the click and collect has become more important again. I would have a look at the following week or so to see if you can get another slot, Flo. Here, they're becoming rare again, which was the problem the first time round. I don't really understand it - you'd think they'd put on more vans if numbers able to get to the supermarket are limited.

Hopefully things will have calmed down again by Christmas but if not I think Skype etc are going to be pretty busy.

[ina]

I don't really understand it - you'd think they'd put on more vans if numbers able to get to the supermarket are limited.

Not all that easy suddenly acquiring more vans and drivers...

I'll see how my usual shop on Sunday morning goes. Buses a nuisance, as always.

[Viper254]

I don't really understand it - you'd think they'd put on more vans if numbers able to get to the supermarket are limited.

Not all that easy suddenly acquiring more vans and drivers...

I'll see how my usual shop on Sunday morning goes. Buses a nuisance, as always.

As somebody who previously worked in the courier/delivery buisiness, I can confirm it's a nightmare. Either you shell out a minimum of 30 grand per van and employ a new driver to do the deliveries, or you go down the temporary contractor route and accept that 50% of the contractors you get are going to be useless workers or have unreliable vehicles.

But they have had a good six months and this should have been foreseeable really.