Chicken Memorials

[patsylabrador]

What are your strategies for dealing? I think we're lucky to have the Internet so we're not totally isolated. I was thinking that the ladies on here who are missing their Easter meet up could do a video chat or something on the day you had planned. 

My kids are here with us for the next week or so although my son who is an EMT is probably going to housesit for a friend so that he can keep away from us. I don't like that plan but it is sensible I suppose. I think anyone who has a garden is incredibly lucky at the moment. 

We've given up on the big supermarkets and pick up what we can down the road. There's plenty of fresh, healthy food plus lasagna sheets!!!... don't know what people have got against those. 

I think I'm in a good situation and I hope everyone else is. We've managed to make contact with our old neighbour which wasn't easy and she's doing OK but forgetful and confused. We had to explain that she can open her windows but I don't think she took it in. She said they're getting plenty to eat, I hope that's right. 

[Chick Chick]

Hi I’m finding it all a bit unreal at the moment. I’m feeling lucky I have a garden for my children and pets. Also grateful for the internet so can still keep in touch with family and friends. I don’t know what is happening with a lot of things which does worry me so just taking each day as it comes. 

[Beantree]

We've been in lockdown for a week here in France and now it has been tightened up. Two days ago there were 22,500 breaches and fines in one day and with people ignoring what is necessary and that is delaying the effects. The idea is to stop the rapid spread and avoid overloading the health services thus keeping the mortality rate to a minimum, otherwise we'll be in the same situation as Italy at 8%. Fines have gone up to €1500; surely that will discourage people?

So now you are limited to 1 hour walking outside a maximum of 1 km from your home. No markets now and no-one but essentials are working. It must be terrible living in a flat; fortunately we have a large garden and plenty of work to do in it. Problem is we can't buy materials we need.

Seems the virus can live on plastic, like supermarket trolley handles, for three days. If you touch that then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, the virus can enter your system. They tell us that the first symptom is a loss of smell, if anyone would notice that? Now 20,000 known cases in France, with 8,000 hospitalised and 2,000 in intensive care. But there are many people carrying the virus without getting symptoms so who knows. The peak of infections, if people obey the rules, will now be another 14 days away.

[mullethunter]

For myself it’s not going to be too bad. I have my chooks, and like you Beantree a big garden with lots of work that needs doing. Also I do actually have a fair bit of actual work to do from home. And my other main hobby - yoga - has gone online so I can do that at home. I am very worried about OH though. He tends to depression and going fishing is what keeps it at bay...

[The Dogmother]

If anyone wants to self-isolate, and help me lay paving slabs in the sun, then they're welcome! I am clearing a big dead space under the massive laurel hedge at the bottom of the garden, paving it and using it for a more structured/roofed wood store, and other storage besides.

Not much is changing here for me at the moment.

Roads were deathly quiet when I went out with the dogs this morning, and the park too. The shop at the garage is still open - run by a lovely Turkish family - guy there is looking after some of the older folks and chatting to them at a distance. Why on earth are they out though? He is getting some flour and yeast in this week and said that he would let me know when it's in stock... bless him. 

 

I see the the Co-op is making a call out to people; they have a reputation for seeking the greater good amid adversity, although this is an intimidating scale of events. Just so big that I am struggling to cope with the whole thing. I hear that Te$co and Aldi in Bicester were looking a bit ugly yesterday.

 

There's a Chinese (I think) curse that a friend told me of - "May you live in interesting times". Don’t remember being so beastly to a Chinaman but without doubt we are in interesting times. Looking at it all from a distance, I think that this situation will prompt a massive change  in the way in which we live and conduct our lives and business. If nothing else, it will teach us not to take anything for granted. A salutary lesson, perhaps, from Nature that we are NOT in control - randomness is, in all its splendour.

 

[The Dogmother]

Oh, and where are The Avengers when we need them?

[soapdragon]

We are lucky too,living in a village with open countryside within 5 mins so we can get a good walk or run in (at least the boys can, I'm sill a bit limited!). Our village shops are amazing; the fruit and veg shop has the most wonderful display outside this morning and could turn the whole village vegetarian!

Having had online deliveries for the last 6 weeks due to my hip op the last one is coming on Thursday evening. There are no more delivery or click and collect slots available for the next three week rota in any of the Tesco stores within a 15 mile radius. We will continue to use village shops and the small Queue Up in the next tiny town (though the latter as little as possible). It will be interesting to see what actually arrives as opposed to what was ordered; the last two deliveries have been very hit and miss. I'm dreading logging in to finally adjust the order late tomorrow evening but maybe things will be easier due to the rationing which should have had an effect by now?

OH works from home anyway....we've just had notification that he is a key worker as he works for NHS organising supplies/contracts but I'd not send the boys into school; I'm home and the less we all mix the better. We did a store cupboard inventory last Saturday and are good for the next couple of weeks (I tend to keep a fair amount in anyway due to the boy's massive appetites!) We make all our own bread and don't have much flour left; OH is worried about killing his sourdough starter which he created and has nursed dilligently! We have crackers and oatcakes and crumpets in the freezer.

As I keep telling the boys, it's just a different way of thinking now and we have to be more mindful about what we do and how we do it. Co incidentally I'm reading a Minette Walters book about 1348 and the Black Death! Not 'on purpose'; it was just the next one off the top of the 'to read' pile! No rats here in Chalgrove but certainly other similarities!

Stay safe everyone!

[patsylabrador]

I agree. At first when people were saying this will change the world I thought 'what rubbish' now I'm not so sure. One thing, I hate hugging, kissing and shaking hands as greetings so I hope this will change all that. Social distancing and disaster preparedness are part of the Japanese DNA I reckon and that's what I'm going to practice from now on. 

[patsylabrador]

Love my sons. They checked out a supermarket, bought lots of lovely vegetables, found some rice, bought some Corona beer and panic bought these..... 

[patsylabrador]

On Twitter and Facebook there's a new group called The Self Isolating Bird Club. It's very nice and friendly. 

[The Dogmother]

For those of you looking for some chilled entertainment of an evening, the lovely and amazingly talented sax player Snake David is doing a live stream here at 7pm every evening. I have been privileged to see him live on several occasions. Snake is a humble man, a session musician who has played on many iconic tracks from my youth. He also has other videos of his live performances online.

Enjoy

[The Dogmother]

One to spread a bit of happiness..

So very true at the moment - I have seen a massive shift in the way that folks are thinking outside themselves, but we still need to make more progress and ingrain this as a habit so that it isn't lost when this crisis is over.

 

[soapdragon]

I've just read a feed on MSM (online eqiv of Daily Mail 😉🙄)  that said 50% of those who tested positive in Iceland (not the supermarket!) had no symptoms - at all. How many of us have had it already and are self isolating......we may never know; gah!

[patsylabrador]

This is so rare above us. Just the occasional plane. Haven't had empty skies like this since the Icelandic volcano blew. 

[The Dogmother]

Took the dogs for a quick bimble around the park earlier and it was fairly busy with groups of people meeting up in the sunshine - I despair! It's just 500 yards form the nearest police station, so I hope that they walked through there and had a word.

[The Dogmother]

Just been doing this 15 minute HiiT routine to get he blood flowing again after an evening sat at the computer!

[mullethunter]

I tried Zumba for the first time today. I did this free class 

https://getfitnewquay.co.uk/on-demand

Don't think I’ll be doing this anywhere other people can see but it was fun and made me sweat a bit 😊

[The Dogmother]

Chicken Security:
This is really serious folks; this Covid19 madness has brought out the worst in some people... suppliers are fast selling out of hens to people who are buying them 'just for Covid' for eggs or meat and will them probably just abandon them, so please be aware of anyone trying to buy hens from you, and raise this with your friendly local chicken outlet.

On a personal level, please be extra careful about your chickens at home - beef up your security..... see 'Tough Guy' below - or set up some web cams to keep the safe. There have been people breaking into back gardens, onto allotments and stealing birds.

Anyone trying to break into The Dogmother's place will feel the wrath of 2 hungry lurchers!

[mullethunter]

I’m waiting for my builder to put in a better fence - was supposed to be the end of this week but not sure if it will be now 😔 

[Grandmashazzie]

Soapie Boots will shortly be selling self testing kits. Involving a blood prick, apparently as simple as home pregnancy testing. 
I hope they have plenty coming in, they will be more popular than hand sanitiser. 
It would be great to know if we have already had a mild case. I don’t think I have had a mild cold/flu for sometime and credited it to the kefir.

[The Dogmother]

I've also been jugging down the Vit C, Zinc and Kefir. Hope it works!

[patsylabrador]

It was OK today. Also, I've been estranged from my parents for many years but I felt now is not the time and so I contacted them to check they're OK. That felt good actually. 

[soapdragon]

47 minutes ago, The Dogmother said:

I've also been jugging down the Vit C, Zinc and Kefir. Hope it works!

I've added Vit D too.........may not do any good but can't do any harm and makes me feel I am actually doing something positive for the family!

[Daphne]

PL - about your parents, that is amazing.  I can empathise, OH's sister did not speak to her mother for 20 years.  I respect you.

Now, tell me about these pictures.  What is going on? No 1 is somewhat disturbing with what looks like a dead Light Sussex.  No 2 looks like Edward Hopper, I am impressed.  No 3 - I had the bizarre experience today of kneeling in a new veg patch, planting toms and pea seeds.  Then a military fighter flew over with 2 very clearly visible missiles.  Given we live in the middle of nowhere, but we do still have air traffic (civil, military and fire fighting), but not recently except military, I am slightly concerned.

 

[patsylabrador]

Lol 😂 

I have an app called PicsArt which turns really ordinary snaps into something much more fun. 

Persephone is about 12 yrs old. We are surprised that she's actually still alive. She walks really slowly and sleeps all the time. She did perk up when ice-cream, crisps and beer came outside. 

We've turned into real plane spotters and are using the Flight Aware app to time and identify what planes are going over. We can't do that normally because it's so dense on the map.