Day 89
I didn't expect to still be writing this blog over three months down the line - but there you go!..
Trooping of the colour for the Queen's official birthday at Windsor Castle. Much smaller event obviously and all socially distanced.
Joe and George playing outside their house in Liverpool.
Warm and humid. Yard looked lovely in the sun.
Baby Ruby one week old already.
Support bubbles for people who live alone and/or single parents with children under 18 are allowed from today.
Luca's nursery. Closed!
181 deaths.
Electrical storm in the evening. Lots of lightening behind a big bank of cloud but no rain for us.
Family quiz. Beards and moustache week.
Review promised for the 2m rule.
36 deaths.
Another black man killed by a white policeman.
Sunday 14 June
Day 90
Masks must be worn on all public transport from today. Risk of fines or not being allowed to travel if not worn.
Made a couple more milk carton people plant holders.
Hoovering the grass where Luca threw sand all over it - as you do lol...
Monday 15 June
Day 91
Non essential shops able to open today. People now being encouraged to return by government.
Huge queues outside Primark in Manchester well before it was due to open!
Rail industry is expecting that trains will be 20% full in July and 50% in September so social distancing will be much harder. And almost impossible on flights
Face coverings required on public transport.
Some yr 10 students go back for one day a week. More details expected from government on how children will be able to catch up.
BLM - Boris announced another commission to be set up. MP Lammy said details were 'written on the back of a fag packet yesterday' and why didn't he just implement the findings of previous commissions.
Brexit still stumbling along but going nowhere for the UK.
38 deaths.
Churches open for private prayer but all seating removed. Some mosques too but with restrictions in place. Synagogues and temples mainly still closed, like many mosques until group prayer is reinstated.
Ema and JP got the keys to their house.
View from their bedroom.
Picked elderflowers and started cordial.
Tuesday 16 June
Day 92
Royal Ascot went ahead behind closed doors. First year that the Queen has not attended.
Bad timing on our walk. It rained and thundered. We got wet. Very wet!
... and it probably wasn't the best day to put the barbeque smoker on either.. 🙄
Marcus Radford managed to get Boris to change his mind about school meal vouchers through the summer. Well done that man!
233 UK deaths. 41969 total.
Drug - dexamethasone, a steroid which has been around for many years - has been found by researchers in Oxford to reduce effects of covid for high risk patients. Not a cure but a huge help. Boris says we have enough if we have a second wave.
Wednesday 17 June
Day 93
Day at the seaside for Luca, Luisa and Miguel. Deserted beach!
Government being pressed to allow families in to care homes to see their relatives.
184 deaths. 42,153 total.
Getting children back to the classroom flagged up by doctors as important for their health.
Colston statue being restored and will be used in a museum along with some of the placards used by protestors.
No return of West End theatre productions by Cameron Mackintosh for this year as social distancing cannot be guaranteed.
China now locking down some parts of Beijing in order to prevent a second wave of cv - 137 cases centred round a market. Brazil still playing down cv and now the epicentre of the virus.
More flash floods and thunderstorms around the region.
Now looking for the source of the virus which allegedly started in Wuhan back at the beginning of December last year. Looking back at the original animal market and other theories but also considering whether it could have been created and leaked from a laboratory as a bat virus. Wild animals have been ruled out as the source.
Chinese officials suggested that the virus came from abroad - some say USA.
Limits of science and demands of politics mean that origins of the virus may never be known.
Thursday 18 June
Day 94
U turn on the smartphone tracing system (only picking up 4%) - now to use a system to be researched by Google and Apple instead.
Dame Vera Lynn died aged 103.
Early walk - set off at 7am to beat the rain - just made it! Rain all day.
Interesting weather patterns with red being unusual and hotter weather.
Sue's mum being moved to a new care home as hers is now closing down. No cv there but all residents given 28 days notice. Taken by ambulance on her own with one bag of possessions.
Sue has only been able to see pics of the room.
135 UK deaths. Total 42,288.
The fires on the SSSI moors near Darwen last month killed many pairs of nesting birds. A huge loss which will take 15 years to repair.
Friday 19 June
Day 95
Stanley Stent 10 years old today. Lovely card from Beckie.
Coronavirus alert dropped from a 4 to a 3.
Perhaps this is a bit more accurate!..
All children to go back to school in September and £1bn to be given for support for missed education.
South Asian covid patients have been found to be 19% more likely to die.
Indian cv cases are soaring and hospitals are overwhelmed and turning patients away. Using train coaches as hospitals. Only US, Russia and Mexico have more cases.
Made more elderflower cordial. Over 3 litres.
Ema, JP and Molly spent the first night in their new house.
Saturday 20 June
Day 96
Busy day!
Louise, Hitesh, Uma and Arun round for a socially distanced picnic.
JP's birthday and their first full day in the house.
Duggie has already found his sunny spot!
Went for a look round at the new house then had a picnic and some birthday cake.
128 deaths. 42,589 total.
UK can travel to Spain from 29 June without quarantine. Not sure about travellers to UK yet.
Sunday 21 June
Day 97
Father's day.
Luisa fetched us burgers round from the Vic - nice to have a take out for a change!
Got wet on our walk but rescued a family walking the wrong way to look for the Totty snake and put them on the right path.
Took more hearts across to Ema - about 1,400 pairs done now. Still no visitors in hospitals so still being used.
Three died in the Reading terrorist attack yesterday.
Boris said we must not lose our 'vice like grip' on cv when regulations change. Drinkers may have to sign in to pubs!
Trump's first rally fell flat with any empty seats - also said to slow the cv testing down so less cases are found. Joke or not??
43 deaths in UK.
Lovely evening light about 10.30pm day after solstice.
Monday 22 June
Day 98
Sixth day of no cv deaths in Scotland and only one in Wales. 19 deaths in the UK.
R rate in Germany had jumped to 2.88 from 1.79 after 1,300 workers at a meat factory tested positive. 158 workers at a food processing plant in Anglesey tested positive.
Seems that the virus likes the conditions found in meat packing places to give such globalised spikes.
Those shielding will be able to finish on 1 August. From 6 July they can meet up to 6 family members as a bubble.
Tuesday 23 June
Day 99
New guidelines from 4 July. Stressed that they are guidelines not laws.
Camp sites, hotels self catering can also open. There will be extra precautions taken.
171 deaths. Total 42,927.
Made JP a peg bag.
Last day of the afternoon cv updates.
Wednesday 24 June
Day 100
Hottest day of the year - 29 degrees here.
2m people have been tested in Beijing over the last two days after another cv outbreak and we're able to control it
The man who flew the White Lives Matter Burnley banner over the Etihad football ground on Monday has lost his job, his girlfriend too.
154 deaths. 43,081 total.
IMF predicts a 5% global recession due to coronavirus - the biggest contraction for 300 years.
Human trials have started in London on a vaccine and if successful they could make 2m doses per litre. Over 120 vaccines being developed worldwide and some others have started with human trials.
Written by Boris?..
Thursday 25 June
Day 101
Major incident delared on beaches in Dorset on (new!) hottest day of the year. Bournemouth beach overcrowded. People didn't respond to appeals to go home and some had come from miles away.
Early morning walk to escape the heat.
The Tottington Snake.
Violence at an illegal street party in Brixton which became a battleground. Over 20 police injured. So many illegal gatherings being broken up around the country. People getting antsy for the freedoms of 4 July.
149 deaths.
Friday 26 June
Day 102
Another humid day and forecast for storms and flash floods.
186 deaths.
Saturday 27 June
Day 103
UK looking at air bridges/corridors for flights to other countries for summer holidays so that quarantine is not needed. Needs to be reciprocal 🙄.
Wet walk.
But not as wet as it got later!
Our turn to write the quiz - did a round of fb pics. And the theme was hairstyles.
Still haven't put the plants back up on the ledge - the face planters look a bit exposed by themselves lol.
Sunday 28 June
Day 104
More of the same weather with more showers than sunshine. Went over to Waterfoot to see Lola briefly on her birthday.
Made more hearts and took them over.
Managed a short walk between showers.
Interesting statistics across the US states.
Leicester city put into local lockdown after a surge in cv cases at a sandwich making factory and a Walkers crisps plant. Pubs and restaurants not open for a further two weeks instead of opening next Saturday.
Monday 29 June
Day 105
All schools in Wales reopen today with staggered times for all students.
Had to move car to the front so neighbours could tarmac the first part of the public road round the back. Time to get the rest of the neighbours together to finish the rest methinks!. 🙄
Global cv death numbers have now passed 500,000.
Huge number of cases in Mexico - Martha's family safe but several deaths within her wider family.
25 deaths. 43,475 total.
Lockdown reimposed in some American states and around Beijing after more spikes.
Tuesday 30 June
Day 106
100 days of lockdown for most people - we started early lol.
Luca went back to nursery. He was fine - his mum wasn't 🤣
Death levels are more or less back to normal now according to statistics.
Government accused once again of waiting too long to lock down Leicester - and also of not releasing local figures. Boris in turn promised big building and regeneration plans for the future. More obfuscation Boris!
155 UK deaths.
Beijing has effectively silenced Hong Kong with a new laws outlawing freedom of speech.
Wednesday 1 July
Day 107
Monday club tea was McGags burgers with onions, cheese, fries, battered onions and relish. Dessert was lemon and lime meringue pie.
Dropped some off at Luisa's and Luca totally ignored me to shout 'Gandaaa' at Mike 🤣 He then chased Mike back to the car.
Trip to Smithills farm.
First arrests in Hong Kong. China's new law violates its agreement with GB.
More jobs lost in aviation, high street retail, financial establishments and catering. Boris says more will be created: 'jobs, jobs, jobs'.
There are still worries that the government isn't sharing information on cv cases fast enough and that Leicester should have had the info a week ago.
Thursday 2 July
Day 108
US set the record for the most cv cases in one day.
Sophisticated phones with encrypted message facilities and secret operating systems were hacked and this allowed police to infiltrate a huge drug and firearm operation in the UK. 700 arrests were made with all police forces being involved. Millions of £ recovered. Biggest and most significant law enforcement operation ever carried out in the UK.
New rules on students going back to school - class and year group bubbles. 2 or more cv cases will result in isolation for many. Still lots of reservations from teachers and parents.
Baby Maisie born yesterday morning by emergency C section. 7lb 9oz. Mum and baby well.
Luca trying a mask.
Covid can be detected through the sewage system to determine whereabouts of cluster outbreaks.
89 deaths.
Friday 3 July
Day 109
Rained all day.
Holiday destinations released today. 59 countries exempt here but may have to quarantine there.
Some innovative ideas to increase footfall in pubs whilst still distancing - one has converted the car park to a beach with parasols and deck chairs.
137 deaths. 44,131 total
Luca enjoyed being back at nursery.
Saturday 4 July
Day 110
Dubbed 'Super Saturday' as pubs, hairdressers and restaurants are allowed to open again (except in Leicester). Police on high alert as though for New Year's Eve.
Cathryn and Alan reopened their refurbed pub - loads of work done ready for the socially distanced reopening. Looks great!
Cakes ready for Luisa to deliver with hotpot to the drop in regulars.
Luca got paid in milky bars for his help 😁
Local lockdown in Lleida in Cataluña after a surge in cases and India had record spike of over 20,000 cv cases on one day.
Boris's dad flew over to Greece flouting rules. Boris refused to discuss it.
Nigel Farage flouted quarantine after being in US and went to the pub!
Robin (quizmaster in dickie bow again 🤣) set the quiz. Very good but we all found it very hard! Theme was sunglasses.
Luca decided that sleep was over rated and sang into his 'microphone' 🤣
Sunday 5 July
Day 111
Police comment after the first night of pubs etc opening: 'What is crystal clear is that drunk people can't or won't observe social distancing'.
More rain - and wind!
72nd anniversary of the birth of the NHS. 5pm clap.
Prediction of 27,000 more deaths in the UK if we carry on along the current trajectory.
Kanye West to run for president in US - not a joke but couldn't be worse than Trump 🤣
Monday 6 July
Day 112
Nice to see children back on the swings and climbing frames in the play grounds.
Grandparents in Scotland can now hug their young grandchildren! Not here yet waarghhh.. ☹️
Zoom chat with the schoolies
In Australia state borders between NSW and Victoria closed. Hard lockdown in part of Melbourne where cv cases have spiked.
16 deaths.
No deaths in the NW for the first day since the start of the pandemic.
Mike had his post lockdown haircut.
Tuesday 7 July
Day 113
Boris said that many care homes did not follow the correct procedure during the height of cv. Criticised (quite rightly!) for his 'cowardly' comments.
Brazil's president - who has constantly played down cv calling it 'just a little flu' - now has it.
155 deaths. UK total 44,391.
Luisa bought Monday club tea round - yum!
Mike and I went to Tesco together - for the first time in 4 months. Much easier at the tills with two!
Wednesday 8 July
Day 114
Went into Bury for the first time since before lockdown. Market day but not over busy and sad to see so many empty or closed shops - big change from a few months ago.
Government made a number of pledges to kick start spending. Incentives to keep staff after furlough, reduction in VAT for hospitality, eat out to help out scheme. Labour said it was a meal deal rather than new deal.
126 deaths in UK. 44,517 total.
Tests show cv can be airborne too?.
New couch for Ema and co.
Thursday 9 July
Day 115
NHS walks-ins down 33% in June.
85 deaths.
Pilot scheme started to test vulnerable groups of workers eg taxi drivers.
Friday 10 July
Day 116
There are 58 countries not needing to quarantine upon return.
Totty Snake doubling back on itself now. Added a couple more stones.
Dame Vera Lynn's funeral.
Increase in the R number in some parts of Manchester and area.
85 deaths in UK.
Saturday 11 July
Day 117
Outdoor swimming pools reopened.
Boris appeared wearing a face mask - is this the future??
Mike took gin and chocolate to Louise for her birthday.
Tourists can now go to self catering accommodation in Wales but not anywhere with shared facilities eg camping.
Took another stone down.
The snake is doubling back on itself away from the tree roots. My stone from yesterday is right at the end. The other one has disappeared 🙄
Trump commuted the jail sentence of his friend Stone.
Family quiz. Smart casual this week. Only Robin dressed up so he got 1m points 🤣
148 deaths in UK.
Sunday 12 July
Day 118
Early walk then sorting out the plants in the yard which went mad over the last fortnight!
Made loads more hearts over the last week.
Trump wore a mask for the first time after previously mocking those who wore them.
21 deaths in UK. Total 44,819
Gove said that it would not be obligatory for people to wear face masks in shops (as in Scotland) even though Boris hinted otherwise when he wore a mask a few days ago.
Record number of immigrants crossing the Channel to the UK. 380. 180 made it across and the other 200 were stopped in France.
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