What are you doing?

[carrie]

Usually I am quite happy with my own company and find lots to do, painting, sewing, reading seeing to my plants. I have even got round to doing a couple of jobs in my flat that I have been putting off.
Yesterday however I got really fed up of the whole bloody thing.( Word censor must be having a day off.)
I got to thinking about Capt. Tom and his brave efforts at saving the NHS. These old soldiers are to be admired.
Anyway the upshot was I found some marching music and did a quick march round my flat for 15 minutes. Head up chest out arms swinging, felt a bit daft at first but whose to see, made me feel better got some exercise and today is another happy day.
What are you doing to beat the blues?

[A-Four]

It must be rather dreadful for old age, chain smoking persons, living on a small, ever decreasing pension, who are cooked-up in a small garden-less flat. This must be rather awful when in Egypt, these such places must be like sweat-boxes. I suppose there is one consultation, the price of cigarettes there are nothing, but the main reason for that is the tobacco is fourth rate, and rolled in Egypt, even L&M, you might be alright today, but the future is very raw,....and I don't mean from Covid-19.

With regards here in London, my nearest supermarket is Waitrose, suddenly gone very expensive, went to Asda on the Isle of Dogs, the queue a mile long, sod that. Went back up the city, no one there, loads of food, everything you want, even the bus drivers are not bothered whether you pay the fare or not

I do not watch any news these days, other than local that may, or may not effect my life, I do not see the point, like others do, of watching bad news all the time, it silly, and I would imagine quite depressing, and certainly not good for ones general health and wellbeing. For those living in Egypt, I can not see the relevance of watching British news, time would be better spent learning Arabic, then, perhaps for the first time ever, realising what's really going on around you.

Anyhow, this is me wishing you all a safe journey through all this, like I'm sure you wish me the same. .

[Gopha75]

I spend time on my balcony trying to revive last years geraniums and waving to my opposite neighbours during the nightly 8 o'clock clapping for the medical staff & all workers. Read my book, listen to music and then sometimes resort to crawling the walls of my 30 square metres studio. Lots of washing and eating ! good on you for your daily exercise, i might start gym for seniors but then again i might not… enjoy your day everyone and keep safe

[Who2]

As, I do in Eggwipe at this time of the day, I'm listening to any questions preferring any answers,
with a glass of red and a salami,coleslaw and artisan sourdough sandwich.
Next!......

Ps: Later, I might go out but it's doubtful as Iv'e already been saturday shopping,
Then later, I might chase brutus around the flat for a bit of exercise ..
Plan dinner, cook dinner, drink, watch TV and do it all again tomorrow..
Life is just a bowl of cherries....
Life is just a bowl of cherries...Life is just a bowl of cherries..Life is just a bowl of cherries..Life is just a bowl of cherries...

[A-Four]

Life is just a bowl of cherries...Life is just a bowl of cherries..Life is just a bowl of cherries..Life is just a bowl of cherries...

Don't you mean,......nice castle,.....nice castle,......nice castle,......nice c

[newcastle]

Anyhow, this is me wishing you all a safe journey through all this, like I'm sure you wish me the same. .

I wouldn’t bank on it.

[HEPZIBAH]

It's almost as though than act of transmogrification is taking place within parts of this thread.

[HEPZIBAH]

In answer to the question 'What are you doing?' I suppose I should say that life is, on the whole, going on in many ways as normal for me. Of course there are changes that I've had to apply and adhere to, but nothing I cannot handle.

I still continue to work, and although I no longer have any students in residence, there is still plenty of work to be done, both administration and practical chores. With any luck, the extra time without students will give me chance to sort out some of the files and cupboards that are long over due a sort out.

My personal life is, like everyone else somewhat on hold. I am, whilst not absolutely shielding, in 'vulnerable' prevention isolation - something that I can achieve quite easily alongside work, given my residential status - and have been in this bubble for almost four weeks now. Much as I have missed not being able to do all the things I had planned so far, or will miss for the foreseeable future - cinema, theatre, concerts and meals out with friends; visits to houses and gardens, and photographing my excursions, I have not not had a problem being on my own for such a long time.

When not at work, I've been enjoying having time to cook. When I last went to the supermarket it was a case of buy what was available, not what was on the shopping list. It's been good for me to be creative with meals in a way that I haven't been for a long time.

I've also made more time for writing and hope to complete some pieces that I've had on the go for far too long. I'm not managing to read as much as I hoped, or get through the mountain of books that never seems to get any smaller no matter how many I do manage to read.

I thought I was being quite organised this year as I had two holidays booked already. One was primarily to take a widowed friend away as she has lost confidence it travelling since her husband died. We had planned to take a train tour to the Netherlands in early May and, albeit a little late in the season, to visit the Kukenhof Gardens for the tulips. My main holiday, which I have wanted to do for year, and yet have been prevented from doing for various reasons, is not until October. Whether it will go ahead or not, I'm not sure.

Thankfully, in this age of technology, keeping in touch with friends around the world has never been easier so, even though my life may be a very solitary one at the moment, I enjoy lots of contact with friends near and far.

So, back to the question 'What are you doing?' - I'm doing much of what I would be doing without the complications of the Coronavirus, and I'm easily adapting my life because of the necessity.

[Dusak]

My daily routine is not much different than the norm with the exception I now have to do my own housework as my friend is banned from her work until things are back to normal in Egypt, but then again, has Egypt ever experienced normality. I have enough work planned for several weeks, starting soon building a large sundeck on top of the swimming pool, past work on this was constructed to take additional weight, plus I now need easy access to the pool roof to harvest the countless kilos of lemons my trees are producing. As I need to go to the bank now with the possible withdrawal problems, this being the first time ever that I have had withdrawal problems, concerning the visa, I will be placing my large order for the timber needed for said project. The street life outside my door remains the same, kids all over the place last night, football match and a domino's gathering. went out yesterday morning at 5am to feed the stray cats to discover some one had left a face mask on my door step, local litter lout or a warning? But feeling a lot healthier as I've now stopped taking the 35kilos of sugar a year with my mugs of tea, turning into a leaner old fart as each week passes, Can see my feet now as I glance downwards.

[crewmeal]

I'm supposed to be working for my college students using Google Classroom but as they're lazy and not bothering I've almost given up. However one of my friends teaches English in Luxor and has a successful little business, so we've teamed up and I've created Google classroom for him and together we've got a following of students from as far as Mexico and the Gulf as well as all over Egypt. So using Messenger and other platforms it gives us a chance to teach learn and of course chat. I have two students who live in the Gaza Strip who use this medium as a life line and find out what's actually going on in the world.

[Who2]

Weird I know but:
Nick's just called so.....
I'm currently looking up mini lifebelts.
200 artists have been asked to create art ? for The Nightingale Hospitals.
Weirdo Reynolds has asked me about my floating glass holding lifebuoy as seen below.
It's an 'idea loosley based on lifebuoy soap and washing one's hands and Florence
( who stayed in bed for months at Claydon House ) not a lot of people know that
and even fewer know what she was doing in bed...
"at least his hearts in the right place, shame about his brain. lol

Oh! and listening to love songs...and dreaming of sitting in the sun outside The Eagle in 2 hours time...
Ps: Drinking a Bloody Mary....or three...
Pss: Sim's just informed me it's Romanian Easter this weekend, weird them Transylvanians...

[Who2]

Ps:
Her sister Parthenope married the Liberal MP Harry Verney..
Also incidentally the name of Florence's Nile dahabia.
A tree felled at the Verney country estate, Claydon, which Florence provided timber for a wooden garden bench carved with the text “On February 7th 1837 God spoke to me and called me to His Service.”

I was once meant to marry Francesca Verney and with some clever footwork and a few murders...
I could have ended up as 6th Baronet Calvert, of Claydon House, 'strange but true!...
Ps: Florence was contemplating either becoming a Nun or a nurse up until her head was turned by her dragoman.
Another Egyptian conquest..lol...

[carrie]

Are you not missing getting on with all your little projects Who?

[Who2]

Not at all I'm constantly procrastinating on a list of undone things.
Like the autobiography after having just read The Long Walk to Freedom by Mandela..
And awaiting delivery of our new balcony herb garden..

I think I'll have my hands more than full upon my return to the old adobe hacienda,
that's if it's still standing....

[BBLUX]

Do you not have minders for the adobe hut other than Aida? They could update you.

[Major Thom]

Ignoring most things and getting on with my life, its wonderful being a hermit from day to day. In and out the pool, followed by JD, followed by gardening, a little TV, not so much now because its rubbish. Venture out every Saturday to shop for essentials, morning walks with our dogs, and looking forward to our hols at the end of June. Just love the quiet life with no interruptions. Today is waffle making day, and my wife is making a Black Forest cake. Tonight is Stiffado for dinner.

[carrie]

My thoughts today are with Yildez who living in Turkey has been in lock down for almost 4 weeks.
Now the whole population faces a 4 day lock down, no one just no one is allowed out.
Get your shopping done for you Y and take care.

[Yildez]

My thoughts today are with Yildez who living in Turkey has been in lock down for almost 4 weeks.
Now the whole population faces a 4 day lock down, no one just no one is allowed out.
Get your shopping done for you Y and take care.

Actually, it’s longer Carrie, as I’d started to self-isolate before the government placed all over 65’s under virtual house arrest! Tomorrow will be the start of week 6

I know that I’m extremely fortunate - I live alone, except for Sidney, my black cat, I have a very large balcony and a lovely garden. I have great friends, one of whom is doing my weekly shopping, paying my bills etc, and the weather is wonderful, April is a lovely time of year in Datca. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be living in a small flat, possibly with children and/or elderly relatives, no outside space, probably no work as so many businesses have been closed by the government and thus little or no money - really, it doesn’t bear thinking about.

So yes, I am lucky, but I haven’t been past the gate, or had any visitors, for 5 weeks and I’m beginning to lose the plot!

[newcastle]

I think this social distancing- actually isolation - malarkey is getting to me.

I’m usually happy with my own company, have plenty to read and watch, play bridge online etc. I keep the TV on as background noise...even though the content is mainly about the virus and how people ( particularly NHS and Care workers) are coping.

But this morning ....

First.....a care worker presents a charming elderly man with a cushion on which is printed a photo of his late wife. She’d noticed that he kept loads of photos of his wife around his flat and thought he’d like to hug his former partner. Apparently they’d been married for 71 years.

Then....a story about an old lady who, for her daily walk, goes and stands on a nearby motorway bridge and enthusiastically claps at passing truckers. Some respond with toots on the horn and flashing lights.

My thoughts on the first was....mmmm....macabre.

My thoughts on the second.....she’s going to cause a motorway pile up if she’s distracting drivers.

Either the world’s going mad....or I am.

[HEPZIBAH]

My thoughts today are with Yildez who living in Turkey has been in lock down for almost 4 weeks.
Now the whole population faces a 4 day lock down, no one just no one is allowed out.
Get your shopping done for you Y and take care.

Actually, it’s longer Carrie, as I’d started to self-isolate before the government placed all over 65’s under virtual house arrest! Tomorrow will be the start of week 6

I know that I’m extremely fortunate - I live alone, except for Sidney, my black cat, I have a very large balcony and a lovely garden. I have great friends, one of whom is doing my weekly shopping, paying my bills etc, and the weather is wonderful, April is a lovely time of year in Datca. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be living in a small flat, possibly with children and/or elderly relatives, no outside space, probably no work as so many businesses have been closed by the government and thus little or no money - really, it doesn’t bear thinking about.

So yes, I am lucky, but I haven’t been past the gate, or had any visitors, for 5 weeks and I’m beginning to lose the plot!

Yildez, Carrie has said in relation to you and Turkey 'Now the whole population faces a 4 day lock down, no one just no one is allowed out.'
Would you enlighten us further please. I'm wondering what is behind this (beyond the obvious), how it will be managed, and what the expected outcome will be. Four days seems and odd period of time. Is it to cover a period of normal national or religious festival perhaps?

I also find it interesting that 65 year old is the 'old age' being used. In the UK the age chosen was 70 (along with people with health conditions that would make them more vulnerable, pregnant women, and a few other categories) to be the ones to stay at home for 12 weeks.
The most vulnerable category was, quite rightly, superseded and better identified - although no list can ever contain everyone who needs to be in that situation. Curiously, the advice for the original category - over 70's etc - seemed to disappear.

I came into the original 'vulnerable' group, although I'm not over 70 or pregnant. Unfortunately, I couldn't go into splendid isolation because I had a Residence full of International Students so I needed to work, and oh how I worked that week trying to get everyone to understand the importance of getting the earliest flight home - and leave their rooms clean and tidy too. Of course, they were still in and out of the building visiting goodness knows where and I dare say there were a few end of term 'farewell' parties going on elsewhere. Social distancing clearly did not translate into Japanese. Anyway, the moment the last one left on the 23rd March I raised the barricades and have not been out of the building since 20th March other than to walk in the plot of land and car park around our building.
At least a couple of weeks after the students had left I could be reasonably sure, as sure as anyone can be, that I hadn't got Covid-19.

I've been fortunate as I was able to get Sainsbury's to deliver to me, but I'm limiting this as much as possible because I know how difficult it is to get a slot. I've managed things so that I buy a bulk, cook and freeze a lot, and being creative in the kitchen has been a pleasant change, bringing back an old love of mine and one that I'd got lazy about. I had baking items on my delivery yesterday - I haven't baked in years - so looking forward to seeing if I can still produce some decent cakes.

My isolation bubble has been slightly burst now as I've now had to allow our cleaner back to work, but we are able to do extreme social distancing. The other day we were working in different rooms but the same area of corridor. Every time I went out of my office I'd shout to let her know and likewise she'd warn me. We got it wrong a couple of times and had to quickly go back behind the door - we were a bit like those continental weather houses, where the man and women appear according the weather.

Like you Yildez, I feel very fortunate. I won't lay claim to losing the plot though - I never had it!