Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 8 March 2020

Heather; Thank you for asking. OH is not making such a speedy recovery as we had hoped.

I read all your various comments and observations about current affairs with interest. I went to the dentist this morning and there was a notice saying 'If you have returned from Italy since 9th March GO Home. Please leave immediatly'.
I did not notice this though, until I had sat down in the waiting room as it was under the reception counter, so not at eye level on entry. There was hand sanitiser there.

Next Friday we have a party at a local restaurant for some friends Golden Wedding anniversary. We have all decided to go ahead with it, and go back to acting very British and formal when greeting. We had all become rather "Continental'
One friend is perfecting her regal wave (she is like that, so will carry it off!) I think I will follow Prince Charles' example and do a Namaste.
The Restaurant staff have assured us that they are taking precautions with hygiene, We all think we should 'make hay while the sun shines' as all us over 70's are being threatened with being told to self- isolate soon.

Not been on for a day or two. Hope all are OK. I take it Lindybird has gone off to the Canaries by now.
Weather cloudy, sunny, showers and a little cooler at present.
Not a lot to going on down here. but thank you for all your news.
Only one thing and that is we have to go to Nottingham in a week to OH's brother's funderal. Sorted the flowers out the other day. Not a very nice task - its more poignant as He was my age.
This cornoavirus has made a casualy of our next Women's meeting. We were to have a local male voice choir but they, quite rightly, believe that it would be best to call it off, after all they are all elderly men affiliated to Bethany Homestead which is a local care home run by the Baptist Church.

AQ; Just got a video link from my UK niece re Bush Poet S. J. Paterson's The Ballad of Dunny Roll.   Didn't mean for the actual video to post..... 

Hey, folks. I know that it's now next to impossible to find hand sanitizer in the shops. It's very simple and easy to make your own. However, the finished product must contain at least 60% alcohol or it won't work. Don't use vodka, because most brands don't contain a high enough percentage of alcohol to be effective (the Methodists will be relieved, Pat LOL). 

This article in the science journal, Popular Science, has a couple of approved recipes. The first recipe is based on the WHO (World Health Organization) recommendation. The second recipe is based on the guidance of the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control). You can find further info from the CDC here. 

Hope that helps someone. 

Annette: I love that so much. LOL!!!

Diane:  I thought it was hilarious, but I was surprised when the actual video posted rather than the link I put in..  It might be a bit risque in parts for some folks.   Thanks for the link to the sanitizer recipes.   The really bothersome news here is that our libraries are closing until further notice, which really bums me out!  I don't mind rationing toilet paper, but books?   Aaack.

ANNETTE – That was so funny. So Aussie. Perhaps we have a weird humour!

OH was not amused when I said there is a rush on broccoli. I know broccoli is healthy, but that good? It is practically the only veg OH enjoys.

NOOOO! They can’t close libraries. I shall go crazy. Shhh, no one has suggested that here. Some disagreement between states whether to close schools. Medical experts would prefer they remain open as kids would not stay home. Instead would congregate in movie theatres, shopping centres & other amusement places.

Annette & AQ: Very sad that libraries will close, especially at a time when people will need them the most, and not only for the books. Many low-income people here depend on local libraries for their access to the Internet (the use of computers, WiFi, etc.). Many libraries also sponsor social programs that people desperately need (free lunches and programs for literacy, job searches, alcoholism/addiction meetings, learning English, etc.).

I assume that the closure is part of the encouraged "social distancing." I know that viruses and bacteria can live on books, just like any object, but I think the chance of transmission of disease is minuscule, although books are difficult to disinfect. (Books can carry bed bugs, though!)

Do your libraries have online sites where you can download books for free, using your library card number? Mine does.

When my Mom was a child, she was an avid reader and always had armloads of books from the local library here. Unfortunately, she caught Scarlet Fever, and the library books were deemed to have been the source of transmission. That scenario was being played out all over the country, and the fear that library books were the carriers of Smallpox, TB, Scarlet Fever and other diseases spread like wildfire for decades. Libraries and librarians were viewed with suspicion and even contempt during "The Great Book Scare." 

Diane:  We have great online access to all kinds of stuff - including something called Kanopy -  but I haven't looked at all the options given that I prefer to read actual books. They've also closed our schools starting next week, which was going to be Parent-Teacher meetings with a minimal schedule for students and then there's Spring break the following week.   As it stands, there are no confirmed cases in the County, but that could all change.

Our region of Scotland together with Highland are the only ones with no Covid 19 diagnoses! We are less populated than places where the worst clusters are

I loved The Ballad of Dunny Roll - thanks for sharing!

Sorry your OH is slow to recover from his holiday illness, ROSY.