Getting used to new habits for Coronavirus....

[Satira Capriccio]

Isn't the 1000 sheets per roll Scott Tissue 1 ply?

 

[eclark1894]

Isn't the 1000 sheets per roll Scott Tissue 1 ply?

I think so, but even if I used twice as much Scott, I still have more left over than if I used Charmin.

 

[tparo]

...

The vast majority of people are abiding by the lock down rules and the streets are generally empty. Some of those that flouted the rules early on went on to actually become victims of the virus which I think a major impact on those looking to break the rules.

Except for those in the centre of London who don't seem to be following the rules at all.
Police criticised for allowing people to flout lockdown rules to clap for carers on Westminster Bridge

 

[Janet]

So my son got some chickens for his backyard. I just bought and indoor greenhouse for the extra bedroom. Not to sound all doomish but there's a lot of meat processing plants that have a lot of workers who have covid and are going to be closing for the short term.

 

[Dragonsegg]

We have been raising chickens for eggs for a few years and back in early March bought 11 straight run chicks. More than half look to be Roos which I guess is ok if you can't find chicken at the grocery store. I am still wondering why we bought so many at once, either the seller was good or probably we were just starting to worry about all this stuff. Now the chicks are 5 weeks old and all feathered out and really rambunctous. They are fun to just watch and cuddle. 3 hens give my husband and I way more eggs than we can use so the new cadre I guess is mostly to give eggs to our friends and the little roos eat if we can do it or give back to the person we bought the chicks from as she said she would trade roosters for hens. And then use the roos for freezer chickens for her family.

 

[Hornet3d]

Except for those in the centre of London who don't seem to be following the rules at all.
Police criticised for allowing people to flout lockdown rules to clap for carers on Westminster Bridge

As you have clearly identified there are notable exceptions and I ought to be more clear when I say in 'the UK' as I can obviously only really speak for the very small part of the UK that is local to me. Watching the news I was also struck at the number of locations where social distancing was clearly not being applied on that particular night. Strange that all of those abusing the rules are, so say supporting, the NHS workers at the same time they are ignoring the pleas of the same NHS workers to stay at home and stay safe. I have mixed views on the 'clap for the NHS' anyway as it seems a bit hypocritical to support them in this manner at the same time we are depriving them of the protective clothing they need to wear for them to stay safe, whatever the reason for the shortage.

Speaking locally I can say that there are more people on the streets when my wife and I go out to walk the dog. Where there used to be one person walking the dog there are now often groups of three and four, one would assume from the same household, using this as their daily exercise. I think without exception they have kept to the rules with either them or us stepping aside to allow passing and keeping social distancing. This is normally greeted with 'thank you' and a 'good morning' as a sort of expression of the 'stiff upper lip' approach to the lockdown. The same can be said for all walkers, with or without a dog, but sadly it is normally my wife and I who seem to have to make the effort to keep the distance if it is a cyclist or runner doing the passing, just a personal view of our experience locally.

We have always been fairly close to the neighbours in the street and used to meet up on a regular basis. These days the chats are usually over the garden fence but also we are all shopping for each other making sure that no one goes short of anything if at all possible. We tend to keep a mental list of anything anyone is lacking so we can pick it up if we come across the item on our outings to the shop and we know they do the same for us. Being elderly many of us are on medication but again we all make sure every when has their medication before they go short. We all keep a mental tab on what we owe each other but very rarely does money change as it seems to balance out but it is nice to work in a way that used to be called a gentleman's agreement before the world became politically correct.

 

[tparo]

Yea I struggle with the hypocrisy of the clap for the NHS, I live in an area that is very Tory (those who voted against a raise for NHS workers)our MP has been in his seat for nearly 20 years and done very litttle, I can't even find any info or social media presence for him for the last 2 years and yet all those people are out there clapping every Thursday evening. My mother was a Nurse and so I grew up very aware of the sacrifices and hardship the sector was under even back then they were under paid and under appreciated, but I remmeber asking her once why they didn't go on strike and she was aghast at the thought.
The village is though supportive and helpful to those that need help, but they aren't really taking the lockdown totally seriously there's one lady planning on starting a plant delivery business in the area and people are putting in orders for her to deliver. My neighbours come and go as usually having visitors over and even people to stay.
Unfortunately I feel unless are government is more open about their future plans people will just disregard the lockdown more and more as time goes on. I don't think you will see the kind of protests I'm hearing about in the US but just a general break down of the rules.

 

[Hornet3d]

We live on the outskirts of a town in the South and most here are, so far, abiding by the rules. The town is fairly high tech so I guess that a lot of people are working from home, in my family there are only three of my family left working that live in the town and two of those are working from home I have a brother in Poland that seems to being missing many of the shortages we had here, and a sister in Canada. I have seen the family members only once in the last five weeks when we dropped off some birthday presents on the way to pick up medication. We left the presents on the door and spoke to the breifly from the street.

My wife used to meet up with the neighbours once a week but they stopped that as soon as the lockdown happened and now only chat occasionally across the back garden fence. The only time we go out is to shop and walk the dog, and once a week and the my wife goes out to drop food off for her elderly parents if they are running short on food or need the medication delivered. From the emails I get from the family and friends who live close all that seems to be about the norm for our town.

I agree with you, in a way they are like an orchestra, if the conductor stops conducting they don't stop playing they continue in a musical version of automatic pilot. If the public are left in the dark for too long they will just do their own thing and in growing numbers. While some do protest it is not the norm for the UK, if they get bad service in a shop they don't complain they just vote with their feet and that is exactly what will happen here unless there is some leadership.

I have always been a avid supporter of the NHS and have always felt that society in general had it all upside down by paying vast sums to entertainers and sports people and while paying near starvation wages to the bulk of the NHS staff who treat the sick and dying They won't strike because of the compassion they have for the patients and governments of all the parties and the health trusts know that and take full advantage. Sadly the only people who seem to make a good living out of the NHS are the upper managers, the bulk of who could never keep down a management job anywhere else. When all this is over there will be enquiries on all that has happened and surprise, surprise, many will have been found wanting during this period with politicians and NHS manager at top of the list. Then there will be spokesperson after spokesperson saying they have noted the views of the enquiry and many of the suggested changes have already been implemented. Of course the enquiries will take a couple of years and with a few years delay on full implementation they will soon be able to slip back into as near normal life as possible. The NHS staff, if they are very lucky, will get one decent pay rise but not too many years down the road they will find their pay relative to all those around them will be as bad as it ever was. Welcome to the new normal.

 

[AnimaGemini]

Yea I struggle with the hypocrisy of the clap for the NHS, I live in an area that is very Tory (those who voted against a raise for NHS workers)our MP has been in his seat for nearly 20 years and done very litttle, I can't even find any info or social media presence for him for the last 2 years and yet all those people are out there clapping every Thursday evening. My mother was a Nurse and so I grew up very aware of the sacrifices and hardship the sector was under even back then they were under paid and under appreciated, but I remmeber asking her once why they didn't go on strike and she was aghast at the thought.
The village is though supportive and helpful to those that need help, but they aren't really taking the lockdown totally seriously there's one lady planning on starting a plant delivery business in the area and people are putting in orders for her to deliver. My neighbours come and go as usually having visitors over and even people to stay.
Unfortunately I feel unless are government is more open about their future plans people will just disregard the lockdown more and more as time goes on. I don't think you will see the kind of protests I'm hearing about in the US but just a general break down of the rules.

People will continue to break the rules because many things make no sense to them.

Just two example from here in France.
Where I live, this area was till last week a gray area. Which means no cases known or under 5. Now last week in the Monastery an 92 year old Monk die and get tested postmortem as Positive. Well I see this old Monk already a few times when other Monks go with him for a walk. In a wheelchair, mostly sleeping or even not recognizing his environment . You could see he was sadly in his last days. Now our Major make a huge fuss about it and declare this area to a new hot spot. Because one 92 old very sick old man.
Sure people don't agree and they do their businesses as usual.

Another example, people got tickets when they disobey the rules. Have not the application or paper when go outside etc..
Now Macron had visited some cities . From one people show the hypocrisy of him . In the middle of the crowd, surrounded close from his body guards
no glowe, no mask and bathing in the crowd where the people was standing like tunas in a box.
While others get sued he and his fans are out of the law.
This is why many just don't care anymore.

 

[Stezza]

a couple here in Australia the other day was fined for posting their happy holiday photos on Facebook...

the Police didn't realise the photos were from 12 months ago!

anyways, in other news our local supermarket is fully stocked with TP ... the mad dash to hoard finally looks like is finished.

 

[Hornet3d]

a couple here in Australia the other day was fined for posting their happy holiday photos on Facebook...

the Police didn't realise the photos were from 12 months ago!

anyways, in other news our local supermarket is fully stocked with TP ... the mad dash to hoard finally looks like is finished.

Good news on the TP and hopefully the end to the hoarding.

One of my relations works in a supermarket and she says there are some who come to the till with a trolly full and the partner behind with yet another trolly full, despite this they are back next day. I doubt they are buying for a food bank as they would have sorted something with the supermarket, most have. At least the hoarding is now an exception and a think many who purchased vast amounts of hand sanitiser and the like hoping they will make a fast buck have been burnt. The average brit is not going to pay upwards of £10 for a hand sanitizer that you could buy in the local pound store before the panic started.

 

[eclark1894]

Good news on the TP and hopefully the end to the hoarding.

One of my relations works in a supermarket and she says there are some who come to the till with a trolly full and the partner behind with yet another trolly full, despite this they are back next day. I doubt they are buying for a food bank as they would have sorted something with the supermarket, most have. At least the hoarding is now an exception and a think many who purchased vast amounts of hand sanitiser and the like hoping they will make a fast buck have been burnt. The average brit is not going to pay upwards of £10 for a hand sanitizer that you could buy in the local pound store before the panic started.

Good news for you. Sadly, in the US, we may be about to get hit with an actual meat shortage, so hoarding may soon begin again. Personally, I think it all depends on how the news media handles it. They have a tendency to sensationalize everything which causes panic which fuels even more panic and hoarding. Fortunately, I'm omnivorous and can live on plants or meat.

 

[Satira Capriccio]

I finally went down to the Lobby yesterday to pick up my packages. It's the first time I've been downstairs since March 13. I waited for the third elevator as the first two were not empty. The occupants in both motioned me on, but I told both I would wait for the next elevator. Even had they been wearing masks, I'd have waited. Once downstairs, there was a third tenant picking up packages. She was the only one wearing a mask. While waiting for the others to get their packages and leave, several more people came in from either walking their dogs or being out for other reasons. None wore masks.

Now, I'd debated trying to jury rig something, but decided as I've been isolated for five weeks, it's highly doubtful I'm contagious.

When I got back upstairs, I realized there was one more package that had been delivered. The ... (drumbeat) ... box of Toilet Paper. Oopsie. I'll have to pick it up on my next trip downstairs. Like ... a few weeks from now.

I did get my mail. My timing was off though, as the mail carrier was filling the boxes when I got downstairs. We have to wait until he's done before getting our mail. But ... when I asked him whether he was going to be able to get any more mail in my box (it's been probably two months since I last picked up mail), he pulled it out, bundled it with a rubber band, and handed it to me. Didn't look to me like he'd have been able to smush any more mail in the little box.

Meanwhile, Tsuki has been dragging the bundled mail around by the rubber band. During the night, she managed to unbundle the mail and spread everything out all over the floor. Everything is a toy to a cat!

 

[tparo]

We live on the outskirts of a town in the South and most here are, so far, abiding by the rules. The town is fairly high tech so I guess that a lot of people are working from home, in my family there are only three of my family left working that live in the town and two of those are working from home I have a brother in Poland that seems to being missing many of the shortages we had here, and a sister in Canada. I have seen the family members only once in the last five weeks when we dropped off some birthday presents on the way to pick up medication. We left the presents on the door and spoke to the breifly from the street.

My wife used to meet up with the neighbours once a week but they stopped that as soon as the lockdown happened and now only chat occasionally across the back garden fence. The only time we go out is to shop and walk the dog, and once a week and the my wife goes out to drop food off for her elderly parents if they are running short on food or need the medication delivered. From the emails I get from the family and friends who live close all that seems to be about the norm for our town.

I agree with you, in a way they are like an orchestra, if the conductor stops conducting they don't stop playing they continue in a musical version of automatic pilot. If the public are left in the dark for too long they will just do their own thing and in growing numbers. While some do protest it is not the norm for the UK, if they get bad service in a shop they don't complain they just vote with their feet and that is exactly what will happen here unless there is some leadership.

I have always been a avid supporter of the NHS and have always felt that society in general had it all upside down by paying vast sums to entertainers and sports people and while paying near starvation wages to the bulk of the NHS staff who treat the sick and dying They won't strike because of the compassion they have for the patients and governments of all the parties and the health trusts know that and take full advantage. Sadly the only people who seem to make a good living out of the NHS are the upper managers, the bulk of who could never keep down a management job anywhere else. When all this is over there will be enquiries on all that has happened and surprise, surprise, many will have been found wanting during this period with politicians and NHS manager at top of the list. Then there will be spokesperson after spokesperson saying they have noted the views of the enquiry and many of the suggested changes have already been implemented. Of course the enquiries will take a couple of years and with a few years delay on full implementation they will soon be able to slip back into as near normal life as possible. The NHS staff, if they are very lucky, will get one decent pay rise but not too many years down the road they will find their pay relative to all those around them will be as bad as it ever was. Welcome to the new normal.

So true

 

[Miss B]

Meanwhile, Tsuki has been dragging the bundled mail around by the rubber band. During the night, she managed to unbundle the mail and spread everything out all over the floor. Everything is a toy to a cat!

It's amazing what they like playing with. I, however, don't want to think what that looked like once it was all unbundled.

I usually get my mail every 3 or 4 days so never that large an amount.

 

[mrsparky]

I have mixed views on the 'clap for the NHS'

Same here and obviously no one would decry their bravery and hard work, that's a given.
But until recently UK media had no interest in other sectors of the healthcare system.
In particular those who work in care homes and totally overlooked totally friends and family carers.

The former is usually on minium wage, often have to pay for their training, or as some friends have to do buy their own PPE.
These are people who've literally stood by their cared fors and not gone home to their familys when the bug has hit care-homes.
Something they don't always get paid for.

The latter saves the UK alone 139 million a year, probably saves their economy even more in countries like the US.
But, if that carer can't hold down a job due to their caring role, the only support they'll get is £66 a week (82 USD) Carers Allowance, plus some help with rent.

There's no free Easter eggs or going ahead in shop queues, just crud from uneducated people if someone spots their uniform or hears the word "carer".
The only freebie you might get is some Good British xenophobia (TM) because the assumption is that carers come from Eastern Europe.

But that doesn't bother either set, what does bother them is once this is all over, they'll go back to being the forgotten.
Yet they cared before this, they'll care during it, and they'll care after it.

While I must confess to being in the latter group, I'm fortunate enough to live in a great community.
One that supports each other and that's what making the difference through all this.

 

[mrsparky]

Satira ...does Tsuki play with toys ? If so you should try getting some toilet paper rolls, stuff the middle with treats and the ends with newspaper.
We did this and both Puss and Pooch will happily spend ages trying to get the goodies out.

Taping 6 together with masking tape is even more fun.
Well it is is if you like vacuuming the carpet

 

[McGyver]

I had a cat who understood that turning doorknobs made doors open, unfortunately for her, her lack of thumbs and short stature prevented her from being very successful at that... but it was still entertaining to watch her hanging from the doorknob, rocking the knob back and forth...
Cats can be pretty smart... I did something similar to what you are suggesting, but she never learned how to operate the cutting torch to get her treats out of the locked steel bin.
She didn’t even bother to try igniting it...

 

[Satira Capriccio]

She doesn't disembowel the mail, she is only interested in the rubber band. So, the envelopes, unopened and unshredded, are merely spread out over the floor. Easily picked up, stacked, and set aside ... this time, without the rubber band.

She has the Catit Senses 2.0 Food Tree, which I fill with her kibble. Generally, I will hear her in the evenings or wake up to the sound of the kibble dropping from one level to the next or into the tray. She's determined to pull it out through the holes in the side, but it usually drops to the next level down instead. I have to not let her catch me watching though, or she stops.

She's a funny one. She doesn't like to be watched, and she REALLY doesn't like me talking or singing to her when I'm holding her. The singing I get, since I haven't sung all that much since my teens. Rather like a rusty gate. She doesn't mind me talking to someone on the phone, but talk to her? No way. She glares at me, then jumps down. Then she's back a minute or so later.

She also has a bunch of stuffed toys and felt balls. She will occasionally grab one during the day, and attempt to disembowel the stuffed toy or carry the felt ball off somewhere. But she mostly plays with them when I'm asleep or away. The exception is the donut toy with the ball inside that she will play with for the longest time, even when I'm watching her.

I'm actually surprised she hasn't squirreled some of her stuffed toys or felt balls away on top the cupboards.

 

[AnimaGemini]

We have two dogs. While my husbands dog is a very quiet lovely girl , my dog Maiko is always looking for to have some "fun".
I have to say while Maya born in the shelter, had except that she live there till 2 years ( when we pick her up) never had any big stress or mistreatment, my dog Maiko lived 3 year under permanent stress with his previous owner. He is still learning how to manage his anger and stress and anxiety.
He already go a long path and get day for day better. Anger almost vanished, anxiety he has in the evenings ,but it get way better too.
Well for stress he find out that it is a lot of fun to help me with my daily chores.
Especially he love to help me in the garden.
The last week I was very busy to plant flowers and herbs. Worked hours to set them and put nice sticker in the ground ,so i know what is growing here.
Proud of my work I go inside to make me an espresso . 10 minutes later my husband come laughing at me . and show me this picture with the remark, if I search for my stickers, here they are now on their final resting place ,maybe also already on the other side of the globe .LOL . Maike removed ALL of them and bury them in a hole he made.