432: Lockdown Week 4

Week 4, already the stay-at-home regime feels like the new "normal". What was life like before? Who can remember? I had my 69th birthday on Thursday of last week. Many of my friends on FB were kind enough to wish me Happy Birthday and some even visited me in "Des's virtual pub". It was nice to see, and talk to, some people I hadn't seen for years. Perversely, this lockdown is bringing us closer together - although no touching/hugging/kissing is allowed.

I have the utmost admiration and respect for those people who still have to go to work, to keep the world turning: nurses & doctors and all emergency services including the military, food shop staff & delivery people, care home workers, people working in public transport, postal workers and so on - the list of 'key' workers is long. Not all of them have the correct PPE (personal protective equipment), which is scandalous. Even with PPE they are putting themselves "in harm's way" and I applaud them all for that. I've heard that in UK people applaud key workers, especially NHS staff, every Thursday evening. Here in Spain, the applause rings out from the balconies every single night. 

I'm also very aware of those enduring lockdown with difficulty. This post, from a friend of mine on FB, seems to sum it up nicely. "My sobbing 6 year old daughter: 'Mummy, I just want a normal day'. So do I, my darling, so do I." 

We are allowed to go shopping and usually, and sensibly, I go to the closest supermarket - about 200 metres away. Yesterday I sneaked out early, shopping bag in hand, to venture a little further for my favourite bread. The streets were deserted but there was evidence that the rubbish containers, which are almost on every street corner, had been disinfected. More key workers. I did some 'panic buying' and bought three loaves. They went straight into the freezer and will last me for weeks saving me another trip to that particular shop.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the beginning of hol(ida)y week when Salou would normally be waking up from its long Winter hibernation and getting ready for an influx of rowdy tourists. It will have to sleep a while longer I'm afraid. 

Talking, briefly, about Religion, many (most?) Christians will believe that the corona virus is the work of God and He has chosen to inflict this on mankind at this time. For myself I wonder how closely He has chosen to micro-manage the spread of the virus or has he just thrown us a fast ball and is sitting back watching how we deal with it. Enough theology.

Have you noticed that after even a simple sneeze, or a single cough, the irrational part of your brain cuts in and says "oh-huh, this is it and I'm going to die!". Thankfully, logic prevails.

Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, speaking at a press conference on Saturday, warned that an eventual return to normality would "not be easy" and that a new world awaited. "The world that is coming, in which we are already, will not be like yesterday, but even less will be like the day before yesterday." 

While we're looking forward to tomorrow, or perhaps the day after, here are a few more jokes/GIFs/Memes that I've come across on the internet and saved for your delectation. Enjoy.