How do you feel about the reopening across the UK?

I miss the simple pleasure of chatting in a friend’s kitchen with a mug of tea the most.

I have to thank our PM for popularising the unkempt look. If it’s OK for him…

Once upon a time we all wore suits and ties, and would not be seen out without a hat. At least most of us do not go round in vests and baseball caps. Yet……

He wears a suit and tie and I read that he has now been shorn.

Well, I hope most people will still take precautions while the virus and its mutations are still out there. Hopefully the most vulnerable people will now be protected to some degree. What we don’t want to see is the irresponsible ones deciding it’s all over.

I agree, Malcolm, but as you said earlier we have to return to normality. Different people have different views. I looked at the BBC map showing the number of cases of coronavirus, as I do daily, and all the orange areas have finally gone, which is very encouraging.

Normality may be different from before. Particularly in travel abroad.

I received my second jab yesterday, and the good news is for the jab sensitive, I can apparently expect fewer side affects with the second one.

The village was much busier than of late and most people were still adhering to the spacial regulations, but there’s nearly always exceptions to the rule. The chemist was still showing its ‘2 only’ notice on the door, so I waited a while until someone came out before entering. I was soon joined by a robust, red faced irate elderly gentleman, supporting an Oxford accent who seemed rather reluctant to wait in a queue. I offered to let him go before me when someone came out, but in he went regardless.

It was nice to be out in the fresh air and feel the sun on my face wind blowing through my hair. There was quite a long queue of people waiting to be vaccinated, but everyone kept a safe distant and all wore masks.

I predict, if the weather holds out this weekend there may be a mass exodus to the coast, with long traffic queues and irate drivers eagerly searching for that one available small place in which to fit their precious 4 wheeled motorised carriage that will enable them to join the rest of the throng on the beach, after which they will return again to the long traffic queues, leaving behind their spoils for the locals to clear away on Monday.

We can expect this to continue until it’s safe for the Brits to return once again to sunnier beaches, but that luxury, sadly, still remains only a distant dream until other countries decide to up their act and organise an effective vaccination programme for their own local inhabitants.

’

I risked a haircut the other day. I thought I should leave a few days after the lifting of lockdown to allow the inevitable surge to die down – there had been lengthy queues inn the previous week. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was the only customer. I went straight into the chair and was despatched within about fifteen minutes with twelve months’ worth of silver locks lying on the floor. Quite a good trim as well.

I have now been denied two dental check-ups and am hoping it won’t be too long before the surgery reopens. There don’t seem to be any dental problems but a regular check-up is useful because evolution has not enabled us to look inside our mouths – although a micro camera might be a worthwhile development.

Is that because going into South London has the effect of raising people’s blood pressure?

I think I will check my own bp, thanks. It’s a long time since my GP practice did any tests.

The nice young lady who does my cleaning occasionally is also a hairdresser. I have a haircut booked for next Friday, outside. Fortunately I have my own blood pressure monitor and a supply of pills in case it should rise.

You are meant to take the pills to prevent your BP from rising Malcolm, not wait until it does. 🙂

Seriously, you could suggest this to your barber on your next visit. Men notoriously pay more attention to their cars health than that of their own.

BP personal monitors can malfunction in time and give an incorrect reading, as mine did. It was after a routine check with my GP, an ambulance was immediately called and I ended up in hospital for two nights that prevented a major stroke.