Covid Christmas

I wonder how many people will die before Boris and Co. admit they are wrong and lockdown instead of wishing people a limited merry Christmas in Tier 1,2,3,4

Full of the Christmas cheer, I see.

Steve – perhaps fewer than will die as an indirect result of the other thing Boris and Co. are wrong about.

David – Christmas cheer? This year?!?

Full of the Christmas cheer, I see

Nice reminder – Jura I think.

Good choice, I’ll be breaking out the neighbouring Caol Ila.

People have reported the same in the UK, the problem is when people look at the death stats it isn’t true. Read around on the net, you will find the same names coming up with the source stories and other reasons for no lockdown

On a person to person level, rather than raw statistics, people are now paying more attention to neighbours and noticing the tragic suicide.

Not to mention the horrific rise in familial abuse.

You know it’s a problem when some supermarkets are printing information about helplines at the bottom of the receipts.

Well, Christine and I seem to have been adopted.
Effectively favourite Auntie and Uncle for next doors kids.

You know it’s a problem when some supermarkets are printing information about helplines at the bottom of the receipts.

If the comments from the delivery drivers are any guide “Busy, it’s been like Christmas since March” then many people aren’t going to the supermarket¹ and don’t see the receipt – they may get something on the online response (I’ll ask Chris)

¹ On a visit to the real shop last week people physically shopping seemed to be fewer than a quiet summer holiday footfall

Here in Brighton, town centre was busy as always tbh and the M&S shop yesterday had a long queue at the door. However other shops outside of the centre did not have a queue.

many people aren’t going to the supermarket1 and don’t see the receipt

The supermarket was packed when I went out yesterday. I dread to think what it would have been like in a bigger town.

It probably isn’t helped by the fact that supermarkets around here do not deliver ¹, you have to drive to pick stuff up at a pre-determined time, and the minimum spend can be quite high ² and what’s available online doesn’t necessarily match what’s in store ³, and Amazon isn’t so useful ⁴, so many people still go shopping.

¹ Maybe in the major cities, nothing anywhere near here.

² Our local supermarkets – one is a €50 minimum, the other is a €75 minimum.

³ Earlier in the year, I looked at online information for the big Leclerc I go to from time to time, and the nearby HyperU. They both have an aisle with foreign stuff, and they had both run out of baked beans in the first lockdown so I wanted to see if either had beans in stock. Neither even bothered to list the majority of the foreign aisle foods. No beans, no tikka masala sauce, precious few flavours of instant (Asian) noodles, etc.

⁴ Amazon has terminated its Pantry “supermarket” service as of June 30th. How a company specialising in delivering stuff can’t make that idea work in the middle of a pandemic is incomprehensible…

To my great surprise the supermarket where I’m spending the holidays was not very crowded at all, and most people kept a respectful distance. News have reported crowds elsewhere in Sweden though, not least block wide queues to the state alcohol monopoly. Not as many masks here as in the city where I live, but then again they are not exactly a common sight anywhere in (public) Sweden.

To my great surprise the supermarket where I’m spending the holidays

So, that’s a bunk bed at the end of Aisle 4 “Alcohol and luxury goods” then? :)

Merry Christmas. Stay safe.

So, that’s a bunk bed at the end of Aisle 4 “Alcohol and luxury goods” then? :)

All the conveniences within reach, except any alcohol stronger than 3.5 % abv. but I shan’t complain! ;)

Happy Christmas, and likewise: stay safe!

Alcohol?

Pfft.

I’m currently getting high on tea and chocolate. ;-)

I think I’ll go make chicken nuggets and beans (whoa, non-chocolate!) while the final advent calendar video uploads.

Stay safe.

Merry Christmas or happy holiday/yule/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa.

Stay safe!

Happy Christmas everyone!!

I’m currently getting high on tea and chocolate. ;-)

Some anonymous person sent a parcel to Christine. On peeling off the cardboard packing it was revealed to be “Green & Blacks Organic Connoisseur Collection” 540gm of 12 variants of choc.
Let’s see if that makes it to New Year without rationing. :)

Let’s see if that makes it to New Year without rationing. :)

If she makes it through half a kilo in ~6 days, she should qualify as an honourary Frenchie.

Remember, the reason why we can’t have “buy one get one free” as the maximum legal reduction is 33% (so buy two get one free) is because the French government are control freaks and people rioted over Nutella being marked down 70%. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42826028

Actually… thinking about it… half a kilo… six days… That’s like 90g a day… sort of two regular sized Mars bars. Yeah, totally doable. :-)

Claim her honourary Frenchie status anyway, you’ll want some connection to the EU come the New Year.

you’ll want some connection to the EU come the New Year.

I’m not sure that the EU would totally match my views because my preferred disposition disposal of Brexiteers might have the EU making noises about Conventions and Geneva.

There’s also the minor issue that it’s Dutch Flemish(eminently usable in Belgium) that she knows and is clueless about French so the Tunnel goes the wrong way.

might have the EU making noises about Conventions and Geneva.

Oh, I don’t know. Donald Tusk, in a diplomatic presentation, mentioned that there was a special place in hell for the Brexiteers. So, I can’t see the EU stepping up to complain, and the Brexiteers would likely rather die at the sharp end of a rusty pitchfork than go running to the EU for help.
So, full steam ahead! I’ll go grab my garden implements. The pointy ones.

and is clueless about French

Well, it’s a bit like Spanish pronounced entirely wrongly. ;-)

Brexiteers would likely rather die at the sharp end of a rusty pitchfork

Was that not actually “in a ditch”? Rusty pitchforks, obviously, a welcome addition!

A Haperry Christmass and Meripy New year to all.

Ah yes, about that Jura I mentioned last night – it was a small snifter then and now the bottle seems to have a leak because it’s 2/3 gone. Must be the cats sneaking a sample.
Thank [deity of choice] for the spell check add-on, I think my fingers are inebriated.

Was that not actually “in a ditch”? Rusty pitchforks, obviously, a welcome addition!

Do the job properly, Holly stake, at a crossroads, at midnight, normally sorts out the undead (and unwanted), although some of Ricks industrial cleaning stuff might be useful. :)

Well, it’s gone midnight UTC. Time to look under the tree to see if there’s a shotgun or a crossbow for the trouble that’s coming…

Merry Happy Holiday Christmas Hanukkah Yule Thingy Day!

Merry Happy Holiday Christmas Hanukkah Yule Thingy Day!

What he said! ;-) Stay safe everyone and do your best to enjoy it.

Merry Happy Holiday Christmas Hanukkah Yule Thingy Day!

Merry Fuffmas all, from the cats (and Steve)