Covid-19: How is it affecting you?

[SENTINEL]

Reading through all this thread, including my reply a few days ago about how it's effected my business, has made me personally realise that the loss of work pales into insignificance when it comes to the vulnerable people around me. I don't get to see my Dad very often because he lives the other side of the country on a narrow boat, but I suspect like most of us, we are making those calls to check up on loved ones. I forget that i'm not 18 anymore, and my Dads not in his 40s like I remember as a kid. A strong resilient farmer that never got poorly, never seemed to be tired and always seemed like a huge strong bloke to me. You make the calls and you listen to their voices and realise they are old and not what they used to be. My mother has always been a short fused strong woman that would never mince her words, be super organised and very resourceful if she needed to be. The call to her, I sensed more than worry in her voice, she sounded scared about things. Neither sounded overly worried about the actual virus, yet both spoke about things they'd seen in supermarkets, tempers starting to show in totally abnormal situations. Extra security around shopping for essentials, empty shelves.

My elderly neighbours were the same. One left a message on my answer phone in tears because she'd ran out of loo roll and didn't want to 'bother' anyone. She's 95! My other elderly neighbour walked over to me whilst I was washing my daughters Mini. Something he wouldn't normally do. He just seemed like he wanted to chat. Being overly cautious on his distance, but I got the feeling he just wanted to remind me he was there and not to forget him. We live in a quiet close where almost all the residents are elderly. My wife and I, plus a couple of other houses are the only younger generations and i'm in my mid 40s, so that's saying something. They all know we will help if need be, but they are all furiously independent. The 95 year old still drives on a daily basis.

My wife is a frontline Midwife at Kettering General. The last few days she's been coming home exhausted. Staff are dropping like flies, work loads are getting higher, and the job is fast changing and adapting to the current situation. I selfishly said to her yesterday that if society starts to go sideways, she shouldn't be going to work and we should all be at home together. She just laughed and said "I have a moral duty of care Paul, and nothing comes between that" Could I have that attitude to total strangers? I'm not sure I could.

This current situation is scaring the people around me and me banging on about loosing my work and over exaggerating the fact I might go under is shameful. I will be ok financially, and we will still be able to make payments. My business might pause for a short time, but it will still start again once this is over. I understand that's not the same for everyone, and people are going to loose everything over this, but me personally, I wish in hindsight I hadn't sounded so selfish.
Providing we all do our bit, and the minority of the country that are hell bent on profiting or throwing out doomsday quotes are ignored for what they are, the British people will get through this. Maybe once it's all over we might have just a little more respect for our fellow man and neighbour. Maybe not.

Thank you for saying this Paul. Keep safe, keep well and a big thank you to your wife.

 

[Paynewright]

Reading through all this thread, including my reply a few days ago about how it's effected my business, has made me personally realise that the loss of work pales into insignificance when it comes to the vulnerable people around me. I don't get to see my Dad very often because he lives the other side of the country on a narrow boat, but I suspect like most of us, we are making those calls to check up on loved ones. I forget that i'm not 18 anymore, and my Dads not in his 40s like I remember as a kid. A strong resilient farmer that never got poorly, never seemed to be tired and always seemed like a huge strong bloke to me. You make the calls and you listen to their voices and realise they are old and not what they used to be. My mother has always been a short fused strong woman that would never mince her words, be super organised and very resourceful if she needed to be. The call to her, I sensed more than worry in her voice, she sounded scared about things. Neither sounded overly worried about the actual virus, yet both spoke about things they'd seen in supermarkets, tempers starting to show in totally abnormal situations. Extra security around shopping for essentials, empty shelves.

My elderly neighbours were the same. One left a message on my answer phone in tears because she'd ran out of loo roll and didn't want to 'bother' anyone. She's 95! My other elderly neighbour walked over to me whilst I was washing my daughters Mini. Something he wouldn't normally do. He just seemed like he wanted to chat. Being overly cautious on his distance, but I got the feeling he just wanted to remind me he was there and not to forget him. We live in a quiet close where almost all the residents are elderly. My wife and I, plus a couple of other houses are the only younger generations and i'm in my mid 40s, so that's saying something. They all know we will help if need be, but they are all furiously independent. The 95 year old still drives on a daily basis.

My wife is a frontline Midwife at Kettering General. The last few days she's been coming home exhausted. Staff are dropping like flies, work loads are getting higher, and the job is fast changing and adapting to the current situation. I selfishly said to her yesterday that if society starts to go sideways, she shouldn't be going to work and we should all be at home together. She just laughed and said "I have a moral duty of care Paul, and nothing comes between that" Could I have that attitude to total strangers? I'm not sure I could.

This current situation is scaring the people around me and me banging on about loosing my work and over exaggerating the fact I might go under is shameful. I will be ok financially, and we will still be able to make payments. My business might pause for a short time, but it will still start again once this is over. I understand that's not the same for everyone, and people are going to loose everything over this, but me personally, I wish in hindsight I hadn't sounded so selfish.
Providing we all do our bit, and the minority of the country that are hell bent on profiting or throwing out doomsday quotes are ignored for what they are, the British people will get through this. Maybe once it's all over we might have just a little more respect for our fellow man and neighbour. Maybe not.

Paul,

A good open and honest post and lots we can all think about. I didn’t see your earlier post, or anyone else’s concerns about their business / income as selfish - its a big worry.

My sons guitar teacher wrote to us yesterday saying it looks like his business is finished as he visits schools to teach, which came as quite a shock and upsetting to my son.

As you say look out for your family, friends and neighbours health and wellbeing first. We are continuing to support the businesses we use wherever possible and will be ready to do so again if they cannot work currently.

Ian

 

[bullracing]

Totally agree but to save from sounding selfish this thread is all about how its effecting you as an individual/family/street and bigger.
It is ok to speak about yourself is my point so although your post was spot on and fairplay to your wife, I would not be able to take that stance which is why I have loads of respect for the nhs and others.
It does not mean anyone that has posted is selfish. Its a good place to vent frustration, feelings, worry, anything that will help mentally in terms of talking rather then holding it in and finding you then have slight mental health problems. We need to discuss and talk about the awkward in these extremely odd times.

 

[Eli]

I was sent home from work yesterday to self isolate for 12 weeks as my daughter is classed as vulnerable due to her condition. She has CFC syndrome and many complex needs. Fortunatley i am on full pay. These are very worrying times for us all and we as a family cant pay enough respect to our nhs service and other frontline services who we need now.more than ever.

My son's school is closed as of this afternoon, so I will be working from home as my wife is the only Resuscitation officer for the local hospital

 

[Eli]

Thats odd as we just went in to Tesco's. Absoluetly no freezer food, no loo roll (not surprising given SM posts), not any pet food either. Loads and loads of empty shelves. Limit of 3 per certain items on things that were in stock.
We got a pack of hob nobs and 3 packs of squashed fly biscuits and had to choose only 3 packs of biscuits. Cant say I ever thought we would argue over biscuits. Mrs won obviously. Problem is I would normally do an online shop but they are fully booked until past 7th of April and they dont go any further.
I really do feel for the elderly especially if they have only just been paid.

If they are saying the shops can cope, I have not seen it yet. We have tried to shop 3 times this week. They did have some bread and milk which is handy so we got 1 of each. The only beer they had was Corona for some reason. So I got 2 boxes just incase we run out of milk.

Our local Asda only had Foster's, even in hard times no one is buying Fosters

 

[cgtmiles]

There has been comparisons made to WW2 but in the war the men went off and left the women at home, it occurred to me that I’m sitting at home while my wife is going to the frontline each day then coming home and cooking me dinner

 

[Tourershine]

There has been comparisons made to WW2 but in the war the men went off and left the women at home, it occurred to me that I’m sitting at home while my wife is going to the frontline each day then coming home and cooking me dinner

Wow, I didn't think of it like that, but yeah, that's exactly the same in my house.

 

[Paynewright]

You lads best get the cook books out!

I’m currently house husband and SWMBO insists on having it on the table within 5 mins of walking through the door!

 

[cgtmiles]

Unfortunately (or fortunately) she enjoys cooking and also possibly doesn’t trust me not to eat it all before it’s ready

Im on washing up and kitchen tidying detail though

 

[rover220]

I've invested in some vanguard funds whilst things are low.

 

[fezza68]

Your still doing it at your age...

 

[czmate1999]

Our local Asda only had Foster's, even in hard times no one is buying Fosters

Reminds me of the Red Dwarf episode with the talk about supplies and dogs milk,

Holly:
We're a bit short on a few supplies.

Lister:
Like what?

Holly:
Cow's milk. Ran out of that yonks ago. Fresh and dehydrated.

Lister:
What kind of milk are we using now?

Holly:
Emergency back-up supply. We're on the dog's milk.

Lister:
Dog's milk?!

Holly:
Nothing wrong with dog's milk. Full of goodness, full of vitamins, full of marrowbone jelly. Lasts longer than any other type of milk, dog's milk.

Lister:
Why?

Holly:
No bugger'll drink it. Plus, of course, the advantage of dog's milk is that when it goes off, it tastes exactly the same as when it's fresh.

Lister:
Why didn't you tell me, Holly?

Holly:
What, and spoil your tea?

 

[Stay Frosty]

From another angle with all this talk and worry I seem to have pre empted this virus as I jacked in work just before Christmas while we were in the process of selling our house and buying the next one.
At age 61 I was sick of chasing around in circles as an employed electrician, going out to work in the dark, coming back in the dark, stuck and getting angry in traffic etc.

Not sure if this has been our best decision as the "new" 1930s house is a bit of a money pit and my poor wife still works part time 5 afternoons a week, also most days I feel knackered by 5:30pm however going through the motions of earning a wage to increasingly these days save up for some crap I don't need is now out of the frame and as for saving up for your golden old age that has been brought into sharper focus now that the loneliness and isolation for most over 70s has been spot lighted by the media.
Anyway I've been self isolating for 9 weeks as of today and have the replacement kitchen being delivered next week despite just having finished knocking stuff down and no I'm not worried about Covid 19, I really haven't got time.

 

[superflyguy]

From another angle with all this talk and worry I seem to have pre empted this virus as I jacked in work just before Christmas while we were in the process of selling our house and buying the next one.
At age 61 I was sick of chasing around in circles as an employed electrician, going out to work in the dark, coming back in the dark, stuck and getting angry in traffic etc.

Not sure if this has been our best decision as the "new" 1930s house is a bit of a money pit and my poor wife still works part time 5 afternoons a week, also most days I feel knackered by 5:30pm however going through the motions of earning a wage to increasingly these days save up for some crap I don't need is now out of the frame and as for saving up for your golden old age that has been brought into sharper focus now that the loneliness and isolation for most over 70s has been spot lighted by the media.
Anyway I've been self isolating for 9 weeks as of today and have the replacement kitchen being delivered next week despite just having finished knocking stuff down and no I'm not worried about Covid 19, I really haven't got time.

Ditto. I finished work at the end of January through voluntary redundancy, im a fit 52 and don't intend going back to work now as I prepared for my pace of work closing.
What im saying is, once all this blows over and we all get back on our feet, ask yourself the question before any purchase, do I want it or do I need it ? Unfortunately for a lot of the younger guys that thought the cash cow was going to keep feeding their M3 and rolex habits they are asking how will I cope !!. We cant plan when our next Virus / Natural disaster etc will be and we certainly didn't see this coming 2 weeks ago. We always live in the comfort zone thinking things like this will never effect us, keep safe folks.

 

[DXX]

Ditto. I finished work at the end of January through voluntary redundancy, im a fit 52 and don't intend going back to work now as I prepared for my pace of work closing.
What im saying is, once all this blows over and we all get back on our feet, ask yourself the question before any purchase, do I want it or do I need it ? Unfortunately for a lot of the younger guys that thought the cash cow was going to keep feeding their M3 and rolex habits they are asking how will I cope !!. We cant plan when our next Virus / Natural disaster etc will be and we certainly didn't see this coming 2 weeks ago. We always live in the comfort zone thinking things like this will never effect us, keep safe folks.

Yep, totally agree. Hard to believe that the worlds population is taking a hit and the governments, IMF and World Bank are concerned about negative growth.
I was fortunate enough to quit the rat race a few years ago. I grow my own food where possible, cut my own wood fuel and fix my own stuff when it doesn’t work rather than buy new. I’m certainly not saying that’s for everyone but we need to get back to basics and treat the rest as a bonus!

 

[Sabre]

Like that @czmate1999 ... I was looking the Epideme virus edition of Red Dwarf last night, have it somewhere.
Still; gotta laugh.

 

[Sabre]

I'm still struggling with Effecting Vs Affecting... These are strange times!

 

[cgtmiles]

Like that @czmate1999 ... I was looking the Epideme virus edition of Red Dwarf last night, have it somewhere.
Still; gotta laugh.

Prof lundstrum: Twinkle twinkle little eye, now it’s time for you to die.
Rimmer: why do we never meet anyone that’s normal?
Lister: why do we never meet anyone who can shoot straight?

That one?

 

[Sabre]

No,
"Lister: I've been tongue hockied to death by tutenkhamuns horny grandma!

You can't cut off my right arm, that's the arm that does all my favourite things"
That one!

 

[cgtmiles]

No,
"Lister: You can't cut off my right arm, that's the arm that does all my favourite things"
That one!