It's clapping day again. Now I have nothing against showing appreciation but our NHS do not require any special clapping. They are well paid and should be used to dealing contagious diseases. Shop workers, Posties, Filling station attendants and numerous others are keeping the country ticking over.
At the risk of sounding like a (I am, I'm intelligent) Neil, I now do an every other day run into town for really frail folk in the glen. Funny how picky some of them are. They want soda bread with seeds on etc. I ignore them and carry on carrying on. Grabbing what I can that is something nearish. They get what I can find, One wanted soap that hadn't been tested on animals. How am I supposed to know? She got a bar of Pears from my cupboard. Bloody free it was as I got a two for one deal months ago and don't go mad with soap. Felt like charging her a fiver. She told me someone in the town had the currant venus and to put the messages down and she would get them after I had departed. Silly old bat must be ninety if she's a day. She can work demands though I'll give her that, not to mention avoid paying.
As clapping seems to be the new virtue signalling thing.......What happened to tea candles and a quick Kumbaya my Lord. Happen nobody knows the words. I quite liked them making little heart shaped things out of their hands but sadly all these things are in the past. I used to enjoy mocking vegans, trans-sexuals and other assorted weirdos. Gave me the lift I needed when faced with an hour of swapping rollers on an excavator or shifting horses and their shit.
Mousey is happy to clap. Not that happy as it took me an hour to make him do it middling.
Have fun and don't weaken.
At the risk of sounding like a (I am, I'm intelligent) Neil, I now do an every other day run into town for really frail folk in the glen. Funny how picky some of them are. They want soda bread with seeds on etc. I ignore them and carry on carrying on. Grabbing what I can that is something nearish. They get what I can find, One wanted soap that hadn't been tested on animals. How am I supposed to know? She got a bar of Pears from my cupboard. Bloody free it was as I got a two for one deal months ago and don't go mad with soap. Felt like charging her a fiver. She told me someone in the town had the currant venus and to put the messages down and she would get them after I had departed. Silly old bat must be ninety if she's a day. She can work demands though I'll give her that, not to mention avoid paying.
As clapping seems to be the new virtue signalling thing.......What happened to tea candles and a quick Kumbaya my Lord. Happen nobody knows the words. I quite liked them making little heart shaped things out of their hands but sadly all these things are in the past. I used to enjoy mocking vegans, trans-sexuals and other assorted weirdos. Gave me the lift I needed when faced with an hour of swapping rollers on an excavator or shifting horses and their shit.
Mousey is happy to clap. Not that happy as it took me an hour to make him do it middling.
Have fun and don't weaken.
Sounds like the braying mob at the Crucifixion, very apt for Good Friday. Mouse is doing a good clap. These old folk get very fussy; they say one thing and then do another.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I think it is supposed to be folk cheering. The old folk are very funny some times. One wanted honey among other stuff, she always says look for offers and get the cheapest. She wanted set honey so I got a jar of Co-Op best. I still have it as she only eats Manuka. Told her she will have to wait until I go near a Sainsbury or Tesco and did she realise it's at least ten times the price of regular honey. Yes it's one of her little luxuries.
DeleteThe mouse has a good clap but I really don't like the sound of that crowd too much. You can go on as much as you like about the difficulty of shopping for the elderly but you give yourself away by doing it. I'm sure it is much appreciated despite the fussy demands. They probably have sweet dreams about 'that luverly man'!
ReplyDeletePauline, the sound is a little strange. The elderly in question are not that much older than I am. Just a bit picky.
ReplyDeleteUnderneath that gruff exterior beats a heart of .... At this point I faltered unable to find any suitable word. Then I realised it didn't need the 'of' or another word to complete the sentence. PS As someone nearer 80 than 70 I'm not sure I appreciate all your derogatory references to old people. Unless, of course, 'old' equates with 90+.
ReplyDeleteThe really picky one is 68. The ninety plus one is fine and before she thought Bat Flu would kill her (It's a real worry at my age Hen.) She drove down the glen and back up at a steady 5mph. She also runs out of diesel twice a year. Not to worry she knows where to send folk for diesel. I or someone here shoots five gallons into her ancient Mercedes bleed it and once she is sure I've done it right, she gives it several good blips on the throttle, off she goes to the head of the glen. I bet she hasn't purchased diesel in years. She doesn't go far so it would be a really nasty excise man who dipped her tank. I bet she hasn't an MOT, road tax, insurance or any of that silly nonsense. Gorgeous she is. She has a twelve bore just in case the Gypos come back.
DeleteIts a very long time since I posted anything, but I had to respond to your opening comment about NHS workers. I won't discuss pay, but unlike the armed forces, doctors and nurses to not necessarily sign up to put their lives on the line. My 57 year old doctor son-in-law, who is high risk because of blood pressure, is working on the front line with minimal PPE. He volunteered to do the work. My doctor son is about to do the same, as is my daughter, who is a nurse. I worry about them constantly. I don't care about the clapping - it's fine if people want to do it, and my son finds it rather patronising - but I do think these people are heroes. However, I do agree with you about all the other people who are propping the country up at this incredibly difficult time - they too deserve proper recognition - but please, Adrian, don't underestimate those who care directly for infected patients. They and their families are under incredible stress, which will continue for some time.
ReplyDeleteFrances, as I said I have nothing against showing NHS staff appreciation. If they are finding it stressful then I'm sorry but clapping isn't going to help. If it helps the virtue signalling sheeple then it does no harm; I just find it rather silly.
DeleteI do think if the hospital staff are short of PPE then the media should be looking at the procurement staff rather than the evil Tory government. If the hospital employees would like Mat Hancock to arrange to get the stuff then I'm sure he could find somebody to do it and sack the ones that haven't. If it's GPs then they are subcontractors and should provide their own stuff just as the rest of the country do.
Good you are okay, stay safe and sane.
Goodness, you are getting grumpy, Adrian! I'm going to put in a plea for 'picky' people who are being shopped for. Because of the stem cell transplant I have to stay indoors for three months and other people - complete strangers - have volunteered to shop for me. I can't tell you how deeply grateful I am to them - and relieved that they are there and we have been put in touch. It's a bit embarrassing having to make a list and ask for this and that and it's quite funny when sugar for cooking arrives as sugar cubes and washing soda for unblocking the shower is transformed into DAZ. And it IS fun to have odd things arriving. And I DO understand that the precise things I want are not necessarily available. And I DO understand that people may have to queue. And I'm REALLY aware that in protecting me from germs which might kill me (I have no immunities to anything, it's not just the coronovirus but resistance provided by childhood injections and a lifetime of catching bugs has all been wiped away) . . . aware that in protecting me by making that extra shopping expedition they may be putting their own lives at risk . . . . having said all that . . . . it's hard being this much out of control. Having someone who is prepared to look for a particular bread . . . it might seem a little thing to worry about and turn out to be a big annoyance if you are the one doing the shopping . . . but that small thing might loom large in an isolated, frightened person's life. So genuine thanks to the new hoards of shoppers-for-others, you included. Sorry if we who are shopped for can be a bit of a pain but don't underestimate how important you are in our lives either. Mega thanks.
ReplyDeleteLucy I have always been grumpy.
DeleteI have the job organised now. No more one of this and two of that for Adrian. They understand I getting stuff for half the glen. I say organised, went down this morning came back with the stuff and whilst doling it out remembered I had forgoten to get anything for me. Tobacco is getting a bit thin up here but I'll manage.....I will become still more obstreperous the fewer roll ups I have.