Thursday 18 June 2020

Life in the time of Coronavirus 13

Well, on Monday Laura had a phone call asking her to go back into her office on Wednesday 1st July. She has been staying here with us for exactly 3 months. We packed up her stuff and food and went back to her flat on Tuesday - I helped her clean the bathroom which gets black mould in it . Spoke to her after her first day - via Duo video calling. She'd managed to get back into her work jeans! She was the only one from her team in the office - and when she got there she had a computer there with her name on so she knew where to sit. There are 2 other guys from the other team in there with her and they are spaced out. There are anti-bac cleaning stations thee too. They all had to do some retraining via video links again - then were given simple tasks to start them off. It is hard to get straight back into something when you haven't done it for over 3 months.

She seemed quite happy though - so hopefully she'll be okay. The call centre is in another room - with around 60 people in there - but there are still 100 of them at home.

One good thing is now that she is back on full wages she can re-apply for her mortgage. The estate agent said they are ready to go with the flat as soon as she has that back in place. I think a visit to the flat might be in order before she buys it as it is over a year since she viewed it! Hopefully it is still in good order as it has ben empty all this time.

So, we managed to finish our Marvel jigsaw before she went. The box had said it was impossible - but we did it!

Also while we were in lockdown together we managed to grow some plants! M&S gave me some seeds once when I shopped there - so I grew the peppers and L grew the violas. Then Dom brought over some rhubarb plants from my dad's garden in Cheadle.

They are all doing really well and have now been transferred outside. I don't have a garden here - just a yard - but they are doing okay in pots!

So, L went home to her flat on Tuesday - and tomorrow (Friday) we are having another visitor! My neice Zoe is hoping to do an intensive training course down at Stafford Uni -so that she will be able to be a relief ambulances driver for the NHS. She has been in St John's Ambulance for years and she really wants to do this. As she lives in York she needs somewhere to stay. The first day will be an assessment to see if she is suitable - and if she passes that then it could be the next 3 weekends. As she has been at home with her mum and dad - after Bournemouth Uni closed, where she was studying forensic science - and both Damian and Jan are working from home I think she should be safe in our bubble.



The latest from the government is that despite daily deaths being 170-180 they are opening all the pubs and restaurants on July 4th - a Saturday. Boris is telling people to be careful and not go crazy - but I can see carnage happening! Checked our local The Wulstan - and it is also opening. You have to book a table - whether you are eating or just going for a drink. They need a contact number in case you have to be traced later if someone had it. They say that the inside of the pub is very different - with tables being spaced out. No-one is allowed to congregate around a fruit machine or in a smoking area. You are also encouraged to order food from the app instead of going to the bar. And pay remotely.

I can't see many people keeping to those guidelines for long - especially when they've had a few drinks. Seems like a recipe for disaster - so we are not going any time soon. Even before all this happens they have already had a massive spike in Covid infections in Leicester - so that whole city is on lockdown again.





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