catmiss

I think the beer/cider/spirit/shot/wine/cocktail drinkers might take issue-surely it’s the amount of alcohol consumed that’s the issue. My experience of weekend A & E, admittedly some years ago, wasn’t about the source but the effect. I think ‘lager lout’ was just an effective media alliteration demonisation of young working class men when in reality violence can arise from anyone whose inhibitions are affected by excessive alcohol consumption

I’ve had calls from supposedly BT, Amazon and Microsoft. I deal with them the same way as I used to do with the previous generation of cold callers........ say my husband (I’m sure other family members would be just as effective) works for the company/in that field, ask for their name/company so my husband could be updated-I never hear from them again

Listened to BBC Question Time tonight, panel seemed divided re self preservation or sharing and/or subsidising resources

Forget about the dye, just shave it off. The current trend for beards might may young men look trendy but makes middle aged/older men look like they’ve given up/can’t be arsed

What do you mean by ‘lower classes’. I feel as though I have stepped back into the John Cleese/Ronnie Barker/Ronnie Corbett sketch. It’s not about class, it’s about individual choice and resources

The enquires into the Leicester ‘sweat shops’ is beginning to reveal clothing retailers lack of knowledge re the multiple sub contracts used by their manufacturers

I think some of the micro pubs might also close due to falling socially distanced customer numbers in often very small premises.

surely the reality tv Kardashians in the Whitehouse is something not even the Americans could vote for

Kanye West reported to be putting himself up for election as president!!

I do think there’s a bit of an oldie holier than thou attitude to this thread. I’ve not been to the pub tonight but there again, even if I wasn’t shielding, I wouldn’t be in the local pubs on a Saturday night- too noisy for a sit down and sip a couple of glasses of wine person like me. Turn the clock back 50 years and I may well have, deprived of a social life and fearing my economic future, ventured out to cheap venues to lift my spirits. Secure in the advice I was ok to go back to work, shop ‘til I dropped and would only experience mild symptoms if I got the virus I’d have made the most of the relaxation of the rules. As for taking it home to older relatives I’d have been a teenager living on a different planet and already socially distanced from them pre Covid. Family and friends have told me the worst offenders against social distancing are the elderly who won’t wear masks, get too close in queues and can also be selfish. My friend, a supermarket worker, had told me that the person putting out price reductions has had to work within a physical barrier to stop people, mainly older, from grabbing things from his hands. As life returns to ‘normal’ so will people.

* how to have peaceful Sundays now not cooking dinner for visiting family *it doesn’t matter if you have grey hair long enough for a teenage ponytail when you’re shielding and nobody sees you *how long you can make veg last and how much milk and bread you can cram in a freezer *spend days in idolness yet have the house and garden spic and span *be grateful you live on your own when you hear the neighbours constantly bickering and rowing

I too have trouble with my knees........hips and back. I don’t know your circumstances El Cid but the Yorkshire diagnosis for my troubles is owd age and poverty. I’d pray for you but don’t think I’d get up again. Seriously -consult your doctor !

Given the grief bus drivers (and other key workers) have experienced trying to implement social distancing I’m not surprised bus drivers aren’t keen to challenge passengers not wearing masks.

I’ll be exempt from wearing a face covering when I’m free to use public transport on 1st August. How do I prove it- just go to First website, download and print the exemption certificate, anyone can do it !!???

The letter I received as someone identified as ‘extremely vulnerable ‘ asked me to register for support on line OR via a telephone number provided which was an automated service. Both options required some degree of expertise. I received basic but adequate ‘care packages’ until I was provided with priority on line access to supermarket home delivery. It’s worked ok for me BUT the qualifying conditions were limited to a few conditions. The government also identified a vulnerable category of over 70s and disabled with supermarkets identifying specific shopping hours. I have experience of NHS, local government, voluntary organisations and friends/family confusing the two groups. Friends have told me I can use the specific shopping hours and a neighbour verbally attacked me for receiving home delivery when her family of six didn’t have access. A lot of people, particularly if they weren’t on statutory or voluntary sector radars will have fallen through the cracks and received little or no support. I deregistered for the care packages once I had access to online shopping but I know of several people who have continued receipt whilst making trips to supermarkets