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Post by mickthecactus on May 28, 2020 16:11:53 GMT
I contacted my GP surgery today. Because if my skin cancer a few years back I had a scab on my temple frozen off early March and I should have returned early April but that was of course cancelled. The scab dropped off but has slowly been returning so I thought I should check it out. The surgery (and probably every other surgery) prefer that you contact them by email and complete a form. The form goes on for page after page after page asking you the same thing over and over again. Eventually I had enough of it and said “see previous” and sent it.
Doctor rang fairly quickly and asked what my problem was and admitted he hadn’t looked at the form!
Anyhow asked for a picture to be taken and sent which we did and wait to hear.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 28, 2020 17:42:31 GMT
Anyhow asked for a picture to be taken and sent which we did and wait to hear. So much more logical & certainly "worth a thousand words" in this case. When I went to the market day before yesterday I noticed my vendor's stuff was rather skimpy & not as perkily fresh as it usually is. His mother's stand, which I also frequent was closed. Yesterday my vendor was down to almost nothing -- not even enough to disguise the empty spots There were still lots of onions, some okay poblanos, and a nice but scanty supply of tomatoes. He had a selection of withered carrots and sad broccoli, which I guess were getting a last chance. The Abastos was closed last week. It is the huge wholesale & regular market here, which was closed because of incidents of Covid19, including at least three deaths. I asked my vendor if the reason he had so little was because of the Abastos being closed & he said yes. I was shocked, as I had somehow thought that there would be some wholesalers' access, but no. Well, last night the Abastos had a fire, so it looks like I might be facing a fresh produce crisis soon. There are several organic growers advertising, though, which should get a business boost if they can keep up with demand. In other news, very few flights are leaving this city. They're advertised and tickets are sold, but then the flight is cancelled because of too few passengers.
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Post by kerouac2 on May 28, 2020 18:01:04 GMT
last night the Abastos had a fire, so it looks like I might be facing a fresh produce crisis soon This is one of the only times that one might think "thank god for canned goods" but that is a small consolation when you want fresh tomatoes and other salad items.
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Post by mich64 on May 28, 2020 18:44:31 GMT
Glad to read that your specialist contacted you for a check in Questa.
Mick, hope you hear follow-up regarding your photo with your doctor soon as well.
My husband received a call on Monday to come in for the ultrasound they cancelled on him in March due to COVID. I was really surprised when they said to come Wednesday (yesterday). He was in and out before his actual scheduled appointment time, he arrived 1/2 hour early because they said there would be an assessment first.
We went to the grocery store today to do our order and an order for my brother and sister-in-law. So we each took a cart and a list and met back at the vehicle. No line up and hardly anyone in the store. Everything stocked. It was actually nice to leisurely go up and down the aisles, almost felt like normal.
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Post by mickthecactus on May 28, 2020 20:01:33 GMT
Heard from GP. They are going to freeze it off again,
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Post by bixaorellana on May 28, 2020 20:30:09 GMT
This is one of the only times that one might think "thank god for canned goods" but that is a small consolation when you want fresh tomatoes and other salad items. The selection of canned vegetables here is not anywhere near what you are used to. For instance, I quite like canned whole tomatoes or the ones called stewed tomatoes, but they're only to be found in certain stores & not all the time. And the wide range of frozen produce I know from the US is really lacking here. The produce thing is particularly galling to me because I'm so spoiled by living so close to the market. Alas, I feel rather guilty complaining, but ......
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Post by kerouac2 on May 28, 2020 20:38:47 GMT
The selection of canned vegetables here is not anywhere near what you are used to. I can believe that after seeing the (ultramodern) supermarkets in Guatemala. But the fresh produce at the store was phenomenal. Naturally, if the fresh produce disappears, you are up shit creek.
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Post by questa on May 28, 2020 23:30:19 GMT
The busiest places since the lockdown started have been the hardware and garden retailers. All the home handymen have decided that now they have the time to do the renovations and repairs they have been putting off for years and it seems that home grown vegetables are the latest craze. My neighbour bought a portable greenhouse and has planted enough seedlings to feed the suburb. I have not had much luck growing useful plants...they have to grow in pots and the area is south facing so not enough sun. They set flowers but don't get pollinated and the few capsicums etc that do start fruit get chewed on by pests.
Fortunately we have a huge range of snap-frozen veg in the supermarkets so .I still get my "5 serves a day" minus the slugs.
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Post by kerouac2 on May 29, 2020 17:59:09 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on May 29, 2020 18:23:10 GMT
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Post by questa on May 30, 2020 0:10:06 GMT
Whenever a business is closing down and they have a fire there, my thoughts swing quickly to "And were they insured?"
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Post by cheerypeabrain on May 30, 2020 8:55:55 GMT
The general feeling in my local community is that the government is starting to ease lockdown too soon. We are a small country and still have a high number of new cases, around 2,000 daily being recorded and daily recorded deaths still high (altho coming down, but not fast enough). The politicians are saying one thing, but the scientists are saying another.the chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance was very cautious at the last briefing, altho he can only advise the government... 2 of my sisters are conservative voters (takes all sorts ). They think that Boris and the cabinet are doing a marvellous job (>38,000 deaths and counting). The high death rate being put down to immigrants (for this read not-white) and 'rough people' (working class). They had a bit of a wobble over Cummings but then Matt Hancock and Rishi Sumac (practically white because he's posh) were wheeled out...nice neat boys...all sincere and earnest...and they're back waving the Tory flag. I think that our high death rate is due to us not taking the virus seriously at the start and the density of the population. If I say anything at all about the failings of the government one sister gets angry and the other one gets upset. Good job I can shout on here... I'm still not going out.
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Post by mickthecactus on May 30, 2020 9:29:52 GMT
I actually agree with you Cheery. It’s too soon.
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Post by questa on May 30, 2020 10:24:20 GMT
We don't seem to have a "Quote of the Year" thread where we can visit again the magnificent descriptions of the POTUS as seen by wordsmith Bixa, or the creations of Whatagain.
If we did have such a thread I would nominate the irony of Kerouac in his post in this thread 26/12/2020
"With a little luck this will fizzle"
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Post by kerouac2 on May 30, 2020 11:16:09 GMT
We were out of luck.
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Post by mossie on May 30, 2020 12:58:58 GMT
TheTimes does little bits extracted from various countries of oddities arising from this panic. In yesterdays edition was this wondrful piece from ever so korrekt and pious Germany.
“Brothel owners are frustrated that their businesses remain closed while others involving physical proximity are opening. Five brothel managers from the south have Submitted a hygiene plan to authorities, which includes a requirement to wear facemasks, a continued ban on group sex and a requirement for clients to leave contact details. Meeting incorridors, shaking hands and embracing will remain forbidden, but prostitutes will be allowed to remove their masks to perform sex acts.”
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Post by onlyMark on May 30, 2020 14:38:55 GMT
Mossie, they have also issued a list of suitable and safest positions.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 30, 2020 16:39:24 GMT
... the government is starting to ease lockdown too soon. ... high number of new cases ... daily recorded deaths still high ... The politicians are saying one thing, but the scientists are saying another. ... I think that our high death rate is due to us not taking the virus seriously at the start and the density of the population. Cheery, I took the liberty of extracting parts of your post because really, you could be speaking for the whole world .. And sadly, your remarks about the stubborn, misplaced faith in the powers that be are all too accurate for the rest of the world as well.
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Post by kerouac2 on May 31, 2020 19:33:00 GMT
Only 31 coronavirus deaths in France yesterday. That would sound so good if it wasn't still bad.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 1, 2020 6:38:00 GMT
Here schools open for a certain group of children today, altho schools have been open for children of essential workers throughout the crisis. From today We are allowed to meet up outside in groups of up to six.(maintaining social distancing between folk from different households) Controversially, the 'highly vulnerable' individuals who had been told to shield at home until the end of June are now being advised to go out, and can meet up with one other person from a different household so long as they stay 2m apart. Of course hoards of the uneducated, the selfish and the stupid are rushing to the coast or into the countryside to mill about far too close. Natural Selection at work?
I discussed this all with our son, it seems odd to encourage the vulnerable out just when they're easing lockdown for everybody...he is staying indoors until he's sure. Many Scientists are saying that it's too soon. Politicians are claiming that 'the science' backs them up but they seem to be taking the advice from the scientific advisors and shoe-horning it to fit their plans.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 1, 2020 9:29:21 GMT
Likewise here Cheery. Senior Grade 7's reported for school this morning. The Assembly is still sent out via video link for the remainder of the boys still confined to home barracks. I viewed the whole 15 minutes and learnt once more that the school motto, badge/flag , are all based on St.George (and the dragon), being an Anglican boarding and day boys school. They even video'd the boys arriving and being sanitised, the laser pointed at their foreheads and also that of the driver. Lets hope all this rigmarole and effort will pay off and no Corona cases found.
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Post by lagatta on Jun 1, 2020 12:59:43 GMT
Cheery, how do you do your essential shopping if you don't go out? It's about 5:30 here, I'll be doing a shopping when a small grocery near me opens (although it is very chilly this morning, as strange as the heatwave last week and far more unpleasant, at least for me - for people who have to work in the heat and sun it was rough for northern people.
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Post by bjd on Jun 1, 2020 16:26:31 GMT
We went for a long walk this afternoon. It's a public holiday but I still have the impression that poeple have ignored the 100 km limit which expires tonight. Saw quite a few licence plates from far away. And in the park, lots of teenagers hanging around in close proximity. Of course, they are immortal at that age. Basically no masks but we were outside.
I saw quite a few masks at the supermarket the other day, but most of the customers were older.This area of France has been spared and it just doesn't feel as though it affects anyone here. This morning at the market, lots of people wore masks, even though we were outside. It has become complicated with one-way passages and barriers, with volunteers wearing yellow vests telling people to go here or there. I ended up walking around in circles looking for the sellers I used to buy from but not all of them have returned.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 1, 2020 19:53:17 GMT
Cheery, how do you do your essential shopping if you don't go out? It's about 5:30 here, I'll be doing a shopping when a small grocery near me opens (although it is very chilly this morning, as strange as the heatwave last week and far more unpleasant, at least for me - for people who have to work in the heat and sun it was rough for northern people. We get the bulk of our groceries delivered once every fortnight. Then either Jeff or I go to a nearby small grocery store to top up on things like milk and bread. We go as soon as they open before the rush, although now more factories around here have opened their doors it's better to go at about 10 when it's quiet. I suppose we go once or twice in a week, wear a mask and gloves and maintain social distancing....the shop only allows 3 customers in at a time and has arrows on the floor to follow around the store plus screens to protect the shop assistants at the tills. When you enter the shop there are alcohol wipes for the baskets and when you've paid you can use alcohol gel to clean your hands. We are asked not to touch products unless we intend to buy them...it's all very civilised. Russell hasn't been out at all, although he spends time in the garden.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 1, 2020 19:59:05 GMT
The only thing that will get me to venture further than the corner shop is an appointment at the hair salon. I had an email to say that as I had an appt cancelled due to the lockdown I will receive a call from them when they open next month to arrange an appointment.
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Post by lagatta on Jun 1, 2020 20:52:32 GMT
I certainly understand the latter! The delivery system just hasn't worked very well here, and I'm not going to pay for stale veg. I've been going very early (as you've seen) to groceries, greengrocers, a butcher I like (Portuguese, and not expensive) so I don't wind up in a dangerous queue. Indeed recently it has been better to go after 9 and certainly not to take the bus when essential healthcare workers are on it!
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Post by onlyMark on Jun 3, 2020 8:04:47 GMT
Last couple of days I've been seeing these photos of the queues at Ikea and McDonalds. I don't get it. Well, I suppose I do, but am I that desperate to buy a burger or a coffee table that I'll queue for an inordinate length of time to do so? Obviously, no. Maybe it's just an excuse to get out of the house?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 3, 2020 8:19:39 GMT
I'm pretty sure that's how it started.
The first McDonald's to reopen in France was somewhere in the outer suburbs -- drive thru window only -- and many cars waited for three hours to get served. But they had promised their children….
Now I think they're all open in Paris for take-away. The one downstairs from my flat is. I haven't been there in more than 3 years because the only thing I would buy there was ice cream for my mother (and yes, one for me too).
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 3, 2020 8:46:44 GMT
I was taken aback when drive through fast food chains reopened. Maybe folk can't cook (or don't try) or are addicted to the food. We probably visit McDonald's once or twice in a year, usually because we've been on a long drive. We did more so when I was working shifts...a sausage and egg McMuffin was my treat after a 12 hour night shift at Mordor (the biggest, busiest hospital)...
However...during a pandemic? In the country with the highest body count in Europe.? Seems odd.
Same with IKEA..now we LOVE IKEA but we only visit the store when we are looking for specific items.
I suppose folk are yearning for a return to normal life. Not worth dying for.
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Post by questa on Jun 3, 2020 11:30:13 GMT
Cheery, I think some of the IKEA shoppers were suffering cabin fever. Maybe Mum had looked at her coffee table and seen for the first time how dilapidated it was, or Dad had the time at long last to assemble the bunk beds for the kids' room.
They knew that the company had totally rearranged the store... Masks...hand sanitation on entry and other stations...floor taped with arrows indicating entry and exit lanes and 'X's indicating 1.5m for separation. No touching the wares but gloves supplied if necessary. Pay with your plastic which is disinfected by the checkout person, in her plastic box.
Once home, the kids had stopped fighting with each other, Dad was belting out "Hotel California" as he ran a tape-measure over the bunks and even Mum was humming a tune as she assembled the new coffee table, turning the Allen key with a sense of satisfaction.
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