Just back, not even trying to catch up.

~ beetleypete

Hello everyone. I made it back without incident, despite now being officially one year older.

I got the PC working eventually, (that’s another story) to discover that I had close to 100 posts to catch up on. That is never going to happen, so I have deleted them all, and started from scratch this afternoon.

Apologies to everyone for missing your posts, but even just a short time away, and I was inundated.

As for my serial, there will be another episode later tonight, or possibly tomorrow.

Because of panic-buying caused by the virus scare, we have to go out to try to find some food for the rest of this week.

I hope everyone is doing well, and that nobody has fallen victim to Coronavirus 19. Fingers crossed that our blogging community is not affected.

They are recommending here that we self-isolate. My normal life is self-isolation except for walking Ollie, so I might be alright.

90 thoughts on “Just back, not even trying to catch up.”

  1. Welcome back, Pete. I think you are pretty safe. What a weird week of lives being turned upside down, my teaching life included. We will persevere and get through this, provided the young people distance themselves.

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    1. It will certainly be a year to go down in history, Jennie, whatever else happens. At least I am still getting out with Ollie, though hardly anyone else is around except at the supermarket. 🙂
      My best to you and your family. We will ride this out together, hopefully.
      Pete. x

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  2. Hi, Pete! Glad you’re back. And well. Here in Los Angeles, we haven’t been advised to self-quarantine, but I kind of live that way, anyway. People have bought all the TP and paper towels, citywide! That, to me, is ridiculous — but don’t get me started. Wishing everyone well and well being!

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  4. happy belated birthday! Glad you are back and doing well. I understand too well about catching up! How daunting to leave for a short while and have so very many to read. I can not hardly comment when that happens. Life is crazy in the states -more so than usual. Stay well! x Michele

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  6. I’m glad to hear you’re back. All right I’ll go the hard sell. I posted my annual favourite films list and was hoping to hear what you thought. It’s too long to read but I get a chance dance to scroll through it in the coming weeks I’d appreciate it. Then again, we have bigger things to worry about these days.

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  7. Happy Birthday Pete, I hope you enjoyed your break? I was going to send a card, but then the postal service shut down deliveries outside of the country 🙂
    I’m with Julie, the information about social care was conspicuous by its absence in the latest budget!
    Luckily I dont speak polish so I haven’t heard anything about the virus yet 🙂
    Stay safe and continue your internal and external cleansing routine 🙂

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  11. “Ill be back!” Was that Arnold Schwarzenegger or Pete Johnson who said that famous line?

    Las Vegas is feeling the pain. MGM has closed all its casinos on the Strip, supermarket shelves are sparsely stocked (and the stores are no longer open 24/7), schools and offices are closed, etc. At least we can go hiking—which I did on Blue Diamond Hill last Sunday. The virus can’t take Nature away from us!

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  13. Hi Pete welcome back! The world has gone bonkers hasn’t it? Panic buying happened here too, selfish ignorami, or just scared idiots, either or it’s a pretty poor show. The younger lot up here are still going to the pubs and clubs, whilst Ireland had a quiet St.Patricks day, they had a big party in Jesmond, Newcastle. Sigh. No-one I’ve met up here seems to be taking it seriously, though attractions like National Trust properties and organised events are all closed for the forseeable future. I am still going to work, which is a bit scary biscuits as I’m in such close contact with my patients, but que sera sera. Hand washing, sterilising, hand washing, wiping down, more handwashing. I try to keep everything germ free, but it’s not easy. People pay with money they’ve handled, then we handle, and we are wiping down the card machine after every use. So much to think about and do! The govt response is a shambles, Boris won’t order pubs etc to shut down as they would claim on their insurance, but in advising everyone to stay away, is ensuring the demise of the hospitality sector, but he is a regular speaker at the Annual British Insurance dinner so he’s looking after his pals at the expense of the little people, what a surprise. Not. Dominic Wotsisface is well known for his eugenic leanings so Julie maybe right, however the oldies vote Tory (mostly) so I’m not so sure they won’t look after them. All we can do is keep calm and carry on, but I don’t think this is going to be getting better or over anytime soon.

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    2. Thanks for missing me. If Julie is right, you might be missing me for a lot longer soon. 🙂 (Like forever)

      Yes, it’s a shambles, and I actually expect to catch it, then end up neck deep in something nasty. But as there isn’t too much I can do about it, I have arranged for my mate Tony to put up a blog post to tell everyone when I am dead.
      Be careful around all those ear-people! x

      I am mainly worried about Ollie. How would he cope without me? 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  14. I’m sure someone somewhere is rubbing their hands at the thought of all those pensions saved… Darwin’s theory of selection in action?

    I have been self isolating since September apart from visits to the library and the supermarket. So not much change to my way of life, except I was looking forward to getting out more when the weather improves. Still the beach should be fairly quiet! And I have my garden. Best go and stockpile some compost and seeds!

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  15. Wonderful to see you back Pete. Glad you had a good birthday, but hope you get some food, and especially for Ollie. Mwe had a Tesco delivery last night. It was a shambles. No toilet rolls of course or paper hankies. Just awful. We cannot get to the shops anyway, but would not want to go iyt with iur health conditions. We are seriously self isolating! BUT we have our blogging community and we must all stick together. Cstrengthen each other. See you around soon Pete. Hope sends love to Ollie xx

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      1. I know. We pay yearly to make sure we are fixed up. So it was just our usual slot. No extras. But we didnt get what we needed anyway. I have written an Ode to Toilet Rolls lol. I got a but inspired by all the crap lol xx

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  16. Exactly! Except for my rescue doggies no one would know I exist. Hope you find sufficient sustenance and…. toilet tissue? There is none to be had here in the states. Be well☘️

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    1. Thanks, Edith. We have toilet rolls, but not much to eat them with. 🙂 🙂
      Neighbours tell us the local large supermarkets are well-stocked with most foods, so we will soon see.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. Thanks, Theo. To be honest, I feel much older than 68 at the moment. And as there is news that those over 65 may not be treated for this illness, I might be lucky if I see 69.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  19. Congratulations on the added year, Pete. Wish you many more happy years to come. My company has canceled all the gatherings, meetings and training. All international travel no matter how crucial has been canceled and most of the deals have been advised to work from home indefinitely. Only those who can’t continue to travel to the office. They are advised not to take public transport and use either personal or office transport. If you sniff once, you are sent home. Cough and you might be quarantined.
    Since I’ve been working from home remotely from the past 4+ years, it is the same for me. But since children are home early for 3 month-long vacation, my colleagues are ready to pull out their hair.

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    1. The schools are still open here. I wonder how long before they start to close them. My wife works as a receptionist for a doctor, and she has to go back into work on Thursday. The news here just announced that they expect at least 20,000 to die of this virus over the next few months, so we are all wondering if we might be part of that statistic.
      Best wishes, Pete..

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  20. Welcome back Pete. I hope you had a lovely birthday. Did you ever think we’d live to see something like this? Here in Alabama the first case popped up on Friday and we’re now up to 36. Nothing yet in our county, but that hasn’t stopped the panic shopping. People are just going insane! Because of my health problems and Tom’s propensity toward bronchitis, we’re staying away from grocery stores and having things delivered. That way it’s only one to one interaction.

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    1. Thanks, Kim.
      Due to panic-buying, home delivery is not available here for three weeks. I will have to try the shops, if only to get Ollie some food.
      And to answer your question, I did expect something like this. Too much interference with nature was always going to go wrong.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  22. Welcome back Pete! We had the first case in the country in the Seattle area and it seems to have hit hard here. Our governor has put many restrictions in place and we are all taking the necessary precautions… in the meantime, blogging is a nice indoor hobby, right??

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  25. Welcome back Pete. We will band together and focus on this pandemic – by working together, and supporting each other, we will persevere….this isn’t a disease that causes food shortages, so this short-term reaction will settle down – perhaps with rationing, shopping limitations, etc – but we have lots of food so its just a matter of developing a plan to allow everyone to access it fairly….

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  26. Thank you for the concerns Pete 🙂 I am doing well and right now, I am hoping that the Coronavirus epidemic just goes away. Nevertheless, I hope you do not die because you are such a wonderful blogger to talk to. I also hope you had a Happy 68th birthday as well 🙂 Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂

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  27. We’re okay here in sunny Suffolk. I think the East seems less affected … at the moment anyway! The panic buying is ridiculous. It’s time for the supermarkets to ration food and stop the hoarders.

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  28. We self-isolate a lot here too. I was actually looking forward to getting out with the nice weather. Our shelves are pretty bare in stores and we have to go shopping at the end of the week. Hoping there is food there when we need it, but will take it one day at a time.

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    1. That’s all we can do, Lisa. I just won’t panic-buy, or hoard things. There has to be enough to go round, and if we all play the selfish game, it will leave some with nothing.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  29. I am now working from home for the foreseeable future. For now Little O’s nursery is still open and the college where Mr O works is still open so they are continuing as normal until they close and/or someone shows symptoms. I am very worried about all the self employed people and business that rely on people being able to come to them to stay in operation. I feel like we’re going to see a worse recession than in 2008.

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    1. I agree. The economic aftermath will be as bad as the medical emergency. At least you are young enough to get treatment, if the worse happens. I suspect someone my age will be left to die in a corner.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  30. All the panic-buyers should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves; then again, I’m realistic enough to know how unlikely that is. I will carry on as normal, unless I feel sufficiently unwell to convince me to stay at home: my life is relatively hermetic anyway! 😉 I wonder how soon we oldies are going to be expected to carry proof of age when we’re out? Can we look forward to geriatric snatch squads? Cheers, Jon.

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  32. Welcome back. The panic-buying thing is ridiculous; I tried to do an online shop for my mother-in-law and there were NO delivery slots for the next three weeks. And everywhere is out of paracetamol. Hope you manage to get what you want

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    1. I am happy enough with a bacon sandwich. So if I can get bread, and something to put between two slices, that’s fine. I have to get something for Ollie though, as he can’t get to the shops on his own! 🙂 🙂
      Thanks, Sarada.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  33. Welcome back!

    And good luck with the self isolation. I’ve a friend who lives in Spain, and they aren’t allowed out except to go to the shops, or to walk a dog. Apparently there’s quite a market in dog rental all of a sudden!!

    You should be able to get food OK. There’s plenty in London, at least. It’s toilet paper that’s sold out (but the Daily Express is still available, so hygiene can be maintained).

    Speaking of toilet rolls, wouldn’t it be ironic if the scientists had got it all wrong, and that the virus was spread by toilet paper

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    1. I have enough toilet rolls, and they can be quite tasty, cooked with bolognese sauce. 🙂
      Food shopping is apparently good early and late. So it looks like a night-time trip to Tesco.
      Cheers, Ian.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. I am refusing to panic just yet, but it feels as if there is much worse to come. Oh well, I have to die of something, and no point worrying about what it is. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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