No mask!

Oh joy! After a year, almost exactly to the day, I went to M&S yesterday without wearing a mask (well, scarf)! It was lovely to speak to the guy on the checkout like a normal person. I don't even like shopping but just for once I was chuffed to bits to be there.

Admittedly there were quite a few people still hiding behind a mask but some of us were happy to embrace freedom. At last!

It was a small moment of pleasure, and there have been precious few of those since March 2020.

Given that more than 70% of adults have been jabbed, hospitalisations are low and Covid case numbers are going down on a daily basis, I wonder what it'll take for people to break out of the fear cycle and start the slow walk back to normal? As I've said previously, it's very easy to instil fear... but not so easy to take that fear away.

Govt ministers are being wheeled out regularly to urge us to have our jabs, be vigilant, don't let our guard down and remain cautious because "... it's not over". For god's sake, it'll never be over if they keep talking it up at every possible opportunity.

I'm not a huge fan of the Olympics (except tennis) but it's been a relief over the past couple of days to see Covid knocked off the headlines by some of our athletes doing well in Tokyo. 

Thank goodness for a short break from the doom and gloom at least. Well done boys and girls, and congratulations to Tom Daley who's finally won a gold medal after 13 years of trying.

A day of contrasts

Contrary to yesterday's weather forecast (they're rubbish, so why do I still take any notice of them?) it was a lovely day; warm and partly cloudy with a fresh breeze. Did a bit of housework then sat in the garden and watched assorted planes including Spitfires, Tiger Moths, a Typhoon which was deafening (nice new livery btw!) and the amazing Red Arrows doing their stuff in the sky overhead.

We live near an airfield which stages air shows a couple of times a year; not last year, of course. We really missed them. Many of the planes take a wide turning circle right above our house... such a joy to see them all again. 

We've lived here 13 years and we still rush outside to watch, it never gets old; we're worse than a couple of kids! When the Red Arrows went over yesterday, roaring and billowing coloured vapour trails, it brought a tear to my eye... one of the few things left in this country to be proud of. Hello lads, it's nice to have you back. See you next year.

I'm still sailing a bit close to the water - pretty much anything can have me in tears. I blame the Covid crap which is unrelenting and grows more sinister and threatening by the day.

British people are being abused by the Govt - it's been a constant barrage from day 1 and still it continues. With the help of a complicit media they frightened people into staying locked up in their homes and, to regain their freedom, they're frightening people into having an experimental 'vaccine' to ameliorate the effects of a virus which has a better than 99% survival rate. Who knows what they'll come up with next? It won't be good - that's the one thing I can be sure of.

We've now reached the point where the threat hangs over us of not going to almost any public place without being double jabbed. It looks like my garden will continue to be the sanctuary it's been since March 2020... in fact, if they bring in 'vaccine passports', it might be the only place I'm allowed to go without checking in with a bloody app.

The Govt is trying hard to promote a system of medical apartheid - the haves (jabbed) and the have-nots (un-jabbed). Shame on them.

It was a day of contrasts. The Red Arrows and the Govt. Something to be proud of and something to be bitterly ashamed of. I'll leave you to work out which is which.

It gets worse...

Just when you think things can't get any worse... they do.

Boris chose yesterday to announce that from September, entry to nightclubs and other "crowded venues", as yet unspecified, will be dependent on having had two jabs. A negative test will no longer be enough to gain entry.

The crassness of his timing was unbelievable. It beggars belief that he told people on "Freedom Day" that they'll need mandatory vaccines if they want to have a night out. 

It won't bother me very much, I don't have a social life and I'm too old to go clubbing, but I think we all know what comes next... this rule will soon start to apply in other places too. How long before we hear "No jabs, no entry" at the doors of pubs, restaurants and theatres?

I worry for young people; they won't know the freedoms I've had, most of which I didn't take advantage of. It horrifies me that my grandchildren may one day have to submit themselves to the jab just so they can go out with their mates.

What the hell are these people doing to our country? I no longer recognise it.

Today's the Day

This is the day trumpeted as us getting our freedom back but, like anything in which the Govt is involved, it hasn't quite worked out like that. To call it a shambles would be too kind.

Boris has removed most of the legal restrictions but this means individual businesses are making up their own rules as they go along. 

Firstly, most of the supermarkets and some other shops have said they'll 'encourage' shoppers to wear masks; secondly, some pubs and restaurants are demanding people prove their vaccination status and thirdly, all public transport in London require people to be masked. Finally, anyone hoping to go on holiday to France will still have to isolate for 10 days on their return, even if they've been double jabbed. Does that sound like Freedom to you? No... me neither.

I wonder how long the Govt can drag this out. At the beginning it may have been about the virus, but that hasn't been the case for over a year - it's now just an experiment in social control. It's a bit like watching the emergence of a new religion which, like all religions, requires compliance and the total abandonment of all critical thinking. I've never had anything to do with religion of any description so, understandably, I'm finding this one pretty hard to swallow.

I love the irony in Sajid Javid, Health Secretary, testing positive for Covid... after having been double jabbed! That vaccine's not much good, is it? You'd need to have a heart of stone not to laugh.

Having been in meetings with Javid, Boris and the Chancellor were trying to weasel out of self-isolating by taking part in a so-called  'pilot scheme' to avoid it. They then did a u-turn fast enough to make their heads spin, when there was a public outcry about them not keeping to their own rules. After what they've put us through for the last 16 months their insensitivity is breath-taking, how they thought they'd get away with it is beyond me.

Given the complete fiasco over masks, I went to M&S today fully equipped with my usual scarf (I'm still refusing to wear an actual mask!) not because I wanted to wear it, but because I didn't want some mask-happy jerk thinking it's their duty to 'educate' me in the error of my ways. Never argue with the stupid. Unsurprisingly, virtually everyone was still masked - they call this "Freedom"? Yeah, right... sigh.

The past weekend has been unbearably hot, but it's a little more acceptable today, thankfully. I start to wilt when the temperature goes above the low 20s. We had breakfast in the garden this morning - it was still 23C but that felt blissful after yesterday's 31! Salads and lots of cold drinks are the order of the day... roll on, winter!

Incidentally, my money's on another winter lockdown... to "Protect the NHS". Again.

Football and Freedom

Well, my cry of  "Forza Azzuri" clearly did the trick as England lost the Euro final on Sunday - I couldn't be more pleased for Italy. Bravo!

Sadly, Matteo Berrettini lost the Wimbledon final but he's still young, there'll be other chances; Djokovic can't go on forever.

News yesterday was full of the usual post mortems on why England, once again, fell short. Nobody seems to be pointing out the obvious - we weren't good enough. If we had been, it would never have gone to penalties.

Predictably, the result has deteriorated into a racism row, as so many things do these days. I think most England fans wouldn't care if the players were green, striped or spotted - they just wanted to see the ball in the back of the net.

On the subject of racism, I'm with Morgan Freeman..."Stop talking about it. I'll stop calling you a white man and you stop calling me a black man". Seems the most sensible approach to me.

I expect we'll go through it all again next year for the World Cup. Hopefully, they'll have ditched "taking the knee" by then and I'll be able to watch again. Regardless of their professed reasons, I find it divisive and inflammatory - I also can't see what possible good it does.

Boris had another televised briefing yesterday - as expected he's having a fit of the vapours and is backtracking at a rate of knots over "Freedom Day". No surprise there then.

Virtually all legal restrictions have been lifted but we're still being given mixed messages; social distancing is ending, but they say we should meet people outside if possible... masks are no longer legally required but it is "expected and recommended" that they're worn in crowded indoor settings. Transport companies will be allowed to decide whether passengers should wear masks but we've already been told they're not required. Confused? You will be.

So, in a nutshell, keep away from people if you want to and wear a mask or don't... sometimes, maybe... if you like. Right, well, I think that's all perfectly clear. 

Carry on.

Cry Freedom

Boris was blathering on TV on Monday, confident that we'll all be back to a semblance of normal from July 19th... Freedom Day.

Masks will be a matter of "personal responsibility" i.e. wear one if you want to, no social distancing and all other restrictions lifted apart from a few foreign travel issues. Well, he says he's confident this week but next week, next month... who knows? He'll probably have an attack of the vapours and we'll be back to square one again before you can say "New normal". 

He states we'll have to learn to live with Covid but then goes all weak-kneed and starts warning about the rising number of cases of the "Delta" variant. Make your mind up, man!

I'm not a betting woman but I'd be willing to put a large amount of money on us being back in lockdown before Christmas. Boris's problem is... once a liar, always a liar.

Both Wimbledon and the Euro football tournament finish this weekend. I'm always sorry to see Wimbledon end, it's been great to see it back this year, but I'm so glad to see the back of the Euros. The kneeling, virtue-signalling England team is in the final which means the entire country seems to have gone football crazy.

It's conveniently forgotten that 1) They haven't actually won anything yet and 2) They're in the final thanks to an own goal from Denmark and a penalty which should never have been given! I saw a short video after the match. Honestly, a two-year-old in a tantrum could throw himself to the floor more convincingly than Raheem Sterling did in his quest for a penalty. He went down like he'd been shot! It was shameful.

There's still time for England to lose the final, though. I won't be watching but I'll wear blue on Sunday in support of Italy. Forza Azzuri!

As previously mentioned, I made some strawberry jam this week - the smell emanating from the kitchen was intoxicating. I had to purchase the strawberries, our ones from the garden are over now sadly, but it's still so much better than any you can buy. I can really recommend this recipe if you like a soft-set jam (ooh, I do!)

A supply of scones and fresh bread may well be imminently needed!

Sunday, bloody Sunday

It's Sunday. MPs love Sundays, it means they can go on Andrew Marr's show and sound like they know what they're talking about... even though they don't. Today's nonsense was all about keeping us dangling regarding the restrictions; will we still have to social-distance and wear masks or will we finally be allowed to act like adults and exercise personal choice? Tune in next week, children, to hear what Uncle Boris has to say.

They can't see the stupidity of all this and they're still trying to have it both ways. If the vaccine works, why do we need masks and distancing - if the masks and distancing work, why do we need vaccines? It's a conundrum for them and clearly one which they're not going to address. 

The other main news today is football related. I like football, I've been a fan for as long as I can remember - in my youth I stood on the terraces with my Dad watching West Ham (standing...those were the days!) - but the current euphoria over England reaching the semi-finals of the delayed Euro 2020 leaves me stone cold. I haven't watched a single match involving England.

Why? Well, it's because of this 'taking the knee' malarkey. I don't care what teams from other countries do but I find it offensive to see people wearing an England shirt, representing this country, making a political point. If you want to be a politician, get yourself elected and become an MP. A football pitch is no place for politics.

I'll be hoping our team of virtue-signalling, millionaire hypocrites get knocked out when they play again on Wednesday. Come on, Denmark!

In gardening news, our strawberries have sadly failed us this year - it's just not been the right weather... too cold and wet at the wrong times. We've had some... well, a few, to eat with yogurt and meringues, but there won't be anywhere near enough for jam. Looks like I'll be buying in supplies if I want to get the jam pan out. I also think our plum trees may fall short this year; again... it's the blasted weather.

On the other hand - the rhubarb is still growing like crazy and the beetroots and onions are looking great. I could always make chutney instead of jam, I suppose?