Jabs, GPs... and Dinner

I'm not a woman who is generally lost for words but this headline a couple of days ago managed to leave me floundering.

"Double jabbed people are catching Covid and passing it on to those they live with"...! 

So what's the point of having the bloody stuff, then? Why on earth are they still falling for this crap? 

How can people be double jabbed and having 'boosters' (they're not actually boosters btw, they're another dose of the same jab that didn't work the first two times!) and yet they're still frightened of catching Covid, still masked up and still avoiding crowded places?!

Unless folk start to think for themselves it'll go on forever.

I had another experience of our 'wonderful' NHS yesterday. I had a face-to-face appt with Dr Z (oooh, lucky me!) I turned up at the right time... no Dr Z. "He's not in today but we've put you in to see Dr A". Not a phone call to ask me if I minded or if I'd like to re-book, just that attitude from the receptionist that I was damned lucky to be seen by anyone at all! 

Unsurprisingly, I said "No, thank you" and came home after a completely wasted journey. Will I see Dr Z at some point? Who knows... who cares? Well, certainly not the ill-mannered Rottweiler on reception, that's for sure. 

I sometimes wonder if they go on special training courses to teach them how to treat patients with complete disdain, while managing to stay just the right side of out-and-out rudeness. It's a skill few people have; GP receptionists have it in spades....

Having made some Butternut and Carrot soup last week, I still had half a large squash looking for a home. Thought I might have a go at this Gratin recipe for dinner today. I'll post a pic if it looks presentable!

Well, here it is... tonight's dinner as mentioned above. It was really tasty, I recommend it, definitely one to make again.

I made a couple of changes; I really don't like kale - horrible chewy stuff - so I replaced it with chopped leeks which I roasted with the squash... and I cut the recipe down by about two thirds for just the two of us. If four people were going to eat the original dish, I can only say they must have gigantic appetites!

Apropos of nothing, I absolutely hate that white baking dish but it's the only one I have that works for two servings - I curse the day I decided not to buy a beautiful discontinued Le Creuset dish in last year's sale!

Plan B or is it C?

Just when I thought the Covid madness was dying down a bit, up jumps an idiot MP to stir the pot again and keep it on the boil. And this time he's threatening us... "Get jabbed or we'll have to bring in Plan B". 

Ooh, isn't he manful?! A word of advice Saj, don't threaten me matey, you're stepping well beyond your remit... and your competency.

Plan C is apparently "under discussion", whereby households would be banned from mixing. Not for me, Saj; you can call it any Plan you like, I will not be taking part in any more of this nonsense. I will not endure another Christmas like last year.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see another lockdown before Christmas. The power and control has gone to their heads - they're determined not to let it go. 

Mind you, I've seen many people online clamouring for mask wearing and other restrictions to be brought back, so I suppose they'd be quite happy with another lockdown. Clearly, the fear narrative peddled by Govt for the last 20 months is still working. I'm sorry they're so frightened but they really do need to start thinking for themselves at some point; it'd also be a good idea to do some research of their own and stop listening to BBC News.

Maybe they could start with thinking about how their jabs, which they were so keen to have, are now affording them minimal protection against the thing they fear most...

The weather has turned really chilly - I actually had to wear a coat when we went for a walk earlier. I had a butternut, sweet potatoes, carrots and leeks delivered earlier today. I can feel a soup-making session coming on!

Bowl of soup, chunk of cheese and some crusty ciabatta = happy days!

Tennis (again) and Christmas

Blimey, there must be something in the water the British tennis players are drinking - we were waiting for someone to come along and pick up where Andy Murray left off and it looks like we've found him. Step forward, Cam Norrie!

Cam did something last night that no other British man has done by winning the Indian Wells 1000... well done, that man!

Sadly, I didn't see the match - the time difference between California and the UK put paid to that; at my age I need my beauty sleep (not that it's helping much!)

Predictably, I've seen people online saying "He isn't a Brit" and "I find it hard to accept he's British"...! Why not enjoy a British sporting achievement and stop being so miserable, mean-spirited and wrong? His parents are British but he was born while they were living and working in South Africa - how much more British would they like him to be, for god's sake?!

I've started putting a few bits and pieces by for Christmas; had a lovely delivery from The Bay Tree last week - I could easily become addicted to their Marinated Figs, but I only buy one jar a year and eat them sparingly in the run-up to the big day. Now, that's what I call being strong-willed!

The family will be here for Christmas Eve, as they usually are (I will never forgive Boris for last year, curse him), Nut Roast Wellington with all the trimmings has been requested, so that's what we'll be having. I can't wait, last year was absolute torture.

Covid's still with us - well, it is with some people, not with me. If it wasn't for the unrelenting scare stories dreamt up by the media I wouldn't be taking any notice of it. It's become a bit of a non-event. Unsurprisingly, though, I've just seen a piece saying the situation is "concerning" and the "NHS will come under pressure this winter". Quelle surprise!

OK... When has there been a winter where the NHS hasn't been under pressure? When has there been a winter where the NHS has been able to cope? Why hasn't the NHS ever got any better at coping despite the vast sums of money thrown at it? All excellent questions, none of which will ever be addressed by the Govt... and that, ladies and gentlemen, is where the problem lies.

I thank you.

I'm worried

No, not about Covid. I'm worried about people's compliance, their response to this madness.

If you go onto any chat forum, as I sometimes do, it seems that everyone is perfectly OK with being double (or even triple!) jabbed; OK with LFT testing if they're seeing their friends or family; OK with still wearing a mask and social distancing even though these are no longer mandated and OK with having NHS apps on their phones. They send off for tests and marvel at how easy and efficient it all is - they don't see anything wrong in this. They think it's normal... whereas I think they're insane.

And this is what worries me. How far will they go in their compliance? How onerous do the restrictions have to be before they question it? When do they say "No, I'm not doing this"?

I once said if people were told to stand on one leg and wear mismatched socks to combat Covid, they would. I'm still convinced of that....

Just look at the situation in Canada and Australia - they've ramped up the rules to the point where people are unable to work without being jabbed; they can't board a plane or a train. If that happens here will people still be compliant? Covid passes for large events and nightclubs are already in place in Wales - are they coming to England?

We're thankfully not as far down the road as the Canadians and Australians, but we soon will be if people here keep bowing down to all the "Covid-safe" drivel. It's the willingness to do as they're told by Boris that allows this nonsense to continue. No need to make a song and dance about it, but if they quietly started behaving normally Covid would rapidly become just another virus. Because, make no mistake, their behaviour right now is not normal and should never become so.

I despair, I really do.

On a brighter note, the lovely lady on the checkout in M&S this morning gave me a bunch of flowers. How nice was that? I had a browse of a few Christmas items - I'll start buying some bits and pieces soon.