The Pandemic
2020
2020, what a year it has been! As of March 23rd, the country went into lockdown, due to a pandemic virus called Covid19! By May 10th, the restrictions started to lift, and gradually over the coming months the restrictions were further lifted. Then on November 5th we went into our second lockdown.
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Due to family health issues (clinically low immunity), we as a family have stayed at home since March 19th. I have been furloughed from work since this date. Although work wanted me back on November 2nd, they have been wonderful in being understanding and supportive to our situation.
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At the start of the first lockdown, my daughter gave birth to my first granddaughter Lily Mae, but because of this pandemic, I have yet to meet her! I have seen her on video chat, but it is not the same!
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Also, due to the pandemic, I have not been for any walks, or had much chance to take photos, my photography has been limited to our back garden, taking photos of birds, flowers, and the moon.
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The only plus side to this year (other than the birth of Lily Mae), is we finally managed to move to a new house!
Although I am not now due back to work until March 1st, 2021, with vaccines on the horizon, we are hoping 2021 will be a better year, and the start of getting back to some sort of normality.
2021
So, my hopes for 2021 did not fully materialize.
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On January 4th, the whole of the UK has gone into a full lockdown! I have expected this due to lockdown rules being relaxed for over the Christmas period! There is also a new strain of Covid19 doing the rounds! This pandemic has shown peoples true colours, i.e., they are very selfish! People not staying at home, or not wearing masks when they should, of when they do, they do not wear them correctly, people meeting up when they should not, not keeping their distance! There are a lot of people out there, that say there is no pandemic, that it is just made up to manipulate people for some hidden agender! These people are just prolonging the lockdown! I hate this world at times!
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On the plus side, on April 5th, 1 year and 17 days I returned to work! It was good to be back, but it took me a couple of days to get back into the swing of things! For the first time in over a year, I thought just maybe everything would start to get back to some sort of normality. I had hopes of going to visit my granddaughter for the first time, and I also got the news my daughter Kirsty was pregnant again! Grace was born on 23rd August.
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Due to other strains of Covid19, we as a family are not going out unnecessarily, although Covid19 rules have been relaxed even further, people seem to think that Covid19 has been eradicated, and therefore not being as cautious as they should be.
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I have had the two vaccines and recently had my booster jab, but I still do not feel safe going anywhere unnecessarily, this includes going to visit my daughters and granddaughters, as upsetting as this is, I need to think about the health of my family here in Leeds and my family in Andover.
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Football grounds are now back to full capacity (which when I am watching a game, I enjoy the atmosphere which was missing when the games were played behind closed doors, but saying that, I do not agree with it! A good majority of the fans are not wearing face masks and those that are, are not wearing them correctly). Music events have started up again, and as much as I would like to see some of my favourite groups play, I would not feel safe being in an enclosed environment with so many people with almost all of them not wearing a face mask. I would not go even if they all wore face masks!
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We as a family, still sanitise anything that enters the house, we cannot afford to be complacent with this virus!
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I would like to take this time to thank the NHS and any volunteers for their challenging work during this pandemic. They have always been overworked and underpaid, and I am sad to say, I do not think even after all their challenging work, they will not get paid what they deserve.
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Non pandemic related, I managed to break my big toe on my left foot while at work on 3rd November, so I have now been off work for another 5 weeks! I managed to run my foot over with a pedestrian forklift! I have around thirty plus years of using fork trucks of various sizes and this is the first accident I have had with one! Oh, the shame of it!
2022
Leading up to 2022, we had a new variant of Covid 19 called Omicron! Scotland, Ireland & Wales initiated tougher restrictions over Christmas and the New Year, while England brought in less strict restrictions.
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After the New Year, in England, the Omicron variant has taken hold, London being the worst effected in the 1st few days of the new year. Hospitals and NHS staff being overwhelmed to the point military medical staff were drafted in to help out.
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The effect of the Omicron variant in London has now eased, but it has now spread north. Having the same effect on hospitals & NHS staff as it did in London.
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People would rather take the risk of catching Covid 19 so they can go out and enjoy them selves at New Year parties and meeting family over Christmas & New Year.
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It annoys me that people can be so selfish! I still have not had the chance to meet either of my 2 granddaughters, let alone see my daughters! I will not take the chance of me catching it or passing it on to loved ones! If I passed it onto any of my family,I would be mortified!
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STAY INDOORS IF YOU CAN. WORK FROM HOME IF YOU CAN.
IF YOU CAN'T THEN WEAR A MASK AND KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
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The sooner people tak this onboard, then the sooner we maybe able to get back to some sort of normallity.
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I heard of pub and resturant owners complaining of the reduced numbers of customers with the new guidelines. To me, they should think of the bigger picture (keeping people safe). They are still earning with reduced numbers of customers, if the new guidlines are not in place, and the infection rate spirals, then they cold be looking at another complete lockdown, which would mean NO CUSTOMERS and maybe their bussiness having to close down for good!
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We all have to make some sort of sacrifice!
2023
2023 has seen the country getting back to some sort of normallity, the wearing of face masks is now a personnel choice. I still wear mine at work and going into shops! I have had takeaway meals and had coffee from a coffee shop, all this I have missed for 3 years, it seemed so strange to be able to do this the first time! I am still not going to gigs/concerts held indoors though. Covid rates are no where near as high as they have been, but there is the odd spike in cases, I don't think it will ever go away, it will be a more severe version of the common cold, turning up every year.