Lockdown day 1 – Walks and shopping.

Back area this morning.

Took Benji out this morning for a district walk  and, since I decided on a rest from the last few days, I had him out in the stroller. The reason for the District walk and not the Wetlands, was that my son borrowed my car yesterday. He called me to say that his brakes needed attention and  he had to get to work. He returned the car just before 10:30 this morning. I  told him that  we had a medical appointment at 11:30. While he was here there was a NEWSFLASH – as from 6PM this evening South Australia will go into lockdown. Yes there have only been five cases but we know how quickly it can spread so mandatory masks  immediately and the lockdown for  a minimum of seven days. After 6pm we are to stay indoors unless out for essential reasons. Not really very sure – is walking the dog an essential reason??  I think so but does the State Government?  o:)  Well, apparently so. – exercise is a valid reason for leaving the house.. However, there are restrictions  : I can travel no more than 2.5 kilometres and the wetlands is more than 7.5 klms. away.  I can exercise only once a day outside and for no more than 90 minutes, so taking him on a district walk  is about 40 minutes. This means that  I am well within the area and time limits for two walks – and I have to wear a mask outside – easy. The sunrise at the back area  was really great and I was a bit miffed that I could not get down to the Wetlands this morning because the sunrise there would have been spectacular.

Of course it will mean a lot of changes within the State and for some businesses it might just be too much and they will not reopen. The Flight Centre in the Shopping Centre is a good example. When all this is over I think we will be looking at a fair number of tax increases to pay off the damage (financial) that covid-19  has cost the world-wide economy. Of course, it’s not all bad. I am feeling very self-indulgent these days. With a massive harvest and  nowhere to sell them, there are  Avocado’s by the bucketload available in the

Part of the Main Entrance at Flinders.

supermarkets right now, with the prices as low in some shops as 65cents. Generally though $1. Anyway, that’s all very well,  but I have to tell you that smashed Avocado on toast for lunch is quite nice.

Annabell saw her doctor yesterday and I was called in halfway through the consult. I was called in because the information that was required was in my Filofax. It turns out that

Feeling a tad indulgent

Flinders had not been keeping Annabell’s doctor up to date and informed of what was happening. He knew nothing about the MRI and I had the dates, times and the appointment letter in my  diary. Once he had that information, he called Flinders and asked why he had not been kept informed and what this  MRI was for.  Seems that there was nothing wrong with the X-rays and everything is in place. The purpose of the MRI is to determine that the  cancer is still where it was first  detected and has not grown nor moved any.. If it has I think surgery may be suggested, but that’s a decision Annabell has to make.

As usual in this part of the world, mention the word  close or even Long Weekend and people panic buy. Throw the word Lockdown into the mix and the result is chaos. According to reports and  news, less than two hours after the Premier used the word Lockdown ( there I said it again) and shelves in the supermarket were being emptied of stock. People must be expecting to use the toilet a lot since the toilet paper shelf was emptied, despite the Premier and the Supermarket owners telling everyone not to  hoard or panic buy because we have plenty of stock and it’s not necessary – they did anyway.

Elections, Clowns and back to Adelaide.

Just under two weeks left in campaigning for the Federal  General Election.  We have compulsory voting in Australia and I have to say that I have found the campaigning to be very underwheleming. All the parties have been very luck-luster and I think most people are fed up and just want the election to be over. Already we are $300 Billion in debt and one side are concerned whilst the other side are claiming that it’s nothing and a debt we can handle, so they keep adding to it. It’s like drug addicts ” It’s ok man, I can handle it” I dare say all the countries of Europe that are begging for  a bail out said pretty much the same thing, – Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and the British Economy is not in such great shape either – although it is starting to recover slowly. It was not so very long ago that Ireland was referred to as “The Celtic Tiger” because of the strength of its economy and  did like they all did, borrow and spend. I think the barrel they rolled out is missing quite a few staves. The best definiton of a politician that I like is “A politician is a person who sees the light at the end of the tunnel and goes out and buys more tunnel”

We have a nice new addition to our hospital – two new wings – and very impressive they are. This was all paid for by federal money, but here’s the thing – our State Government (Socialist) is also up to its eyes in debt and they haven’t got the money to staff the place. No idea what’s going to happen but I expect, now that it’s finished, they will have people come and open the place with great fanfare. It’s like something from ” Yes Minister”  In fact, now that I think of it, a British person reading this will probably think I have stolen it from “Yes Minister” but be assured I most certainly have not.

Tomorrow I head off to Adelaide again.  We have to be at a clinic  in North Adelaide. However my younger son will drive back home and the main reason for driving down and back is that we have a funeral to attend on Friday. Edwin was 100 years of age when he passed away last week – and he received his letter from the Queen.

Chienne. JPEG
Hi Daddy!!

We all have a special friend – someone we love dearly but can be a bit of a clown. You know the one – he/she is the friend who, when you take what  you think is the perfect shot with a camera – stick his/her tongue out. I have a friend like that – she’s called Chienne.

Less than a week to go and already there are predictions of a landslide against the present (caretaker) government, so, by this time next week we could well have a new government and a new Prime Minister.