My garden is overgrown, particularly the front hedge which is trees and bushes. The local council has sent me a warning letter to get it cut back in 14 days. But I’m physically not capable of doing it, I’m on a low income and my garden is a haven for birds, squirrels, sometimes hedgehogs and bats. I’m going to try and get it done, but will have to rely on friends as my hubby died 18 months ago.
What is worse is I struggle with anxiety and having a letter addressed to the both of us really upset me. I found myself crying on the phone to a council worker. It makes me feel like my heart is breaking. I just wish hubby was still here. Meanwhile I will try and plead for some more time.
The weather is set to be hot for the next few days, 30°C or 86°F. And the temperature will stay hot at night.
To some countries that is not bad, but here in the UK it’s unusual. We generally have humid weather, so it feels hotter than a dry atmosphere would..
We have a yellow warning covering most of England to say that elderly people or those with lots of co-morbidities should be careful. The weather is due to break down mid week and we can expect thunderstorms.
There is due to be an eclipse in North America tomorrow and some strange things are being written by people about it. Anyone would think it had never happened before, when it’s a regular astronomical phenomenon.
We’ve had a couple in the UK over the last few decades and nothing bad happened, no ending of the world, no real catastrophes (except maybe Brexit!).
But humans are good at seeing portents. They tie religion to events and make up stories to fit the events. Centuries ago we could not predict the occurrence of eclipses and thought that things like dragons were swallowing the sun.
Some tips for viewing eclipses:
I viewed an eclipse in the UK in the 1990s by looking at its reflection in my car window as I had no viewing goggles. You can also see its reflection in water. And if you make a small hole in card or paper you can see multiple crescent moon shaped patterns on the surface it’s projected onto. (explanations of how to do this can be found on the net,) Remember DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN! Even approaching totality when the moon is covering the majority of the sun you can damage your sight. You can be blinded by the light from the sun including ultraviolet light that can burn your retina without you feeling it.
What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
Not this!
Yet again I have to be equivocal about this question. I mean I’m not deliberately being ambiguous, but there could be many answers depending on the person, their age, sex, health and the place they are at.
1. Fresh water /food
If you are alone and outside away from people, for instance on a walk it’s a good idea to take supplies. I imagine I won’t be far from transport, but what happens if you get lost?
2. Spare clothes/groundsheet
If you are out and about and lost you might not be able to find shelter if the weather deteriorates or it gets dark. You might have to stay put, so having extra clothes and something to make into a shelter could save you from exposure. We went camping one Easter and I had to wear two pairs of trousers and three jumpers because of the cold!
3. A map
Learn to read maps, if your phone goes flat and you can’t charge it how do you find your location?
4. Medication?
Even if you don’t expect to be out all day and night it’s better to be prepared. The older you are the more likely you are to need medicine. Don’t ignore it, and if necessary take out travel insurance.
5. Car keys?
Yes if I take the car with me, and house keys.
6. Medical alert.
If you take some medications then you need to take warning notifications with you. Similarly if you are allergic to food colourings, bee and wasp stings, or antibiotics it’s worth letting people know!
I was writing about a budgie earlier and forgot to post what happened this evening.
I posted this information on the local neighbourhood watch page….. Watch out for someone looking over gates into gardens… I was watching TV when I saw, through the side window, a man leaning over our gate and looking into our garden. He was white, probably in his forties, with dark balding hair and about Six feet tall, wearing a dark shirt and trousers. My husband went after him and caught up with him up the hill. He asked what he was looking at and the man said he’d been looking at my husbands new motorbike (it’s very old and tatty) because his sons Honda motorbike had recently been stolen. He apologised and then they spotted the budgie, (another story). BUT, we have no proof that the man was telling the truth, so I’ve drawn the short straw to stay up and listen out. And the motorbike is chained with two chains to a ground anchor, the gate is padlocked and chained. So the man hadn’t better bother to come back! Now! Someone or something has knocked over the milk bottles by our gate so I took a walking stick with me opened the front door and shouted ‘what you doing’ to the street in general. Looked up and down, can’t see anyone. After the motorbike theft in March I’m a bit nervous!
Today’s band of sketchers prompt is warning… So I drew something but it was wrong the traffic lights are in the middle of the road. .. So I turned it into another cartoon. Warning! Traffic light in wrong place! A bit bonkers today I know… Made with post it notes and felt pen.
Bad bad people 😡😡😡 ………And so it begins!……
‘Good afternoon I’m calling from the NHS track and trace service. According to our system, you are likely to have been in close proximity to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. This means that you now need to self-isolate for 7 days and take a COVID-19 test.’
‘OK. Can you tell me who that person was?’
‘I’m not able to tell you that. That is confidential information.’
‘Right. Um… so ….’
‘But you do need to be tested within the next 72 hours. So can I just get the best mailing address so that we can send a kit to you?’
‘Ok (gives address)’
I just need to take a payment card so that we can finalize this and send the kit to you.’
‘Sorry – a payment card? I thought this was all free?’
‘No – I’m afraid not. There is a one-off fee of £50 for the kit and test results. Could you read off the long card number for me, please, when you’re ready.’
‘No – that’s not right. This is part of the NHS so there’s no charge.’
‘I’m afraid there is. Can you give me the card number please – this is very important, and there are penalties for not complying.’
Puts the phone down.
This is how scammers work. And vulnerable people will fall for it.”
Don’t fall for it…!
Please share.
COPY and PASTE
Just a warning for everyone in the UK, be careful don’t fall for it, stay safe
Mallaband-Brown 