Blogs

This web site had a technical problem and has been off air for a few weeks. I would like to congratulate those people who have been updating the blog and would like to fill in the recent gap.
The vaccination program is going very well (31-5 million to date) and older people are having their second jabs (5.4 million to date). As a result of this, and the lockdown, the death rate has gone down enormously an the seven day average death rate in England is now 248 per day. Schools reopened about 3 weeks ago and the lock down has been relaxed so that 6 people or two households can meet outside. Non-essential shops are still closed and we must wait another week, until 12th April, to see if they will re-open as planned,
The future of summer holidays is still uncertain as many overseas locations such as France, Spain, Italy and Germany are having another wave of the virus.,

Nothing much to report but the Society had introduced me to Zoom meetings because of the Covid lockdowns, and yesterday I took part in one hosted in Chicago Illinois USA with no difficulty.

Although the vaccination is progressing well the statistics remain sad and depressing. The cold, gloomy wet weather and continued lockdown make this a sombre period.

Received the first Pfizer Vaccination this morning at the Archers Practice Surgery. Very well organised.

Received the first Pfizer Vaccination this morning at the Archers Practice Surgery. Very well organised.

We are now in lockdown Tier 2. It makes very little difference.

The anti-virus vaccine has been licenced. It remains to be seen when it gets to Eastleigh. Thee are no suitable medical facilities in the Town.

Nothing to do with the virus, but I note that a four storey monstrosity out of keeping with the town centre is planned for the former Post Office site. It is the first move to obliterate the shopping area which is no longer needed when it is easier to get things on line.

Second Lockdown began today. Eastleigh very quiet but some non-food shops are open. I wonder if they are being"Donald Trump smart" and getting furlough pay as well as profits.

I have noticed that some very small children who are not required to wear face-masks are perfectly happy (and I suspect insist on)wearing face-masks. They want to imitate their parents. It is not until they become teenagers that they feel an urge to be different.

The television reporting is mischievous and trying to create problems. Much is made of the 'fact' that the messages of the Government are confusing. The weak Government has not noticed that if the Instructions for England were broadcast to England, and those to the devolved areas broadcast to their own regions there would be less confusion. Why are we told rules for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland one after another? We do not need so much irrelevant information. I suspect that, like me, most people just do what makes sense. Others just do as they like.

Doesn't time fly..
The hedgehog I photographed a few weeks ago has been run over by a car. There is no trace of the job-centre rabbits.
I have used buses, virtually empty to go over to Boyatt, blackberrying or to visit the lakes, but walked back.
Today I needed a longer walk so went over to Bitterne again,the black swans have cygnets now but they are brownish grey now. This time I felt more adventurous and continued along the river past Bitterne Railway Station and over into St Mary Extra Parish (Jesus Chapel on Pear Tree Green) and down towards Woolston so that I could get to Southampton over the Itchen Bridge. I knew where I was, but was theoretically lost because I did not know the names of the roads.I was right on course but thought it wise to get the bus back to Eastleigh.
Everyone on the bus wore masks but the Social distancing was woeful. For part of the journey it was not two metres but just half a metre away from other passengers, though not facing each other. I doubt if I caught the virus