My friends Emma and Julian cried tears of joy when they got their jabs yesterday, apparently they've already started doing the over 40s where she lives in Dorset. My sister had hers last Thursday and my boss had her 2nd jab yesterday. My friends Nat and Matt have had theirs, but that's because they have been volunteering at a vaccination centre. In fact loads of people I know have now had their jabs. The only ones that have had any kind of adverse reaction to it seem to be people that have previously contracted Covid. Nat had severe aches, fever and sweating over night then just woke up with fatigue. She's fine now though.
After having a cocktail Zoom with the girls last night one of them informed me that she had been told that Wales will be starting to invite the over 50s as of April 10th. That's if we don't get delayed due to the problems in the supply chain. Apparently there will be vaccine shortages as of next month as India has a surging demand at home and will be exporting less of the Oxford/AstraZeneca than anticipated. Great!!
Meanwhile my Dad suddenly thinks he's invincible just because he's had his first jab and has been visiting friends and family and even took a friend the the eye hospital in Liverpool last week. I said 'Well, as long as you both wear your masks for the journey that's fine'. He said 'Am I buggery!'. Well, there you go then. You can't tell a 79 year old man what to do. He's always been stubborn.
Deaths, admissions and cases are still decreasing here, but the schools went back last week so there's bound to be a blip soon. Apparently there are little hotspots of infections popping up in Merthyr Tydfil that are being blamed on people socialising in each others homes. Morons.
There was another big anti-lockdown protest in London yesterday. Nat says she came across it whilst cycling round Hyde Park. She asked the police what is for and said that they all looked like they were cross-eyed with extra fingers (the protestors not the police that is!)
Paris has been plunged back into a month long lockdown and cases are surging in Spain and Italy as fears of a 3rd wave are being touted. Yet people appear to be desperate to go on holiday abroad this year. Bonkers. I've just cancelled my Scotland trip - again. I've put it back to April 2022 as I see no point in shuffling it back again then having to cancel again.
Some festivals are purportedly going ahead and Leeds and Reading sold out in minutes. That's the LAST place I'd be going, with or without a pandemic!
We've booked a caravan park in Shropshire for Dad's 80th. Hopefully that will go ahead in July.
My fence which was damaged in Storm Dennis just before lockdown 1 last year has now totally blown down. I've been trying to liaise with next door's landlord, but they aren't returning my call. Rocky has promised to come from West Wales and fix it once restrictions are eased.
The 'stay at home' restriction was lifted last Saturday and we are now able to travel up to 5 miles for exercise. I had my first bike ride of the year on Thursday. It was glorious. The sun was shining and I cycled up to Wenvoe and Dyffyrn and then down to Barry Island and had chips on the beach. It was freezing down there though, with a cold sea breeze, I couldn't feel my hands by the time I'd finished eating my chips. Came home and put my shorts in and sat in the garden eating an ice cream. Scorchio.
So, even though I've not had my jab and the date I may get it seems to be slipping further away the nights are getting lighter and the weather is getting warmer and for the first time in months I actually experience feelings of joy and happiness. It was very odd. I even felt light hearted, I'm telling you it's a strange feeling. I still think that we won't be doing 'normal' things until next year though, but if we can experience a little bit of normality, this year that will be a bonus. I can't wait to just pop to the shops for something that I need instead of waiting for my one weekly shop. I can't wait to go in without having to put on a mask and sanitise my hands at the entrance. I can't wait to smile and chat with other shoppers instead of trying to avoid them and tutting at them as they walk the wrong way down the one-way aisle. It's the little things!