Town was busier this Saturday morning than last, even though the picture below doesn't show it. We suspect this was simply because people continue to ensure they have their essentials and it was this that was driving business. And, the prime ministers directive yesterday on café and pubs probably galvanised people into action.
One thing that certainly wasn't busy was the cafés. Chatwin's had a large sign on its door reminding everyone that a takeaway service continued. Costa had been doing the same for a few days. Gail's, on the other hand, had pulled down the blinds.
Meanwhile, food and groceries are gradually running down (though there was no queue outside Tesco at 7.45 today). People will buy anything and even the Ruthin Wholefood's sauerkraut had disappeared. With pubs closing, alcohol will no doubt be next to disappear. Last weekend, we bought three bags of sugar and it prompted the woman in the queue behind us to comment, "Is sugar getting short?" We had simply bought it to make some raspberry jam, to clear some space in our freezer. This weekend, sugar's vanished.
I am now self-isolating. It seems like the best policy, all things considered. My reports on this blog now rely on secondhand information, although I am taking exercise nice and early, before people are around. It's light before 6a.m., after all.
Family news. Yesterday, a close elderly relative had to get to hospital. There were no emergency ambulances available that morning. Given there were more serious problems around and probably a shortage of crews, we all had to accept this. By the evening, medical advice had not changed and we did get an ambulance. The problem, of course, is that now we have someone in hospital. It's impossible for his wife to visit, because of her own age and her need to self-isolate. Hospitals are nevertheless admitting visitors by limiting the number and keeping the time to 15 minutes.
And we also heard this morning that an elderly relative had died. This was not coronavirus related. She'd been in hospital for two weeks. She was a churchgoer but there can be no funeral service. In fact, her local crematorium has directed that only five people shall attend—and that includes an officiant. These are just some of the impacts on daily lives we now see and endure.
One thing that certainly wasn't busy was the cafés. Chatwin's had a large sign on its door reminding everyone that a takeaway service continued. Costa had been doing the same for a few days. Gail's, on the other hand, had pulled down the blinds.
Meanwhile, food and groceries are gradually running down (though there was no queue outside Tesco at 7.45 today). People will buy anything and even the Ruthin Wholefood's sauerkraut had disappeared. With pubs closing, alcohol will no doubt be next to disappear. Last weekend, we bought three bags of sugar and it prompted the woman in the queue behind us to comment, "Is sugar getting short?" We had simply bought it to make some raspberry jam, to clear some space in our freezer. This weekend, sugar's vanished.
I am now self-isolating. It seems like the best policy, all things considered. My reports on this blog now rely on secondhand information, although I am taking exercise nice and early, before people are around. It's light before 6a.m., after all.
Family news. Yesterday, a close elderly relative had to get to hospital. There were no emergency ambulances available that morning. Given there were more serious problems around and probably a shortage of crews, we all had to accept this. By the evening, medical advice had not changed and we did get an ambulance. The problem, of course, is that now we have someone in hospital. It's impossible for his wife to visit, because of her own age and her need to self-isolate. Hospitals are nevertheless admitting visitors by limiting the number and keeping the time to 15 minutes.
And we also heard this morning that an elderly relative had died. This was not coronavirus related. She'd been in hospital for two weeks. She was a churchgoer but there can be no funeral service. In fact, her local crematorium has directed that only five people shall attend—and that includes an officiant. These are just some of the impacts on daily lives we now see and endure.