I got up late today, then went back to bed. This is not a good thing to do really, because it makes the day even shorter than it would have been if I had got up early.
As with the rest of us, worry and boredom come in waves. This whole business has become an epic endurance test for everyone. It's not just a matter of survival, it is survival on every level. The new strain has turned a bad situation into something more like a science fiction story. Let's hope it has a happy ending and let's hope it ends by the predicted time.
Green Eyes is now trapped in London, where she is a Neo-Natal nurse. She is with her boyfriend, so that is good. Her mother did consider driving into the outskirts to pick her up, but then - like a lot of people - decided against it. The reasoning was that everyone else in the household has had Covid and come out the other side, and G..E. herself has had the vaccine. I learned today that the police are going to use the number plate recognition cameras to catch people coming and going, so she has probably avoided a hefty fine as well as doing the right, moral thing. Our Christmas present from the whole family is also trapped in London, but I don't care about that!
One thing this whole business has taught me is that it is a waste of time to make plans. I have been making plans for work since last Winter, and they have all come to nought. You might as well buy a lottery ticket.
There is a funny statistic (you would think I have had enough of statistics) which says that you stand more chance of dying on the way to buy a lottery ticket than you do of winning the lottery itself. Despite this knowledge and with Samuel Johnson's views on the subject ringing in my ears, I bought a lottery ticket last Saturday.
I say Saturday, but in fact I chose the numbers for the Wednesday draw, but did not buy the ticket until Saturday.
I wondered how the chances would be altered by changing the day of the draw without changing the numbers. The answer is, of course, they would not change at all.
I must be superstitious, because I have not dared to look at last Wednesday numbers in case they matched my Saturday ticket. What are the chances of that? No answers, please.
The picture is of Samuel Johnson checking the lottery results.
ReplyDeleteIn his case it would be re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-checking them.
DeleteYou need to explain that to me.
DeleteWhat I mean is that I need it explaining.
DeleteWhen the lottery was in its infancy I played a cruel trick on a friend. We were sitting at her kitchen table and I was facing her notice board on which was pinned her lottery numbers. She asked me whether I had seen the results show as she'd forgotten to buy a ticket. I asked casually whether she used the same numbers every week and she said she did. I said I HAD seen the show and put a look of deep concentration on my face as one by one I read out the numbers pinned on the board - I had to stop after 5 as I thought she was going to faint. This was back in 1997-ish. We're still friends.
ReplyDeleteThat's wicked!
DeleteMy god! That is verging on evil.
DeleteYou will never win it unless you have a ticket. We have the occasional punt and so far have won two £10 prizes in about twenty years. On both occasions it was the only cash in the house when the milkman called for his money.
ReplyDeleteI won £25 once.
DeleteSo if you bought the ticket on Saturday it would be for Saturday's draw or, if marked Wednesday, it would be for next Wednesday, so no worries. Or I don't understand what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to explain it any differently.
DeleteI'm sorry about your Christmas plans. I think everyone is a little broken hearted about their dashed Christmas plans in your country. Here, things are dire enough that we simply made no plans to begin with. I really, really hope this is winding down. It is hard to tell from the foxhole, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt is for the fox.
DeleteI would not have looked at those numbers either, Tom -- I don't call that superstitious but wise.
ReplyDeleteThe situation in GB - as I see it on TV - is even worse than in Berlin - and as G.E. is trapped in London I am glad that she has her boyfriend with her.
My whole planner for the year 2020 is a joke: I worked out meticulous plans who helped when to support my daughter-in-love and my son with the triplets -- I haven't seen them since February.
The Flying Dutchman has managed to come to Berlin - had to stay 10 days in quarantine - which he did -- and when he goes back to the Netherlands in January he has to stay another 10 days in quarantine there. I am glad not to be alone under the Christmas tree.
I wish for all of us a happy new year - and refuse to make any major plans.
Thank you for recalling memories: I visited the Dr. Johnson's House in London.
DeleteAnd Germany was doing so well. Things change fast.
DeleteYou are so right, an endurance test for sure. What plans? We seem to all be improvising... The new normal, for now.
ReplyDeletePlan B, C, D, E....
DeleteI’m doing that Tom, getting up , walking the dogs then going back to bed........
ReplyDeleteNot good
It's something we dream of doing in the winter, like hibernating, but when we have the opportunity it doesn't seem so attractive.
DeleteI feel like the odd one out living my life nearly as normal.
DeleteThe difference is that you are retired.
DeleteOh, is that what it is.
DeletePerhaps 2 x # of nos.
ReplyDeleteIs this a clue?
DeleteOur only big "win" was on the Premium Bonds, where we did once manage a nice surprise of a cheque arriving for £10,000. We now only manage the odd £25 once in a while, but whose complaining!
ReplyDeleteI once won a fiver on the Grand National.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about the waves of worry. I'm too busy to be bored, though.