Morning all

[ricohchezwasp]

Quite late in the day to this thread but first and foremost i wish everyone and their families a safe navigation through these troubled times.

It been a funny year, turning 60 and thinking perhaps i should retire and bugger off to Spain........


Then the Local council decided they would like to licence my dog boarding business, lots of stupid rules that make no real sense, but a real prospect that they would completely scupper a very successful business..... Perhaps I should just retire and bugger off to Spain........

Anyway lots of paperwork and procedures later, a concerted effort to restructure my business for the new dawn, an application for a licence sent to Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Council in February , and so far diddly squat in return,  i guess right now they have something else more important but pretty sure they have not gone to Spain!!

So after a lovely week in Turkey whilst the country went into loo roll panic i arrived back about 12 days ago to a very different world.......

Within 7 days  my weekly income had dropped to my daily income, and 5 days later my daily income is now my first walk of the day income..... thankfully whilst been dumped unceremoniously by most, a few did offer a retainer which i refused,  i am left with 3 dogs collected daily in the safest possible way, no human contact and a short some might argue unnecessary trip although i can't actually do my job sitting on my backside at home.

All deposits for Future business either returned or set off against future boardings ... you don't shit on people when they are down....

Our first lockdown weekend allowed us to walk our own dog for 2-3 hours, although i am not sure he was that impressed!!

The biggest loss for me was not Rugby but Golf as last Tuesday they shut the course, whilst I understand the reasons , lets face it we are bombarded where ever we turn with Social Distancing Stay Home etc etc, with proper sensible policing (quite difficult with the average UK citizen) the course could have stayed open in my view. No club House no pro shop and family golf could have been quite safe and nit that busy cos all the oldies would be at home so that about 50% of the membership.

So how am I finding "Lockdown" .... to be honest I am quite enjoying it, I am currently creating a "CoronaFuckit" list of things to do, helpful that a) I live in the countryside b) the wife is still on full Pay so ... we can get by  c) the government handout in June and delay of my half year tax Bill, Porsche Service ouchee !! and MOT on Dog Car means I can be totally reckless in the short term and die by the sword in the future...... or I can listen to the long suffering Michelle (wife partner and best friend for 36 years.... ..........fat chance.

Most importantly for the first few days of lockdown i had my Son Alex a serving Policeman in TVP and my Daughter Olivia home from Uni, short lived as Alex moved house last Thursday and there was a certain amount of relief, that a)  it happened and b) he meets some right dodgy sorts in Front line policing and privately we miss him but also we don't want to catch anything off him either. So I have it easy two grown up children two isolated wrinklies fairly safe in the local village and lots of time on my hands.... you'd think, time to binge on Netflix eat loads of bad food and turn into a right lazy git.

But you'd be wrong, still getting up ridiculously early, partly because Shiloh my dog has a built in Alarm clock that goes off at 6 every morning. Coupled with that, every bloody job that we have put off because we are too busy !!! has now been added to my Fuckit list and thank god for that .... So far we have created the base for the new shed, arriving in two weeks, cleared out the garage, dismantling all sorts of metal and wood framework, spent a few quid on retail therapy shed, sand paving slabs golf practice net, new golf bag for wife , Ping Driver, its not all doom and gloom you know.  The question now is can I fit a Golf Studio in my garage, first world problems but I can only deal with what is in my control. and despite the horrible nature of the Pandemic, the mounting deaths and misery for many we all have to make the best of the situation however we can, because some time not very soon .......the Rat Race will begin again, People will return to being sh!t with one another , Planes will fly (hopefully to Spain... I have my reasons) and life will continue....

My dog business will return to hound me, lets face it all my customers will need a holiday, so not desperately worried on that front... as for the rugby season i think it should end now with Saracens relegated, Newcastle Promoted and as we are in 5th place qualification for top tier of European Rugby.




To Quote the Sergeant in Hill Street Blues "lets be careful out there"

Cheers Richard

[Heathen]

I was going to suggest private prescription. Glad it worked out. I ordered my meds recently and the pharmacist kindly bumped me up the waiting list. Worst week in 32 years, or so he said. I can believe him.

Had an interesting message from a friend who lives in Fulmer - essentially the adjacent village to Gerrards X. Her neighbour owns a chain of pharmacies and said that we get any supply issues in the future to let him know. Nice to have friends!

[Chilham]

... To Quote the Sergeant in Hill Street Blues "lets be careful out there"

Cheers Richard

Was thinking about you the other day.  Good to hear from you.  Stay well.

[ricohchezwasp]

yes pretty well considering, having reached 60 now provided me with free prescriptions if i need any and a free bowel cancer testing kit which came back yesterday negative, the NHS are doing wonders in the circumstances.

today excitement revolves around the arrival of a water softener engineer, my March Billing, considerably less than usual !! My April Schedule, that should take two minutes unless lockdown ceases and clearing my office oh the joy.  None the less a still have my rose tinted glasses which i wore through 16 years of watching Wasps to see me through the Pandemic

take care and hope to see you all soon

R

[welsh wasp]

Prescriptions: In response to several comments. I order my repeats through on-line Patient Access; my Berkhamsted GP group approves and a couple of days later the items arrive at the local pharmacy. Am currently co-isolating with a friend near Welwyn Garden City. Called her local pharmacy and was transferred nice & smoothly to delivery from them after my Berkhamsted GP practice approve my request. Other practices must use them so check it out.

Healthwise - aged 76 and type 2 diabetes so have to take care - and keep away from passer-bys. Walk each morning (with dog) to community shop; walk each afternoon (with dog) as the daily exercise. This village and Welywn GC are exceptionally quiet so have to shout across the road to talk to anyone around. Dog-lead just long enough to keep him 2 meters away too. People are very aware of need to keep a distance from others.

Charity Work: Chair Board of Watford Workshop - 80 people with learning disabilities and a few with physical and also profound deafness. Funded by Government, donations and commercial contracts - the last category is now falling so trying to find other businesses who might be wiling to take on some of our people on a temporary basis. If anybody lives in this area and needs temps, get in touch. We have two graduates with sight problems who came to us to work on our assembly lines. Great at social media so they are now working on fundraising. YES - this is an advertisement for them because we want them to move into open employment despite the great contribution they are making for us.

ZOOM: Check it out if you haven't already. Used it for a Board meeting with 9 people through the kindness of a local business. Great success and am learning more tomorrow. Also great for families who are keeping away from children but want to see them!