Prepping for Pandemic... 14

[FuckThisWind]

OK folks, we have been prepping for a Pandemic for 13 threads now. And a Pandemic we now have.

I think we all know this has gone beyond prepping now. And most of us agree that the UK Government has not really stepped up to the mark. We have had shared advice here from our Italian residents and those in other countries who have taken much more stringent measures.

So this thread continues to be about us being prepared. But it is more than that. It is about support, sharing of information and advice. It is now a community. A community who acknowledged a long time ago that this was always 'Not Just The Flu'

I thank you one and all for being here. We have tough times ahead. But we are all still here. Please share, rant, whatever. The great thing about these threads is that they have always been supportive and non judgemental. I like to think it's a safe space for all of us who are concerned. And trying to do our best. For ourselves. For our loved ones. And for our community and beyond.

@NatoPMT I've missed what's happened with your neighbours, hope you're ok? Could be stress, this is the 'only' thing I'm stressed about at the mo, but it's still a pretty big stressor :-\

Morning all.

It feels so contradictory, not being able to take DC off school in case of a fine but being told to self isolate if they have any symptoms. A lot of parents send their children to school when they are ill normally, to the extent that I have genuinely only kept my DC home when they are too poorly to go in, and been sent a warning letter about their attendance in the past. I just can't see most people keeping their children off.

I was in a large Tesco this morning at 5.30am doing my final big shop. Apparently they haven't had toilet paper and paracetamol in for the last two days. Last time they had it in, stock was run down in minutes.

I really wanted to keep my DC off today, but they were keen to go in because they enjoy school!

@NatoPMT Sorry about your sore neck and the neighbours .I had the dizzy spells day before yesterday and it’s because of stress (I’m trying to catch more sleep)
For your second post - wouldn’t blame them, they did what they were told to but they have lost the people’s confidence I guess

@Pebble21uk First time I am hearing it from a teacher that they want the schools to close too . We need more people like you.

Preach it @inmylifeilovedthemall 👏

I grow a lot of veg and fruit, and use the dehydrator to store lots of it rather than freezing. Which leaves space in the freezers for other stuff.
So, I dehydrate toms, peppers, mushrooms, green beans, onions, leeks, all sorts of top and soft fruit (raspberries are very good) I buy in bananas when on offer and make dried banana chips (yum)

Tomatoes dehydrate well, those expensive sun dried tomatoes in oil? Dehydrate halved cherry tomatoes, store in clean, dry airtight container (I use kilner jars, because I have lots) then take out quantity wanted, pour a little boiling water over them to rehydrate and plump them up, drain off excess water (use as stock!)
Add oil, herbs, leave to stand for an hour in the fridge then use.
Avoids half used up jars of expensive ingredients in the fridge.

I dry bigger tomatoes by slicing them its astonishing how little space a few Kg of tomatoes takes up once dried

I use the dried veg in cooking, just add a handful to the soup or stew or whatever it is.

@inmylifeIlovedthemall I missed the very poignant paragraph about your fears on first reading. This is making me so angry that you are having to think about the unthinkable

How DARE Boris abandon the citizens who voted him to serve us like this.

I’m so sorry, you deserve better than feeling this way. 💔

@inmylifeIlovedthemall

Sending you love. Totally understand everything you said. 💐

My partner said to me last night, "try not to worry all the time." He is a counsellor and often talks about having "appropriate feelings." I told him the appropriate feeling to have right now is worry!

I'm still feeling very fatigued and headachey although don't have a fever and not much of a cough any more. Plan to WFH today anyway so will self isolate until Sunday and reassess start of next week.
Bought a few power tools yesterday. It was a difficult decision as we didn't want to use (limited) available cash and so bought on 0% credit card. But these tools will enable us to save money by getting on with our renovation ourselves and build things like raised beds for vegetables.
I'm kind of kicking myself for following Martin Lewis's MSE advice lately to pay off debt with savings. We only have a small amount of cash in the bank and slightly more in stocks and shares, which have of course dived. We will be heading in to significant debt, like many others, if lots of time off work is needed.
Glad Natwest have offered the mortgage holiday as ours is with them.

@Sprayitall some of that is misinformation I'm afraid - possibly spread by an over zealous attendance officer but it just isn't true. I have worked in pastoral care in UK schools for a very long time. Happy to go through what is and isn't true but starting at school myself now!

@Catmaiden thanks for the suggestions. Going to pick up some tomatoes, raspberries and onions.

R.e onions, how do you chop them?

I’m going to give my small hand gel to my elderly relative, my mission is to keep us safe but keep him alive!

@Sprayitall wow that is shocking! They are going to need all the buses they can find very soon alienating those that are skilled is seriously foolish.

The school person is being ludicrous, if go as far to say a bully and a list too, black marks following until uni my arse.

I've lived in the middle East and other places that were considered 3rd rate I agree the schooling and medical system were far better and you had way more freedoms to make choices for your family compared to the nannying overly intrusive UK.

@inmylifeIlovedthemall and Hugs.

You aren't alone. You have us. And we absolutely hear you.

Argh runny nose and cough here this morning. Pretty sure it's just the cold virus DH had last week that he got off his dad, but clearly I'm going to have to stay in, 🙄 at the timing, we had 2 things planned this week and then said we'd not book or agree to anything else!

Annoying as I was going to visit a friend who can't get out. Guessing she's well stocked up but was going to offer to pick up any bits for her. And I need a comfortable bra, so that was the plan for today 😆 oh well, am going to plant some carrots and watch Picard instead I think!

First rule of dehydrating is "thinly, evenly sliced" onions I slice and then some of them dice as well

@inmylifeIlovedthemall hugs, I told my son this morning not to think about it too deeply. Because if you really think about it, it's scary. Focus on the things you can control, try the grounding techniques they suggest for panic attacks, and be gentle with yourself. None of us know what is going to happen over the next few months.

@AmelieTaylor Thank you! x I really don't know what to do, but feel this next couple of days will swing it either way. What I really want to say to then is: My DD is very poorly, my Mum has cancer. She is scheduled for surgery in a couple of weeks, I don't have much support. The world has gone to hell in a hand cart, and I don't want to be here. But A. They will think I'm over reacting and moreso, B. It will worry Mum if I walk.

Best get those bees into action as you say.

@rhij86 - the people in the flat above me who I share a hall and door with, are self isolating after developing Symptoms and tracing contact with a confirmed case

My daughter is now off school and we are self isolating

Just had a generic text off school saying they are “following government guidelines but now have 2 staff members self isolating and if you feel you child is vulnerable or has a temperature, please keep them at home”

Good for them. They’re giving permission to keep children off

I agree @Sprayitall - they are saying what they’ve been told to say. I am annoyed with them though as a lot of people are believing them. They’re not answering the questions properly or fully. They are finding science to fit and avoiding the full picture

It’s dangerous and misleading

I have an apple tree, I’d love a dehydrator!

@inmylifeIlovedthemall🌷

I feel exactly the same as you, but you worded it much better

Scared & angry.

Listening to LBC yesterday they were listing off all the countries taking action & what they were doing. It was somewhat comforting

Then we had the UK feedback later on...and the 5th/6th country in the world is choosing to allow many of us to die in order to create herd immunity more quickly.

Why not keep us safe & alive until the vaccine will be available next year?! Then we can create a massive herd immunity without killing people ?!?!

The Governments first & main job is to protect its citizens. Since when did that change?!

We have a cherry tree and I'm seriously considering a dehydrator now. I've tried bottling them, but we're not keen and there's only so much jam we get through. I usually end up with around 15kg of cherries and give loads away. It's a very prolific tree!

I feel like they're betting on resistance being built up, which isn't even a given yet, as there may be no imunity, and also not being strong enough in their advice to higher risk groups.

It's a big gamble and I really hope for all our sakes that it pays off. I'm very much disliking being in the middle of a social experiment.

Someone a while back posted a link to an online pharmacy that had paracetamol in stock. Does anyone have that link please?

Apparently my daughters school is almost empty. The parents read the text and most turned back and went home

@Readyme thank you for the reply. What would I do without people like you - many times I find the schools scaremonger people like me who don’t know much about how the schools run in U.K. and take them for a ride. Does it mean the black mark attendance won’t follow? I am now very angry because last time I had to go overseas as we had to visit an elderly grand uncle of my dh who was in his death bed wished to see us (he is more like the only surviving head of our family’s previous generation) we were about to start back and the night before that he passed away. So we had to stay for the funeral, which meant to re schedule tickets etc so called up school to inform that. They were sorry and acknowledged everything but again after coming back we found they have called all the emergency contacts to verify, I also had to provide them with change of flight ticket, death certificate copies etc as they asked us for proofs and still weeks later this lady in question sent us an attendance sheet marking it as unauthorised absence and we received a letter of warning. Now my friend says they can’t and shouldn’t do that if it’s for grievance. Is it true?

@FuckThisWind

I’m at the point where it wouldn’t be a difficult decision at all.

If you can scrape by for a few months I’d tell them I was leaving, who gives a fuck if they think you’re over reacting-they’re not the ones who’s who will be worrying about your DD & your Mum.

Your Mum needs you. Lie to her about your job & what you have planned work wise say that you want to be with DD right now -whatever it takes to minimise her stress. If you’re not at work, your mum is safer & you can keep her safer too.

As long as you can ‘get by’ then jack it in. I would regret NOT doing it far more than I’d regret doing it xx

@NatoPMT wow, stressful times. Hope your daughter and neighbours are ok. Are you self isolating now anyway since you withdrew her from school or has she got symptoms? Either way. Stay safe.

Good for her school - that's the type of attitude more need to take without fear of backlash from the govt.