Hello Everyone,
Well, this really is a global mess, isn't it? Most of the world is in lockdown but we have to believe that we will get through this. We need to be positive, stay happy and focused. In my humble attempt at cheering peeps up my little booklet "Life is..." is on free download from tomorrow, April 4th until 8th at Amazon. Just click onto your local Amazon marketplace and put "Life is..." and Marilyn L Rice in your browser and it should come up with instructions to download to your appliance... tablet, phone, PC, laptop. The blurb...
I, like most people on the planet, have become a great fan of social media and in particular, Facebook. During the last six months I have been posting daily. Firstly, it was 'Words of Wisdom' and then I moved on to 'Life is…' Some of my thoughts were philosophical, others humorous. Sometimes I added photographs and emojis or I dedicated certain sayings to individual people. On a couple of occasions I even added a short story telling the inspiration behind the quotation, for example…'Life is about turning left instead of right and having an adventure!'
I noticed that I was getting a lot of those 'like' clicks and friends seemed to be enjoying my humble daily offering. I had an idea… put all of my posts into a short book and publish them. I have placed one of the 'Words of Wisdom' each page and the' Life is…' quotations follow with some illustrations, either photographs from my albums or downloads from the Net under creative commons licence. All the acknowledgements may be found at the end of the booklet after information on my books.
I hope that those of you who download this will delve into it on the dark days and find that it puts the smile back on your face.
How would I describe it? Humorous, philosophical, satirical, stimulating, inspirational, illuminating, intriguing, thought-provoking, fresh, invigorating and delightful.
Enjoy!
And a comment/review
Quirky and sweet I'll be dipping into this book every morning to get my 'life is' fix. Well done to the author for condensing a chaotic time in the world and giving us hope.
So, feel free to download and hopefully it will put a smile on your face in these dark times.
I'm also sharing my lockdown ramblings and experiences with you. All of them are on FB but I will just share a couple of them with you, today.
Day
5,
Well
hello
Yes,
I’m still here although I confess to being a little down yesterday and decided
to take a nap in the afternoon. Went back to bed and said goodbye to the cruel
world. The sheer numbers are now horrifying, and yesterday it was announced that
Boris and other ministers have tested positive. So, a sick man is now running
our country. Depressing.
Further,
yesterday I heard that Birmingham airport is preparing to be a temporary
morgue. Now, I like that airport. I have been through it many times to foreign
shores but I am thinking will my next trip be to that morgue? Scary. As a
person living alone I’m not in confinement with a family who could be driving
me to insanity but if I succumb how will I survive alone? And worst scenario… I
could be here for weeks and eventually just my bones found. The rest of me decomposed.
So, I’m leaving my Will on the desk, easy to be found. One has to think about
these things.
On
a brighter note last night I retrieved the Scrabble set and played a solo game.
I have decided to have a solo competition by playing many games through this
crisis and each time trying to beat my score. Last night it was 500+ and I
managed to get 50 points for putting down all seven tiles on one word. Just an
idea for both families and singletons. Board games can make a comeback.
Also,
last night I ticked three things off my list. So I retired feeling pleased.
Right
now, I’m on my second cuppa and it’s 1.28. Yes, really late even for me.
However, I have been out this morning. I followed Government guidelines, I was
doing my once a week trip for essentials. We all know my essentials are choc,
wine, bubble bath and candles and I needed to replace the Easter egg I devoured
on Thursday. First, I needed to prepare for the event. That meant gloves, scarf
and First Defence. Now, that First Defence is designed to block the nasal
cavities from colds and flu. Does it work against Coronavirus? No idea but what
have I got to lose?
Anyway,
hit the road Jack time. I passed the Aldi store with a overflowing car park.
Forget it. Drove on to M & S and Boots at a local retail park. No queue.
Fully stocked shelves. Polite, smiling staff. More peeps than usual but still
fine. Boots was an interesting experience. A smiling manager greeted me at the
door asking why I was visiting. I said for bubble bath, we have to have luxuries
in these uncertain times. She directed me to the correct aisle. I observed that
half the store was cordoned off in accordance with the law. Cosmetics etc are
not essential and could not be purchased. At the checkout there were crosses on
the floor, they looked about a metre apart, where you stood waiting your turn.
However, there was only one person in front of me. So, no problem. The whole
adventure lasted for less than an hour and it was easy. Forget large
supermarkets with queues and empty shelves.
I’m
back again and it’s 6.21. I’ve made my afternoon phone call to a pleased victim
and had a long chat. I’ve spent time watching television and playing on the
computer. It is still light and normally I would be celebrating tonight because
the clocks go forward on to BST, and I’d be looking forward to Antonio and ice cream.
Dream on! Although, I do feel better than yesterday because I have been out of
the house and had a short drive. A change of scenery. Depressing scenery but
still a change. Weird for a Saturday. I understand why we are allowed out for
daily exercise. I may even do that next week and take a short stroll.
However,
with my usual positivity I am thinking of the advantages to this situation. We
are under lockdown rules so no one is visiting. There is no need to wash or
dress. Stay in bed all day? Or dress but just wear the same scruffy clothes
every day. Who cares? No need to clean up or wash up. No need to wear makeup. Hmmm.
Watching
the news. We are looking at a deserted Brighton in contrast to crowded beach
last week. It seems that peeps have heeded the warning albeit late in the day.
I have checked locally and there were no new cases in the last 24 hours but as
a nation have passed the first thousand mark for fatalities and we have over 17,000
cases. We are also 8th globally. The thought that we could make it
to the top is frightening. The USA hold that post with over100,000 cases. Italy
has had over 10,000 deaths. It seems that there is no correlation between the
countries in relation to fatalities. Germany has over 56,000 cases but only 403
deaths. We have more than twice that number but only 17,000 cases. That should
confuse analysts. I also find it interesting that when one person tests
positive and self isolate with the family. The family do not automatically
catch it. It’s not like Chicken pox or Measles. Is it that some peeps or
cultures are more immune than others?
Day
6,
Good
morning BST. It is 11.15 Sunday 29th March. I’ve finished my first
cuppa while watching the morning service on the goggle box. It was refreshing.
It feels like things are going full circle. Years ago Sunday belonged to God in
our Christian society. Other religions do have different days, I know that! For
the last couple of decades, since shops opened on Sundays, this tradition of
worship has paled into insignificance, ignored by many. Now, church buildings, like
other public places, are closed but the service is back on television screens.
Maybe, when this is over Sunday will be a proper Sunday again. In the new world
established as a result of the crisis there will be a new respect, new
kindness, more consideration for others. Lessons will have been learned. Well,
we can only hope.
What
am I going to do today?
Just
checked the data. Locally, numbers have almost doubled. 116. Alarming. The USA is
way above other countries at the top of the list, 123,000+ with 2,000+ deaths.
This is an interesting comparison with Italy at 92,000+ cases yet 10,000+
deaths. My sympathy to all those grieving families. I’m moving well down the
list to Cyprus where I have many friends and hope they all stay safe. Thinking
about you all. Only 179 cases and 5 deaths so far.
Today,
might do a little washing up. Am running out of plates. A few good programmes
to watch. Will phone a neighbour.
It’s
3.40 and I’m back on the sofa. I’ve washed a few pots so have some clean
plates. Played on the computer. The weather is chillier so the heating is on
and I am not venturing out. I have made my daily phone call to my unsuspecting
neighbour. We have arranged to meet. Yes, we will defy the law and meet face to
face for a short chit chat tomorrow at 6.00 pm. We will not have miserable
faces. We will be cheerful, smiling and socialise. We have agreed to put our bins out at the same
time. Her front door and my back gate are about 5 metres apart so we can have a
‘distant’ short chat and wave. Now there’s a thought. Peeps, you can only chat
with a neighbour when you put the bins out. What has society come to?
Considering
that Birmingham Airport is preparing to become a morgue I have just checked to
see if it’s open for it’s primary purpose or closed. Yes, it’s open for
business. A plane landed from Dublin at 2.20. Well, I’m assuming it was one
plane but the board stated five different arrivals at the same time from Dublin.
I cannot imagine five full planes landing
simultaneously from one place. I’m wondering how many people were
actually on board and were they sitting apart? The next plane arrives from Aberdeen
and expected at 5.15. Imagine arriving and seeing preparation of a mortuary? There
are only four departures today. Well, there won’t be a queue will there?
I’m
reminded of the time in the sixties when Castle Donnington, near Nottingham
became an airport. My grandparents lived in nearby Kegworth, a village
surrounded by green fields then. I remember walking round the area when I was
about six or seven and being told that what looked like a long road in the
middle of a field was a runway and used in the war. I climbed on to the gate and
looked at the forsaken runway with blades of grass sprouting up. I imagined
planes soaring up into the sky. It had not been used since the war. Yes, the
present East Midlands airport was once a massive field and used for flights
during the war. Such excitement when it was transformed into an airport. I was
eager to go and see a plane land. My father took me up and I waited with
anticipation for three hours to see that magnificent bird fly down from the sky.
It looks like things have gone full circle. If I were not in lockdown and able
to visit Birmingham Airport I’d have to wait three hours to see a plane land.
I’m
now watching the latest update. We’re being told that many peeps have tested
negative. Now, my mind is working overtime. Does this mean that they are
immune? Can they still get symptoms? If so, can they take another test or are
you only allowed one?
Just
found all details like Will, solicitor, house deeds receipt and placed the
brown envelope clearly marked prominently on the library shelf. I was a Brownie
and a Girl Guide. Girls could not be Cubs or Scouts in those days. The motto
was to be prepared. I am prepared. Shall not play Scrabble today. Beginning
notes on next book, EVIL PERSONIFIED IS THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE. May be published
posthumously.
It’s
early evening now. Time for vino and food. Will keep an eye on the appalling
figures. Latest prediction for those of us who survive this is a possible six
months before we see restrictions are over. I guess it’s goodbye to those lazy,
hazy, crazy days of summer. No Antonio!
