Wednesday 6 January 2021

This and that

 As I write  weak winter sun has come out.   Five minutes ago it was snowing.   Please sun stay out a little while longer and warm the house and make everywhere seem a little brighter.   The 'picture' is depressing enough without another day of snow like we had yesterday.

Are you one of those people who has good computer skills?      How I wish I was.   What I do regularly I can manage quite happily - my e mails, my blog, answering other blogs, ordering books and clothes and suchlike - no problem at all.   But I know deep down that I really do not know the workings of the computer at all.   So when yesterday evening I switched on to put a blog on and the whole screen was a foreign place - I seemed to be in Microsoft and whatever I did just seemed to make things worse- I really had no idea what to do.   I don't like bothering my son but could think of no alternative so I rang him.   For an hour he tried to guide me through putting it right - for much of the time my explanation of what was happening on my screen made no sense to him at all.

Some days I have severe shakes in my hands and if I get worked up about anything the shake gets worse and I tend to hit the wrong key or keys - it was obvious that this is what had happened.   After an hour he concluded that I had struck keys which had put me into 'tablet mode' -and once he had established this we were home and dry in no time - but I was far too shaky to do any more yesterday.  To add to the confusion - at three o'clock this morning (I am sleeping in my computer room at present) my laptop sprang into life with a very pretty picture on the screen which lit up the whole room.

Anyway, back to normal, sun still out, handrails into garage from kitchen firmly in place from yesterday, Physio calling today to discuss having a trolley with brakes to transport my lunches from cooker to table and computer behaving itself so far.

One of my presents was Monty Don's Garden Book - it is sheer delight.    Just a concoction of short pieces - all about the birds, animals and plants in his garden and his observations about them.   A book on first reading to pick up and put down and read in bits and pieces and thereafter to use as a reference when one wishes to recall a fact about something.   If you like this kind of book do put it on your list of books you would like to receive.   And while on the subject of books - our Book Club book for next month is Tracey Chevalier's 'The Last Runaway'- coming today from Amazon (ordered at 7pm last evening).

Sun still out and plenty of hungry birds about.   I would love to start feeding them but this weather I have been instructed not to go out and once I started it must be sustained.  The rooms I sit in are on the front of the house and my garden is at the back.   All unsatisfactory - so sorry birds.

We are in total lockdown here for the forseeable future - yesterday there was no bread to be had, no coleslaw to be had - panic buying had set in again.   Luckily I have a supermarket order arriving on Friday - so for the time being I shall be fine.

23 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

You pretty much described the extent of my computer skills, so you're not alone. Fortunately, my partner, whose job consists of compiling and managing computer programmes, is always at the end of a phone to sort me out.
At 10.00 this morning, the sun came out and we finally ended 48 hours of non-stop moderate to heavy rain. Flood alerts are in force through out much of Kent and fields and roads are badly flooded - it's also very cold and we now have ice warnings.

thelma said...

The sun is out here but it cannot dry the rain that falls every so often. We have had no snow, but up on the moors it looks beautiful in the snow. I read a long list of all the vegetables we grow in this country, there is really no need for panic, or for hoarding bread and coleslaw;) What I find with my ordering is they miss things off the list like eggs, probably because they are fragile.

Rachel Phillips said...

No shortages here when I went to Sainsburys. Where did you get your information? Sounds to me like the media talking up fear again assuming you either read it or saw it on a news bulletin.

Sue in Suffolk said...

I hope you enjoy The Last Runaway. I did,
No sun here but no rain either so that's an improvement!

Sue said...

I think we all get very good at using the computer for the things that we do regularly and the ways we access things etc, it doesn't take much to make it all seem like a foreign land. Even Alan who spends most of his working day at a computer has absolutely no idea how to set up and publish a blog post, so you are doing really well to manage most days without incident.

I do hope people will stop this panic buying quickly it's sad to see the supermarkets doing their best to prove they have the stocks available, and have good supply chains and yet people still grabbing at stuff.

The sunshine is glorious when it shines in the windows isn't it, warming the rooms so well and so quickly.

JayCee said...

Although most of my later working life involved teaching people to use computers, I find that the technology has moved on too swiftly since my retirement for me to keep up. I just get by these days.
Our lockdown starts tonight and we have already seen panic buying in the local shops. Utter madness as the supermarkets are remaining open and say that stocks are plentiful. Such stupid, selfish people around.

Heather said...

It is very overcast, dull and cold this morning, but I have been happily occupied doing a jigsaw puzzle received at Christmas. It is a real teaser but I am enjoying it.
I don't know why people panic buy food. If you can't get what you want there are always alternatives. Just stupid and selfish, like those who don't keep a safe distance on pavements or in shops.
Computer 'speak' is quite alien to me and I have no idea how they work or what half the keys on my keyboard are for. Like you I can email, shop, blog and use Facebook. The rest is a total mystery.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Rachel - as regards information on panic buying - I have a local lady who has set up a business doing a local shop at our Deli which is very good. I gave her my list as I do every Tuesday morning but when she handed it in the Chap that owns the shop told her that the bread and the cold slaw - and several other things - had gone within an hour of opening.

Rachel Phillips said...

Clearly coleslaw is an important basic to live!

jinxxxygirl said...

At present i'am sitting here reading your lovely blog drinking my first cup of coffee. There will be one more to follow.. Hubby is making us a breakfast of fake eggs and toast...mine with a little bit of cheese and his with ham and cheese.. It is cold and raining outside... a dreary day in store for us turning to snow tonight.. I haven't noticed any panic buying here in Arkansas. The stores seem to be quicker about stopping that by only allowing the purchase of some items one at a time..Oddly though they still run out of things.. odd things..things you wouldn't expect.. can be frustrating.. Got together with friends yesterday... haven't seen some in months and months... We stood far apart and took our masks off so we could see each others faces for a moment..lol Then put the masks back on and kept 6 ft apart and walked a nice trail outside.. So so nice to see everyone.. and catch up.. Hugs! deb

Kim said...

What a pickle of a situation! I am one of the folks who took up Covid baking but you do still need the stuff to make it out of. I’m buying less and less processed food and more raw ingredients, right now we seem okay, but the future is always unclear. I hope it gets better. I listened to a front line lung ICU doctor reporting to Congress about a common drug being super effective... I plan to bombard my doc with the info. Come on Sunshine! I haven’t seen much sun since Christmas. I STILL live in paradise though, so it’s all good.

Librarian said...

So far, I have read two (I think) of Tracey Chevalier's books and enjoyed them both, but I don't know The Last Runaway. It will be interesting to learn your opinion of it.

Last time I went shopping was Monday morning before work; my local supermarket (Aldi) had everything in abundance. Next time I'll go will be on Friday, to stock up for the weekend; I do not expect there to be a shortage of anything I need. But then of course you never know! The lockdown here in this country has just been prolonged until at least the end of this month; the original plan was until this Sunday, but nobody realistically thought it was going to end then, as the numbers are still very high.

It's been snowing/sleeting all day here today, but it is not very cold, just hovering above freezing point.

Beachcomber said...

I'm sorry that you are housebound and unable to feed your birds.
Could you throw handful of seed out from the door of your French window?
Did you manage to sort out a trolley with brakes to deliver your “Meals on wheels”?

Sue

Debby said...

There is a real difference between folks who have known computers from their earliest memories, and those of us who met up with them later in life. I know enough to get by, but it is a handicap in a job setting or in a class. I had to learn the computers skills in addition to the work, which made things a bit more frustrating. Combine that with the fact that you can't just have someone in to see and fix the problem makes it a bit more complicated. But know that you are certainly not alone.

I am grateful for our well stocked freezer! I do worry for folks like yourselves who are alone and not always able to get out to get what they need, or find it sold out when they get there.

Bonnie said...

I think you are amazing at all that you do on your computer. Many people would not understand the first thing about writing a blog and publishing it. Our stores are hit and miss with their supply of food and other items. Overall they are much better at having what we need than they were last Spring but occasionally for no apparent reason they will not be able to keep or get certain items. I have asked the store manager about it and he said it is often a matter of them not being able to get those items in stock rather than people buying them all. So apparently some shortages are coming from the companies that sell the foods or products.

Tom Stephenson said...

I am better with computers than I was 20 years ago, but no whizz. Don't worry Weave, you are not being brainwashed by the media. I too have heard government ministers telling us that the current lockdown will be for the foreseeable future, and since they only seem to be able to plan 2 days in advance, I believe them.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Odd gaps on the supermarket shelves today here... no cabbage of all things. Are all the people in the know busily making sauerkraut?

Minigranny said...

Haven't heard of panic buying here. I think the future will be fine. Don't worry take a day at a time. X

Susan said...

Everything considered, you are doing marvelously well. It is my observation, lately nothing is 100% reliable. All we can do is improvise. Things get accomplished eventually but not as smoothly as they used to. Everybody I know experiences this in one way or another.

Cro Magnon said...

My TV springs to life at odd times; mostly in the middle of the night. I have no idea why. No panic buying here. I did my weekly shopping on Tuesday, and I was almost alone in a HUGE supermarket. I'm always there at opening time (8.30am). The best time to go.

Rachel Phillips said...

Shortages of UK vegetables in supermarkets is currently due to bad weather and flooded fields in the east of England.

Jacquie said...

Nothing more discombobulating than a computer that refuses to work.
'My' computer man uses something called 'Any Desk' to work remotely on my computer when it needs fixing. Perhaps your son could set this up on yours.

In the first lockdown, walking from home, I discovered several farm gates and a wonderful village community shop where I could buy just about everything I need - local and often organic. I've continued to shop this way though carrying shopping when paths are icy is not ideal.

I hope you can get out to feed and watch the birds soon.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for your comments. My local lady has just gone again this morning to see if there is bread anywhere (and cole slaw Rachel!)