Just had a phone call from a friend. Seems one of his friends who ran a B&B in Oxford has killed himself because customers have dried up. Leaves a wife and four kids. Tragic.

On another note I wrote to my parish council suggesting surrounding land should be used for allotments on a far greater scale than the one we already have. See what happens there.

I can see the old style night watchmen coming back into fashion if only to prevent theft off the allotments we already have later in the summer. Anyway in putting the world to rights we both agree that air travel has seen its heyday. It will in any case cost millions to bring back mothballed aircraft in even six months time so what's the point and will there be people able to afford foreign holidays?

Also MM’s bête noire, ocean cruises will be no more we think. Prison Hulks anyone?

Every day, one million jobs are being lost in the travel and tourism sector due to the "sweeping effect" of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

The organisation, which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, said today that the growing job losses are gathering pace and affecting small and large businesses alike.

Hong Kong records biggest daily jump in cases

The Chinese territory says it has recorded 48 new cases of the virus, its biggest daily jump.

(BBC)

Just wait for the 'Covid-19 Pandemic Enforced Veganism Act 2020'. Water as a starter, followed by nettle soup main and culminating to sugar coated grass for pudding (every day)!

The stores are bare round here (apart from village shops, of which there are precious few). As soon as the delivery lorry comes, the crazies are back in stripping the place.

There will have to be an attempt to stop this and then I think there may be civil disorder. Possibly as early as next week.

The English have lost their minds.

You see, Justin - we allowed blackmarketeers and spivs to breed after 1945 once the heroes had been culled. Their DNA is in the "herd" now. You'll never get rid of it.

[Please don't take too seriously - except that's just what it look like. ]

R.

WRT school, it hit my eldest yesterday that effectively today is her last day at her high school (she's going to a different 6th Form college, not this school's 6th form).

She can be a bit partial to a drama anyway, but she's been in bits ever since. Feels like it's 'too soon' and 'she isn't ready to leave school'. She was playing Green Day's 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' this morning, and I'll admit it had me in a bit of a state.

Like I keep telling her, unless this thing gets way out of control, she'll still have the prom for them all to get back together (it's been postponed from late June, probably to September)

On the plus side, I got it wrong about her predicted grades. They are better than I'd thought, and her recent mocks are even higher in her key subjects. I was also out of step with her relationship with her English Lit teacher, who has been great after a slightly rocky start to the school year. Assuming her teachers do have an input (to go with predicted grades, mock results, practicals already done) then she should get the grades she would have been happy to get in her exams.

😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

The authorities are VERY sensitive to this. I have noticed certain measures being taken, subtle things.

The problem is, panic buying begets panic buying.

As a nation, we've been steadily moving away from the idea of the 'big shop' and more towards visiting supermarkets for smaller shops 3 or 4 times a week.

I'm a hoarder anyway, and technically we've got enough food to keep us from starving for about 2-3 months. But a lot is stuff I've picked up on clearance/end of line offers. Like tins of exotic flavoured beans or tomato & chorizo soup or a jar of tagine sauce. And in the freezer I've got about 8 vac-packed duck breasts, some venison steaks and many boxes of 'party food' like temura prawns and mini pies. I was woefully under-prepped with the staples, which is a lesson I shall take forth in future.

Just had email from Morrison’s about my delivery later.

Missing are loo roll, bread, bread mix, bread flour, yeast, 

I have substitutions for, milk, washing liquid, washing up liquid, pork chops, and my bloody wine. 

I also do not have potato croquettes, subbed with butternut squash and spinach croquettes 🤷‍♀️

Cancel everything for ever?

I think I'd be tempted to tell them to shove it.

I don't know about the distribution of cases in Hampshire, but Hampshire does include Southampton, Portsmouth and Basingstoke as major cities.

Read this on the BBC:

"Crowds of US university students flocked to Florida for their spring break, defying recommendations from the federal government and Center for Disease Control (CDC) over the coronavirus outbreak."

How many wealthy snow birds are still down there, I wonder?

In some places in the US the invoice might say: your milk was unavailable, here is a gun instead.

If I was in isolation and delivered squash & spinach croquettes and 'milk substitute', I'd be tempted to use it.

You may probably seen this, MM, but for those who have not:

Age, Sex, Existing Conditions of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/

I have to say I score very badly!!!

Roger

Casual observation suggests that it's the big supermarkets out of town that are getting stripped. Small convenience stores and even the large-ish M&S in town were well stocked this morning.

A friend off our estate messaged us before to say the local butcher has a load of meat available.

I never thought of going to the local butcher 

Mind you, just looked again and I have 1 of my choice of wine and one sub so not that bad. Also have a big box of Corona too, oddly enough 😂. 

I do have meat, eggs, chips, cheese, bacon and coffee so I will be ok. Better off than many I feel. 

I went in ours yesterday. Got bacon and beef mince!