Another Week In Lockdown

What more can I say? I have no idea what this week will bring, so we'll simply have to wait and see.

They are now saying (by the way, who is 'they'? Some scientist of government minister?) that wearing face-coverings and social distancing is likely to continue 'for years.' Please, don't let this be true. Our lives have been wrecked enough by this wretched pandemic, being expected to suffer in total isolation for over a year and now this. I can't believe people want this life to continue, if you can even call it 'life,' because it doesn't seem anything like life as it should be lived.

(Sunday) Currently watching something on ITV called 'All Star Musicals,' similar as regards format to 'Strictly Come Dancing', but without the idiotic clapping of the audience. Celebrities (I really can't stand anything with the title 'celebrity' in the title.) have to perform a number from a musical, not just sing in some cases, but dance, and usually with a dance chorus. For instance, Robert Rinder (Judge Rinder) singing 'Be Our Guest', from Disney's 'Beauty and The Beast', Bradley Walsh's son Barney, singing 'Flash, Bang Wallop' from the musical 'Half A Sixpence', (he's very like his dad, by the way.) and  Ranj Singh, the doctor who appears on ITV's 'Good Morning' programme and singing 'Come What May', from 'Moulin Rouge. They are all mentored by musical diva, Elaine Paige. I have a feeling the orchestra is the same that provide the music for the dancers in 'Strictly,' and the whole thing is compered by the ever-present John Barrowman. There is a judging panel and they give each 'act' a score out of ten (similar to 'Strictly' but without the nastiness of some of the judges on that show.) I'm thinking this is the sort of show we need at the moment something to cheer people up. And then Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber comes on promoting his new musical, 'Cinderella', with a performance of 'I Know I have A Heart', sung by Carrie Hope-Fletcher. This being the first time this song has been performed on national television. I won't spoil the result  for those who haven't seen this and might have either recorded it or watching on catch-up, I thought the way the result was given was rather lacking suspense. No build-up, no short list of possible winners, contestants being voted off or the sort of suspense of the announcement. Just read out the over-all winner. Rather a damp squib in my opinion. In fact, why do we need the contest element in the first place?  I have given this much thought as it why this show was very shallow and didn't seem to work. With 'Strictly Come Dancing' you get the contestant's journey, over several weeks and months. They develop their dancing skills, and it's that more than anything which drives the show and what makes it half worth watching (not that I am a fan by the way.)  The build-up to the final result is given some sort of emotional journey. Then the big reveal, giving a heightened sense of 'arrival.' 'All Star Musicals' seemed rushed and it didn't seem to work with only one episode. I have a feeling most of this was due to having to obey lockdown regulations, social distancing etc etc. By the way, in the glimpses of the rehearsals, the dancers had face coverings. Why were none worn in later sequences? And virtually no regard for social distancing? Can we just have entertainment on it's own, as we used to have in the dim and distant past? Just think of the Saturday evening entertainment we had in the 1960's and into the 1970s, such as 'The Two Ronnies.' I suspect it's to do with the cost. Having writers come up with scripts, rehearsals, general studio time etc etc. A contest is presumably a good deal cheaper, with no re-takes etc etc.

(Monday) It has actually been quite sunny and mild today. Daffodills coming out all around Oldbrook Green. I think you can safely say that spring has arrived!

I attempted to ignore Alfie staring at me and poking me with his paw as I lay on my bed. If I let him he will jump on me when I lay flat on the bed and stares at my face. It's actually quite difficult to ignore for any length of time. If I ask him, he will stare at the front door and bark noisily. I get the message and I have to take him out for a walk. Sniffing every blade of grass and leaf as we walk along Strudwick Drive. As we come out of the side door from Dexter House (which, by the way, is being exceptionally difficult to open, necessitating an almighty shove from me, which dislodges the catch.) there are two hi-vis council employees (probably not, come to think of it. They have 'Serco'' emblazoned on the back of their jackets.) they both had rubbish bags in their hands and were picking up litter with tongs with long handles. It's crazy that the council has to employ people to clear up litter, dropped by idiots who should know better.

The EU (who? That lot messing up Europe.) expects Britain to give them some of our vaccines as they completely messed up their own supplies. Are we going to roll over and give them to them? I don't think so. And now they are saying their coronavirus infections and deaths are increasing, whilst ours are falling. I just hope we don't get this 'third wave' in this country or it will scupper our 'roadmap' out of lockdown. They are also threatening (key word here: threatening.) to band exports of some vaccine to Britain. What sort of organisation has it become? Why can't we just pull together and SHARE such things as vaccines in the middle of a pandemic? Thank goodness we left the EU.