Weekend Chatterbox

After I regained my freedom I did my first shopping in a German supermarket under pandemic conditions the day before yesterday. As I've mentioned, local case numbers are quite high thanks to some ill-advised Christmas parties and my mother is still completely unvaccinated through no choice of her own, so I was a bit apprehensive.

I should have known that there was no reason to worry. First I came across a fair number of people queuing at a free testing centre. At the entrance to the supermarket you can disinfect the handle of your trolley, and inside the supermarket everyone was wearing a mask, including the children, who were running around happily and were clearly used to this. Every few minutes there was a friendly reminder played on a loop to wear a face covering inside the shop and to keep your distance.

Because every day there have been angry demonstrations against Covid measures in a number of places by a substantial rabble of what Germans have dubbed Schwurbler (a pithy term for someone who rambles or blathers on about absolute nonsense) I had been expecting a lot more non-compliance. I don't want to read too much into it, but I can feel it myself: the Covid regulations are satisfying the deep-seated German desire for Ordnung and everyone is just so... quietly happy. It's the feeling that British people get from spontaneously forming an orderly queue.

I have also downloaded the luca app, the German version of the Covid Test & Trace app, which has converted my NHS proof of vaccination into a EU Digital COVID Certificate. Neat. Unlike in the UK where most venues have given up on the app after Doris declared Freedom Day it's still very much in use here.

I still haven't looked for a new flight back. Maybe just stay here and no longer give Priti Patel the satisfaction of pushing me around? Tempting...

tenthenemy
I’m glad that the inhabitants of the small island are behaving themselves.
I was just wondering - since you’ve spent so much time here on Brexit Island, has anyone noticed a change in your spoken German?

Children in masks happily running around? Can't be true, surely they can't breathe? /Twitter

Cheese'n'Ham toasted Focaccia.

"What’s the most fundamental rule you should adopt in life? Here it is: Rule Number 1 Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Let [Dr Zoidberg, oops Prof Jordan B Peterson] explain.

The First Rule Is:
It may sound comical and innocent but it actually has a profound impact on your overall experience of reality. This is not some self-help positive thinking bullsh#t but it’s programmed into your physiology and psyche." (from 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos)

I feel utterly exhausted today. Barely slept.

I can see a film going on this afternoon. And me sleeping through most of it.

Lunchblog: scrambled egg, ham, toast.

Todayblog: dropped the boy and partner at mini athletics, and then drove to Matalan to buy some cheap “sliders” - apparently they’re a requirement at the swimming pool the boy’s having his lesson at tomorrow. £2.50 for something to end up in landfill in a few years time.

hello

Wordle 203 3/6


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that's all

Hello.
We watched the Aretha Franklin biopic last night. It's good. I've always been a bit dubious of music films showing songs coming together, but since watching Get Back, less so.

I also did one of the Dr Dre missions in GTA.

Late-ish to bed and the child woke me at 6.45. then again at 7.50 as I was *just* drifting off, to demand breakfast. A sound beating was administered with her gruel.

New sweet content!
youtu.be/-YTKibnLuHI

So can you get signed off for a fortnight after the procedure?

At least you're WFH and you've an excuse to not to have to go to any shops.

Ottm. The pm has spent the last 90mins playing 80s Rawk/Rawk ballads while the child chills, playing Roblox.
I know a surprising number of lyrics to these despite not being genres of choice. The ever pervasive radio 1 i'd imagine.

We're watching Sing 2. It's been really good up to now. But fucking Bono is about to make an entrance. The opening number of Let's go crazy in an Alice in Wonderland style was great.