Bob’s blog 6; In isolation

Dictating this blog from the sitting room window overlooking the Loch. Watching the birds, listening to Classic FM to pass time.

Stay safe but above all stay sane. These are a lot of things that have come into my head over the past few days.

Hindsight is wonderful. If only we knew that this virus was spreading so quickly we could’ve planned for it. Luckily, I bought an Amazon Echo after seeing how easy it was to use, during a technology workshop when I was at Leuchie in October last year.

Just before social distancing was demanded by Boris Johnston and Nicola Sturgeon I decided to change my mobile provider to Giffgaff. And for an amazing £6 per month I got unlimited text and calls. So I’ve been going through my address book and calling people who I have not spoken to for ages and catching up. One call a day breaks up the monotony when you are isolated.

I spoke to a friend who is in the at risk category. He said that students from the local school had offered to do shopping for him. A good news story.

I miss having visitors, so the highlight of my day is having my carers come in four times. Luckily I have three regulars and hopefully there will be a fourth as they work in pairs on a four on four off basis. Also Claire, from Diamond, comes in to put me on my MOTOmed every day and is typing this whilst I am cycling.

Spoke to my Care Provider and they assured me that I am classed as red because I live on my own, so that means I am high priority. They may adjust times but I will always get care.

Unable to get a digital thermometer online to check my temperature. Guess what? They are all being shipped from China!

Claire, found a baby thermometer which she used when the children were small, they are now 15 and 17 but it still works. She looked online and they are still available on Ebay for £7, not a bad deal and available within three days. Don’t think these are coming from China though!

Selfish people have been sweeping hand sanitiser off the Supermarket shelves. I was on my MOTOmed and Claire was surfing the net, without success, to find suppliers of sanitiser. Then I thought of trying the local Gin Distillery! We rang them immediately and they said they were waiting for HMRC clearance before releasing their product and that carers and the NHS were going to get 24 hours advance notice of the release. She took Claire’s email address and true to their word Claire got a message the following day and was down there like a shot! This information was passed on to her office and also to my other care company.

Sometimes you just have to think outside the box, as in the case of the local Gin Distillers, who seem to be popping up all over Scotland. You might find one on your doorstep! After the initial 24 hour advance notice, you, the general public, can now take a container, as long as it’s sterilised, and get it filled. In my case one of my carers poured boiling water into an empty coffee jar and got that filled. It maybe cost the same price as Gin but at least we are staying safe.

Now I’m waiting for the carer’s to come in for my tea visit.