A view from our finca in rural Mallorca in better times
Positivity took a bit of a slump yesterday. I woke up way before the birds and lay awake thinking about the coronavirus pandemic. I’m not usually a worrier, but these are not usual times. And this is not our usual Mallorca.
What would happen if The Boss or I showed symptoms of the virus? I made a mental note to make up the guest-room bed, so that if one of us had to self-isolate, we could do so immediately, without the hassle of having to ready the room in a hurry.
My mind was also whirring with concern for my dad, who lives alone in the UK and not close to any of his family. After the latest gloomy news from the UK, I decided to contact Dad later in the morning, when I was sure he’d have completed his ablutions, daily exercises (impressive), and eaten his breakfast.
In addition, The Boss’s aunt – who is 96 years old – is in a Birmingham hospital with a chest infection, after her carer found her collapsed at home last week. Would today be the day we’d receive her coronavirus test results?
When the alarm went off, worrying was off the agenda. I’m currently producing some daily coronavirus bulletins for Mallorca Sunshine Radio and the first goes on air at 8:30am. No lingering in bed, sipping my morning mug of hot water and lemon, for the time being. I have to fire up the laptop (always a tad sluggish first thing), squeeze into my wardrobe studio, and wake up my voice. Would you like to hear me yodel? No, I thought not.
Keeping Contact
After an exchange of emails with one of my brothers, The Boss and I Facetimed my dad (thank you, Apple) and, as usual, found him in good spirits and looking healthy. Dad was a child during WWII and experienced far greater deprivations than the ones facing us now.
He’s arranging online shopping for food and essentials and I spent some time researching a milk-delivery service for him. Yes, doorstep milk deliveries are coming back into favour in the UK and, environmentally, that’s positive news: glass bottles and electric delivery vehicles. The social aspect of daily deliveries to homes is also reassuring: if the previous day’s milk is still on the step, the milkman (or woman) will know there’s a problem.
Between us, my brothers, and all my nieces, we should each be able to give Dad some daily interaction. In this period of ‘social distancing’, any contact with the world beyond our own four walls is important.
At Least, Trying to Keep Contact
By midday, when I was preparing the lunchtime radio bulletin, the Internet was creaking under the weight of demand. With all educational establishments in Mallorca closed since Monday, children and students are largely learning online. Added to that load are the adults who are working online at home or trying to fill their days with one of a gazillion activities facilitated by the Internet.
The Highlights of Lockdown Day 3
- The Boss’s aunt’s test results came back negative for the coronavirus. Phew.
- Feeling that I was doing something useful by researching some things to help Dad through this crisis.
- I learnt to make sauerkraut, watching an online class. I had a gut feeling it would be a good idea (probiotic humour).
- Watching a YouTube video of a local opera singer on his Palma apartment balcony, entertaining his neighbourhood with a rendition of ‘O Sole Mio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ffpLosAFKI
- Baking a batch of shortbread biscuits (which our crazy-thermostat oven didn’t burn). And comfort-eating most of them with The Boss.
My Top Tip of the Day
Don’t watch or listen to any of the current depressing news coverage after dinnertime. Not if you want a decent night’s sleep.
Jan Edwards ©2020
Sad about all this panic and useless regulations! Only one person in the car! Why? Obviously you can´t use a taxi then! I have spent my life in practical medicine and research so I can see that some of these actions are done to make the politicians appear strong and active.
I would like to see more of the strategies used in UK and Sweden. That is NOT making people believe that the Spanish actions will make the virus go away! Instead doing the following.
1. Control the spreading of the virus. That is let the young get it first as the risk for complications are very small in this group. Open up the schools again. This will result in more people being infected and when healthy they will no longer infect others. This will after some time reduce the risk for the old persons group. Simple really.
2. Protect the risk groups. The old with other diseases.
3. By using certain restrictions and good information spread out the infection rate so the care system is not overloaded.
Otherwise we are not so bad. There is always a lot to fix in the garden, the house and the outbuildings. Also walking the dog. Heard from a friend on the mainland that they were only allowed to walk the dog for 50 meters. Stupid, and I am not having that!
Very interesting, Anders, to hear the views of a doctor. There are so many views as to what is the best approach and, as this is a new virus, it feels as though we’re all part of a worldwide scientific experiment.
Like you, we are tackling some much-needed gardening and consider ourselves very fortunate to have our own land around us so we can get outside and get some fresh air and sunshine. I read an interesting article about Spanish Flu in 1918 and how afflicted soldiers slept on beds in tents in hospital grounds and were removed to the fresh air if the weather was fine. It seemed to be an effective way of treating that particular outbreak.
Stay well and focus on returning to your home in Mallorca.
Best wishes, Jan