Day of Chaos 2: a.Covid-19 thread.

[TordelBack]

Laying some blocks at home yesterday, a task I am consistently hopeless at, and my 13yr-old appears and starts giving teenage knowitall advice. I try to tune him out and focus on why the mortar filets keep slumping, and only gradually realise that the advice is the good kind.

He takes over mortar mixing duties, gets the consistency spot-on and is swiftly promoted to joints and pointing. We get it done.

We establish that he learnt these skills from my incredibly handy father-in-law who was doing up a house last summer when reluctantly pressed into childcare. I knew the lad was useful, I've successfully used him as a cleaner and removal man myself, but I'd assumed his grandad had had him filling the skip, holding the other end of things and making the tea - but apparently bricklaying featured heavily, along with pouring concrete, sanding, drilling and grinding.

This is really great, I opined, we'll have to get you back working with grandad this summer, you've learnt things it's taken me 50 years to pick up on my own (my own Dad couldn't wire a plug, and to my knowledge has never successfully put up a shelf).

I'd love to, he replied, but it's not going to happen, is it. Not this summer and not the next.

That really brought it home to me. We've been keeping the parents and in-laws successfully cocooned this past month, but it's so difficult to imagine what an end to that situation looks like.

Even if we are successful in keeping the oldies alive, as my son observed, there's no way a teenager is going to be spending time with his mid-70s diabetic grandad any time soon. And that time is very finite: I never knew either of my grandads, they and one of my grandmothers were dead by the time I was 3. It's been a real source of joy to see my kids have real relationships with all 4 of theirs, and now to see skills and interests passed on in a meaningful way is amazing.

What this is costing us can't be measured in death stats and economic collapse alone.

[IndigoPrime]

Mini-G was at her grandparents' two days a week last summer. She loved it. They took her to all sorts of things, and she got her first pony ride, and her first time on a boat. This summer, I imagine it'll be calls over Skype. It really hits home when it comes to kids.

[Tjm86]

What this is costing us can't be measured in death stats and economic collapse alone.

Fuck!

I mean, that has to be the most astoundingly astute observation of the last six weeks.   

[IndigoPrime]

Royal Mail buckles. No more Saturday Progs for the foreseeable future: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-royal-mail-scraps-saturday-21940534

[Professor Bear]

Isn't package delivery the part-privatized bit of RM?  Only I note that would mean that the part of the service that likely doesn't have a notable union presence is the part that's still being forced to work on Saturdays.

Anecdotally speaking of unions: one of my brothers works for the DWP, and despite having zero interest in politics - in Northern Ireland, this takes some doing - he and his colleagues have begun willingly attending impromptu union meetings and unironically using the phrases "bootlicker" and "class traitor" to describe the small number of people in their office trying to force management to return to regular working hours and conditions.  Despite being a commie who likes the idea of worker solidarity, for some reason I just find this really funny in the year 2020.

[Colin Zeal]

Royal Mail buckles. No more Saturday Progs for the foreseeable future: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-royal-mail-scraps-saturday-21940534

Only if this goes ahead and that isn't a definite. The CWU is opposing it and will be considering all options including strike action. The possible start date is 16th May and we have been told by the union that we will not be supporting the proposed changes. So Saturday progs should still be going ahead.

[Tjm86]

I find the proposal by RM deeply concerning on a number of levels.  If they can get it through it could be proof of concept that a five day delivery is acceptable to people and can be maintained.  This may well be the thin end of the wedge as there has long been subtle agitation to adjust the universal delivery mandate to more 'economically viable' (profitable) approaches.  It needs to be watched closely and opposed as much as possible.

This is before we take into account the essential nature of delivery services at this time.  With so many restrictions at present, the ability to be able to physically move items from one place to another safely and securely is crucial.  Personally I trust the likes of Nodel, DPD, Herpes and the other private delivery services about as much as Johnson, based on past experiences.  Okay Royal Mail isn't perfect but I have not had half the difficulty those other companies have given me in the past.

[paddykafka]

  Personally I trust the likes of Nodel, DPD, Herpes and the other private delivery services about as much as Johnson, based on past experiences.  Okay Royal Mail isn't perfect but I have not had half the difficulty those other companies have given me in the past.

Wait...what now...there's a delivery service called Herpes???!!!  

Interestingly enough, An Post - the equivalent of Royal Mail here in the Emerald Isle - have not, to the best of my knowledge at least, had Saturday deliveries for as long as I can remember, if ever. (Of course, I stand to be corrected on this, but I can only ever recall Monday to Friday postal deliveries in this country.)

[sheridan]

  Personally I trust the likes of Nodel, DPD, Herpes and the other private delivery services about as much as Johnson, based on past experiences.  Okay Royal Mail isn't perfect but I have not had half the difficulty those other companies have given me in the past.

Wait...what now...there's a delivery service called Herpes???!!!  

Nah - it's Hermes, though Herpes would be a more pleasant experience.

It used to be that Saturday deliveries were very rare - I certainly don't remember any when I was a kid.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Mrs X has just been tested!

[JOE SOAP]

Interestingly enough, An Post - the equivalent of Royal Mail here in the Emerald Isle - have not, to the best of my knowledge at least, had Saturday deliveries for as long as I can remember, if ever. (Of course, I stand to be corrected on this, but I can only ever recall Monday to Friday postal deliveries in this country.)

There are weekend deliveries at Christmas time.

[paddykafka]

Mrs X has just been tested!

Best of luck to her and fingers crossed, Dr X.

[Rately]

Dr X, wishing you and yours all the best.

[Rately]

Open Letter to UK Government: "Do you want our PPE or not?"

https://medium.com/@change.orgUK/open-letter-to-uk-government-do-you-want-our-ppe-or-not-fce832e6e37a

[TordelBack]

Mrs X has just been tested!

Best of luck, lad.