The end of the tether
I was asked recently how I was coping with all this isolation craic.
I had to ponder this for a moment to wonder what they meant. When I thought about it I realised that our life here at the Manor remains virtually unchanged as we have been “self isolated” for the last couple of years. The only real difference is that people don’t call in quite as often as they used to.
There have been a couple of changes however. The first is that buying groceries has become somewhat tricky. Normally I bang in an order online and get a delivery the next day. It’s a great service. Or rather, it was a great service. The problem is that everyone is now ordering online and the next available delivery slot is in two weeks time. How the fuck am I supposed to know what groceries I will need in two weeks? And anyway half their items are listed as “out of stock”. That is a major pain in the arse.
By far the greatest tragedy though is something I discovered yesterday when I dropped down to the village.
My coffee shop is closed!
They are shut for the duration.
Once or twice a week I would drop in there for a coffee. Strangely enough I’m not a coffee drinker and despite having a reputation for serving up great coffee at home I rarely touch the stuff. The exception of course is the coffee shop. There it’s a place of relaxation and respite from looking after Herself. Penny gets her fistful of chicken and then the two of us sit out on the terrace while I sip my coffee and puff on my pipe while Penny greets customers when they come and go. More often than not I am joined by a local or two, and occasionally a visitor to the area will strike up a conversation.
Now that’s gone.
This is going too far. This nonsense will have to stop, and stop immediately. Don’t they realise the damage they are doing to my mental state? And what about Penny? Without her regular feed of chicken she is going to fade away.
I haven’t even the heart to break the news to her yet.
I cannot express my sympathy enough at the closing of your coffee shop and the sacrifices you and Penny will now have to make. The lack of ordering groceries online just adds insult to injury. Does you grocery store have cameras? If not, breaking and entering after hours is always a possibility. You can just pin the cash on the manager's door, let them figure it out.
Wear gloves.
The coffee shop is indeed a great loss and an indication of how bad the situation is. I try and stay clear of supermarkets at the best of times [it's years since I have been in one] so I have no idea about their security arrangements. It would be easier to find a hoarder's house and raid that!
You won't even look suspicious since everyone seems to be wearing gloves now!
And masks….
How is the tobacco situation there GD? My local tobacconist here in Oz told me recently that the distributors are starting to ration them. They still get deliveries but not their full order. We used to have a big tobacco industry here that grew a quality product but now it's all imported, except for the illegal crops. I know how you feel about your coffee shop closing, my favored coffee shop closed a few years ago when the state imposed the outdoor smoking ban.
There's no mention of a shortage here. I suppose they are too expensive to hoard. I usually have at least a week's supply anyway!
How can your devoted readers help to keep you mentally sound? Anything we can do?
You are around forty years too late.
Luckily!
:-)))
What would the lunatics do if you set up a little stall at the gate of the manor giving hot coffee away rather than it being flogged?
I'd soon go out of business!