Here we go again – Day 1

Day 1 of 'proper lock down' which supposedly is similar to the one we were in first time around. To be honest we came back from Cornwall to Edinburgh at the end of October and ever since then we've been pretty much 'locked down' anyway. Apart from Ann going out for lunch with one friend, once, all she's done for months is just go to the supermarket and walk me. We're struggling to see how this new lock down is any different to what we've been doing for months. ….............Apart from the schools closing of course. And yes, it must be really difficult for pupils, teachers and parents. …..............But because that doesn't impact on us we can only view lock down from our own point of view.

This afternoon we went to Portobello so that I could have a play on the beach. We went in the car because the car has been sitting outside in freezing cold weather for two weeks and Ann thought that it needed a run. Was it 'essential' to do that? Probably not, but there again, a flat battery would have caused Ann a lot of unnecessary stress and expense, so for her it was 'essential'.

Definition of 'essential' (according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary) – exceedingly important.

Popped into 'The Range' on the way so that Ann could buy some more knitting wool. While she's sitting on the sofa watching hours & hours of TV because there's nothing else to do Ann knits squares which she makes in to dog blankets and then she gives them to the rescue centre where she got me from, for little doggies who don't have such a nice home as I do. Was it 'essential' to go into 'The Range'? Probably not. But it's open so people go there. .........WHY is it open?

This 'lock down' is nothing like first lock down.............................

When 'proper lock down' was announced the world went silent overnight. We have photos of my early morning walks and we could have done my walks down the middle of a main road. This time around nothing much has changed. There were loads of cars on the road at 8.15am and there were still people waiting at bus stops. During 'proper lock down' no one waited at bus stops. No one went on buses. Takeaways were closed.

This time around 'takeaways' are apparently 'essential'. WHY??? Can people not live without a 'Costa Coffee'? Or a Pizza or a Chinese or an Indian? Or even an IKEA meatball? Grrrrrrr........... The whole thing is just a joke. …...............And because 'everything' is still open, everyone is flocking to these places. Ann included!!! Not the takeaways, just 'The Range'

During 'proper lock down' Ann only went out in the car once a week to do a supermarket shop for herself and Mrs R. In 'proper lock down' I didn't go in the car for more than 3 months and Ann spent hours stressing about how she was going to have to re-train me to be happy in the car and stay 'home alone'.

This is NOT a 'proper lock down'. It's just what we've been doing for the last three months. And just before we stop RANTING........................ well done if you've managed to read this far....................

I had a fabulous play down on Porty Beach with my ball but it was absolutely freezing. I kept going in to the sea for a little rest and Ann started getting worried that I might get hypothermia. I didn't get hypothermia but I think I must have swallowed some sea water because when we got home I sicked up all my breakfast. I tried to re-eat it but Ann wouldn't let me. Boohoo!!

…................And now I've gobbled up all my dinner and we've got another evening in together watching TV.

We've given up saying, #thingscanonlygetbetter 'cos every time we say that, things seem to get a whole lot worse.

See you all tomorrow.

Toodles. xxxx