Tuesday 17 March 2020

The inevitable happens.......

Of course we could all see it coming - all cinemas within my reach are now closed until further notice. I was contemplating making my last visit today for what's clearly going to be some time - to see in a large and surely mostly deserted auditorium, the new British ('Women's Lib') film, 'Misbehaviour' (featuring, in a shortish role, Greg Kinnear as host Bob Hope at the disrupted 1970 Miss World event in London) - but there's just too much at stake to risk it. 
Major concern for me now, after attending my long-standing appointment to get toenails cut this Sat (getting urgent) is buying food when stringent restrictions come into play on outdoor movements for certain categories, including me as a 70+ oldie. Tried to see how quickly my local supermarket (Waitrose) could do me a home delivery come the time I need it, and as at today there are no slots available for at least a fortnight, and it's sure to get worse. Oh well. Playing it day-to-day seems to be the only way. 

My reviews will resume at the other side of this most troubling time. See ya! (And earnestly hoping you'll all - every single one of you - dodge it!)

26 comments:

  1. My beloved Theatr clwyd and Storyhouse has glossed Raymondo

    A sad day indeed x

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    1. Yes, as though this situation itself isn't bad enough, I've got an enormous fear that a hell of a lot of them, theatres AND cinemas, are going to go to the wall, setting back culture in this field many decades, even a full century or more. Who genuinely thought this could ever happen? Ineffably depressing!

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  2. our booze stores are closed in this state - whatever shall we do for alcohol?????

    stay safe, luv; I would hate for anything nasty to happen to you.

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    1. I have plenty honey...I will float you a bottle or two tootes!

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    2. So many worries, W.Q. - and when's it all going to end? At least I've been teetotal for over three years now so I'm not gong to suffer by that particular loss, though I really do appreciate the hardship for those who like their harmless little tipple, and at a time when more and more of us are going to need its friendly 'support'.
      Thanks for your wishes but, to be honest I'm more concerned about my four furry co-residents than I am about myself, specifically, keeping them adequately fed when going out to buy their foodies may well get considerably more difficult - and their food (and proper cat-milk) is always so heavy that it needs several errands to keep up with their needs. It's now just over two weeks since I almost put my back out carrying cat-food and potatoes and milk (nearly fully recovered now) and I dare not chance doing it again.
      But if it ever came to the suggestion that house pets were any part of this current virus problem, that would really, REALLY, destroy me. :-(

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  3. Stay well!! You may have to start reviewing old films or TV programs to get us through this. Speaking of toenails, there is a show on in the USA about people going to the foot doctor with horrendous maladies. It is nauseating. People will watch anything on the tube.

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    1. I'll stay well clear of those foot doctor progs, Mark. The actuality of having toe-nails clipped (for me every three-four months) is trial enough, my having to brace myself for every single clip as he gets closer and closer to the 'quick', and sometimes draws blood. A ghastly experience I could well do without - and so damned expensive too.

      I watch very little T.V. other than news and current affairs. Rather than spend time on so much of what else is on I'd far sooner pick up a good book, even one I've read several times before - so no TV reviews from me will be forthcoming..

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  4. You keep well, sir, and we'll see you on the other side of this madness!

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    1. Thank you, Bob. I'll try my best to keep in health - as I'm sure that you and yours will be doing likewise. I'd never have imagined that 'normality' could vanish at such speed - and only hope there's a return to it in at least my own lifetime.

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  5. all the panic buying will stop soon as 1, its the middle of the month and people will have spent like crazy buying food that they dont know how to cook or have never eaten in their life. 2, people already have so much in that next week no one will be in the shops, but the people who have shed loads of money and are looking for their eleventy billionth loo roll. I am shopping local. I will walk in and use all of the little shops. There are no eggs or paracetamol to be had at present and there were no yoghurts 2 days ago. I have enough dairy alternative milk in as I buy that when it is on offer for a £1 a carton other wise I cant spend the cash on it as it is too expensive at £2 a go. All the veg was still on the shelves, I have dried beans and lentils. I think we will be ok for the moment. I hope you can find the bits you need.

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    1. I think that we veggies are lucky in some respects in that our type of food is not especially popular with carnivores and so there's be no appreciable rush on what we like - though, yes, pasta and grains have been depleted.
      Trying to be sensible, I've done no stockpiling at all (not even for toilet rolls!) but as it now looks like our opportunities to buy anything may get reduced I'm beginning to wish I had. Now started filling up the freezer, though. We're' okay for maybe two or three weeks as at now. (I wish that non-dairy milk - or, in fact, any milk at all - wasn't so darned heavy! And as for vegetables......!)
      Hope you're right in that the panic buying will soon stop. Do people really have enough space in their homes to stock it all? A lot of it will surely just rot.
      Do stay well, Sol.

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  6. It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. I hope we get some posts about your daily life and thoughts.

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    1. Thanks, Dr Spo. If anything of significance happens in my life I will certainly post about it - plus any appropriate ruminations.

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  7. My dearest Raybeard. I hope you will stay safe and sound with the kitties. We shall get pass this one day and this too shall pass. Me? binging galore on movies.

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    1. Thanks ever so much, M.M. I don't feel quite as unfortunate as some obviously must do right now, but it's depressing to know that we're only at the start of what's going to be a very prolonged bad dream (if only it really did turn out to be a 'dream'). Who would have imagined this just a month or so ago?
      Binge yourself well on T.V. films. I've still got hundreds of old classics on video - pus a still-functioning video-player. Looks like I'll know a lot of screenplays off by heart before the year's out.
      Take care yourself - and if you see the virus approaching, run for the hills! :-)

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  8. I work in a grocery store and it's sheer madness. People don't like being told to stay in. "Hoax" and "Overblown" are words I keep hearing. They may not go to work because they've been shut down, but I promise, they'll keep coming to the grocery store--just to have something to do. Sometimes I hate people!lol Stay safe!

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    1. Thanks, Sadie. What irritates me more every day now is that we who have been sensible in our shopping i.e. by NOT stockpiling, are starting to suffer by not even being able to buy basics like bread and milk - I couldn't even find any 'Smash' yesterday! Exactly where is everyone putting all this stuff they're purchasing? I'm sure that many of them have enough to set up their own shops!
      You take care of yourself too now!

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  9. Take care of yourself. Stay well. And may we all not go insane. It's going to be a long haul, I think.

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    1. Yes, it's become truly scary, has it not? Keep yourself well shielded and safe - and don't forget, in these unprecedented times, to give D & M everything they demand!

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  10. This is the weirdest time, I now work in a Secondary School, and we don't know whats going on. Am I going in next week or not - I am admin. One of my previous jobs was in a Supermarket, thank goodness not now, I would not have been able to serve the greedy *ssholes that I have witnessed hoarding food. I would have got the sack! My little cinema has had to shut it doors, we fundraised for 4 years to get it reopened. I don't know if it will ever reopen as someone took it on as their business. I just dread going back to school, and someone not being there, or being bereaved. Stay safe Ray, and keep posting...

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    1. It's like the the worst dream we ever imagined we'd go through, D., - only still worse. I've not changed my twice-weekly shopping routine (NO stock-piling!) and tomorrow it's due again, though whether it'll be a case of stretches of empty shelves I can only wait to see. I can survive for, perhaps a fortnight (with difficulty) but I'd hate to see my cats go hungry. They'll think I'm doing it deliberately!
      Hope you quickly have resolution about your work in school, and that it's something you can live with. As for your cinema, that exemplifies a particular worry of mine, as you can imagine. Not that there are more important things in life - of course there are - but it's ineffably sad to see parts of what we took for granted dying before our very eyes.
      Wishing you all the best that you need - like keeping safe!

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  11. Stay safe and well Ray. We are self employed caterers and luckily were downsizing towards eventual retirement because as of two weeks ago we have no work. All our corporate companies have suspended catering until after this passes and the two private functions we had booked for April have been cancelled. For the first time ever our diary is empty. However we count ourselves lucky as we are debt free and have some savings and will sit it out. We really feel for businesses that will be much harder hit. The unexpected time at home has given me time to cook lots of meals for the freezer as we have a large work freezer with no work in it! We must all pull together to get through this and blog interactions will help us to feel less alone. I know what you mean about the pets too as I have made sure that I have supplies for my chickens and at least they supply us with eggs. We count our blessings. Stay safe everyone.

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    1. Your comforting words much appreciated, Carol. It's a situation none of us had ever dreamed could have come about, at least until very recently - and all so quickly too. I envy your stoicism though getting through it is the only true alternative we have. It's either that or die! (At its most simple).
      Thinking of how much more unfortunate others are than I am helps me to stop my internal moans - I certainly have no one else to moan to in any case.
      I'm going to the supermarket shortly who have just instigated a policy of the first hour of business being strictly for those who are aged and/or vulnerable - and believe I qualify. At least I hope I'm not turned away or told to wait an hour. It'll be quite a novelty to find full shelves, if that's what greets us. We'll see. Cat food is at the top of my 'essentials' - my own needs come lower down.
      Take care of yourself and all those dear and close to you, as I'm sure you intend to do. Hope we can all bask in some much-needed better news before very long 'cos, by Gawd, we sure need it!

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  13. Mistress Maddie20 March 2020 at 10:06
    Was just coming back to check a review. Yesterday found me watching On Demand, The Goldfinch. Bot did I thoroughly enjoy that film. I wanted to catch it in the cinema when it was out back time got away. Now I came to read your review, Did you do one on this film?

    Hope you are continuing to be well and safe in this ever changing, by the minute it seems, climate.

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    1. 'Fraid I didn't catch 'Goldfinch', M.M. I recall it coming out and would have wanted to see it but it didn't come to any cinemas (remember them?) near me. From what you say it was a shame to have missed it.

      Thanks for your thoughts ( (i.e. me and the four cats) are all fine and after today I;ll have no need to go out other than to buy food. No one to meet cos I don't know anyone to meet, or even talk to on the phone. Very simple.
      Now YOU take care of yourself and all your close ones.

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