Living under Lockdown

Well, it’s here. Boris had no choice. And whilst my underlying beliefs remain unchanged, there are no libertarians in a plague or in a war of national existence. Just as our forefathers accepted conscription and rationing, we must accept lockdown. Breaching the terms is as treasonous as ignoring the black-out and shining a light up to enemy bombers.

We’ve had lockdown here for a week already. The local Spar is fine – after an initial run on toilet paper, the staff worked with a fury to get stuff onto the shelves faster than folk were taking it off, with the result that yesterday the shelves and aisles were groaning with Easter stuff. I have some migrants from Italy – they come every year. Black Redstarts. Usually two pairs. So rare in the UK that I once spent £300,000 installing a ‘brown roof’ on a new building for them; much to the chagrin of the client, the ecology people said they liked old bombsites, with plenty of demolition rubble, burnt wood and fireweed. Actually, they just like flies – or insects anyway – each pair eating some 1.5kg during the breeding season. And whilst the locals regard them as a bloody nuisance, I welcome them. They’re ugly, they can’t sing for shit and they’re not entertaining like tits, but just for the untold millions that they cost UK developers, they’re fab.

Stay safe all and let’s take care of each other.