Boarding @ Home: Day 12/84: Coffee of course and Snowdrops

If this is a caesaura || is A D Miller's Snowdrops a time warp ? More from the Brackley Book Group overnight. Set in Russia after the end of communism saved today perhaps by the continuing hegemony of the KGB. It captures how life was after the collapse of the USSR in 1991; no different from the collapse in France in 1789 or Libya in 2011? It's not just a few being froward, it's the Wild East, the law of the jungle, replete with roynish characters. Can see why but cannot concur that it got to the Man Booker Prize & Golden Dagger Short Lists in 2011 but I did learn that 'snowdrop' is Moscow slang for a corpse hidden in the snow that emerges in the thaw and what a horrifying time it was for Russians and expats to live through; impossible to emerge unscathed.
Exit strategies from lockdown are now open season for discussion .. whilst the blame game remains sotto voce. We're hearkening, listening with close attention, to what's being suggested. Most optimistic strategy seems to be getting as many back to work asap on the back of a broadscale testing process [as commended by the WHO and South Koreans from the outset] and keeping the age/ prior medical condition likes of Avril and myself in Boris' originally proclaimed purdah [this is our Day 12/84]. Sounds like a plan. Consequent challenge of course is how to do all those tests when NHS/ Public Health England's capacity is demonstrably inadequate. The vaunted economies of scale afforded by centralisation of NHS provision has made it incapable of generating intelligent local initiatives or flexible supply chains. Fortunately the vibrant private medical research sector is likely to be able to achieve the necessary uplift. Here's believing it can!
Friday Coffee as usual - with cake! Avril had preserved the balance of her birthday cake Laura made in the fridge so that came too with the coffee [and chocolate]. The photograph below was at her behest not mine, but I displayed the Canadian maple leaf as the wait continues for the 'air' mail cards from the family in Edmonton, Alberta.


In Scotland working our way through the financial grant support at The Gothenburg Barons Courts is landlord and Wilson's Ales Limited the tenant publican. Seems to get relief that Wilsons need the Business Rates payer i.e. Barons Courts needs to submit the application. Sylvia and Calum working on the mysteries thereof .. hopefully news soon! Great news in the Courier that Michelle Wilson had managed to distribute breakfasts for youngsters ….

The support for Self-Employeds we've looked at for the contractors at the Battle Trust 1745 for our 275th Anniversary Project but it will only come into effect if we need to halt the contract and thus far the contractors have been ready and able to devote attention to upping the digital elements with immediate and longterm benefit. In particular the Facebook pages have flourished with video contributions from our archives passing 1745 participation - our initial target! The www.visionforvictory1745.org website is now also blooming with 275th detailing and of course our ambition for the Living History Centre.