« Reply #19 on: Sunday 23 August 20 16:39 BST (UK) »
Life is ticking on in the same 'new normal' way, local shops in the village people wait in line 2 m apart and chat, everyone gives space and everyone speaks/waves, even if they are on the other side of the road. The cricket fence is full of homemade crafts and the village children have been busy painting and decorating stones making a pathway near the water meadows
The supermarket in town 4 miles away have the traffic lights system, the other one ( Tescos) was very heavy handed at the beginning, I am sure they employed ' ex night club bouncers' who assumed they were dealing with drunk idiots the way they spoke to or rather shouted at customers...the ' ex night club bouncers' disappeared after a week because of the amount of complaints they got and I am sure because of the loss of customers...I haven't been there since April and I know many who haven't.
The only person who doesn't social distance is my elderly neighbour and I find myself backing up when we happen to arrive home at the same time, her niece was delivering her shopping for a few weeks but my neighbour was very put out she wouldn't come in I found myself defending her niece but it made no difference she was still put out. Once we could go out I made my neighbour a cotton face mask which is now her favourite fashion assessory and I get caught at least once a day as she stands and calls my dogs out , talks to my 'indoor cat' who is outside in her catico or waits for me to hang out washing or weed, but at least I have the ability to social distance with the and she has now come up with another way of contact as she is purchasing treats for my dogs and cat...so as soon as they hear her they are either out by the fence or the cat is meowing
Over the last 6 weeks we normally have a village festival, a fete, a classic car rally with all the trimmings which brings in lots of on lookers from all over and a full week where all the village youth go and help villagers, be it painting, gardening, lifting, car washing, window cleaning or anything needed and the villagers put on food, BBQs and drinks ( pop) for them so all of those have gone to the wall this year......... but the village community gardening club members have been out keeps our village blooming along with also planting vegetables and herbs in the many tubs and grass spaces in the village.
The police have been out and about ( really making sure 'we' comply) doing road blocks checking licences to see if you are local or travelling... been stopped twice by them as I have an English accent and personal plate car even though I have lived here for 16 yrs it seems I still stand out, but they also are very keen on checking if everyone is OK and need anything
Leicestershire:Chamberlain, Dakin, Wilkinson, Moss, Cook, Welland, Dobson, Roper,Palfreman, Squires, Hames, Goddard, Topliss, Twells,Bacon.
Northamps:Sykes, Harris, Rice,Knowles.
Rutland:Clements, Dalby, Osbourne, Durance, Smith,Christian, Royce, Richardson,Oakham, Dewey,Newbold,Cox,Chamberlaine,Brow, Cooper, Bloodworth,Clarke
Durham/Yorks:Woodend, Watson,Parker, Dowser
Suffolk/Norfolk:Groom, Coleman, Kemp, Barnard, Alden,Blomfield,Smith,Howes,Knight,Kett,Fryston
Lincolnshire:Clements, Woodend