Parks are posted

I walked by the neighbourhood park and noticed that it was now posted. Closed until further notice because of COVID-19. How many children would have contacted the coronavirus from the playground equipment. Any? And if one or two had, would they have become sick? Is this really protecting children? (I'm just asking.)

I worked for years at two newspapers and a television station. Once a story like this one gets good, strong legs, one doesn't ask questions. I wondered out loud about the legitimacy of the liberation therapy cure for multiple sclerosis (MS). I was verbally attacked. (People died after having stents put into the veins in their necks, a dangerous, off-label use.) -- I hesitate to ask any pointed questions about the COVID-19 response. I don't need to endure the attacks.

Sweden has taken a different tack and tack is a perfect word. The goals are the same worldwide but the direction taken can be a bit different. Personally, as a 70 something who is a prime candidate for a full-tilt bout with the virus if encountered, I find myself siding with the Swedes.

Protect the aged and those at great risk for whatever reason. This will keep the deaths down and keep hospital rooms available for those who need them. It will also free up much needed equipment like ventilators. And this, of course, will also work to minimize deaths. At least, that is the Swedish approach.

They are also advocating social distancing and other emergency measures. The Swedes are claiming their approach is science-based and not politically-driven. Time will tell.

Social distancing keeps cousin at home

 

Isla and Fiona have been looking forward to the annual week-long visit ot their cousin Victoria. But this year, thanks to COVID-19, there will be no visit. Like so many kids around he province, my granddaughters are trapped spending days with one set of grandparents. Their other grandparents just returned to Canada from a vaction and so are under self-quarantine for 14 days.

The two little girls could not stop thinking about their missing cousin. And so, the other day they talked grandma into making some gluten-free scones in preparation of her visit after the end of the virus-inspired social distancing. Victoria must have gluten-free.

London Gallery once sold interesting art

My wife and I got this piece at the London Art Gallery from a little store run by volunteers. It was a cool store and note I use the past tense.

The volunteers and the administration at the gallery got into an argument and the outcome was the disbanding of the volunteer group and the closing of the shop.

A new shop now occupies the space. It is run by the art gallery administration. The stuff is nowhere near as interesting as the stuff gathered for sale by the volunteers and the new stuff costs a lot more.

We no longer shop at the gallery. A loss for us and for the city.

Shoppers must line up to enter Costco

Shopping at Costco has an extra wrinkle. Shoppers must line up in two well separated rows before being allowed into Costco to shop. And the shoppers must keep about six feet between each other. And carts are all wiped down before putting back into rotation. Only a set number of customers are allowed into the store at one time. A fellow holding a counter keeps track of the number of shoppers entering and exiting the store.
It was very efficient. It didn't take long to gain admittance. The next time I go will be Tuesday morning before nine a.m. Between eight and nine only seniors are allowed into the store to shop. Maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to buy some toilet paper. It was all gone today.

Neighbourhood play equipment now off limits

At this time of year, the neighbourhood play equipment is usually teeming with kids. Not this year.

Coronavirus fears are forcing the kids to keep their distance. Bare metal may become contaminated and this would contaminate the children. The kids might touch their faces and beome infected or they might just bring the virus home on their hands.

Playgrounds are still open but the equipment is off limits. There are no children in the park the serves my neighbourhood. The equipment, the swings, the monkey bar and the other stuff, is the whole reason kids go to the park.

Everyone is wondering how long this will continue.

Interaction without interaction

School has been canceled to slow the transmission of COVID-19. The goal is to keep the kids apart. No interaction, no transmission. Our ten-year-old granddaughter showed me how to interact without physically interacting. She plays a computer game called Animal Jam with other children. She found her cousin was online this morning. Lot's of giggles as two little girls played together but were miles apart.

Children can win trophies for answering questions about animals based on online booklets. Read a page, click on the image and the "page" turns. Finish the booklet, answer the questions and if one gets them all correct, the player wins a trophy.

I wish I knew more but I don't. It seems like innocent fun. One mother spent some time checking it out and it passed her inspection. Me? I do try to keep an eye.

Deer hunting during school suspension

School is suspended during this COVID-19 pandemic and grandparents are taking in grandchildren. It is difficult to break the links to society when one has to babysit. Both our daughters are still working and there is no sign this will stop.

Our granddaughter had a list of things to do today. Near the top of her list was deer hunting. The last time we visited Woodland Cemetery we didn't see even one deer. My wife and I thought possibly the deer had been removed to prevent more damage to the trees and other growth come spring.

But, we were wrong. We counted more than two dozen deer in the cemetery today. We didn't bring anything to feed the deer as the cemetery has posted a sign saying that this is not a good idea. Vistors to the cemetery are requested to refrain from feeding the deer.

As I said is a prior post, Woodland Cemetery is a multi-faith cemetery owned and operated by St. Paul Cathedral, the Anglican cathedral in the downtown core of London. Founded in 1879 on the banks of the Thames River, today the grounds have expanded to almost 100 acres and hold more than 50,000 burials.