deegee

Whilst you feel sorry for the business lost last year, some of these hotels are clearly ripping folk off on the basis they think everyone is desperate fo4 their staycation this summer. I was in the Royal Hotel, Oban 3 weeks ago and it was £75 for room and (shit) breakfast. Fast forward a month and they’re looking at £462 for 3 nights! We are off to Tobermory next weekend, rearranged from a week ago and the room rate at the Western Isles Hotel was £210 a night and they tried to increase it to £270 for B&B in their 3 star hotel. They’ve kept my old rate after I queried if I had booked a room in the Bahamas rather than Balamory! No doubt, I’ll be rewarded with a room facing the dustbins since I’m not paying the going rate.

This cruise being banned from docking is crazy. I’m driving to Liverpool tomorrow with work and flying to Heathrow next week. All totally legal yet a few bus loads of pensioners can’t go for a drive to Loch Lomond despite being mainly vaccinated and coming from a presumably sterile ship. We were at Troon a week past Sunday and I’ll also bet the density of folk at the beach and around the ice cream shops etc was far higher than this Fanzone that’s causing folk to lose their minds. I said at Christmas that I wish I could live remotely on a desert island for a year and return once all this shit had settled down, and as the year progresses, I’m even more wishing I could disappear as these regulations and reactions to events are wrecking many folks’ heads tbh.

Drag Queens and Fred McCauley.... I can’t imagine two more opposite ends of the “entertainment/ cabaret culture” and I wonder why Nicola, Jason and Devi and the usual greeting’ Facebook Maws haven’t been up in arms about these gigs on the Green? Maybe COVID is fly and only comes out when there’s a football match on the big screen. Having said that, I’d probably rather die a painful COVID death than have to sit listening to Fred McCauley for two hours. I thought he’d retired a decade ago tbh and I wasn’t sure he was even still alive.

Sorry to hear this was how you were feeling mate. I lost my mum a month before first lockdown but tbh I was grateful she lived to a good age and her cancer was swift enough that she missed this last year of shit- show. Christmas was hard but I was fortunate to have the support of family , however I found her anniversary of passing much harder, standing alone in the freezing cold and snow covered graveside. This isn’t possibly much help or use to you mate but hopefully you find comfort and strength as the seasons pass and life can look brighter.

It’s utter lunacy, with practically no benefit in stopping the transmission of virus and this corporate virtue- signalling nonsense needs to stop. Like said by others, I have generally found the “going to a cafe” experience to be soul destroying at best and a late springtime extension to the “wait outside the bakers and shout through a plastic window to an elderly assistant who can’t understand your order due to mask wearing, howling winds and road traffic” fun we had up until a few weeks ago. This downloading apps and ordering practically everything remotely and without any human engagement might be ok for some weird folk but not for me. Whenever I ask the assistant telling me to download their app, if I can simply just him him/ her my coffee order, you’re generally greeted with a shocked look of disgust and horror!

I thought we were not to “label” the variants as it could be offensive and racist? Hence Nicola quickly jumped on the bandwagon and rebranded the Indian version as “April 02” which, for whatever reason is now “Delta”. To avoid upsetting some unknown Nepalese restaurant owner who happened to pick up the Daily Mail this morning , I presume today’s latest twist on Variants might be re-badged as “Echo”? However won’t that upset the feelings of people suffering from tinnitus? Maybe we ought to follow Nicola’s lead and call this version “June 03” for consistency and that’ll give her 365 options for upcoming unnamed and unseen variants!

It’s as if these low grade politicians, jumped up mouthpieces haven’t actually ever had a social life or understand normal folks’ habits and interests. Thousands will have booked a trip to London and not just for the football. It’s totally legal and travel with holiday stays are desperately needed throughout the UK to salvage battered hotel and hospitality trade. I have family going down and have a few other visits to tourist attractions booked as well as bars on the day of the match. I know couples and families using this as an excuse for a staycation and to visit London. Despite all this, for some unknown reason, we’ve had a few rent-a-gubs on tv and the media telling folk to stay away from one of the largest cities in Europe where you could be 2 miles from Wembley and not even know there was a match on..

I’ve got the Other Half’s family panicking and wanting to cancel a booked lunch catch-up in 10 days time in case the dad and (disabled) sister catch COVID. One of her sisters won’t visit family this week as she was away to Oban for the weekend with her husband. This is what is has boiled down to; folk being meek and petrified of their shadows, scared of “unknown” variants despite every single one of her family being double- dunted with vaccine. I had cross words last night as I questioned if her family, scared to meet for a lunch, have not been shopping, gone to work, met anyone anywhere and why would a couple days in Oban be more deadly than if her sister and man had stayed at home and went to work or supermarket etc. While I think her family are being totally irrational and borderline stupid, you can’t help them if they’ve been bombarded with doom & gloom for 15 months. It’s as if no other accidents or illness can cause hospitalisation or death. Despite the figures suggesting this virus is currently a very minor risk to life and no worse than a bad cold for most youngsters unvaccinated. Time to sack clowns like Yousaf for reckless lies and to put Leitch and co back into their unseen back- offices and let them disappear.

I’d take a few days off work to tidy up things, arrange a skip and book a house- clearing company, empty the place and sell it tbh. Couple of factors to consider- Renting several flats is easier business than one house. Several incomes can cover any shortfall in rental income or expenses and repairs. With a single rental, you’ll be forever looking out for rental gaps and ongoing costs unless you let a rental company take control for a monthly fee. If you retain the house, whilst value may increase, so will the need for maintenance and possible refurbishment, just to keep the place as a decent asset. Although you may not need the money now, cash in the bank can be spent at any time or invested, whereas equity can’t be immediately spent. If there’s no emotional attachment to the house or a known relative looking to rent it etc, I’d be getting it sold as it’s (already been said in the thread) a seller’s market now.

I think you’ll be fine in Summer as the whole country will be open by then. The case numbers last month in Donegal were horrid, something around 600 per 100k but it seems to be calming now. I took my UK registered car in December, just immediately prior to the winter lockdown and was actually stopped at the Co. Donegal/ Northern Ireland border by the Guarda but had no problem as it was clear I had work gear in the car etc. The locals were saying the last week that the pressure to open is immense as Irish folk from all over the country will just go socialising and holidays in the North and around Co. Derry if the Republic stays closed. Their tourism economy is huge to them and none of the locals batted an eyelid when I was there, with Northern Irish reg hire car, Scottish accent etc. Their vaccination programme was horrendously slow initially (causing much resentment for folk living near the border as the NHS fired into the Northern Irish) but th3 other week was opening up to vaccinate 45-49 ages and is probably lower by this week I’d guess. I hope this gives you a little bit reassurance and I am sure you’ll be fine mate and have a brilliant time, once you get over in summer.

I have been over twice to Donegal this month due to a work meeting and flew to Belfast both times. Never asked once for any PCR test or checks at the hotels I stayed in, apart from having to show an email from my director confirming I was over on essential business. I predict the case numbers in Ireland will go through the roof once they open up hotels for guests later this month, as regular hospitality won’t be open until July I believe. Everyone will, like last summer, book a few nights away and as a hotel guest be allowed drink etc. It was bonkers last month at my hotel in Buncrana where I could sup Tennents all night with my meal whilst Scotland was not even “outdoors only” at that point in May yet my local residing customer wasn’t allowed to cross the door for a coffee. We had to sit in his van with a takeaway pint!

That’s the thing that also riles me; the slavering journalists on those daily briefings are equally as guilty for loving the sound of their own voices and droning on to the point you forget they actually are asking a question. A blind man can see that supermarkets are rammed to the point they’ve basically enjoyed “Christmas week” trade for the past 15 months, yet across the road sports venues lie closed and are deemed as being a danger to life. Where is the clear science that a football ground is more lethal than Sainsburys? As was mentioned by someone here last month, if Serbia hadn’t missed their penalties, it’s fair to assume we would not be hosting football matches at Hampden next month, based on lunatics whispering into the ears of Nicola and co.

My first time there was Kevin Peterson’s 149v South Africa in 2012. Amazing day out and was same day as the “ Super Saturday” at London 2012 Olympics...to this day I’ve never seen a second of the Gold medal wins from Jessica Ennis etc that day as I was frankly as pissed as a fart after a brilliant day in Headingly with an amazing atmosphere, on and around the stadium, I’m looking forward to a day out with big crowd, great banter and a few beers; might break a few hearts in the SG but I’ll be taking my chances.

I’m at Headingley late August for England v India which might be renamed England v April 02! I can’t wait as I have been to a few test matches in Leeds and I booked this (with a few English colleagues) as far back as late December in the presumption this shit show would be well done by then. No doubt in Scotland we’ll still be looking at our leaders having heads in hands crying when 300 folk want to watch East Fife versus Forfar in an outdoors stadium.

For me, enough is enough. I’m totally done with the talking head experts who have unilaterally and uninvited became the “face and voices of the pandemic”. Done with the politicians’ utter nonsense and back-sliding about “3 weeks to save the NHS”, over- lengthy summer restrictions last summer when England and Europe were attempting a fight back, confusion over Autumn 2 weeks’ circuit breaker which basically lasted 7-8 months, deflection and denial of the success of the vaccines; very thing needed to finish this off and extended attempts to create hysteria over a diminished threat. I personally haven’t been too badly effected by the virus but will pay the price for 15 months of crushed business and folk hiding under their mattresses and now refusing to return to work. I’ll pay the price of many things we enjoy in life now being either closed or declined to the point of non- existence due to a nasty virus which has been totally monetised and politicised...the same virus which is now in full retreat yet folk want to carry on wearing space suits and masks to the shops, “just in case and we just don’t know about undiscovered variants” Full crowds at the snooker final last month, folk back to horse racetracks, supermarkets packed daily nationwide and I believe 6000 folk watched Lincoln play football last night yet we have no one in a 50k national stadium for our Scottish FA Cup Final whilst 22k were in London last week for the English FA Final. Utterly bonkers, zero way there is any substantial “data over dates” nor “follow the science”. We had many regions basically clear of the virus for 3-4 months from the Islands to the Border areas yet everything shut apart from daily “keeping us safe” party political broadcasts from a one- person leadership team who was crying at folk last summer going to the beach on a sunny day. Maybe my mutterings are just that of a sickened and worn out fella but there are many faces to this virus and it isn’t just doom- laden spokespersons, happy- clappy middle class folk loving hiding/ working from home indefinitely, grandstanding politicians nor the amazing overworked medical staff and emergency services. There are millions of unseen normal folks just fed up, not understanding the confused messages nor happy with the bonkers restrictions to enjoying something like taking their kids to a soft play area or a football stadium where 500+ folk might be the cause of the end of civilisation. As is often said; we just don’t know! I do know I’ve had enough of this life and never want to hear from these idiots who dominate the airwaves and over the media anymore, unless it is to apologise and to get us back to normal, the old normal and no self decided variation of new normal.

2nd dose of lovely AZ flowing through my veins this afternoon. As per 1st visit, very efficient at Forth Valley College in Stirling. A pint or two of vitamin T might be diluting these same veins later. I was in Ireland with work yesterday and Glasgow Airport totally deserted upon my return this afternoon. Nowhere open on site for food or drink and only a handful of domestic flights going out in a day (with maybe one to Amsterdam I think too). Regardless of the rights and wrongs of restricting foreign travel, whether for business or pleasure, we risk running this industry and associated businesses out of the game forever if we don’t get moving soon. Aer Lingus have announced they’re closing their strategically important Shannon base with 130 job losses and how can other jobs survive if we have a repeat of the “holiday hokey-kokey” we seen last year with countries moving to red or green overnight then back again.

Yet the authorities actually thought it was fine to propose 600 fans as a good option in Hampden, before NS burst that bubble. I actually said the the wife a fortnight ago that Tannadice or Pittodrie should have been considered as a test event with 10k fans minimum, if Hampden actually was contracted to UEFA (which I still can’t understand the need for 3 week takeover). It is clear the government will bend their own rules to fill churches a month ago but can’t bear to see football, rugby, nightclubs etc open in any form without attempting to control by fear.

Superb goal in the FA Cup at Wembley and even better to see the tremendous scenes of joyous celebrating fans with hardly a mask and zero effs given to social distance. Compare and contrast to the dour tone from our lazy football authorities and over- zealous government. Why oh why we are being driven down and hammered with stupid irrelevant rules based on the opinion of power- drunk administrators rather than “data over dates” would make me weep, if the scenes from Wembley weren’t an uplifting glimpse to what we should be seeing here too. I’d even go so far, as a Celtic fan, I’m delighted the Rangers fans are celebrating their title in the city as they should have been in the stadium today.

It was as optimistic and as upbeat as Nicola can be, however in reality who wants to go for a drive with the family/ other half to end up somewhere that is closed apart from having a takeaway coffee. I suppose it legitimises folk who might have been travelling to see family and friends but it’s no real change tbh.

....only without alcohol. You can get a meal and a juice for example but beers need served outside.

Get this passport nonsense kicked right out. Maybe there is some merit for certain overseas travel, although the uptake on vaccination numbers at the destination country will be a factor. Why on earth would I need a passport to enter specified (hospitality and leisure) venues as well as stadiums but for the past year the supermarkets have had “week before Christmas” sales and footfall basically every week? Are the governments seriously thinking a vaccine passport will be a requirement to enter the likes of Stirling Albion’s Forthbank ground with 500 fans but not next door at Morrison supermarket on a Saturday afternoon? Similarly with other grounds the length and breadth of the country.

I think we are simply at the point where the majority of folk are fatigued with the whole situation and don’t understand why/ what the rules are, and on what basis they are implemented. Going for a walk yesterday afternoon, the co-op was as busy as ever with loads of folk popping in for a few odds & ends (as was myself) yet the butcher has a strict two customers only limit. Up the street, the cafe and bakers had the ridiculous plastic shield on the front door and folk packed on the pavement more likely to cause a accident as they huddled and queued for the ubiquitous takeaway coffee. Same as the barber across the road with another group of fellas chatting outside and waiting for their “appointment” in line with regulations. The trendy furniture shop was re-opened and busy but the shoes and gift shops either side remain closed. What the owners of these businesses must think as they see supermarkets in town packed with greetings cards, shoes, clothing, garden trinkets etc all been on sale the whole time. The bar/ restaurant across the road hasn’t been open for months, yet in late Summer in line with keeping customers safe invested in improving table spacing, track & trace, outdoor seating etc. The “data, not dates” mantra was a lot of gibbering pish, as is the paranoia about “third waves” whilst conveniently forgetting the vaccine rollout. We never have had the adult conversation and my snapshot above was just my observations about one village street on one afternoon. Frankly it’s gone beyond “three weeks to save the NHS” or “flattening the curve” and it’s more about personality politics in my view.

I know I’d be as well howling in the wind but with these figures, backed up by the vaccines, there’s no good reason why cafes, restaurants and bars couldn’t open up for Easter, even if we had “September style” no standing at bar arrangement etc. I thought then that most hospitality venues did a great job in the circumstances and I’d happily accept this for a month or so until the rest of top 9 groups are vaccinated. Similarly sports venues should be immediately opened if the stadium, arena can show a plan for short- term access and exiting, until we ditch restrictions. If the weather is pleasant next weekend, there’ll be literally millions of folk in the UK congregating in gardens, parks, beaches with picnics and frankly little risk to the NHS or cemeteries being overrun.

Has the Scottish Government binned the daily televised updates, due to election coming up? Long overdue if so, but I wasn’t sure if they are still going ahead but hosted by Methadone Mick, Leitch & co.

I worry I am a functioning alcoholic. Luckily I rarely touch spirits but I’ll sup beer all night long and frankly hardly have a night off if there is beer in the house. I did dry January a couple times including this year and it was actually no problem but the minute I decide I want a drink, I’ll rattle as many cans, bottles and subs ( for the house beerwulf machine) as is available. I have been like this for at least 10+ years and I’m now early 50s. I had a night off last night and think I’m going to go dry for a month or two at least. Feel much fresher this morning but this “working from home” is wrecking my motivation.