Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Colin_Cameron]

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Any suggestions for Netflix/iplayer or Amazon Prime gratefully received. We're up to Series 4 of Bosch.

I’m afraid we gave up on Bosch after series 4. It seemed to drag on forever. Probably not helped by having read the Angel’s Flight book just before watching the series. Never a good idea.

 

‘Harrow’, about a forensic pathologist with a past, set in Brisbane is a good watch on Prime. There’s a common story running through each series as well as an individual story per episode. Only two series so far, the third delayed.by Covid-19.

 

While we wait for that, we’ve started watching ‘Unforgettable’. About a NY detective who has hyperthymesia which means she doesn’t/can’t forget anything. Only seen a few episodes but so far so good. Also on Prime.

[candle in the wind]

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks, our forecast is pretty dreadful and we're locked down so there'll be plenty of tv watched this weekend !

Any suggestions for Netflix/iplayer or Amazon Prime gratefully received. We're up to Series 4 of Bosch.

The Capture, on Prime. Knives Out [lighter whodunnit], The Shield [from a few years ago], The Good Fight, [follow through from The Good Wife, but better IMO], The Man in the High Castle seems to be enjoyed by people I know, but was very slow, not my cup of tea.

These are on Prime Canada, I don't know about the UK. 

We are doing OK in Ontario, Mr Candle has been ill but gradually improving since April, two negative Covid tests, but several symptoms. Our small city is affected like any other place, restaurants suffering, clothing chains closing for good. I worry for the economy. My son drove for 3 days from Alberta to Ontario to start a job on Monday. Far from complaining we are thrilled that he has a job. Our supermarkets have been so good, no food shortages, some empty shelves of paper products at times, but more on the way. Keep safe, keep well, All.

[Ray66]

It looks like England may be going into national lock down (except schools) as early as the middle of next week which may last until 1st December. So if you've got any non-essential shopping to do, this weekend may be the last time to do it for a while.

[Kynance]

9 hours ago, Ray66 said:

It looks like England may be going into national lock down (except schools) as early as the middle of next week which may last until 1st December. So if you've got any non-essential shopping to do, this weekend may be the last time to do it for a while.

The news headlines were so depressing this morning that I thought a third chocolate biscuit was merited! 
 

We need salt for our water softener and were planning a B&Q trip on Friday but in view of the uncertainty now I’ve asked my other half to order it from Amazon. 
 

I have already started my Christmas shopping online - I much prefer to visit shops in person but with so many unknowns and other considerations,  my pragmatic nature has taken over. Hopefully, however, I will be able to make at least visit to Reading next month - if we don’t support the high street it won’t survive. 
 

[Kynance]

@Host Hattie - so glad you are enjoying Bosch. Have you watched Good Omens with Michael Sheen & David Tennant? This is on Prime and possibly also BBC iPlayer, as it is a joint collaboration. I know you watched their lockdown comedy “Staged” earlier this year - the good news is there will be a second series! 
 

The other series I would also recommend, of course, is my beloved Poldark. ☺️ I don’t know if it is on any streaming service but you can buy all 5 seasons in a box set. I finished re-watching them a while back but I guess I’ll have plenty of time on my hands over the next few months to watch them again. I have now read the first 10 Poldark novels - 2 more to go. The later novels also follow the lives of the younger characters as they grow up and are equally compelling. 
 

We don’t have Netflix so I’ve had to get the DVDs - but I really enjoyed the first two series of The Crown. If series 3 is out, I might put it on my Christmas list... I feel it is a bit of a guilty pleasure, though I think we need these at the moment. 

[alc13]

17 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

You and me both NBT. 

Ditto.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'm sure there are a few to keep us going. I think I've been in preparation for a pandemic for most of my life as I do most of my shopping online anyway.

 

It feels odd to be watching the Rugby Six Nations Super Saturday in October, there are still 3 countries with a chance of winning so it could be an exciting evening.

We're having a delivery from the pub later, looking forward to fish and chips.

[Kynance]

I’m just waiting for the PM’s press conference to start but it appears from news reports that the lockdown will start in England on Thursday and last until 2 December. It will be similar to the March one but apparently schools & universities will remain open. However, the main teaching union is saying that schools should shut. Quite a few details have leaked out but we obviously need to hear the details from the PM himself.

[Lanky Lad]

Not good news, but lets hope it brings the numbers down. 

[Bigmike911]

Not good news indeed. I feel sorry for our UK friends, and pray that the vaccine gets here pronto (Spanish word meaning FAST). I can feel my July westbound slipping from my fingers already. 

[naturelovergirl]

Thinking of all of you in the UK as you face your monthlong lockdown.

 

Here at our home in Central FL, we are continuing to be healthy. We are still personally incredibly affected by the pandemic with our (normal) careers in the arts- and that temporary loss is rough on our hearts- but we continue to try to be safe for ourselves and for our fellow citizens. 
We feel great compassion for those who have dealt with this pandemic medically, mentally, and financially- it is so very complex. 

 

We continue to enjoy the outdoors- my saving grace during the pandemic. If this continues on and on and on, I shall stay thankful that we live in a place where the weather is pleasant into the winter.

Best to all of you Cunarders as you deal with all of this as best as you can.

[Host Hattie]

I know it must seem odd for those in other countries but the 4 parts of the United Kingdom have different Health departments. The lockdown announced yesterday applies to England only.

In Wales, we're in the middle of a 17 day firebreak, we'll get more idea what happens afterwards tomorrow.

[Bigmike911]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

I know it must seem odd for those in other countries but the 4 parts of the United Kingdom have different Health departments. The lockdown announced yesterday applies to England only.

In Wales, we're in the middle of a 17 day firebreak, we'll get more idea what happens afterwards tomorrow.

Not unlike the states in the US which have had different rules about the pandemic over time. The federal government has coordinated, made recommendations, supplied equipment and provided funding for citizens in need, but left the details up to the state governors. Some have done well, others not so much. But then Boris is the Prime Minister of the UK and apparently also in charge of England, there in lies the difference, I think. HH what is the logic of a 17 day (in Wales)  vs a 28 day (in England) lockdown?

[Host Hattie]

Ours was started earlier, the earlier you start, the shorter the shutdown required. That's the theory at least.

[navybankerteacher]

5 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

... HH what is the logic of a 17 day (in Wales)  vs a 28 day (in England) lockdown?

The same amount of logic (or, lack thereof) as applies to differences  between New York and Pennsylvania ;  or pretty much any two neighboring US states

[Host Hattie]

The advice is here if you are interested 

 

Fire Breaks

[frankp01]

For those in the States, here's a very brief history of how the UK came about, from our London-based friend. I hope his political leanings aren't too obvious. But this does explain why there are four separate lock-downs:

 

As you may possibly know England and Scotland were two separate and independent sovereign nations but were linked dynastically by their respective monarchies.

 

They also had two separate parliaments and two separate legal systems.  But in the early 1700s Scotland was short of cash and entered into what some people considered to be a Faustian pact with the Devil whereby they agreed in effect to surrender their sovereignty and merge their parliament in Edinburgh with Westminster in exchange for money and that's when the two nations became the United Kingdom (subsequently joined by Ireland in 1802 or thereabouts I think)

 

For over 300 years the Scots have understandably been very resentful towards  the overbearing English and English hegemony (hey 1776 - rings a bell?)  over their country and consider themselves to be second-class citizens in the United Kingdom.

 

Devolution in the premiership of Tony Blair, however, gave a new found confidence and feeling of separateness when they got their own Parliament back. Foreign policy, defence and some taxation are still run by Westminster but they do have their own control for a number of other matters including health and welfare.  Another example is that I cannot practise as a lawyer in Scotland as they have their own legal system.

 

Of course with the current pandemic the crisis has come to the forefront of politics as it has elsewhere  and the Scots are pretty much governing themselves in exactly the same way that the Welsh are doing under their own devolved assembly.

 

The bizarre thing is that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own devolved parliaments  but not England. The English "Parliament" is exactly the same thing as the United Kingdom Parliament in Westminster but our health minister is only health Minister for England and that is why the national lockdown we are going through from Thursday applies to this country only and not to the rest of the Kingdom.

 

What amuses me when I heard the radio news this morning was that the First Minister of Scotland (equivalent of prime minister north of the border) has attempted to ban and advised against all except essential travel to and from England (historically known as the auld enemy!).  You probably knew anyway that for example whenever there is a soccer or rugby match between England and France the  Scots will always side with France and never with  England, Such is the hostility and dislike that exists to this day.

 

I'm convinced that the pandemic will eventually trigger another referendum on independence now that they have had a real taste of governing themselves and finally the Scots might gain what I have wanted for over 300 years.

 

Actually, a lot of liberals down  here in hated London (London’s gigantic influence and pull  are hated and resented by the rest of the country in much the same way that New York is in the US!) have a lot of sympathy for the Scots and although personally I think they would struggle with independence, as England is the richest nation in the union, I don't blame them feeling alienated,  so many hundreds of miles away from Westminster.

Edited November 1, 2020 by frankp01
Corrected number of UK lockdowns, per HH.

[Host Hattie]

Four actually, Northern Ireland have their own rules.

[frankp01]

> Four actually, Northern Ireland have their own rules.

Thanks, I counted Northern Ireland. I forgot to count England's! 

[frankp01]

I've been lurking, but not posting. All things considered, we're lucky to be in the fine shape we are. I get depressed, though, every time I browse around Cruise Critic! We had planned on a back-to-back crossing in December 2020. After the pandemic hit we thought we'd push it into December 2021. Now I'm not sure things will be sufficiently back to normal even by then. It's possible cruising may have resumed, but if so, it'll most likely be with social distancing. Cruising is a social activity. I'm not sure I'm interested if it has to be at a distance! How I wish we had a crystal ball to see when accurate immediate testing will become available and vaccine(s) have reached wide distribution. 

[Lanky Lad]

Scotland can go independent, but they have to pay their share of the cost of Covid.  There seem to be some who think Scotland can leave England, Wales and Northern Ireland to pick up the bill.

[frankp01]

I perhaps should have edited out any mention of Scottish independence. I didn't want to start a political discussion! I simply wanted to offer a very brief UK history, as my experience is that most folks over here think England and the UK are one and the same.

[LewiLewi]

In the midst of the rising numbers of Covid all over the world as well as in the US, I am equally nervous about our coming election. I have worked so hard for so long, I can’t decide whether to be more nervous about the pandemic or the election. In either event, my stress level is through the ceiling right now. I would probably even down a bottle of Pol Acker if one was available at this time.

[Kynance]

Well, I missed most of the press conference in the end because it started much later than we were advised and by then it was time for pizza in front of the TV, watching something which wasn’t going to a) give us indigestion and b)result in us spitting out the pizza in apoplexy! The announcements were much as I expected. Schools are staying open for now but I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a longer Christmas break than their normal two weeks. A senior cabinet minister was doing the TV rounds this morning indicating that the 2 December end date might not be the end date after all, if the R rate does not come down enough.  And a merry Christmas to you Mr Gove as well! 🎅🏻🙄😆. 

[naturelovergirl]

6 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I know it must seem odd for those in other countries but the 4 parts of the United Kingdom have different Health departments. The lockdown announced yesterday applies to England only.

In Wales, we're in the middle of a 17 day firebreak, we'll get more idea what happens afterwards tomorrow.

I appreciate the explantation, Host Hattie. After reading your comment, I went and looked at a news aggregate- pulling in news stories from a variety of news sources as well as the AP... I was constantly seeing headlines over here saying specifically calling it a "UK lockdown". So I truly appreciate the understanding of how it is really.

 

Same goes for news about hurricanes here.The news and weather stations in other parts of the country will be telling people that a hurricane is going to FL... I will then get contacted by friends and family who live elsewhere- and often I have to say that it is, but it is not affecting us in the same way as it is affecting other parts of the state.  In fact, when they start talking about evacuations, I always have to explain to my worried family and friends that people are evacuating away from the coast... and we are not on the coast. (Many people actually evacuate towards the center part of the state during hurricanes. So our hotels around us get filled when a hurricane hits the state.) It does not mean we don't get damage here- it can be quite bad... but it just means they don't evacuate our area of the state.

Edited November 1, 2020 by naturelovergirl