March 26th: Clap for the NHS

A quiet day at Chez Stats. My wife has been to care for her mother again, and reports that there is now official queuing at the local Tescos, with no more than 40 people allowed into the shop at one time and a strict one in, one out policy.

Kids both working in the dining room, and I've been doing some more gardening and housework. The house and garden has never looked so clean and tidy at this time of year before!

Not stir crazy yet, but I suppose with the weather bing nice it's offset some of the feeling of being stuck at home.

I still can't quite get my head around the issue that we're all being urged to stay at home apart from essential trips for food, medicine or work (for key workers), but people seem to be out making and about because they're using the "one walk a day" ploy.  It doesn't appear to have impacted the local Rag and Bone man (are we allowed to say that any more?) either - he was out and about on the estate this morning although I couldn't make a word out of what was coming through the speaker on his van. Sounded like "Aaeurrghugaraahnnhossioosduher" (repeat til fade).

I see the Chancellor has just announced some news for support for the self employed, a group who seem to have been left wanting in regard to other support packages announced. It's hard, but I suppose the Government can provide fixes/support for everyone at once. The logistics and financial implications are staggering. And whilst we perhaps do need immediate action to address critical issues (like pay for those not working, ventilator production, etc etc) it's worrying to think how all this is going to be managed and paid for once the worst is over.

I was talking to a cricket club colleague earlier also, and we were musing about businesses who perhaps thought they would never have to deal with a situation like this, or argued that they couldn't work remotely, and are now finding that they have to. With so many finding solutions, I think the business models about how the country works in the future may change significantly.

And still on businesses, whilst most companies are doing their utmost to find solutions and support staff, there are a few who it appears are doing quite the opposite. No care for their staff, and only thoughts about the bottom line. Two of these are Sports Direct and Wetherspoons owned by Mike Ashley and Tim Martin respectively. Both have come in (quite rightly) for some major battering on social media, and there's currently a #boycottwetherspoons hashtag trending on Twitter, with many saying they'll never drink in there again. Whilst 'Spoons seem to have backtracked on not paying their staff, the damage may be done, but conversely people have short memories, and when all this is over and everyone flocks back to the pubs, the lure of cheap (relatively) beer may usurp any honourable intentions made now.

Finally, to close off tonight, it seems the Clap for the NHS at 8pm tonight went down well. I was outside clapping along with many in our street. Hats off to all the NHS staff and volunteers - for all they do anytime, let alone now.

Hardly seen the cat all day. Gone AWOL.

Graffiti appeared overnight on a Wetherspoons in Crystal Palace, south London (Picture: PA)