Nice to be proved right.
I've posted that the government were wrong to advise people not to buy in stock and create shortage. I said that we have huge stocks of most things, even years of of them, and that the only problem was delay in getting replacement stocks out.
Today the supermarkets confirmed that I was right on both counts.
It justified my insistence in stocking up for the long term, since I am now going into total lockdown and self isolation before the epidemic reaches my area, thus protecting not only myself but others too.
In stark contrast the government advice was to self isolate but go out for essentials like food, or get others to go out for me. That would mean regular trips out for me or others as the infection rises to a peak and continues, clearly poor advice.
Today I collected my regular prescription for two months, and since like most regulars I have a month in hand, my lockdown in total isolation can be for at least three months.
Like many of the WW2 generation I'm an old hand at this game so have planned well. A coffee drinker who also enjoys it black I don't need much milk, so the eight pints in the fridge plus eeking out the 8 pints frozen in the freezer will do since porridge can replace breakfast serials using milk. All 16 pints of my milk is full cream since that goes much further in drinks than the usual semi skimmed.
Long dated cheeses and butter ensure a supply of additional calcium, important at my age, and salami and similar give some meats in my diet, with similar protein from versatile tinned tuna and sardines. I have plenty of frozen meat, chicken, lamb, beef, pork, venison and premium sausages. I also have a good variety of frozen fish.
Fresh vegetables and bread are a potential problem with limited freezer space, but I've bagged a mix of root vegetables in the fridge which will last a few weeks and have plenty of frozen peas. To extend my present loaf I have two more frozen and then a variety of cracker and savoury biscuits to follow. I also have bread flour and dried yeast and long ago used to make my own bread, so that can also occupy me at times.
Spuds will run out, but that won't mean any loss of starchy carbohydrates since I have plenty of pasta and four kinds of rice.
So will I go barmy with boredom in isolation? No, I have three reliefs. Firstly for years I've downloaded MP3s of potentially interesting Radio 4 programs that I haven't had time to listen to, so they can fill in time. Secondly I can hop into my electric car and drive out into the Surrey countryside for a change of scenery without encountering anyone physically. Third is that living on that county border I can also go out for isolated weekday country walks on fine days. For company then I can pat the odd horse and give a treat to Houdini, a goat I've known ever since he was a tiny kid.
And of course I can still do battle with you lot!
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