W for Worries, Weather, Walks & WOW! : Scottish Borders in Lockdown

A-Z Blogging Challenge 2021   - Scottish Borders in Lockdown

Recording My Everyday Life - A Picture for Future Generations

 

WORRIES AND WOES have characterised life in Lockdown, particularly for those most affected by the virus and its impact on their families.  But what are my fears for the future? 

• The long term effect on children on their education and mental health   - my granddaughter is an only child, stuck at home without seeing friends - missing months of school learning.. For older pupils,  national exam schedules and assessments  have been in chaos, with university students dependent on online lectures and missing the social aspects of college life. 
   
• Employment prospects are grim.  Our son-in-law was first of all on furlough,  then made redundant, but very fortunately found another job through a contact.  But what about youngsters coming out of school and university?  Where are the jobs for them?
  
  
• What will be the effect be on on social structures and on social behavours of such high unemployment rates among disaffected youth? 
  
  
• What will our High Sreet be like, with so many leading brands and department stories  closing down and thousands of staff made redundant?
   
• How will the National Health Service   deal with patients whose treatment was delayed by the concentration on Covid - on a personal note when can I expect a hospital appointment for my arthritic knee?   I fear a long wait!
  
  
• Will people return to local orgnisations, the life blood of a community ?  Here Earlston Wednesday Group has over 50 members meeting in an afternoon for a social gathering with speakers, demonstrations, entertainment and an afternoon tea served.  But  no local hall can take that number and still observe soial distancing.
  
  
• What will the long term effect be on church  congregations? 
   
• Will people still be eager to go out and about?
  
  
• How, as a country  are we going to  pay for all these government subsidies beng paid out to employers, different sectors of the economy etc?
   

What a gloomy picture I am painting - but let us think optimistically  and we will WEATHER  the Covid Crisis that has dominated our lives for the past 13 months.  And there is no doubt good sunny WEATHER  does raise our spirits.

WALKING - is the one activity we have been able to do during Lockdown that boosts both body and soul - and I live in an ideal part of the country to achieve this.  Woodlands, rivers and rolling hills define the Scottish Borders    with a network of walking groups across the region - now able to meet again.  So enjoy this little walking travelogue - taken in pre Covid days.

 

 

 

 

 

And finally WOW! 

 

This bunch of flowers was presented to me with my supermarket delivery service this week as a thank you for support during Lockdown.  What a lovely surprise   -  and it made me look back to all the customer  service training I went through in my work,  and thinking of gestures that would WOW the customer.  This one did and brightened up my day. 

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ONTO X FOR EXTRAORDINARY  TIMES