Not exactly goodbye. Or even au revoir, auf wiedersehen or adieu. More hasta la vista really. As in; I will write something at some point but only the big news and only when (not if) it happens. There’s enough out there. The mass media hysteria is far worse than the virus itself. Although I do enjoy the stupid stories where people completely over-react. In the meantime however I intend to write more about (normal) life here in Australia.

So here are a few snippets. My way of saying a temporary farewell to the little virus. Factual, cynical or just silly…

Virus Bulletin Board

• Dani’s home town (city) of Madrid has just been put on lock-down. They started a few days ago making people work from home and closing all schools. Dani’s cousin Susana is now doing her lessons at home. I think he is a little jealous but is not saying. Ah well Dan. Soon it will be like that here…
• The great toilet paper panic buying mystery has now been solved. It seems for every person that coughs, another hundred shit themselves.
• Hopefully, once this virus crap fades into the past the media can get back to some serious stuff like what Greta Funburk is talking about. I have to say that is the one thing I am truly thankful for with this virus. It really has kept Greta and her fellow climate loons out of the news. Let’s hear it for the coronavirus! Hip-hip. Hooray!
• The reason why Italy, and in particular the industrial north, is the epicentre of the virus in Europe is now out of the bag. Not so long ago many Italian leather works were sold to the Chinese. They then flew in about 100,000 cheap workers (i.e. slaves) mainly from Wuhan to make cheap leather goods in Italy so they could label them “Made in Italy”. Well they are not so ‘cheap’ now are they?
• Meanwhile, hospitals in Italy struggle as there are not nearly enough breathing machines. Maybe they could get some made cheaply in China? Not funny really I know. But next time you go and buy some ridiculously under-priced clothing or some cheap gadget for your house, just remember what the real priorities should be. And while you are at it ask your local MP what the hell the NHS is spending its money on. Surely in the grand scheme of things those breathing machines cannot be that expensive? Can they?
• Australia, and Sydney in particular, is on a one-way path to lock-down. It is now inevitable. It’s more ‘when’ not ‘if’. The rugby season will be suspended or games played behind closed doors. The start of the Aussie rules football season (next weekend) will probably now be postponed. Tick tock. Tick tock…

Back to Normality…

Sort of normality. Yesterday after school Dani and I went to the beach. Along with a few hundred thousand others. It was packed. The weather was beautiful. Perfect in fact. Even the sea felt just the right temperature. Not so now. The weather is looking grim this weekend. So what shall we do? Tricky. I feel a bit of culture coming on…