Was it Something I Said?

A busy day with a routine BP check with the nurse, a doorstep chat with a friend on her birthday, an online lecture on William Morris, a bit of putting stuff back in the newly carpeted rooms and an online talk on Charles Dickens at Christmas. After the last talk I drove over to Cley with my long lens, hoping to see the owl again, but no joy. So instead you've got some starlings on the windmill and some dramatic sunset clouds in Extras.

Day 257 / Day 23 of Lockdown 2 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 521 to 57,551 (revised basis), with 16,022 new cases, 16,064 patients in hospital and 1,456 on ventilation. The R number has fallen to 0.9-1 with a daily infection growth rate of -2% to 0% - lets hope this progress isn't reversed when we go back into regional tiers next week. SAGE says the virus prevalence 'could easily double' over xmas with 'substantial mixing' of people. SAGE has also referred to the 'intimacy paradox' where we let our guard down because we don't see our loved ones as potential dangers. The Regulator has been formally asked to assess the Oxford vaccine. The Arcadia Group faces collapse within days.