Christmas Jigsaw No.1

I packed up my first xmas jigsaw today, so thought it was worth a blip and better than a trug full of roots from digging in the garden!!! All the roots are now out and all the previously un-dug bits have been dug over and lots of fist sized stones removed along with 2 metal strips and several bits of plastic bags from building supplies. I've got the same sized bit to dig tomorrow, but that shouldn't take too long as it's been dug before. I also finished wrapping local presents and writing local cards, so just the delivery left. I spoke to my niece today that has Covid - she's not too bad, just a bit tired. Her son has also tested positive. She thinks her partner caught it first from a work colleague. They and my sister are being driven mad by the frequent calls from T&T. 

I've posted a couple of photos in Extras of those interested in the Budgens story in Holt, one of the demolished site and the other of the new store open, both taken last week. 

Day 277 / Day 16 of the 3 Tiers v2 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 532 to 66,052 (revised basis), with 35,383 new cases, 18,009 patients in hospital and 1,340 on ventilation. There was a higher number of new cases reported today due to an additional 11,000 previously unreported cases for Wales being added, this was the result of 'system maintenance', more like incompetence. Globally cases to date passed 75m today. The US had nearly a quarter of a million new cases on yesterday alone, with nearly 7m active cases. California had a record 53,711 new cases in a single day - Brazil was the only country with a higher number than this one State. The French President Macron has tested positive. Northern Ireland is to go into a 6 week lockdown on Boxing Day due to rising infections. More of the east and southeast of England is moving into Tier 3 from Sat, including where I used to live in Milton Keynes. Evidently there's been a 46% increase in case rates in the South of England the last week with hospital admissions rising by more than a third. That means from Sat, 38m in England will be in Tier 3, or 68%, with 30% in Tier 2 and just 2% in Tier 1. Bristol and North Somerset will move from Tier 3 to 2, and Herfordshire will move from Tier 2 to 1. Some none urgent operations have been postponed by the Mid and South Essex health trust and Barts. English secondary schools will have a staggered return after xmas to enable mass testing, with in-person teaching for all by 11th Jan. The furlough scheme has been extended until the end of April.