Europe Day. Quarantine. Vaccine. Infection rates. Inequality. Sunshine.

A friend has alerted me to the fact that today is Europe Day, introduced in 1985 by the European Communities. The date commemorates the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, put forward by Robert Schuman, which proposed the pooling of French and West German coal and steel industries. It’s a pity I don’t have a EU flag and some blue and yellow bunting to put up outside my house. It’s supposed to be about celebrating “peace and unity in Europe”, which is rather sad at a time when all of the borders are pretty well closed. But at least we are included in the EU distribution of masks which is about to start. And let’s keep on teaching our children about Europe and encourage cooperation.

It has finally been decided that people coming into the UK will need to go into quarantine for a couple of weeks. Quite why it has taken so long to come to this decision is one of life’s mysteries. 

While just about every country is working hard to try to find a vaccine, Donald Trump has said coronavirus will “go away without a vaccine”. They expect to have 95,000 deaths, the unemployment rate has increased from 3.5% in February to 14.7% now, Mike Pence’s press secretary and one of Donald Trump’s personal valets have tested positive for the virus. But Mr Trump has some special knowledge that it will go away on its own. Well, that's all right then! Astounding!

According to the Manchester Evening News, Oldham, where we live, is one of the places with the highest rate of coronavirus infection. “The borough's rate - 376 cases per 100,000 people - means it now ranks among the 15 council areas in England with the highest infection rates per head of population, according to the latest government statistics.”

And it comes down to people living in overcrowded conditions and having to go out to work because they desperately need the money. Stay at home or have money to feed the family? “Government figures released last month revealed that 38 per cent of children in Oldham are living in poverty. In one part of the borough, near Greenacres, a shocking 80pc of children are estimated to be living in poverty. Local GP Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE said that poverty in the area is a 'crisis' - and that the borough are now seeing the effects as COVID-19 takes it toll. "I think when you're looking at the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Oldham, you need to look at the bigger picture," he said. "Two thirds of children living in certain areas of Oldham are living in poverty.”

Although we are technically part of Oldham, our house is way out on the edge of town and we have our garden to sit out in and, more importantly, we can manage to stay hame safely. Lucky us,

We’re not really all in this together!

Onto other things, just to take our minds off lockdown. Former French President Valéry Giscard D’Estaing is the latest big name to be accused of sexual harassment. When first I saw the headline I assumed this was going to be another story from years and years ago finally coming to light. But no, it turns out that in 2018 a German journalist interviewed the then 92 year old Frenchman and after the interview asked him to agree to be photographed with her and her team. That was when the former president started touching her bottom apparently. She tried to push him away, to no avail. How hard is it to push a 92 year old man away? And what’s wrong with telling him forcefully to stop? Why wait to bring charges? After all, no matter what important positions he has had in the past, a dirty old man is a dirty old man!

Today is going to be the hottest day in the month so far, according to the weathermen. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the air (warm by the way) is full of floating dandelion seeds. Yesterday the next-door neighbours had a barbecue in the garden - warm weather food fo many people. As we are not great red meat eaters, on the menu today will be a tomato and basil soup and a nice salad. More hearty food can wait until tomorrow when the weathermen promise the return of colder conditions.

Oh yes, here’s yesterday’s sunset.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone.