Making “days”. Good boot company actions. Reportiing the virus. Numbers. Asylum seekers. And out and about photos.

It seems that today is International Left Handers' Day. Who decides these things? Every slightly different-from-the-norm group has a “day” in the present world. As a left-handed friend of mine commented, “once they give you your own special day you know you're part of an oppressed minority”. Which is a bit extreme and possibly insulting to truly oppressed minorities. But then, left-handed children used to have their left hand tied so that they were forced to use their right hand. And I am told that my grandmother used to frantically rinse her hair with camomile to calm its colour down, flaming red hair being too embarrassingly noticeable!

I read yesterday that the Doctor Martens boots company has repaid its furlough cash to the government. Their sales rose nearly 50% in the year to June and the group’s profits nearly doubled. The company claimed furlough payments in line with the job retention scheme but now they have returned the money. Just think, they could have given shareholders extra dividends or paid the CEO a big bonus! But, no, they have decided to give the money back and help the country out. Well done!

The Guardian’s Coronavirus blog gave a “closing summary” yesterday, beginning: Closing summary Kevin Rawlinson We’re going to close down this live blog now. Thanks for reading and commenting. And ending: If you’d like to continue following the Guardian’s coronavirus coverage, head over to the global live blog. Does this mean the crisis is all over in the UK? I don’t think so. Our town is still getting warnings of a possible total shutdown unless things improve quickly. And I am getting confused about numbers, especially numbers of people who have died from the virus. This is because of this report:

“UK government removes thousands of people from Covid death toll after redefining it The Department of Health and Social Care has reduced the UK’s death toll by more than 5,000 following a review of how figures are calculated. Officials said that, as of Wednesday 12 August, the number of all deaths in patients testing positive for Covid-19 within 28 days was 41,329.
Earlier government figures said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday. The DHSC said the change came after the UK government and devolved administrations agreed to publish the number of deaths that have occurred within 28 days of a positive lab-confirmed Covid test result each day.”

It rather smacks of manipulation to me.

I suppose all reporting is selective. We have been hearing lots of reports of the small boats full of asylum seekers crossing the Channel, as if it were something new and unusual. And yet one report said that boats have been making the crossing for years. It’s just not received a lot of attention. And possibly there are actually more of them this year. This year more than 4,000 refugees have made the treacherous journey across the waters to Dover, often in dinghies. Now it appears that British First activists have got boats out patrolling the Kent coast, vigilante self-appointed immigration officials. I dread to think of how they will treat any asylum seekers they come across.

Mid to late afternoon yesterday my daughter and I cajoled, badgered and otherwise nagged my eldest granddaughter to go for a walk with us after she logged off work. So she donned her shorts and we braved the heat, walking along wooded bridle paths and canal tow paths. En route we spotted the handiwork of young den makers - quite impressive. On the whole, I have been impressed by the way young teens have been out and about on their bikes and rambling around doing all sorts if adventurous outdoor things: making rope swings, building ramos to do stunt cycling and now building teepee-like dens.

I also snapped some fine reflections.

 

And we picked, and immediately ate, blackberries, which are ripe very early this year in my opinion.

Of course, the best-looking berries are always the ones just out of reach.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone.