Pugwash

I am a car owner and driver. If I want to shop in LL I will use the bus, however if doing the weekly shop at Salisbury's DKH I will use the car as I cannot carry all the bags. I can walk but find after about 15/20 minutes my arthritis plays up. I have also had a number of falls over the past year, last being in the street where small paving slabs were uneven and I went flying. Severe bruising of ribs and shoulder.I walk slowly with a stick as I am checking the surface for dips etc, this is not helped by cyclists riding on the pavements especially noticeable in LL and Barry Road. Recently I had to visit the Rehabilitation Centre in Bowley Close, due to the closures in the village I could not go my usual route but had to drive to Crystal Palace, down College Road etc - making it a much longer journey. I am in 2 minds about the closures - I can see the sense in having some road closures, but not to the extent that traffic is forced onto other roads (EDGrove/LL etc) which creates more pollution in the long run as traffic is stationary.

I purchased a turkey crown (2.5/3 kg) from Iceland a few weeks ago. Cooked it earlier in the week, sliced up and put in freezer ready to take out when needed. Cost ?16. Beef from Asda also cooked, sliced and in freezer. I have done this every year since the mid 1970's as at the time I had such a small kitchen that a roasting dish with a turkey in took up all my work surfaces. With the cancellation of Christmas - my family who were all visiting on Boxing Day are no longer able to come to us (I have NHS worker and teacher daughters)All of us now in Tier 4. With the freezing of food - I am not wasting anything. Hubby went to Salisbury's Local to get bread/fruit/veg - no queues. May have paid a little more but was in and out within 10 minutes.

I very reluctantly do on line shopping. I prefer to view goods in person but with the closure of so many retailers over the past 5 years or so, I am forced to go on line. I ordered a book from Amazon for my granddaughter as both local bookshops and WH Smith's were closed. When I was doing my Practice Teaching qualification at Greenwich University - to purchase books required would have cost me over ?200 new, so used Amazon and got 2nd hand ones for less than ?80. Have purchased stuff from Amazon over the years, mainly because the items needed could not be obtained from retails stores in the area (even going as far a field as Croydon and Bromley ). I am lucky that I have good neighbours would would take in parcels etc.

Contact local police -Goodrich Road is Dulwich Hill as is Overhill Road. Ondine Road is Goose Green. They will collect information - may recognize the guy. He may have a history in this area.

The Councillors' surgeries at the East Dulwich Community Centre have not resumed after previous lock downs, but Councillors can be reached via their email accounts.

There are many Charities who are closing down as their income stream has been lost due to Covid in all its forms/lockdowns, so where would they get monies to purchase tablets and smartphones?. Also many people still do not know how to operate smart phones and tablets and would need physical help from a volunteer to show them how to use the gadgets. I am assuming that you anticipate that many people will donate 2nd hand tablets/smart phones but who will pay for the SIMS, running costs i.e. contracts/pay as you go credits and organise top ups?

I think Link Age have also stopped their usual activities except telephone calls. I am a Link Age Volunteer(gardening Scheme). As well as a DBS you need personal references - although I had a DBS for my professional status, Link Age had to apply for one for me as DBS are not transferable.

Post today - last post was Tuesday.

I would be very wary about changing to a different hospital. Hubby is under KCH and needed advice re possible hip replacement - GP checked with KCH and their waiting list for appointments (which was several months away) but decided that St. Thomas' Hospital had a shorter waiting list. Hubby was in wheelchair so had an ambulance to collect him. St. Thomas' was running late with appointments and we ended up being there for 6 hours as had to have X rays etc. Some Kings Consultants also work at Guys and St Thomas' so may have be able to see you at a different venue. If you have some medical insurance - your provider maybe able to get an urgent private appointment for you face to face.

We do not have a Smart phone and would have limited use of Whatsapp (neither of us are IT savvy)

Having lived in ED since the 1950s - the NX weekday market was if I remember on a couple of days a week (can recall a Friday) upto at least the early 1970s.

i was advised that due to Covid etc that Crisis is not doing their usual Christmas support

I think the 5 days should be reduced to 3 - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (or substitute Christmas Eve for Bank Holiday Monday) We are having family over on Boxing Day only otherwise it will just be the 2 of us. We will be following guidelines re SD and making sure plenty of fresh air is circulated. Meals will be buffet type so no sitting at a dining table. We have not seen our grandchildren since August and it is especially hard not to see the 4 and 6 year old. Neither of us have Zoom but are in contact by phone and emails. If the government were to cancel Christmas - too many people would ignore the advice and still meet up in larger numbers as a show of defiance.

Earlier in the year, hubby went several times to the Plough and in talking with staff, was informed that they kept a close eye on numbers, people were refused entry if more than an certain number were drinking on the premises. If government allowed pubs and restaurant with good SD and covid precautions to operate a system where pre booking is essential and a maximum stay of 2 hours is allowed, this would bring in some form of income. I remember having to book at a popular restaurant some years ago and they were only offering 2 hour slots,i.e. 6,8,10 pm. A manager would appear and remind you that you only had 20 minutes left to finish your meal.A bit of a rush but if the menus were slightly reduced to allow a 3 course meal to be prepared and eaten in the 2 hour slot, this would help out a bit. Obviously reduced number on the premises with each slot.

I used PALS recently and was happy with their involvement. I had 2 appointments cancelled due to Covid at Kings, one which involved having a special form of injection. Was given an appointment for a 'telephone consultation' with a specialist nurse. When nurse realized that I needed an injection, she would get the clinic to reschedule for a 'physical' appointment. When the date came it was for another telephone consultation. I emailed PALS with my complaint and they arranged with the clinic to give me a face to face appointment.This took place in November ( the original appointment was for August 2020).

Hubby went yesterday to purchase eggs etc from Rose's but found it closed to 22nd. Went over to Franklins and got eggs there instead and was surprised how much more expensive than Rose's.

Market stalls cannot separate themselves out as they are allocated a pitch to operate from. Some weeks ago I went to the market and many of the stalls had erected some form of physical barriers in front of them, enforcing social distancing. Also noted that many who would normally be facing the pavement to serve customers, were now facing the road. Must admit, I rarely purchase anything from the market as I find them grossly over priced, with one or two exceptions. Parents with buggies seem to be the main cause of 'overcrowding' especially when they meet up with friends and take up space talking (2 buggies seem to equal 2 metres distancing).I have previously said at the old community council meetings, that a weekday market in NX Rd would be beneficial to local residents. This would have less stalls than Saturdays and could offer different/cheaper produce. For those of you who have lived in ED for more than 30 years.will remember that the original NX market comprised of green grocers, haberdasheries, fish vans and other stalls i.e. clothing. It was a very mini East Lane!

We got a Christmas card from our daughter on Tuesday and rang to thank her, she had posted it 2 weeks previously. Most of our cards received have been hand delivered.

At one stage there was an active Residents' Association in that area so they may have used those premises. Sadly with the current situation, nobody can hold community meetings, birthday parties or exercise classes. However it does not stop people trying to contact all available 'spaces' trying to persuade these providers that it would only be 6 people/all the same family/etc.!

Gangs are recruiting young children/youths to carry out criminal acts (County Lines) you should notify the police asap as this could be part of a bigger organisation. Not sure which Neighbourhood Police ward Grove Vale and Quorn Road are in. Grove Vale likely to be under Goose Green Police.

I think you can only put out a limited amount of cardboard in the blue recycling bin, rest has to go to the recycling centre.

They can easily monitor the number of people going into Dulwich Library, those wanting to study or use computers can be accommodated by an appointment system with a 2 hour maximum stay. I must admit I have been purchasing books from St. Christopher's shop at ?2 per time - generally getting 3 or 4 at each visit. I am able to afford this but those who are on a limited income would struggle. You can return books to Dulwich Library.

Masks are no good for deaf people as they cannot lip read others. Also wearing a mask with a behind the ear aid is very uncomfortable and pushes the aid outwards where it is in danger of falling out of ear. The non NHS aids are now costing several hundreds of pounds (dependent on hearing loss). If you are accompanying a deaf person or anyone who needs to see your face - you are excempt from wearing a mask. Equally wearing a behind the ear aid also exempts you from wearing a mask A visor is better than nothing.

The pharmacy in Butterfly Walk Camberwell. They were ?4.99 when we got ours.

Police have advised many times for people to be vigilant when using the phone in the street as they are easy targets for thieves on bikes.Many times I have seen Mums' with young kids in prams, walking down the street chatting away on their phones seemingly oblivious to what is going on around them i.e other pedestrians, crossing roads without checking on traffic.