May you live in interesting times

For us youngsters, we're used to having choice, access and safety.

If you're in your 50's, it's likely that your parents still remember the disruption and fear of state-imposed blackouts and rationing.

For me, the most disrupting thing I've seen before was the imposition of the 3-day week in the 70's.

I did school homework (mainly, I remember learning my 6, 7 & 8 times-tables) by the light of an oil lamp).

I have no idea what the financial impacts were on my parents - they both worked in unskilled, relatively insecure jobs at the time.  I imagine they were worried, but they never let me see it.  For me, the blackouts were intriguing not scary.

Fast forward...

The move towards lock down is astonishing and it's not surprising for people younger than me that it has entirely reset their model of how society is supposed to work.

I'm still extraordinarily lucky - I have a house to live in and work from, I have a splendid housemate and I'm financially OK.
I work with a group of directors in our small social enterprise who are thoughtful and compassionate and it was easy to take the decision to do the right thing by our part-time workforce.

I'm happy enough staying in my house with a daily local walk but we both really miss beer.  We are more likely to talk about anything that's worrying us with a beer, and the world seems a bit more fixable -we often come up with our best plans and strategies when relaxing and overlays of short term anxieties are temporarily pushed aside.

I had a horrible feeling that the deicision would be taken to classify the purchase of alcohol as non-essential.  I would understand that reasoning from a public health point of view but it would always be tinged with a slight suspicion that it was "any excuse" to stop people drinking.  Anyhow, there was clearly a degree of pragmastism around the table when they made that decision.

Anyhow, my slightly guilt in the  purchase of a couple of cases of beer from two of my favourite Bristol Breweries has been assuaged a little and we're looking closer to home for small busineses to support.

In the grand scheme of things is it vital I drink beer?  No.  But it positively impacts this household's ability to help other people buoyed up especially if they're not as fortunate as us.