VACCINES

Friday 12th February, 2021

No snow overnight and signs of thawing greeted me when I finally went out of doors at midday. I went to check on my car and see whether I might be able to drive it to the vaccination centre tomorrow. I have an appointment at 12.04pm. Then I received at 15.00 today an email from my local MSP. I keep in touch with him and bombard him if necessary with my political and social concerns. Sadly this email was about the vaccination programme in this constituency. It noted that because of a glitch in the new computer programme system being used for bookings things have gotten behind schedule. So 7,000 people have had to queue for a very long time and many of them have had to have their appointments re scheduled. So now I wonder if my appointment will be honoured tomorrow. I cannot find a phone number to call so will see.

I decided to do a bit more clearing around the car. Then I decided to walk to the local shop for milk. What a walk! The pavements were icy and dangerous so the safe way was on the main road. There was not much traffic and I devised a way to alert myself to cars, for much of the route has pavement parking and is one way traffic. I managed it and got the milk, a pizza and a reduced GU cheese cake! I noticed the usual thoughtlessness on my way back. Two cars had tried to get to the temporary traffic lights which have been set up. They got caught on the wrong side of the road and the traffic coming the other way had to halt. Then all sorts happened with cars backing, others going on the pavements and yet others causing rage and general chaos, and some refusing to budge! Fascinated I watched and tried to help. It took ten minutes to unscramble the bottle neck which was caused by two selfish drivers.

Walking back was fairly treacherous but safely negotiated. I noted people still jogging, owners still walking their dogs, the elderly still trying to shop and a few workmen still trying to do road work.

Back at home I watched a film about the resurrection of life through the love of a child. It had much violence and it made me think of the Carlo Carretto comment that only peace and non violence wins in the end. Yet a bit of me was pleased to see the 'baddies' killed. How perverse is my faith. I claim to believe the Christian gospel where we hear of the cheek being turned, the enemy loved yet I look to a film and celebrate when a sinner or baddie is beaten. That is so unlike the story of Jesus. Do I just pay lip service? Another dilemma.

To my horror a snow shower has just started. So will tomorrow bring more road problems, more chaos and disruption or will I get to the vaccination centre? If I do will the queue be long and will I be turned away at the door? Well, for now I can do nothing so I shall have a siesta, read my book and eat pizza for supper.