Friday, September 4, 2020

Some R2BC And The Crisis To Come

First day of 7th Grade. This is all I got.

I only blogged once in August because there was little to say. We watched Netflix and You Tube, we had dinner a couple of times with friends, DD went to one Bat Mitzva party (a picnic in the Botanical Gardens), she had a friend over a couple of times, and we got fat. That was our summer. Reason 2B Cheerful - we didn't get corona. 

Today is my birthday. I'm nearer 50 than 40 (and always will be). So that's one Reason 2B Cheerful. And another is that we're invited out to dinner tonight. 

DD is back at school for four days a week for half days. This week she was in the second shift - 10.50 am till 2.20 pm. Next week she'll be in the 8 am till 10.20 group. The second shift isn't so good. They have more school hours but there's a lot of hanging around in the morning waiting to leave. It's only a 12 minute walk to her school. 

Only on Fridays it's different because the school closes at 12.30 pm for the weekend. I thought she had a 10.20 start this morning so I didn't hassle her about the time. Suddenly she flies into a panic at 9.40 because that was when her first lesson started. I had no idea. She ran out of the house crying to run up the hill (it's a mountain) in 35 deg C heat. She'll be ok but I felt for her. It's not nice to have to walk in late in the first week of a new school. 

On Sunday and Monday she has distance learning from home for the full 6 hours. It's a R2BC that DD has some sort of schedule again, even if it requires keeping on the ball to know where she should be and when. 

Israel has gone from being among the best coping countries during the first wave, to being the worst as of this week. We are now the top country for the number of new cases in relation to population. R2BC - I did an online supermarket shop and we have enough food in the apartment to see us through the threatened lockdown in the coming weeks. 

Did I mention that my salary a my college has been reduced by 60% for the same amount of work? I'm prepared to take one for the team during this crisis but the great terms of employment we had BC (Before Corona) will never be reinstated AD (After Disaster). What we have now is what most colleges do and have done for years. I enjoyed extremely generous terms for 10 years and now it's over forever. R2BC - thanks for the great first 10 years. 

I'm not panicking about the salary situation because there are about 3 million people in this country who are worse off than me. People in service industries, tourism and all 'non-essentials' related jobs. All these people have either lost their jobs or are on greatly reduced income. People who rent and have a number of children to feed. People in the early years of a large mortgage. Older people who might never find work again. This is not a R2BC but the government will not allow half the country to be homeless and starving so solutions will be found. This is a Reason 2B Hopeful.

I read that the real economic crisis won't hit until next spring when we'll have the beginnings of people using up all their savings and redundancy money, and unemployment payments stop (you only get a year of dole money here). 

My nephew tried to explain to me that he heard from an economist (his brother) that because it's a world wide phenomenon, governments will be allowed to print more money without devaluing their currencies as long as all countries print the same amount of money. This money can be used for stimulus projects and income support. So R2BC - we will cope and we will survive. 

The sad thing is that these drastic stimulus measures will only be implemented when most people have used up all their savings. They will survive but all dreams of a better future (buying a better property or even just getting on the property ladder, opening a business, a comfortable retirement, etc...) will have been dashed and we will have to start from scratch. Or maybe a more modest world will be good for all of us. R2BC? I'm not sure. 

So amongst the doom, about eight or nine Reasons 2B cheerful or at least grateful and hopeful. And this is why I've not blogged for the past few weeks.

A last R2BC is that the R2BC linky is back on Becky's blog - Lakes Single Mum. Check her out for beautiful photos of Kendal and The Lakes. 

8 comments:

  1. So pleased you've found R2BC today and I can wish you a very happy birthday. Enjoy your celebration dinner tonight. xx

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  2. Oh dear - it must be so confusing for you both - trying to get used to a new schedule, especially one as complicated as hers! School has been delayed here by another week (to the 15th) in order to do more work on some schools and to move some classes to nearby community centres etc. Everyone is pretty nervous but recognize that we at least have to give it a go. All the shops are selling packs of masks aimed at kids - with all kinds of designs and I've noticed more kids out and about wearing them as the parents are trying to get them used to them.
    That's too bad about the changes for you financially - I feel rather guilty as I've been paid for my full 25 hrs/wk all through this even though I'm probably only working maybe 15 to 20 hrs/wk. But - I have indicated that I'm willing to work Saturday or Sunday if that works out better for my office mate - she is quite a few years older and verges on the paranoid rather than merely cautious. My Saturday morning language class isn't happening and I'm usually at the church on a Sunday for services anyway so doing a few hours then wouldn't be a hardship. I figure it's time to be flexible - at least for the next few months.
    As you say - I too have some financial concerns - but - I'm better off than many and I only have myself to think about so that makes it simpler. If I had to live on tea & toast for a few days it wouldn't really matter (although I have a pantry and freezer packed with food so not really a concern). I had my hair cut today and my hairdresser is the owner and she, like many small businesses is just hanging in there. It will be a tough winter for many.
    I hope that you enjoyed your birthday dinner and that you and DD stay well and stay safe.

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    1. I used to say, before DD was born, that if I needed more money I could live on cucumbers for a few months. Tea and toast sounds better if we could stretch to a scrape of butter. Thanks for your comment and your e-card Margie. It was a lovely surprise. xxx

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  3. Lovely to have you back! It is hard to be positive when our finances are tight. I hope things look up for us both.

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  4. Good job digging deep to find all those silver linings, it sure can be hard in a climate like this one. A very happy belated birthday. Mich x

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