Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Interesting article. What do you think Tizer.

https://today.rtl.lu/news/science-and-e ... RjcVPs7UIS


It supports the theory I learned 45 plus years ago, but seems contrary to what everyone is saying about it lingering and its infective ability. This has been confusing me


This is what I learned and was in a recent science article ......
The human viruses are broadly classified into enveloped and naked viruses. Virus particles covered with a membrane are called enveloped. These are usually more fragile compared to the naked viruses.

Both the influenza virus and the coronaviruses are of the enveloped type. These kinds of viruses are supposed to be sensitive to soap, alcohol, dryness and heat. They do not persist in an infectious form for a long period of time out of the body and require close direct or indirect contact to disseminate among people.


Sorry if this should be in corona virus thread.

[Stanley]

Gloria, I am avoiding saying I have given up smoking. I have done that twice in my life time and started again. What I have done is stopped smoking. It happened quite suddenly a fortnight last Sunday, I realised that I didn't want to smoke and that was it. My breathing etc has improved so much since that that's it, never again. I have known two other old long standing pipe smokers who had the same experience at around 80 year old, they astonished everyone by just stopping. (My GP, Hassan, is delighted!) Not easy but there you are.....
Thanks for asking Gloria.
I'm no expert Sue. I looked at the article and have no opinion beyond I hope he is right!.

[Gloria]

Your tastebuds will improve no end Stanley, mine did when I gave up smoking many years ago.

[Stanley]

Thanks Gloria.....

[Cathy]

It will be interesting to see if you put on a few pounds Stanley, the way new ex cigarette smokers do.

[Sue]

So do I Stanley, i worry everytime Bob goes to tbe shops

[Tizer]

Sue, I agree with what you have written in your post about the virus. There are conflicting reports about its longevity on surfaces but they may differ due to experimental design and it seems to vary widely depending on the material. Although similar to influenza the covid-19 virus seems to spread more through coughing than sneezes and runny noses and the theory was that it was in larger droplets than the aerosols typical of influenza. These would settle out faster on surfaces and travel a shorter distance than influenza. I haven't seen any research in English to show that coronavirus is extremely sensitive to drying out, so the only way of contracting it is if you were to “inhale the droplets.” If that were true I doubt we would have seen such a rapid spread of the virus.

[plaques]

I would think in normal circumstances peoples breath is an invisible vapor that begins to condense as it cools. The mist particles can be as small as 10 microns which means they do not fall under gravity but float like a fog. The much larger droplets would sink and settle as normal. It is not stated that a virus can live as a single entity without being attached to water. If a coronavirus was attached to one of these small water particles it could hang about for some time. How many a person would have to inhale to develop the illness I have no idea. The whole debate is a bit like 'how many fairies can stand on a pin head'. I'll carry on keeping a distance.

[Stanley]

That's my attitude as well P. Assume worst case and keep away from people.
Aiming for the shed again today, amazing how much work there can be in tiny castings! And we are nowhere near finished yet!



That thought had struck me as well Cathy but who cares! There could be worse things than putting a bit of weight on....

[Sue]

Sue, I agree with what you have written in your post about the virus. There are conflicting reports about its longevity on surfaces but they may differ due to experimental design and it seems to vary widely depending on the material. Although similar to influenza the covid-19 virus seems to spread more through coughing than sneezes and runny noses and the theory was that it was in larger droplets than the aerosols typical of influenza. These would settle out faster on surfaces and travel a shorter distance than influenza. I haven't seen any research in English to show that coronavirus is extremely sensitive to drying out, so the only way of contracting it is if you were to “inhale the droplets.” If that were true I doubt we would have seen such a rapid spread of the virus.

I agree with you about the reason for a rapid spread. ITs just all very confusing. One of the theories has stated that because it is new to the population then no one has any partial immunity to this genetic sequence , hence any exposure causes the disease. However that does not explain those the variability of susceptibility and those that transmit the disease but have mo symptoms themselves. As a biologist, with a special interest in medical biology and disease I find the science fascinating and interesting, as an ordinary person perhaps the vaccine would be more interesting......

[Sue]

Yesterday was a general weeding day, and mulching the newly exposed fruit patch. It was rather a laid back day by normal standards. We had business we had to attend to with a meeting on ZOOM in the morning, and I was back on ZOOM in the evening for a 1 hour pilates class followed by a 1 hour yoga class. Today I shall continue with the general weeding but of the potato patch which has no potatoes growing yet but rather a lot of surface weed seedlings after the rain the other day. In the evening I bit the bullet as they say, and ordered some new underwear from M&S for delivery here having got tired of the bidaily ( is that a word...once every two days) recycling of the of small amount I brought with me. I am sure that is too much detail of my main clothing predicament of our extended stay

My dress pattern arrived in the morning, so I can make my toile to see how it fits, using an old duvet cover. I may as well do a toile as I have tge time. Normally with a commercial pattern I know my adjustments and just do them.

Following an email from Brittany ferries we have had to rebook our ferry for May 16 th

Its Wednesday, the weekly shopping day. It is a very small list today, having now re-established stocks in the house of nearly everything.

Sunny here, 4 degrees feeling like 1 apparently. 20 forecast
Think positive, stay cheerful, keep busy, stay safe and have as good a day as you can.

[plaques]

On Mrs P instruction suggestion I'm doing away with the vegetable plot. Only small 4yd X 6yd but I've been robbing the soil to plant shrubs etc for a couple of years now. Full of holes and all sorts of resistant weeds its a real eyesore. Leveling out, getting rid of weeds and making the area blend with the surrounding grassed area will keep me quiet for another couple of weeks. Nothing like a good suggestion to keep you busy.

[Stanley]

Morning both, glad you h ave taken steps on the knicker front Sue, not a pressure I have to deal with thank god.
I can remember 'suggestions/ like that P from my married days. Life is a lot easier if you regard them as instructions and just get on with it. What's your attitude to Paraquat for a total kill? That's not a bad place to start but takes time of course.
I've had a spell in the shed, I'll post on shed matters. Just taken Jack for a trot on the Green and it is a lovely morning. We met two of our mates and they had a nice meet and greet while the owner Sue and me kept our distance and moaned about life!

[Tizer]

Sue, there's an ongoing project to compare the DNA of the different responders - those who are badly affected, those less so and those who show no symptoms but are carriers. One idea taking hold is that it's due to a genetic difference for a receptor in the airways that allows the virus to infect. Biobank study

[Sue]

Sue, there's an ongoing project to compare the DNA of the different responders - those who are badly affected, those less so and those who show no symptoms but are carriers. One idea taking hold is that it's due to a genetic difference for a receptor in the airways that allows the virus to infect. Biobank study

Yes I had vaguely heard that was what they were doing. Bob and I are in the Biobank. It sounds very interesting indeed.

[Stanley]

Biobank... what an interesting project! How come I have never heard about it before?
Today I shall have my one weekly lightning strike at the Co-op. If I go in at just after opening time there are hardly any other people about and you can be in and out like greased lightning! I was never a fan of contactless card use but it makes a lot of sense now.
I'm plugging away quietly in the shed on the beam engine. Amazing how many fiddly little jobs there are to do. It will get worse when I get on to the valve gear and the parallel motion. Deep Joy!

[Sue]

Biobank... what an interesting project! How come I have never heard about it before?

We received a letter through the post inviting us to join by attending a centre in Bury. It must be about 8 years ago because it was when I had a slipped disc and I was on some very strong painkillers and no exercise and I was upset that this was not representative of me. I remember a discussion with some of my friends who ignored it thinking it was linked to private health assessments. We had a full health check, blood samples taken, online questionnaires about diet and exercise , interests, and mental well being . Periodically we get follow up questionnaires on a variety of issues eg I did one because I am asthmatic. Bob had another full medical this year but I was rejected because of the number of major operations I have had, and the number of ‘bits’ I have missing from my otherwise ‘perfect’ body ( even more perfect after all this gardening !.) The results are sent to various research labs. We gave permission for this at the start of the project. If during any of the tests a health issue is identified you and your GP are notified otherwise not. Thousands were enlisted all over the country. Every now and again we get an update of the research going on

Yesterday I finished edging what I could of the lawn and finished spreading the fir cuttings around under various hedges in the orchard. I also uncovered my potatoes which are now shooting and generally hoed and tidied the vegetable plot Today I shall be acting as barrow boy again as Bob will be cutting the other side of the hedge in the neighbours garden, keeping his distance of course.

Today I have pilates this morning, yoga this evening followed by wine tasting online with my sister. No other plans at the moment.

Think positive, stay cheerful, keep busy, stay safe and have as good a day as you can.

[Sue]

Forgot to mention the garden railway circuit is nearing completion. Bob has negotiated delivery here of the last 10 metres of rail. He is 9.3 m short as it is sitting in our garage at home. When finished we shall have a formal opening ( for and by us) possibly with a glass of wine rather than the traditional golden spike and then have an inaugural run in the engine round the track.

[plaques]

I must ask, is Bob's railway. peddle powered, petrol or steam? Only 10 metres short! You're kidding this is just a start.

[Stanley]

I've just had one of those annoying events when you write a post, send it and find it's been deleted by crossing another one, in this case P.
I was asking the same question about motive power and making excuses for not being in the shed, washing, shopping and communicating!
I had one major treat, a video call from Margaret in Perth..... Wonderful what modern technology can do for us!

[plaques]

Sorry about that Stanley but are you sure you didn't blue over it and then touch a key? I found that if I blued it over to copy but then left the action (blueing) in place unwittingly it would be cancelled.

[Stanley]

Stop trying to blame me!! It was you wot did it!
Don't worry, I haven't fallen out with you, these things happen......

[chinatyke]

What's your attitude to Paraquat for a total kill?

Paraquat shouldn't be available for domestic use, it was banned about 20 years ago. You may still be able to obtain it for amenity use by licensed handlers.

Good stuff but too dangerous to have around.

[plaques]

I'm not a fan of using poison in the garden although I must admit I have a very small quantity less than ½ pint of concentrate industrial grade poison Normally its a last resort after everything has died back. As far as the ex-vegetable patch is concerned I won't be using it.

[Tizer]

Sue, I wonder if Bob knows that during the 1850s America and Russia both tried to get the isolationist Japanese Shogun to let them build railways in Japan. American naval captain Matthew Perry and Russian admiral Yevfimiy Putyatin both built steam model railways for the Shogun. The American one was 1/4 scale. A Scottish man called Thomas Glover set up a narrow gauge railway on the Nagasaki waterfront for the same purpose. Glover went on to establish railways and became an important figure in Japan and founded the company that became Mitsubishi and established the one that became Kirin Brewery.