Queen Elizabeth II

 Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II passed away Thursday 8 September, 2022, a date I shall never forget. I had just gotten off a CIPD webinar when I got a number of alerts from the BBC, Sky News and The Telegraph that doctors were concerned about the health of Her Majesty. Did I not see her on the news only a couple of days ago, taking photos first with Boris Johnson and later with Liz Truss?

I went cold when the screen read "The Queen Dies".....Words failed me and immediately I heard two beeps on my phone; it was my sister writing what I had also seen on my television screen. In addition to my sister, I had sent a text to my son and another friend in Kent when I suddenly burst into tears. Thankfully, my friend in Kent called to console me; it was so surreal. Memories came flooding back; my college days in Berkshire, visiting Windsor Castle and hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen,,, driving past Buckingham Palace, goodness, so many.

I remember my late Dad was part of the Ghanaian delegation that attended the Heads of the Commonwealth meeting in Bahamas in 1985 and he met the Queen again. He had met her before on a visit to Ghana in ithe 60's. This time as I was much older, I asked him so many questions about her and I felt some sort of "connection" to her, just because they had met again. Even when my Dad was commissioned as a military officer, he was always proud to mention that he had received the Queen's Commission, which is still displayed in our living room.

May Her Majesty, rest in perfect peace. You served your country well and did your duty above and beyond what anyone expected. 

Valentine's Day

 Valentine's day came and went. 

Back in secondary school I remember how we would look forward to receiving our Valentine cards before the end of our last lesson. Vincent was the steward who used to come round with our cards and goodness if you did not receive a card at all, you would quietly leave the classroom hoping no-one would notice. For the more popular students, there was always a large stack of cards they would receive and their friends would crowd round them, hoping to read what had been written in the card and who it was from.

Fast forward to my twenties, one would hope for flowers, a  box of chocs, and a beautifully written card. I remember once my boyfriend actually did buy me a bouquet of flowers only for him to come back home and tell me they got stolen whilst he was at the Lewisham shopping centre. I found it so ridiculous I just laughed the rest of the afternoon and he just reiterated that was why he never liked to buy flowers because he figured something like that could happen.

Now in my fifties and I wonder what the fuss was all about! Yes, it is lovely and touching to be remembered on Valentine's day but I think the consumerisim attached to the day makes it is so overrated. Strange thoughts for someone who is a hopeless romantic, I know but it is the truth. I prefer to show sisterly love, or what is known as 'philia' love especially to those who may be having a difficult time. After all in the bible it is said to "Love one's neighbour as oneself" Matthew 22:29

Having said that I did receive 2 beautiful bouquets of red roses.😇😇

I found this saying while ago and loved it: "God who is love is the definitive romantic...and he professes his love to us through countless 'ordinary' ways." Dana Ryan. 

Here in Ghana, we dedicate the entire week to chocolate and call it chocolate week. About a decade ago, the then Tourism Minister, decided it would be a great idea not only to send chocolate to loved ones on Valentine's day but rather dedicate the entire week to chocolate. This is because we are the world's second producer of cocoa so the Minister saw it as an opportunity to promote our own cocoa products. All sorts of exhibitions and cooking competitions were held using cocoa as the main ingredient but eventually that also stopped when a new government came into power. There is still a lot we can do to promote our cocoa but that topic will be for another post.

Check your facts!

 Was reading my cousin's Facebook wall when I read the most ridiculous thing ever! His ex-wife had called him from the UK asking if he had heard there were stories about him having passed away from Covid...what utter nonsense! She was in a state of shock, and he was having a fit of giggles. In my last post, I wrote how I had lost quite a number of friends and acquaintances but now to hear people are spreading rumours about who has died etc. is the worst! How can people be so cruel but then again I should not be surprised. Some people these days have become the bearers of bad/sad news or what I call Covid Town Criers. They give out the names of the people even before their families have even confirmed they truly succumbed to Covid. Sometimes they did not, but the way the death is announced may insinuate that. Besides if it was death by Covid, so what? I do not understand this stigma surrounding Covid. It is nothing to be ashamed of but in these parts? Hmm....

These are abnormal times that we live in, even more so because the people who are dying are now people whom we know and are in the same social circles. I was watching a news clip about a woman who sells in the market (we call them market women) who was busy explaining to the reporter that Covid was a rich person's disease. She said that the people whom she knew had died from it, were all rich people and she did not know anyone who was poor who had died yet. Rather strange but that was her view on Covid and she was not far from the truth. Is it perhaps complacency that is making the middle to upper class more susceptible to the virus? Oh I know so and so, and I am sure they wear a mask all the time, but however since we are at this funeral or wedding, I shall take off my mask so that I can pose for a few photos with friends. N-O! DO NOT DO IT, KEEP YOUR MASK ON!! 

Every now and again I just try and remind the people I come into contact with that they should mask up, no matter what. I was chatting with a driver the other day as he whisked me around town and he was emphatic, he would never get the Covid vaccine because it was made to kill us in Africa. WOW!!! So I had to give him a quick lesson on how vaccines work and why it would be a great idea to have it. In fact I told him, when the vaccines become available here, I would go along with him. Funnily enough it had a calming effect on him and he thanked me for pointing out it was not harmful etc.

You really do not know if your friends or family (who live away from you) are REALLY following ALL the protocols...you know what you do but are you really certain, the others are doing the same? It may sound harsh but that is how we have to behave now because the numbers being published by the Ministry of Health are scary! I heard about a lady whose nickname is Corona police. Why, because she was so strict about her mask wearing and you dared not come to her home or office without your mask on. She attended a family event; an older relative celebrating an important milestone and what did she do? She took off her mask to pose with relatives she had not seen in ages. About a week later, she started to feel poorly so she went to do a Covid test and it was positive.

We all need to be careful and really should try and stay home. I really do hope tighter measures will be announced, especially regarding events because when we move, the virus moves.

Stay safe!

2021...

 Happy New Year everyone! I know as I write this, some of you will be frowning and wondering why I am using "happy". Well as it is the first month of the year, that is the usual greeting, however the way 2021 has started is really far from happy. I have lost friends almost every day of the week for the last couple of weeks and still counting. True there is very little to be happy about but honestly, just waking up to a new morning is something to be thankful for. I take a day at a time, no long weeks of planning unlike before.

Something also to be thankful for are the Covid vaccines that are out, the only thing especially for those of us living in Ghana is to wait till possibly June when the whole vaccination process will start. In the meantime, all I can ask of you is to mask up, wash your hands thoroughly and practise social distancing. Only go out if it is absolutely essential and be quick....these days I just zip in and out of the supermarket...no hanging about or chatting unnecessarily.

Yesterday and today I had to go to a courier company and I was not impressed with their seating. In the main waiting area, chairs had been provided but people were sitting around like it was the good old days, that is close together. I got a couple of startled glares when I placed my chair within the required 2 metres away from the next person. Also the joined seating had not been marked, so customers were seated quite close to one another. We really have to step up and practise all the protocols because it is only then that people will really understand how necessary social distancing is! 

Day 16

I must say the last couple of weeks have gone quickly despite the monotony. I have been able to go out to do some grocery shopping and saw a buddy of mine from school. We burst out laughing when we saw each other. Goodness we must have really looked a sight, especially with our N95 masks and gloves. Though we could not take a photo together, that scene of us will be etched in my memory forever. It was so surreal! She was lamenting as to how this week was going to be a challenging one, as she was trying to coax clients to pay what they owed so in turn could pay her employees. In addition, our old school were starting their online portal this week and as her children go there, was going to have to supervise them.
We are all undergoing challenges in these abnormal times and it is most frustrating (especially in Ghana) getting clients to pay on time! I just pray she is able to sort something out. How are you handling being furloughed or still in your job and working from home? It would be good to hear how you all are handling that. Unfortunately in Ghana as an HR consultant, I hate to say this but we do not have any regulations as yet to guide employers who may want to furlough staff.  A number of law firms have compiled some guidelines but the Labout Act itself is still woefully inadequate.Thankfully because I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK, I have been privy to guidelines that are being compiled. I hope we can sort something out very soon, so that employers can do the right thing.

Day 4

Here we are again. Today is Day 4 of the lockdown. Not much has happened today as it has been very quiet. Still quite a lot of people walking around and aimlessly I might add. Hmmm...Not very happy about it.

Yesterday I walked up to a supermarket which is about 10minutes for me and the road was empty. A few cars drove past (and a bit too fast I might add) but it was quiet. There were only 2 shoppers in the whole place and I giggled as I walked in. I am becoming quite good in getting what I need in record time. Reminds me of a video clip I saw where shoppers were given a short time to grab stuff off the shelves. First they were given a quiz and if they answered correctly, the shop owner would count from 10 backwards to give them time to grab as many items and put into their shopping baskets. A bit of fun to break the gloom and doom I suppose.

Today again in the UK, they were applauding the frontline workers keeping the country going. A chap in Glasgow decided to bring out his bagpipes and play and did he have his neighbours come out in droves! They are doing an amazing job and a few of my own personal friends find themselves among the frontline staff. I pray they stay healthy and continue to give off their best.

Read this afternoon that in the Netherlands,  samples of the novel Coronavirus had been found in their sewage before cases started to come through to their hospitals. I do not know what you must think, but this is quite scary.

What is happening where you are? Are you also undergoing a lockdown? Do share.

Lockdown - Day 2

Day 2 and Spain has recorded its worst numbers of death, 849. That just leaves one cold. A week ago on my Facebook page, I sent out a message to all health professionals the world over. Some of my friends who are doctors and nurses in the United Kingdom and in the United States, are on the frontline and each day I say a prayer for them. I also just heard that one of my favourite anchors on CNN has contracted Covid 19. You may all know Chris Cuomo the outspoken anchor whose programme is "Cuomo Prime Time". I missed an interview he did with his brother Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier today but I hear he is in good spirits. I wish him a speedy recovery.

Here in Ghana a lot of people have been complaining about how our medical staff do not have enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Trust me it is worldwide! At midday a doctor in England was talking about how he had tried to improvise after seeing how the doctors in Lombardy were dressed by buying something similar to a Hazmat suit. He turned up at the health centre where he was supposed to start work and was told he could not wear that. He told them in that case he would not be willing to take the risk to work without it. Do I blame him? No I do not. In fact, there is a growing number of nurses who are refusing to go to work if PPEs are not made available to them.

Breaking news. Just saw on Sky News something different happening in Cotugno Hospital in Naples, Italy. The docotors are wearing not only the jumpsuits but a different mask altogether not the N95 masks. These masks have a full face shield so covers your entire face. Also they have a clearly marked lane with a red and white tape which demarcates the lane leading to the areas of infection and the lane leading to non infected areas. Nurses and other medical staff cannot cross but rather stay in their designated lane. There are even security guards on hand to ensure no-one crosses the line. A nurse prepared an injection and then passed it through a compartment to the doctors who were in the room with an infected patient who was crashing. He did not enter the room where the patient was hence minimising the risk of infection. A doctor who was interviewed said they had fought and fought until they got all their "high tech" PPEs. They are definitely my team of the day.