Geneva, Thursday 23 April 2020

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The clapping for carers here in Geneva each evening at 21:00 is getting shorter and less energetic. I have the impression that people feel the end is in sight. We may even get on a Swiss golf course on 1st May.

European governments, taking hope from China and South Korea, are beginning to lift some of the imposed lockdown measures. At the same time, there are strong messages from the German government, the UK government and the WHO that the story is far from over and that some measures will need to be maintained until the end of this year. Some experts are predicting that the required public health / economic balancing might entail a series of stop-start measures. Whatever, focus will be on protecting those most vulnerable and emerging mortality statistics would indicate that care homes constitute the bull’s eye of COVID-19.  

Boris, my wife’s sourdough starter delivered the goods today. Delicious golden crust. Very professional. Donald waits in the wings, though; quietly fermenting and fomenting.

Thinking that golf may not be too far away, here’s a little painting I did a few years back. It’s called “iDrive.”

Thinking of our cancelled hiking fishing holiday in NZ, I bought a small light-weight spade for camping; it’s called an “iPood”!!

Geneva, Wednesday 22 April 2020

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Today, the staying-at-home and the news are getting to me. I feel a need to get away from the whole pandemic thing. I hope you’ll join me for a trip to the other side of the world for a spot of fishing and painting.  More than a little self-indulgent, I know.

The brown trout Salmo trutta! This fish has been a fascination for me throughout my life. They don’t get much better than this at 9.5 pounds and my fishing buddies in Jacindaland will be able to tell from the photo what this beauty had for dinner. Go on, guys, use the “M” word!! (BTW.. I let the fish go.) The brown trout is a noble beast and the big ‘uns are difficult to catch on a fly. Isaac Walton, author of the Compleat Angler (1653) published a recipe for baked trout; the first line reads “First, catch your trout.” 

So, a free style, open air painting to match the catch.

Step 1. Find place to inspire painting.

Step 2. Prepare raw canvas with white acrylic. Arrange stones in sort of fishy form. 

Step 3. Dribble paint of unlikely colours over stones. Blue wash above the fishy form. Green wash below. (Remember to keep stones for friend’s rockery.)

Step 4. Place bigger stones as if on river bottom and dribble brown / green paint between them.

Step 5. Let dry whilst having lunch in the sun and investigating lake edge for signs of trout.

Step 6. Remove all stones.

Step 7. Use imagination to find the fish.

Step 8. Consider rubbish bin.

Step 9. In desperation, cover with very dilute dark blue wash.

Step 10. Ask friendly gallery in Reefton, South Island to stretch it up.

Step 11. Call it “Trout.”

We went for a cycle ride down to Geneva’s lake side this evening. A beautiful sunset. People are out and about as if it’s a summer Sunday. It seems like everyone expects some lifting of isolation measures in the next days.

I just looked at the BBC news. I knew that would be a mistake.

Geneva, Tuesday 21 April 2020

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My grasp on reality was shaken yesterday evening when a pink, three metre long, helium-filled “Rarity” version of My Little Pony drifted high over our balcony. I thought this lockdown really could not get any crazier. Well…. The news this morning is that US oil prices have gone into negative. What?? That means suppliers of crude oil are paying people to take the black gold (!) off their hands. Storage space for oil is now more valuable than the oil itself. 

About two years ago I found myself playing golf with some high-flying financial chappy from the Geneva business world. I asked him what he thought the impact on the markets might be of a major public health event such as a repeat of the 1918/1919 flu pandemic. He looked at me as though I was totally off my chump and muttered that it would make little difference and anyway nothing could ever again be as bad as the 2008 crash.

Just as crazy – and also in the US – I read that health-care personnel are out on the streets demonstrating against and confronting those demonstrating against the imposition of lockdown measures. The two schools of thought (see Day 34 ) on how best to respond to the pandemic are now facing-off on the streets. It is no longer a policy discussion. This is without precedent and should really ring alarm bells. 

New Zealand is currently seen as the country that has best managed the pandemic. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has claimed “We have done what very few countries have been able to do.” She has repeatedly used sporting terms as opposed to war analogies. Good on her! She thanked her five-million strong team for “stopping an uncontrolled explosion of COVID-19.” From my perspective, it’s just a little early for such self-congratulation. New Zealand may indeed get away lightly, but COVID-19 cases globally are still booming and the country’s history has shown just how easily a viral pandemic can roll through even a geographically isolated nation. The 1918/1919 flu entered New Zealand on one of seven ships that docked in Auckland in late October 1918. It takes a tiny viral spark to ignite this particular fire.

At home, my wife has noticed that Donald, my sourdough starter, is suspiciously active. Indeed, as active as her two week old Boris. I might be in trouble here.

Each day in the life of a natural sourdough starter, half has to be discarded; the remaining half is topped up again with flour and water. Repeated, this cycle selects the more active yeasts. Today was Donald’s first day of discard. Rather than waste it, I added a little milk together with pinches of salt and baking powder, and made a couple of delicious crumpet-pancakes for breakfast.

Today’s putting: me 1 up. Overall, me 17-9.

As a follow-on from Day 36 and by popular request…. The Sun front page from 25 November 1859.