We can cope with many many things. But we NEED to feel the grass on our toes. Sunshine, fresh air and a nice meal with conversation.

That is what life and living is all about. 

When we are told by our governments or those in power that we no longer have basic human rights to breathe fresh air, access human contact and enjoy that which was granted to prisoners under the Geneva Convention, something is wrong. Very very wrong indeed. 

I woke up this morning to read an email from my daughter. It was distressing and has made my blood boil at the wicked, nasty, uncaring and cruel place Australia has become. My daughter shared a tale and she was as upset and angry as I am. Redhead feels the same way. 

Now, I can put up with people having a slanging match or having a few words of argey bargey. But when it comes to the elderly, the young, the vulnerable, our animals and our frail of any species or age group, I will NOT tolerate abuse or neglect.

So when I read the email from my daughter, I found myself furious and incandescent with rage. 

It seems that a friend of my daughter has a mother in a nursing home on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland Australia. If my daughter's friend is anything like my daughter, she will be a very busy woman and also a very kind woman. Also a very strong willed and determined woman.  No idea where she gets that from. 

But here we go in telling a tale that I fear is all too common throughout Australia at present. 

So here is the story that I read this morning. 

at this point the screenshot cut out and a few words were lost, but Redhead and I got the message. This woman and her fellow inmates, prisoners, patients - call them what you will - are being bloody starved, locked up, neglected and treated worse than prisoners in a maximum security prison who have been convicted of murder.

The next screenshot went on to say:

THIS HAS TO STOP. 

According to reports in The Australian, Independent Food Distributors Australia chief executive, Richard Forbes, said that commercial kitchens in already under-pressure nursing homes and hospitals were struggling to access essential ingredients to prepare meals for the elderly and sick and he has called for a national policy on Covid-19 isolation rules.

“There is much discussion around keeping food on the shelves of supermarkets but little on the importance of maintaining food deliveries to the 1500 hospitals and nursing homes for patients, doctors and nursing staff,” 

“In order to continue these deliveries we must be provided priority access to RAT (rapid antigen tests) and at the moment that is extremely limited. Any delay is testing close contact isolated staff means a delay in providing food for these facilities”.

“A food transport system involves trucks crossing state borders daily, so the only solution is for Premiers and Chief Ministers to agree on one close contact isolation rule for all food workers, nationally.”

Robert Ceccato, managing director of Gold Coast-based distributor Global Food and Wine, said about half his staff of 350 were in isolation, risking consistency of supply to hospitals and nursing homes, which comprise a significant portion of his customer base.

“If our trucks stop, effectively, frontline workers and the most vulnerable people in reality will go hungry because we can‘t deliver to them,” Mr Ceccato said.

Now, I can understand the problems we are all facing at the moment with food shortages. 

However, I also know how to turn vegetables into hearty and delicious soup. I do know how to use a potato and some cheese and milk powder and turn it into an amazing topping for a canned salmon bake.

Are we talking food shortages, labour shortages or merely shortages of compassion?

Of will? Of effort? 

I suspect that we are dealing with a pandemic of a much greater infection: a pandemic of not giving a damn. Not caring. A pandemic of laziness. A pandemic of bitter division. 

Decades ago, I offered to host a cooking class for people living in poverty and was challenged with creating a nutritious menu for a family on a very low budget. I turned up to do it and no one came. 

I suppose it comes back down to a thermos flask full of soup and a bucketload of love. 

Because if we don't care, no other bastard will. 

And you know what? We can cope with difficulty. We can cope with many many things. But we NEED to feel the grass on our toes. Sunshine, fresh air and a nice meal with conversation.

That is what life and living is all about. 

My name is Shaydee and I give a damn.