I should nap more - well done for realising that you needed one. I hope you enjoy the weather. Our warmer weather came very late this year too. I still have rhododendrons in bud in the garden that should have already finished. I ran on the gravel paths at the park yesterday. It felt really good. I'm building distance slowly. Today I'll dog walk over to a friend's house to deliver her birthday card.

Yes. My mother does not have dementia but when she moved into a care home, all the things that she had refused to let family do suddenly became okay for paid helpers to carry out. Partly I think she felt less threatened - the helpers were not 'taking over' - partly the staff were able to gently insist because they were not emotionally involved.

Three quarters of my family, including two not yet vaccinated, are dual citizens and could enter the US.

Are they US citizens?

Travel from countries that have surges is banned, isn't it? https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/from-other-countries.html

Okay. I suppose allowing only Americans to enter unvaccinated would cut down on transmission but not eliminate it.

Everyone? That American student graduating from a Scottish university who isn't vaccinated because she is too young to have been offered the jab?

It must be really hard. Governments need to publicise the issue. Vaccination is not just about avoiding hospitalisation.

I've twice had infections in the nailbed at the side of the nail. After a couple of days it drained and started to heal.

It actually works well but blocks the breeze. Last night it was cooler, so we used the full blackout and I slept well. I think we need a fan. I will finally make it to the beach to run again today.

Note that Regeneron only had an effect in very specific cases https://www.recoverytrial.net/news/recovery-trial-finds-regeneron2019s-monoclonal-antibody-combination-reduces-deaths-for-hospitalised-covid-19-patients-who-have-not-mounted-their-own-immune-response-1 More information about the Recovery Trial https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n1299

I made harissa-baked carrots with garlic butterbean puree, plus kohlrabi with lime, sesame oil and mint. The carrot dish was room temperature eta and the kohlrabi was raw and chilled. We had brown rolls on the side, but flat breads would have been good too to scoop up the puree. Here's the carrot recipe: https://www.falklandkitchenfarm.co.uk/recipes2/2020/6/10/slu89r1wfvw3nnvvlslgi05lgf5ppy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index The global social mobility index is also interesting. Here's another discussion - https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-where-intergenerational-income-mobility-is-better-than-us-2020-2

The UK has a high vaccination rate. Covid cases are doubling each week. Luckily the double vaccination rates for the over-fifties and the medically vulnerable are well over 90 percent, so hospitalisation rates are not so high. If California has a different vaccination pattern, the outcome may vary

No, I was not taught that the UK was the best country. A politician will occasionally say something like that, but I think the sentiment causes most people to cringe. It seems like an odd way to think. Best in what sense? And how could one know? I do feel very lucky to have experienced what the UK can offer - some - residents.

I remember on these boards one poster suggesting that the reason that the loss of the American lands was lightly covered in UK school textbooks was national embarrassment. I did have a think about that, but actually the embarrassment, the horror is engendered by the creation of empire, not its loss. America was just one part of those old pink-shaded maps and what they represented. Eta when I was at school we were not taught much about Empire and slavery. Even though I grew up in Bristol, a port city founded on slave-trade wealth. Thankfully curricula have changed.

The UK is trying to accelerate vaccination in the face of the Delta variant. My 24yo daughter is now in the cohort for vaccination and has an appointment for her first jab next week. My 21yo son will apparently be able to sign in to get an appointment later in the week. This is the current situation in Scotland. Eta both my children have first jabs booked for next week now. My son said the sign-up sites were very popular - like for concert tickets, he said. Lots of availability in the end, but a 50-minute bus ride away.

@Jenny in Florida that sounds like quite a lot of movement. You shouldn't feel down on yourself. I'm sorry that things are so hard. I slept badly again (hello, June) and just did a dog walk at lunchtime. Having started work early, I've stopped now and am heading into the garden for some slow yoga.

In case it raises a smile: I went to see my effortlessly negative mum in her care home last week on a beautiful sunny day. We sat in the garden. The conversation went something like this: Mum: It's really not very cold today Me: No, it's a lovely day Mum: Global warming - it's getting hotter and hotter, etc. Me: (confused face) Her: Is it usually like this in June? Me: Yes, it's often the best month Her: Oh (a slight pause) Global warming etc.

It's really hard. With my mum, I find myself wanting to wave my arms and say, 'Hello, I'm over here! A separate consciousness with valid concerns!'

I've been following my own whims while practising in the garden, but today I was indoors with Kassandra again.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-b-1-617-2-variant-after-2-doses https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-hospitalisation-from-delta-variant

A short dog walk today and an intermediate yoga session. I'll try to run after work tomorrow.

Yes. When I worked in the City of London - think Wall Street - in a support role I wore flat leather shoes, a lightweight wool skirt and a tailored non-iron cotton shirt. The shoes were similar to this but in black or navy. https://gb.ecco.com/en-GB/SALE/Women/product/5642847253/ECCO-SIMPIL-W

I would test in either case. The mRNA vaccines seem to about 88% effective in preventing sympomatic Covid with this variant, so it's definitely possible to get symptoms despite being vaccinated. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/06/08/1004597294/the-highly-contagious-delta-variant-of-covid-is-on-the-rise-in-the-u-s