Sunday Mail (UK)

One rule for us.. and no rules for the Royals

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Let’s get this straight… no one should flee to the Highlands for personal isolation space. It puts additional pressure on health services there. Tourists, stay home.

And no one is tested for Covid-19 unless their condition is severe enough for hospital hos treatment. Medics Me are busy enough saving the worse off. Mild cases, stay home.

Yet Prince Charles arrived at his Royal Deeside holiday home and was quickly tested. Now he’s in self-isolation in Balmoral, with mild symptoms.

We do as we’re told, he does what he likes. Now that should make anyone sick.

I struggled to convince my daughter that the guy who developed a cure for smallpox in the 18th century was not one of the Kardashian­s, even though his name was Edward Jenner.

Middle child wrote a script for a drama project about a fun day at a fairground, which was supposed to be a happy story but ended with the unnecessar­y crashing to earth of a rollercoas­ter ride and the deaths of many spectators (yeah,

I’m wondering about “hidden meaning” too). The eldest was reading old Viz magazines.

Day three. They had to be dragged out of bed at 10, daughter felt like doing nothing but gymnastics, middle child went in the huff because the chocolate biscuits had run out and eldest spent the morning in the toilet reading the backs of shampoo bottles. Well, that’s what he said.

And so it has continued, in ever-decreasing educationa­l effectiven­ess.

The other day, I set them a home economics challenge and suggested they make their father a birthday cake because he won’t get the nice meal at the new steak restaurant he’d been so looking forward to. I’m sure the flat and strangely deformed sponge with orange icing and a weepy filling they assure me is buttercrea­m will more than compensate for missing out on that slap-up treat, because the secret ingredient is love, apparently. Actually, I suspect the secret ingredient might be salt. It’s easily confused with sugar and they’ve made that mistake before – but it’s the thought that counts.

Teachers have done a sterling job of posting coursework on school websites and sending messages through online blogs. A coronaviru­s pandemic in an age without digital technology would be even worse than the ordeal we’re currently enduring.

Many ordinary teachers have been joined by celebritie­s/organisati­ons in posting helpful recreation and education videos for the youngsters. So many, in fact, that it’s actually becoming difficult to keep track of them all.

Where would we be without the magnificen­t Joe Wicks putting one million of us through our paces in the morning? Even my mother attempted it. And two star jumps is an achievemen­t for an 81-year-old (I didn’t even know she could jump).

The Glasgow Science Centre’s daily films on Facebook (GSC at Home) are brilliant. Thanks to a cool guy called Science Sam, I now know it’s possible to send a Tunnock’s Teacake into space.

Also great are the morning dance classes by everyone’s favourite Strictly profession­al, Oti Mabuse. Facebook tuition by the stunning Ms Mabuse has become my hubbie’s favourite part of homeworkin­g. Can’t think why. He never seems to dance…

 ??  ?? TESTING TIMES Charles earlier this month
TESTING TIMES Charles earlier this month

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