Sadly.

+The use of the word ‘sadly’ has attracted some comment lately. I think there was an article in the Guardian a while ago which exposed ministers’ disingenuous use of the word when reporting the daily Covid death toll, as if the dying had just, sadly, wandered off on their own accord into the land of perpetual nod. Sadly, I can’t quite remember the piece, but it struck a chord, exposing as it did the social distancing that is taking place between government and people. Sadly, people just die, don’t they—nowt to do wi’us? Happily, one aspect of the over-use of ‘sadly’ is that ‘absolutely’ is no longer the first word one hears when somebody answers a question on the news. Sadly, I suspect that it is possible that ‘absolutely sadly’ could creep in, perhaps even prefaced with ‘so.’
 
+In the meantime, I am sadly putting more weight on and sadly enjoying two or more glasses of wine more often than not. On that subject, we are told that more people are drinking more alcohol at home—a fact which may, may just may have something to do with pubs, etc., being closed. At the same time it seems that small brewers are facing ruin. Sadly, I can’t get my head round this. We’re drinking more but breweries are closing. I have a strong suspicion that some in the temperance community are trying to capitalise on our current vulnerabilities. Sadly.
 
+A curious feature of BBC radio news programmes these days is that when potential answers could become interesting, the line cuts out. It happens so often, I am wondering whether the Beeb is using 1G never mind 5G? Or is it just a convenient mute button that Ministers have?
 
+The Madeline McCann case could be close to resolution if today’s news is anything to go by. I hope so for the parents’ sake. But I have to ask, if the co-operation between the police forces of the UK, Portugal and Germany appeared rather less than effective 13 years (and counting) ago, how will Brexit improve matters? Like Covid-19, some things don’t seem bothered too much by borders, and our potential withdrawal from the European cross-border co-operation that currently exists is unlikely to improve. It should be improved regardless of Brexit, since crime is now so internationalised—but I don’t see Johnson’s government appreciating this fact. Sadly.