Summer in March

 For the last couple of days, the weather has been exceptional! Temperatures well up into the 20° Celsius - yesterday it was 23°C and the warmest March day ever. 

It's a pleasure to be outside right now - and of course lots of people take advantage of this. Which causes problems with the corona virus still going strong. The trains to the coast were overfull and that's not very safe. So right now the governor of West-Flanders (the coastal region) asks daytrippers not to come to the coast anymore...

Enjoying like we used to do is no longer possible. We're in a sortlike lockdown and so you can't just go anywhere you like. You always have to keep a distance, and it's not allowed to be in a group of more than 4 adults. Next to this, all the cafés and restaurants are closed, so there are almost no toilets available. Where there are dunes, they see the evidence... 

Chris and I aren't going to spend the Easter holidays at the coast this year. We're allowed to travel to Heist (unlike last year, when it was forbidden) but there'll be too many people and I don't like to walk around in crowds - not until I've been vaccinated. I haven't caught Covid19 yet and hope to keep it that way. We pretty much keep to ourselves and only leave the house to go to a shop (and that's always a nice walk, as we live no exactly in the town center). In the shops we were our facemasks and we keep distance from other customers. We disinfect the shopping cart and our hands on leaving the shop. This has helped up to now. 

According to the government, my age group should be vaccinated by the end of April. I'm looking forward to getting my invitation!

They'll never learn...

On Wednesday morning, the goverment had a special meeting to talk about the necessary measures to cope with the (alarmingly) increasing number of infections with covid-19. 

As usual, they came up with a solution that just doesn't cut it. 

One could have hoped the country would go in a total and severe lockdown for a number of weeks, so that the curve would come down drastically. Nobody going out to work, schools closed, only permitted to go out to buy food, or see a doctor or buy medicine in the pharmacy.That would have helped. But now???

The only thing that can get us out of this situation is vaccination. And right there, Belgium as a country and Flanders as a region fail once more. At our local vaccination center they only work two days a week (!). About 1000 people. We know that they are only vaccination those above 80 years of age right now. Our former neighbor (86) got his first shot last Tuesday, and his wife (83) will get hers next week Thursday. And another former neighbot (92) also just got vaccinated. At this rate, it will take a couple of months more before they get to those aged 65.

We've cancelled our trip to France early in July already. We had hoped to be vaccinated by that time, but now it looks like this isn't going to be. Now we can only hope our trips in late autumn and winter will be possible!

Going wrong again

 For a long time, our country managed to keep the number of infections with covid19 more or less in balance - albeit on a rather high platform. But since the beginning of last week, it's exploding once more and we're in for the third wave.

In my opinion, the government isn't taking the right measures. They allowed people to meet (outside!) with 10, not counting children under age 12. They opened up hairdressers, beauty salons, etc. - all places where you are in close contact with the customer. And they want to keep the schools open.

Other measures, starting on April 1st, are postponed. 

The way the infections are going, it's not going to be enough.

They'd better close down the entire county in a severe lockdown, in which everything's closed expect the food stores, doctors and pharmacies. And then hurry up the vaccination program. It's going way too slow here in Belgium. Perhaps that way, they could keep the contamination in check and hope that by summer everything could return more or less to normal!

Much ado about AstraZeneca

 The vaccin of the British-Swedish concern AstraZeneca hasn't got the best of reputations in Europe. For starters, the results of the stage 3 tests only showed a 65ish reliability, compared to the 93% and 94% of Phizer and Moderna.

Now there's another problem. Some 30 people in Europe who have been vaccinated with AstraZeneca have got blood clots and there also have been a couple of deaths. As a result, most European countries pauze with the vaccination of AstraZeneca. They want to study the cases first. 

EMA (the European high council for heath issues) still claims it's safe to use the vaccin, but is nevertheless going to put all the cases of blood clots in a study and they'll form a new point of view by Thursday.

Belgium is about the only country that still goes on with vaccinations with AstraZeneca. Virologists, doctors and the minister for Heath all say it's ok to use it. They'll only change their vaccination strategy if the EMA will say it's better not to use AstraZeneca. 

I can understand their point of view in a way. Our vaccination rate is not advancing very rapidly. Only 6% of the whole population has got at leIfast one shot, about 3% has got the two vaccinations. We don't get enough vaccins to go faster - and to make it worse, there have been a lot of problems with the working of the vaccination centra (people not getting invited, computer program not working, ..)

If I'm totally honest, I'd prefer not to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca. I'd rather have Phizer or Johnson&Johnson when it's on the market. But we can't choose. If we refuse when we are invited, we are placed at the end of the list (and that may be next year in autumn or so).

What about you?

Fancy Friday

Today it is exactly one year since the first lockdown in Belgium (Friday 13th March, 2020) and because of this some celebrities lanced the idea of having Fancy Friday.

Most of the people have worked (and are still working) from home instead of being in their office. And when you're at home you don't bother with dressing up. Most of us wear trainers and joggings when being in your private sfere. 

So Linde Merkpoel (a leading lady on national radio and tv) came up with the idea of making ourselves pretty just for one day. You already see a lot of pictures on social media. Especially in the app of Radio 2 pictures appear from listeners dressed in their finest.

Cute idea! Most likely my sister and I will dress up as well (if we find something suitable, seeing as most of our better dress options are at the coastal flat because there are more opportunities to wear it there) and post a picture in Instagram of Facebook - and perhaps one in the Radio 2 app.

Have people come up with special ideas to fight corona in your country?

Earl of Brecken

Today we meet Aubrey Wynne, author. Aubrey is doing a virtual book blast tour for Earl of Brecken, a historical romance available March 9, 2021 from Plato Publishing. This book tour will run from March 8 to March 12, 2021.

Aubrey Wynne will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3622/

Blurb

A seductive Welsh earl on the brink of ruin. A wealthy cit in search of a hero.

 

Miss Evelina Franklin reads too many romance novels. She’s certain a handsome duke—or dashing highwayman—is in her future. In the meantime, Evie entertains herself with the admirers vying for her fortune.

 

The Earl of Brecken needs cash. His late father left their Welsh estate in ruin, and his mother will not let him rest until it is restored to its former glory. Notorious for his seductive charm, he searches the ballrooms for a wealthy heiress. His choices are dismal until he meets Miss Franklin. Guileless and gorgeous with an enormous dowry, she seems the answer to his prayers. Until his conscience makes an unexpected appearance.

Excerpt

London, 1819

Lifting his glass, Madoc’s well-practiced smile returned. “Here’s to long, dull days of leisure. May I never take boredom for granted again.”

Sunderland guffawed. “By all means, enjoy them if you can before you become earl. After that, your days may not be filled with intrigue, but you will certainly stay occupied. My estate, properties, and seat in the Lords demand much of my time.”

His friend’s statement gave him pause. “I hadn’t really thought about the future, in that sense, but you’re right enough. I’ve been trained for the title and know what is expected of me. Yet, having the responsibility solely on my shoulders scares the hell out of me.” Madoc sighed. “If I fail an assignment, my disappearance will cause little harm. Another man will take my place, and the task will be accomplished. But making decisions that affect the lives of my tenants, people whose livelihood could be crushed by a man’s whim…”

The earl nodded. “The obligation can be heavy at times, but it’s our duty to maintain our inheritance, our family name. Those who tend the land and the animals, work within our abodes, are all an integral part of the system. Treat them fairly, and with the dignity they deserve, and you’ll do well. It’s that mutual understanding and common goal to make life better that will bond you to them.”

“Blast, if you don’t sound like my father.” Madoc laughed. “Next you’ll be telling me it’s time to find a wife. Speaking of, how is Grace?”

Author bio and links

Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule, and barn cats. Obsessions include wine, history, travel, trail riding, and all things Christmas. Her Chicago Christmas series has received the Golden Quill, Aspen Gold, Heart of Excellence, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and twice nominated as a Rone finalist by InD’tale Magazine.

Aubrey’s first love is medieval romance but after dipping her toe in the Regency period in 2018 with the Wicked Earls’ Club, she was smitten. This inspired her spin-off series Once Upon a Widow and the Scottish Regency series A MacNaughton Castle Romance with Dragonblade Novels.

 

Find Aubrey

Website: https://aubreywynne.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/magnificentvalor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aubreywynne51

Instagram: https://instagram.com/Aubreywynne51

Bookbub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/aubrey-wynne

Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Aubrey-Wynne/e/B00II8QD6G/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7383937.Aubrey_Wynne

 

Subscribe to Aubrey’s newsletter for new releases and exclusive excerpts and free stories:

Newsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/k3f1z5

Facebook Reading Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AubreyWynnesEverAfters/

 

Exit strategy

 On Friday, members of the government and of the High Council of Health gathered in Brussels to talk about an exit strategy for the corona measures.

They came up with a plan, but like always it isn't much to talk about. For instance, they'll allow to gather with groups of (more than) 10 people outside (in which children younger than 12 are not to be counted), but dining with 2 in a restaurant is not allowed.

In their plan cafés and restaurants will reopen in May, but then everybody who enters must take a self-corona test. How crazy is that? 

Like everything in Belgium, planning is not their forte. There are just too many governments (federal, regional, municipal) that stand in the way of organising something. Take the vaccination campaign. A computer system will send out invitation letters to those who can be vaccinated. But that computer program wasn't working properly (who was surprised??) and so there was already a delay of two weeks. They have been vaccinating for over two months now and not yet a million Belgians have got their shot. They are around 600,000 by now.

Yeah, Belgium... They could learn a bit from Israel, the UK and even the USA. But here it's talk, talk, talk - and doing nothing!

What We Bury

 Once more, we welcome an author today. Say hello to Carolyn Arnold today. Carolyn's doing a virtual Name Before the Masses tour for What We Bury, a mystery/thriller available since October 28, 2020 from Hibbert and Stiles Publishing Inc. This tour will run every Wednesday for 20 weeks starting on October 28th.

Carolyn Arnold will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes&Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3547/

Blurb

She’s dying, and she knows it. If only she can stay alive long enough to leave one last message. As the rain beats against the metal roof, she uses her blood-soaked fingertip to scrawl on the floorboards... The letters GB.
 
Detective Madison Knight has been house hunting, but a call from her real estate agent has nothing to do with finding the perfect property. She’s found a woman’s body, stabbed multiple times. Madison arrives on scene and is presented with an unknown Jane Doe and two letters written in blood. There’s no murder weapon, and it seems Doe was attacked somewhere else.
 
As Madison works to find justice for the victim, Madison’s own life is put at risk. What she comes to discover is some people will go to extreme lengths to protect their secrets—even as far as murder. But will learning that lesson come too late for her?

Buy this international bestselling book today and join the investigation! Uncover clues, follow leads, and catch a cop killer like thousands of readers have done before you.

Excerpt

“She’s dead.”

Those two words brought Madison Knight to 982 Hillcrest Drive in the middle of a Saturday afternoon in March. It was a quiet neighborhood in the south end of Stiles, a city of about three hundred sixty thousand, and it had been her real estate agent, Estelle Robins, who’d called. When Madison saw the name on caller ID, she’d assumed Estelle had found the perfect place for Madison and her boyfriend, Troy Matthews. Boy, had she been mistaken.

Madison parked in the driveway, admiring the raised bungalow with its grayish-brown brick and beige siding. It couldn’t be older than fifteen years. The front door was under a small overhang, and that’s where Estelle was standing, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were cold, but the temperature today was unusually warm. Some of the more northern states would envy their spring-like weather in early March.

Madison got out of the car and approached Estelle. She was normally the picture of calm and put-togetherness, but her hair was frizzed around her heart-shaped face, and her eyes were wet and wide. Her brown eyeshadow was smudged beneath her right eye, but her mascara had stayed in place 

“Omigod, Madison. I didn’t know who else to call, but you’ll know what to do.”

“You did the right thing.” Madison was a Major Crimes detective with the Stiles Police Department. Troy could have tagged along, as he was also a detective for the department, but his primary role was leader of a SWAT team. Solving murders was her thing. “Where is she?”

“In the shed. I’ll take you there.” Estelle led the way to a side gate next to the garage. Her hand was shaking as she worked the latch.

Madison followed Estelle down a concrete sidewalk toward the backyard. “How did you find her?”

“There’s supposed to be an open house.” Estelle spoke over her shoulder. “I was making sure the property looked good.” Estelle stopped and hoisted a chain-link gate at the end of the walk that was hinged on the fence and wedged against the brick of the garage.

To the right was a deck, and ahead was a manageable yard. The rear of the lot was framed by mature cedars and a chain-link fence. There was another gate back there, and it appeared open.

Estelle pointed to a shed with a concrete foundation and beige siding. It was about twelve feet wide and twenty feet long.

“She’s in there.” Estelle shivered. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Author bio and links

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

 

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:

Website - http://carolynarnold.net/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold

 

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.