DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
• The Easter Bunny was deemed an “essential worker” in New Zealand this week but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned children that, thanks to the coronavirus lockdown, the bunny may still not be able to get to every household. Speaking at a media briefing on Monday at which she deemed both the Bunny and the Tooth Fairy essential workers, the PM added that “as you can imagine at this time, they’re going to be potentially quite busy at home with their family as well as their own bunnies”. “I say to the children of New Zealand if the Easter Bunny doesn’t make it to your household then we have to understand that it’s a bit difficult at the moment for the bunny to perhaps get everywhere,” she said, before going on to suggest that children could create Easter hunts by drawing an Easter egg and putting the image in their front window for other neighbourhood children to spot. She has posted a drawing of an Easter egg on her Facebook page which children can print out and colour in.
• Lockdowns around the world have seen the emergence of new rituals like the nightly “Clap for Carers” in NYC. In Australia, the ritual of putting out the rubbish bins for collection has been given a makeover with people dressing up for the occasion. The ‘Bin Isolation Outing’ Facebook group, which has tens of thousands of members, features videos showing people putting out the bins dressed as everyone from 80s TV sitcom character Alf to the old guy from Up and the Easter Bunny or just dressing up as though for a night on the town. It’s one way of brightening up what could otherwise be a dull time for some.
One of the goats visiting Llandudno on 31st March. PICTURE: Reuters/Carl Recine/File Photo
• Welsh animals have been making the most of the coronavirus lockdown it seems. First we had news that a wild herd of more than 100 Kashmiri goats in North Wales had reportedly been roaming through neighbourhoods in the town of Llandudno. The goats, which usually live in Great Orme country park, were eventually herded home by police – but not before eating some hedges and committing various acts of trespass. Now comes news of a flock of sheep spotted playing on empty playground equipment in a park in Monmouthshire. The owner of Raglan Farm Park, Gareth Williams, said he was ”shocked” when he saw the sheep – who are usually kept away from the playground but following the park’s closure are being allowed to roam free – frolicking on the merry-go-round. “I was really surprised at how quickly they’ve started to play and get the hang of it…” he told ITV News.
