Life

Marie Louise McConville: Those flouting the regulations are making life miserable for us all

En route to another lock-down thanks to a selfish few
En route to another lock-down thanks to a selfish few En route to another lock-down thanks to a selfish few

It's hard to believe we are back here again.

It's just a few months since a full lockdown ended and we got our lives back - kind of - and now it seems we are about to go through it all again.

I remember back in March when we left the office and began working from home, it was strange and having two small children here to entertain at the same time made it all more challenging.

But we got through and finally, the shops opened again and the queues outside supermarkets disappeared and we could visit family and friends and hug them and catch up properly.

The Covid-19 rate fell and a new type of life took off and when the kids returned to school last month, it seemed that there was finally light at the end of tunnel.

Now, thanks to the selfish actions of a minority, it looks like life is about to shut down again and I for one am dreading it.

I'll be honest, I got through it the first time because I told myself it was a one-off, something we had to do to keep those we love and ourselves healthy and safe but the fact we might have to do it again just infuriates me.

If only everyone followed the very simple advice - wash your hands, wear a mask, socially distance and just be smart - but apparently it was just too difficult for some.

I can't be the only person really fed up when I hear reports of people partying in large crowds on the street and indoors, flouting the restrictions and acting in a manner that is unacceptable in the current, dangerous climate.

Anyone who has been required to wear a face mask and hasn't and hasn't socially distanced or hasn't done their best to adhere to the rules bears a responsibility for the situation we find ourselves in.

Those still organising parties and other gatherings, those refusing to limit their social interaction and those ignoring the advice because they just can't be bothered are all responsible.

Thanks to you, I can't hug my parents once again, my children can't play with their friends and milestone moments will have to go unmarked.

Life is about to become so much harder once again, yet it could have been so different.

It's hard to look forward now to better days - Halloween, Christmas, New Year - because there are those among us who would rather live a selfish life.

So, there's nothing left to do now but hope and pray that people come to their senses - and quickly.

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US actress Sharon Stone has been revealing some intimate details about her glittering Hollywood career - including how Robert De Niro was "far and away the best kisser" of all her on-screen leading men.

The Golden Globe winner, who starred with De Niro in Casino, said he was "the actor that I admired the most".

"Maybe because I just held him in such extraordinary high regard, it was the pinnacle of the kissing moment for me," she said.

"It was pretty fabulous. So I don't know that I could compare [any other leading man] to that. [Everyone] else was kind of like m'eh".

Love a bit of goss.

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It's the season to stay warm and cosy so how do you fancy winning a "gripping story of love, death, art and deceit".

The Portrait by Ilaria Bernardini has been described as "enchanting, thrilling and incredibly moving".

Writer Valeria Costas has dedicated her life to her work and to her secret lover, Martìn Acla, a prominent businessman.

When his sudden stroke makes headlines, her world implodes, the idea of losing him is terrifying.

Desperate to find a way to be present during her lover's final days, Valeria commissions his artist wife, Isla, to paint her portrait - insinuating herself into Martìn's family home and life.

In the grand, chaotic London mansion where the man they share lies in a coma, Valeria and Isla remain poised on the brink, transfixed by one another.

Day after day, the two women talk to each other during the sittings, unearthing truths, fragilities and strengths but what will be further revealed as the portrait takes shape?

I have five copies of The Portrait to give away.

If you fancy winning a copy, simply email your name, address and telephone number – along with the answer to the question – to competitions@ irishnews.com

Closing date is 12 noon on Tuesday, October 6, 2020

(Q) Who wrote The Portrait?

Normal Irish News rules apply

The winners of the Movie House Cinema competition are Anne McKenna, from Draperstown and Kevin Maguire, from Trillick