I was up relatively early this morning, but I didn’t do a walk. It was only drizzling, and I could have done, but I was scheduled to set off early from home to take Rio to Cheryl, the cat groomer, the other side of Coventry. Being a long-haired cat, his fur clumps up and I don’t know how to untangle it, so I ‘pays’ to have him clipped. By the time I’ve noticed the clumps they’ve multiplied like mad, so he always comes back from Cheryl’s tender ministrations almost bald. His baldness keeps me amused for a few days anyway.
Of course, before I set off, I got the cat basket ready. It always makes a slight ‘ding’ as I open the lid……..Rio was off like a shot. Oh bother!! Or words to that effect. Cursing, I looked out of the window. There he was, sitting on the flowerbed looking all innocent and eagle-eyed – but certainly not coming in. I shrugged, knowing he wouldn’t be coaxed in, so I just had to wait it out. I alerted the cat groomer. She ‘LOL-ed’ at me and said, ‘Naughty Rio’.
Rio did eventually come back in, enticed by not having had his breakfast and it being there waiting for him, and we set off. All good. But it’s the first time I’ve driven to do a transaction since lock down. Driving there was no problem; after all, I’ve driven a few times now to the hospital and back, but I did have butterflies in my tummy when I arrived at my destination. How silly that sounds. I just wanted to make sure I did everything right. But I needn’t have worried. Cheryl was clearly experienced at meeting and greeting in the current climate and didn’t bat an eyelid at keeping her distance and both of us keeping our masks and gloves on. It was lovely to see her and hear her family news. I bunged her an extra fiver to buy a little something for the baby she’d recently had. Afterwards, I thought she must think I’m tight. I mean, whatever is a fiver going to buy these days?
John, bless him, was not only up, but really stuck in to a job when I got back this morning. As I drove towards the house, I found I couldn’t get into the drive. Who was that, parked right in the middle of it, I wondered? Then I remembered. With such a distinctive number plate, it was dear Malcolm and another friend, Ian, from Centre Stage. They had brought their brains and their brawn to help John shift the garage door into place in the ‘man-shed’. Such excitement. And it looks good. (Does a little dance).
Mum, on the other hand, wasn’t up but she was awake. While I was out, I’d taken a phone call from a different District Nurse advising that she planned to call in to have another go at a blood test. I relayed this information to Mum. “I’d better get up then.” she said.
By the time the District Nurse arrived, Mum was up and dressed, had had her breakfast and tablets, plus as much water and cup of tea as I could force on her. We were all sat in the lounge. John and I were feeling particularly contented, reclining on the sofa, having just eaten two pain aux raisins each. John felt so contented that, temporarily, he’d nodded off. It was a bit of a sharp awakening when the nurse breezed in.
Anyway, the upshot of the visit was success!!! The nurse was grimly determined to draw a phial of blood and meticulously prepared the area, gently instructing Mum on how to hold her arm just so, and not move. She planned to take the sample just in the one go, and she did. Mum was very relieved that there wasn’t going to be any more poking and prodding about. As the nurse left, she told me that they always called her ‘as the last resort’. Well, it worked.
After lunch, I was prompted by an e-conversation with the lovely Louise to get in touch with Bracey’s Garden Centre and order up some plants, as the ones we ordered from Gardening Express still haven’t arrived. Louise offered to go and collect them for me and bring them over. Wow! What a good friend. She lives miles away……
Anyway, she duly arrived with my plants and I have to say, they are absolutely gorgeous!! Oh, and I appear to have bought up the whole nursery…… Louise, too, is clearly experienced at the distancing thing and we ‘masked’ a conversation very well on the driveway. It was so lovely to see her, and it made me realise that, having hunkered down here for the last three months being waited on hand and foot, we have been quite passive. I haven’t initiated chats or remote activities with friends – just been waiting……. and waiting. OK, time for a change if I can.
In the meantime, John has been spending time with his beloved. All day he has been tinkering with first this, then that and sighing when he needs to order yet another part to complete the job he’s on. I was amused when I went into the garage to find an array of wadding, all cut into different shapes and sizes and each numbered, strewn all over the car. Then I noticed that John had a technical drawing up on his computer screen of all the wadding (numbered) that is required to complete the car. Here’s a jigsaw puzzle no-one would fancy. Might get roped into this one.
After we’d eaten this evening, John says, “It’s Friday evening, what are we going to do tonight?” Still in passive mode, I thought I’d start watching series two of The A Word. John was in. We are both enjoying the programme so why not? We watched the first two programmes consecutively, and I would have watched a third if it hadn’t been so late at night. Something to look forward to tomorrow. But I did do one proactive thing this evening, and that was to get in touch with Sue, in the Lake District. Have been remiss in keeping in touch in the last few weeks.
Stats? 2 deaths reported in hospitals yesterday by 5 p.m. by the NHS. 32 were confirmed for the day before. 173 deaths reported in all settings in the same timescale by the government; and 1,346 people confirmed as infected. Advice for we who are shielding? Erm…….. nothing yet. But we have moved from level 4 alert to level 3. Must be good, no?
May peace find you in the days to come and happiness surround you all. God bless.