Isolation day 96

Today was a good day. Having taken delivery of plants yesterday I spent all day in the garden, albeit sometimes dodging the showers. It was a warm and balmy day which meant I could wander about bare-armed and short-trousered. The garden was very happy to have some attention and allowed itself to be tended wherever I went with my trowel or spade. Even the plants I’d bought looked joyous and keen to get into their new beds. I wonder if it’s anything to do with it being the Summer Solstice today……

It was one of those days in which I worked hard but didn’t feel tired because I was so enjoying being among the trees, the plants and the earth. Very relaxing and soothing. In fact, it was so soothing that I completely forgot to get Mum up out of bed. I’d gone downstairs early and had breakfast, waiting for Malcolm’s early call with the shopping. Had a nice little ‘path chat’ before he went on his way; did the ‘shopping washing’; took John a cup of tea in bed; and then ventured out into the garden. And the day went on….

Not long into the spade work, I took a message from Dawn. They were going to go Rosebourne’s just along the road, and would pick up some compost for me, then drop it in on their way home. Oh, goody! Well, I can’t tell you how very, very nice it was to see them in the flesh. Between them, and at a suitable social distance, John and Peter manoeuvred the bags of compost into the back garden, while I sat on an upturned crate to chat to Dawn in her car. Oh, it was good. We have been Skyping each other to keep in touch, but to sit opposite Dawn and have a proper face-to-face chat was something else. I think we both felt a bit overwhelmed by the excitement of it!

We finally said goodbye and I went back into the garden to carry on where I’d left off. I was so engrossed that it was mid-day before John popped outside and asked me if I’d got Mum up yet. Oh, crikey! Is that the time already? I ran upstairs to check on her, and found she was actually up, so left her to get dressed and come down in her own time. It was a quarter past one by the time she made it.

We had a bit of a to-do though because I was sitting in her seat. I’d taken a break from the garden temporarily to have a cup of tea and grab a bite to eat while there was a short shower. Mum came into the lounge. Breakfast or lunch? Lunch, please. Egg sandwiches? OK, I said, I’ll sort it in a minute. Mum looked at me, a bit nonplussed, and then made a great play of sitting next to me, moving cushions, plumping them up, shifting a blanket and a magazine, and giving out a very large sigh. I ignored it. I happened to be a doing an e-jigsaw that was timed and I didn’t want to stop just then. She got up and had a wander round. “You OK, Mum?” I asked, glancing up from my jigsaw. Oh. She was sucking lemons. “I thought I was going to have a sandwich.” Hmm…. it was only a few minutes since I said I’d do it in a bit……

I got up, leaving my phone on the seat, and went into the kitchen to get the egg on to boil. John came through a couple of minutes later. “You know she’s just gone and sat in your seat, don’t you?” Blimey! That was quick!! When I went back through, I said, teasingly, “Oh, I see you’ve jumped in my grave then?” She was not amused. But then actually, neither was I – I’d have liked to have sat there for a change. Hey-ho.

It didn’t stop there though. I asked Mum if she’d like to go through into the kitchen to butter the bread for the sandwich. No. Well, it won’t make itself. Do you want to chop the egg up then? No. Oh, dear. I gave her ten minutes to think about it and she did, in the end, make her sandwich. But what a bloomin’ kerfuffle…..

It was all soon forgotten as we sat and had a cuppa though before I went back outside. I was as happy as Larry out there crooning over my lovely plants and arranging them in the flowerbed. I know it’s not the Chelsea Flower Show, but it is starting to look pretty.

John tells me he doesn’t think he’s done anything much today, but I disagree. He moved the compost for starters. Then he looked into finalising the cupboard over the fridge/freezer in the kitchen. That’s taking some doing – it’s required thinking and planning and executing. It’s not finished of course, but then you wouldn’t expect anything else, would you? Towards tea-time, he had to shoot off to Solihull Hospital for a CT scan and then he cooked the tea. All good stuff.

To add to the pleasure of seeing Pete and Dawn this morning on our drive, we Skyped them this evening too. Had a great evening, just being ourselves and sharing our hopes and fears, and ups and downs. We are blessed to have such good friends. Can’t wait to see them face-to-face again soon.

So, to today’s statistics: 128 people died and 1,295 were infected with COVID-19 up until nine o’clock this morning, according to the government report. The NHS reports 6 deaths as of five o’clock yesterday (19 June 2020), with the figure confirmed at 34 for the day before.

Take care everyone. There’s still a nasty virus out there even if you don’t know anyone personally who’s had it or died from it.