Deliveries! We have had a few of those today, and don’t you just love ’em? And we never know when a delivery driver is going to call, as it can be any time of the day these days, can’t it? Nor are we ever quite sure what we’ve ordered until it comes, but that’s the thrill of it. Ah, yes….. lock down syndrome has addled our brains. We excitedly order an item and then two minutes later forget all about it, only to remember it once we’ve opened the mystery parcel or recognise the box.
This morning a large-ish parcel arrived. What was it? I wondered. Ah-ha! said John, I think that will be one of the sides we’ve ordered for the gazebo. He clearly has a better memory than me. I opened it. Yes, it is, I said. It’s a side with a door in, the same as the one that arrived yesterday. No, no, protested John. The one that came yesterday has a window in it, hasn’t it? Ermmm….. I don’t think so. Nope, it’s exactly the same as the other one. Oh, OK we’ve got two now then. No actual gazebo yet, but two sides with doors. Lovely.
This afternoon, the doorbell rang and another delivery driver with a large-ish parcel stood on the doorstep, with his little tablet, taking a photo of it there, safely delivered. Now, I knew what that was, because it had the word KitchenAid emblazoned across the box. We had sent Andrew’s poorly mixer away to be repaired and here it was, back again. Another lovely.
Just before our evening meal, another delivery. I hadn’t a clue as to what it was, but John was busy chatting to the delivery chap as if they were old friends. Then I recognised the box. All the way from Liverpool, John’s eye serum had been delivered by courier, and the couriers are such nice, friendly people that we always stop and have a chat to them. Mystery solved.
I think that was it for today. But it breaks the day up and it seems to feel a bit like Christmas when we have delivery days. However, on the day when the retail sector has announced job losses and closure of some John Lewis’ and Boots’ shops, I feel guilty that we no longer do all our shopping on the high street. Retail sector representatives talk about everyone changing their shopping habits as a result of the lock down and it’s a bit of a shocker really. I suspect there will be more to come, and I regret that we are contributors to those job losses, but just now, there is little alternative.
In between deliveries we had a ‘faffing about’ day. And, surprise, surprise, Mum came downstairs, dressed and raring to go just after ten-thirty, even before the ol’ man was up!! “You beat me to it.” he said, gob-smacked, as he came into the kitchen to find her there already.
John fitted a couple of pieces of carpet into the side panels of the boot in the Lotus this afternoon, and it looks like he’s done a great job so far. It’s gone in nicely. He also cooked both lunch and the evening meal today, which was a bonus as far as I am concerned. In fact, he’s been on a roll with cooking and baking, having made some paleo ‘sandwich rolls’ the day before yesterday, and which are absolutely yummy.
He makes me laugh though. I was weary of cooking and did that *sigh* …… I suppose I’d better get food…… *sigh* thing that you do when you really don’t want to do something. He was kind. No worries, I’ll cook, he said. What shall we have? I’d got pork chops out of the freezer but hadn’t decided what to do with them. He looked up a recipe from tinternet. Irish coddled pork with cider. Sounds nice. Got any cider? Yes. Phew. Cabbage? No. Bacon? Yes. Swede? No. He did it anyway, with replacement veg for the stuff we hadn’t got – and it was very, very tasty. Even Mum enjoyed it. He’s just invented ‘Sleath Towers coddled pork with cider’, I think.
My day started beautifully. A little video from William, eating his breakfast, “Good morning, Grandma.” I sent one back, saying good morning, William, and ‘have a nice day’ to which he sent me another one telling me to have a nice day too. Heart full, I walked on cloud nine for a good few hours after that.
I managed to finish the ironing today, as well as having a little potter in the garden sorting out the poor roses that had been bashed to bits in the rain, in between the showers. I also finally cleared everything I wanted to clear from the utility room so that I can put my mind to preparing the walls in the ‘office-cum-gym-cum-snug’. Update on the room’s name: John isn’t keen on naming it a ‘snug’, so back to the drawing board.
This evening was a delight, spending time on Zoom with the college crew. It was soft and gentle and just good. Heartfelt thoughts and prayers for dear Susie P though, as she attends the funeral of one of her best friends tomorrow. Not COVID related, but shocking nonetheless as it was a brief and unexpected illness.
COVID related deaths, however, were reported today with 85 people having succumbed by nine o’clock this morning, in all settings. 642 people were confirmed as having been infected too. The NHS figures don’t seem to tally with previous information, but for the record, today’s report shows four people having died in hospitals by four o’clock yesterday, and 8 having been confirmed for the day before.
Let us savour every moment we have, folks. Life is precious. Take care and God bless you all.