The Daily Echo: Our Shielding Story, Day 172

We had a very lazy morning, both sleeping until late. The only real task for the day was packing. Neither of us felt any urgency to get up so we took the opportunity to have our sleep out instead of leaping from our beds and getting on with things.

For most of the day, my head has been full of ‘what to pack’ and making lists. It’s a year since we went away and, goodness me, how easy it is to forget just what, and how much, to take with you when you have a week away. I did that thing whereby I washed everything, so that I had a good choice of what to pick to pack. There were some things that needed ironing too, including my Mum’s coat which fell foul of the tumble dryer the other week and was rather creased.

I did the ironing while watching Judge Rinder on daytime TV. Just as I was putting the ironing away, John started watching a daytime TV film – you know the sort, girl meets boy, boy is married, boy turns out to be a baddy, falls over the balcony and (we assume) is smashed to a pulp several stories below, girls sobs, but is relieved that the baddy is gone and it all ends happily ever after. It was a rubbish film, but once we started watching it we carried on, so whiled away the afternoon without doing much of the packing.

Of course, by the time the film had ended it was time to sort out something to eat for our evening meal. I have been a bit concerned that John hasn’t, perhaps, been eating all of the right things recently, and that is affecting his health, so I decided to make a meal in a soup – chicken and vegetable – with all of the recommended ingredients for a healthy gut. But why, oh why do these things take longer than I think they are going to? The recipe was easy – roast yer veggies, blend half of’em, then bung everything in some stock and simmer for a bit. Well, it was easy but it took me a good forty minutes to get it ready. Tasted delicious though – even John thought so.

After we’d eaten, I left John watching more TV and went upstairs to pack the case. As it turned out, that wasn’t so difficult after all. I just consulted my lists and chucked stuff in. Nearly there. Left a load of items on the bed for John to pop into his case though – tee-hee. What a shock when he goes to bed…… no room unless he does his packing.

I had thought I wouldn’t take a great deal of foodstuffs with us, having ordered a ‘click and collect’ order at the local shop near where we are staying. However, having failed to get up and at ’em this morning, time drifted on, and I suddenly realised that the deadline for amending the order had passed. So I’ve had to raid the cupboards a bit now….

This evening was a Zoom gathering with the college crew, but I wasn’t able to join in as I was behind on sorting out me bits ‘n bobs, so sent my apologies. Shame really, because the last time we met up we had a pamper session, which took up all the time and we didn’t get to chat much then, so it’ll be six weeks before I catch up with them all.

It’s nice to know that they are there though, even if I haven’t done the Zoom chat this evening. They are always there, whenever I need them. How wonderful it is to have such good friends and how blessed am I when I think of all the dear friends I have. Lucky, lucky old me.

Of course, many of our friends are in different parts of the country, flung far and wide, and with regards to the pesky virus we hear that some may be living near the hotspots for infection, which is a bit of a worry. However, each and every one of them is sensible, so I expect everyone is doing everything they can to avoid infection.

Today the government report tells us that there is another rise in the infection rate with 1,735 people infected and thirteen deaths in the community, but only one in a hospital setting.

The darned virus is circling around us and is still waiting to pounce if we get too relaxed about it all. I must confess, I had started to relax, but I am not so sure now with the ever increasing numbers. However, I don’t think we’re in a hotspot and where we travelling to isn’t either, so perhaps I’ll breath easy.

Take care everyone. Keep washing those hands!! God bless.