I was expecting it to pour with rain all day today but it didn’t. It rained for a bit of the day then cleared up. Just enough, so that when we had an unexpected visit from Harriet and Freddie this afternoon, we were able to play out in the garden.
It was such a lovely surprise. I was upstairs ordering Andrew’s birthday present on the computer (Happy birthday to you, Andrew!) and John was in the lounge. I hot-footed it downstairs when the doorbell trilled its little tune throughout the house and, as I got to the door, I thought it was just Harriet. However, Freddie was hiding behind the trailer and ‘peep-oed’ as I opened the door. How very, very lovely. “It was Freddie’s idea to call in,” said Harriet. “I want to play on the swing,” Freddie piped up. They’d been swimming and were on their way back. Lucky us that they took a detour.
Into the garden we all went. The sun was shining and it was so beautifully fresh out there. Freddie made a bee-line to the swing where he twizzled round and round and round. And that was it then – we were off and running. He played on the swing – “Look, Grandma! Look at me!” then down the slide, which I polished to make it go faster, whereupon he shot straight off the end to great whoops of delight.
He looked into the pond, fished out some of the duckweed from it, fed the fish and then played with the bubbles I blew from the bubble wand I had got out. Soon, of course, it was time for a packet (or two) of sweets before it was home time. A short and sweet visit, but it lifted our spirits nonetheless. Freddie is a darling and Harriet was good company. Together we mourned our free-and-easy days of kicking off our shoes and slouching on the sofa with a glass of wine and a good argument.
In other news, I finished painting the skirting board. It didn’t seem quite such a chore this time but then, I wasn’t crouched down for quite so long, not having to put the masking tape down today. I think it looks okay.
John spent time in the garage again, putting the other shelf up and having a bit of a tidy up. In between times, he’d come through for a bit of a rest and a shake of the head. “Why am I so tired?” he’d ask. I would shrug. I don’t have any more answers I’m afraid.
In my quest to smarten the house up a bit, I had great plans to re-arrange some of the pictures on the walls and put a mirror up in the downstairs loo. Regrettably, the wall is brick and not willing to accept a nail hammered into it. Ah, well, as you were in there then. But I did get the curtain down and wash it and had a go at cleaning the windows in that room. So not a total waste of time.
“How about fish and chips for tea, John?” I offered to walk up to the chip shop because, to be honest, I couldn’t be bothered to cook. We had stuff in the fridge just ready and waiting, but really, sometimes I’d just like a rest. Today was the day.
We watched a bit of telly this evening – Bake Off was on – and enjoyed that. At this stage of the competition though, it always breaks your heart to see someone sent home. Whoever it is, because you’ve seen that they can do good stuff, only today was the day they didn’t.
With 22,885 people having succumbed to the virus and a whopping 367 people having died from it in the last twenty-four hours, not counting those who’ve died in hospitals (107 on 25 & 26 October), it feels like we should be locking in again and fully shielding. However, there are hospital visits to make, there’s shopping to do and Mothers to take to the doctors so we’re not yet. It feels like it’s getting close though. How’s all that feeling for you, folks?
Take care everyone. God bless.