Month: November 2020

You may be wondering how we have been able to have Freddie for the day and a sleepover. Well, the Kenilworth Sleaths have been isolating and seeing no-one because Lily had the virus a couple of weeks ago. They are all out of isolation now, so it is as safe is it’s going to be, we think, to have a beloved grandchild over, so we have.

And I really can’t tell you how wonderful it has been. Freddie has been such fabulous company all day and as good as gold. Although we are tired, it has boosted our spirits no end to enjoy the little man’s chatter and excitement at having a day with Grandma and Grandpa.

We did wonder how he’d be. It’s such a long time since he’s been over properly, and it was probably last Christmas when he last slept over. But he took it all in his stride and just strolled through the day with such confidence that it made our hearts melt.

We picked up all the familiar things and rhythms as if we’d never had a break. We cuddled and laughed and played and let our imaginations run riot. Freddie was keen to do everything. ‘Let’s bake a cake/go into the attic/get out the games, toys and glo-sticks/play at the sink/bounce on the bed/play the monster game/tickle each other/decorate the Christmas tree/make ice cream/light a fire and toast bread over it’ and more besides. Oh, our hearts are full.

There really isn’t much more to say. We have another half-day of the same tomorrow, when we have planned to eat the ice cream Freddie and Grandpa made today for breakfast, and we’ll make a cake and a Christingle orange (only with an easy-peel satsuma, as the Co-op were out of oranges on their delivery service today), plus a run-around the garden and a snuggle on the sofa.

There’s so much to fit in….. I mean, I was so busy enjoying myself today that I had no time whatsoever to take a single photo. John managed one little video-clip while they were waiting for the ice cream to churn, and Freddie was swivelling round and round at vast speed on the swivel chair in the kitchen – but that was all we managed today. It’s just been too much fun.

This is what life is all about, isn’t it? The family (and friends) connection. And I am so very grateful that we have had this wonderful chance to capture a few moments with Freddie before he’s plunged back into school and we are thrown headlong back into Tier 3.

The outside world has meant nothing today. We have created our own cosy and safe environment today. But, of course, we are aware that the virus is still catching hold of people, so I offer you the stats, just because it’s now a habit of mine.

• 12,330 people were confirmed as having been infected with the virus today
• 205 people have died today, in the community, from virus-related issues
• 131 people have died in the last couple of days in hospitals
• This is Day 26 of Lockdown 2
• And we are on Day 257 since we first isolated in March.

Wishing you all as many ‘Freddie days’ as you can possibly get. Stay safe everyone, and God bless.

Crikey! Sundays come round fast don’t they? It seems only yesterday that it was Sunday. And today is the first Sunday in Advent. Counting down to Christmas and the birth of Jesus in a stable. Not really counting down to gorging ourselves on fine food, fine wine and fine gifts, honest guv……but, given the sort of year that we have had, I am not at all surprised that lots of people want to start counting down early. Christmas decorations are up in the village and houses are bedecked already. I have even ordered my turkey, just in case we might need it.

Still having a faith wobble, the Advent season started me thinking about the significance of the Christian teachings. Everything that Christ taught makes sense for a peaceful world, so it’s no wonder that his word has been picked up and acted on over the centuries. Being kind to each other, avoiding the jealousies that arise, and having a day’s rest is all good advice. But did I have a day’s rest? Ha! No. I forgot to take him at his word. And this is what we do, isn’t it? We forget to abide by the gentle things in life. We’re still hell-bent on ‘getting back to normal’ and driving forward as hard as we can. I don’t know what the answer is, but I do pray for peace and harmony.

And there was peace and harmony in my life today, despite the fact that I didn’t have a day of rest. John and I wafted through the day quite nicely – although if truth be told, John was asleep for a fair bit of the afternoon, so perhaps that’s why I thought we were getting along quite well. Tee-hee. I popped over to Mum’s where I found that she was very well, happy to see me and contented just to chit-chat.

Mum was funny though. We always have a bit of a giggle and today was no different. We pottered about putting her washing away, made a cup of tea and went through her post. I had a bit of a shock with the latter though – there were two empty envelopes. Mum never has empty envelopes. She keeps letters in them for ever – even from the 1980s. And she had no idea where the contents were. We didn’t find the contents either. I am sure they’ll be there somewhere in the flat but where, exactly, is anybody’s guess. Mum chuckled and shrugged her shoulders.

Then we sat down for a chat. The conversation paused for a minute or two and then she suddenly stood up, out of her chair, humming to the tune ‘I was born under a wandering star’ and started to jiggle a little dance. Once she’d finished, she said, “I do do some funny things sometimes.” and sat down again, adding, “And now I’ll have a silly little sit.” Well, we both roared with laughter. I mean, there’s not a lot you can say to all that, is there? She knew she was being a bit daft and laughed at herself, inviting me to join in, too.

I showed her pictures of all the family and the things that had been going on since I last went round and she was delighted to see them all. She wanted to hug everyone, and made that gesture each time a new photo came on the screen before turning a rather baleful eye at me and saying, “I wish I could hold them all.” Me too, Mum. Me too.

When I got home, John was awake and watching the Grand Prix. What a shocking race with such an horrific accident, with Romain Grosjean’s car bursting into flames. We were reminded of the Niki Lauda crash many years ago and feared that Grosjean might suffer the same fate, but the introduction of the ‘halo’ in the Formula One cars undoubtedly saved his life and his lungs. Technology has its uses after all – he was within the inferno for at least ten seconds – so what a relief when we saw him climbing over the barrier.

So, my day of ‘doings’ – painting, ironing my newly washed ‘library’ curtains and visiting Mum, is over and an evening spent in front of the TV and trashy programmes is just the ticket. John has taken his cough and ‘Puffing Billy’ chest to bed, in the hope that tomorrow he’ll feel a bit better. I hope he does, because tomorrow, all being well, is a Freddie Day!!! Woohoo!

Today’s COVID figures look a bit better, so here are the stats:

• 12,155 people were confirmed as having contracted the virus today
• 215 people died of its effects in the community
• 145 people died of its effects in hospitals over the last couple of days
• Today is Day 25 of Lockdown 2, and it’s
• Day 256 since we started our isolation in March

Take care everyone. Keep safe. Enjoy what you can and God bless.

So, yesterday, I cancelled a proposed walk because I thought it was going to be foggy and chilly. Opted for the walk today instead, when it was supposed to be dry. Ha! No fog yesterday, but a fair bit of it today. And rain. Although it wasn’t that chilly.

I was delighted to be taking a walk with Jaime. And, wow! we thoroughly enjoyed it. Non-stop walking and non-stop talking. It was bliss and just what I needed. Jaime is great company and we kept up with each other’s pace wonderfully well. I came home glowing with the fresh air and fabulous company and felt wonderfully refreshed. We were well able to keep our distance throughout the walk and didn’t meet many people on the way. Well, why would you? It was a miserable-looking day. Who’d be out and about on a day like this? Just mad ‘uns like us!!

In between walking, I did more decorating – on the homeward stretch now and it’s beginning to look as nice as I expected it to. Just a bit of wallpapering tomorrow as the final touch. Wish me luck – it’s a while since I did wallpapering. Although it’s got to be like riding a bike, hasn’t it? Never forget the skill once you’ve learned it. Fingers crossed anyway.

John was up reasonably early this morning and planning his TV viewing. It’s exciting stuff. There’s the rugby matches to enjoy and then the Grand Prix qualifying. It’s a great time of year for these sports and I am so glad they are able to go ahead. It really does buck John up in the winter months. Just three weeks to go before the Winter Solstice, mind you, when the nights will start to get lighter, so that’ll buck him up too.

We had another trundle out this afternoon to the University Hospital for a follow-up on the boob inspection, but nothing to see here, so all good. John missed watching the England match live as a result of coming with me, but settled down with a nice cup of coffee once we got home, to really enjoy his rugby. But, to be honest, he wasn’t that thrilled with the performances. It was a bit of a kicking game, which always irritates him, and I think the match was a bit lacklustre. Must’ve been fairly lacklustre cos I fell asleep during it.

After we’d eaten our meal this evening, we charged our glasses with wine/prosecco and plonked ourselves in front of the TV. Not to watch TV per se, but to enjoy ‘an audience with’ Pete and Dawn on Skype. Had a cracking evening laughing together, commiserating with each other and marvelling at the antics of our wonderful children. Oh, such heaven to have such wonderful friends.

Not much else to report today except the daily figures:

• 15,871 people were confirmed as infected with the virus
• 479 people died within 28 days of a positive test
• 204 people died in hospitals in the last couple of days
• Today is Day 24 of Lockdown 2, and
• We are on Day 255 since the beginning of our self-isolation since Lockdown 1

Take care everyone. God bless.

I thought I might not want to get out of bed this morning, anticipating a foggy and chilly morning, only to find the most beautiful sunrise happening outside my back door and no frost. I love it when the weather people get it rather wrong. I was disappointed though, in a way, as I’d been hoping to go for a walk but cancelled it thinking of the expected poor weather. Ah, well, maybe tomorrow.

The decorating was beckoning all day so that’s what I did. Of course, it’s taking far longer than I anticipate and there are always the little things to take care of, like unfastening an electrical socket from the wall so it can be painted round, or re-fastening the light fitting to the ceiling, or unhitching the doorstop so you can paint the skirting board. Honestly, it’s never-ending.

Despite the never-endingness of the decorating, it’s been a good day and I have got on quite well. The only thing is, that having promised myself a bit of a chocolate respite, I now find myself thinking about it all day. So much so, that this afternoon, I decided that I’d have a Magnum. That’s ice-cream, right? Doesn’t count as chocolate, does it?

The Magnum was a treat, and it soothed the raw feelings of ‘what the hell are we all doing right now?’. My mind flits from one thing to another at the drop of a hat, and I’m doing well concentrating on this particular project for, maybe, a couple of hours, then I go into freefall and start wishing it was finished already so that I can relax and swan about like a lady of leisure. Ah, well, that’ll be another ‘maybe tomorrow’ scenario, then.

John, however, has swanned about like a man of leisure mostly, today. He had another good go at watching some of the programmes we’ve got recorded on the TV planner this morning before he had to go for an ECG this afternoon. I was grateful to him though because, while he was out, he took the opportunity to collect some wallpaper paste and more paint for me. He has his uses….tee-hee!!

Once he was back, he got to tinkering with his car, which I was pleased about. He’s still fitting the doors, which are proving a bit troublesome, I think. And he tells me that the back quarter-light window is smaller (or was it bigger?) than the aperture, so he’s got to have a good think about how he’s going to do that. Keeps him off the streets, anyway!

After our evening meal, John continued the trend of TV watching and playing catch-up on programmes, while I had a lovely chat to the women who make up the little book club I am part of. It was great to talk about the books we had read and share the ones we thought others might enjoy. They are all voracious readers and have plenty to offer me as someone who is still struggling to read on a regular basis. Afterwards, I joined John in watching aother programme in the series about Oscar Pistorious- still fascinating stuff.

So, that was Friday, Day 23 of Lockdown 2 – just so you know…. although I am not sure why I am counting the days now, since it’s going to go on…. and on….and on!

Today’s figures for those who have been infected with the virus, just for the record, is 16,022. There have been 521 deaths among people within 28 days of having contracted the virus in the community, and over the last couple of days there have 218 deaths in hospitals.

And in better news, Lily is recovering nicely from her infection, and Andrew has had a second test and finds he is COVID negative. That’s good then. We do love a false positive, don’t we?

Anyway, take care everyone – God bless – here’s us, enjoying our Magnums……

So, how’s everyone doing? We’re all in Tier 3 here in the Midlands. Oh, whoopee-doop! Lockdown ends next week, and howzat? Bowled with the first ball – back into isolationing. Anyone depressed?

I don’t actually feel depressed, but I do feel a bit weary. I mean, it’s jolly hard work, living on your nerves all the time and trying to think about what you can and can’t do. I’m feeling quite exhausted and a bit teary.

However, life goes on and we do what we can. And today, I could do yoga in my own lounge. It was great. Streaming Jaime into the room with the sun also streaming in was bliss. She is an incredible teacher, and she reminded us today that it’s not all about tightening your glutes or firming your abs. It’s about your heart and mind too – opening them up and letting the light in. Yep. A very good session, thank you very much.

I am also grateful for yoga because it does seem to help with flexibility. This is just what I need when I am crawling about the place, reaching under radiators to paint skirting boards, or reaching high to paint ceilings. I was in child’s pose as I crouched to paint today, then did a lunge, then a side bend and even, a dancer’s pose. Oh, yes, it was all going on as I worked up a sweat.

While waiting for the paint to dry in the former-office-cum-snug-cum-gym, I opted to tidy up a few snagging jobs in the library area of the lounge, and was really rather chuffed that I got them done. Having cleaned down the window frames to remove any paint residue, I thought, ‘Ah-ha! Why don’t I get my new toy out to play with and clean the windows with the Karcher equipment?’ Well, I did just that, and now I have another favourite toy to add to my list. Honestly, it worked a treat and hardly took any energy at all. Marvellous. Thank you, John.

John has spent the day mooching about, wishing he felt a bit better. He watched TV this morning and medicated with the millions of things he has, then pushed himself to shift the bags of coal that had been delivered and dumped on the front drive. Unfortunately, his breathlessness is still very much in evidence and doing these sorts of jobs really makes him out of puff. I really don’t know what the answer is. I can’t make up my mind as to whether the new nebulised drug is helping or hindering just now. I suppose we have to give it a bit longer….but there’s a very audible wheeze going on just now. Bit like a concertina – most entertaining.

Yesterday, when we drew up on the drive, I happened to glance up and noticed a lawn growing out of the guttering above the garage. So John thought he’d clear it today, after he’d shifted the coal. Well, that was the thing that jiggered him. Going up and down the ladder was energy-sapping and breath-taking. He was out for the count on the sofa then, for an hour or so.

However, he has been productive today what with the coal-shifting, the gutter lawn-mowing and making up the new patio heater that he had for his birthday. I can’t wait to try it out. Although I don’t think tomorrow is going to be conducive – they reckon it’s going to be foggy tomorrow, don’t they? And a bit chilly at 4°C. Although, at that temperature, we could put it through its paces, I suppose.

After we’d eaten our evening meal, we settled down to watch a touch more TV, but then I left John to it. He’s still watching The Undoing and also Tin Star, so he’s really cracking on with these great programmes. Leaving me behind….. ah, well, I might catch up eventually.

I was zooming in on the College Crew this evening and it was lovely. So nice to see everyone and to chew the cud. There’s always some amusing story, something to ooh and aah over or something to debate. Today, the debate was about charity-giving. So many people needing support now, we are inundated with requests and bombarded with news items about someone doing some good works somewhere. Makes us all feel a bit guilty.

Pretty much everyone was feeling the pinch of being in Tier 3, although Sue P and Linda look like they are sitting a bit prettier than the rest of us being in Tier 2, so probably feeling slightly less cabin-fevered than the rest of us, I think.

It’s all in a good cause though, isn’t it? But the thought of what we can/should/ought/want to do at Christmas is doing my head in, and will probably give me a meltdown before long. And what to do about mother? We’ll see, I suppose, all will be revealed in good time.

We understand that the numbers of infections are not going down fast enough. But they are going down, which is good news. 17,555 people were confirmed as infected today. 498 people died in the community and 217 people died in hospitals on 24 & 25 November. So we might see some more progress as the Tiers are applied next week. Hope so, anyway.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Do you remember, many moons ago, that I had a rather nice little philosophy that centred around chocolate? It went something like this: Chocolate! The great comforter of all things. Confused by the advice of the government? Stay in and eat chocolate. Anxious about your husband’s health? Stay in and eat chocolate. Suffering from lockdown syndrome? Stay in and eat chocolate.

That was Day 56 of Lockdown Number One. And the mantra has been pretty steady over the course of the last nine months. Yep. Whatever the problem, eat chocolate.

However, I think it’s time to take a look at myself and see if there’s another answer. And what has brought this on? Well, it’s the pink overalls. I love ’em! And I have taken to wearing them whenever I’m doing my bit of decorating. No bother. The only thing is, they’re a teensy bit tight around the waist. I mean, it’s still alright, because they are elasticated in that particular area, so there’s a leeetle bit of ‘give’, but there could be more. Just sayin’. Especially as I have to press the poppers back together at fairly frequent intervals as I work…..

So, this morning, Helpful Henry, aka John, suggested that I might like to weigh myself. Just to see, you know, if I might need to make adjustments to my diet. Well, the scales told their own sorry tale and their recommendation was, yes, definitely, adjustments needed. Chocolate rationing is on.

In other news, we had a bit of a lie-in this morning. I was awake and just strolling though Twitter when a text came in from Andrew: ‘Apparently, I have COVID.’ Whaaaat? He had a test yesterday in readiness for going back to work next week which came back positive. He has no idea where he’s got it from. He’s stayed home for the last two weeks and only been to Tesco to do some shopping. We suppose it must have been from there. His boss doesn’t believe it, saying he thought it might be a false positive and to do the test again, please. So watch this space, folks. Fingers crossed.

We had just settled back on our pillows for a bit more rest, when we were rudely, but thankfully, interrupted by a phone call from Virgin. We are opening a new bank account and were trying to do it online. As often happens, of course, the website takes you down a bit of a blind alley and then says ‘Naah, you’re not going any further.’

In the end, the only solution was to talk to a real person. They sent us a very helpful email and a number to phone. But I was busy, wasn’t I? I was doing decorating, so didn’t initiate the phone call. Not to worry. Virgin is here to the rescue!! A very friendly-sounding chap tried phoning yesterday, but I was otherwise engaged and couldn’t take the call. So, anyway, having made a short story long, a very nice lady phoned this morning and sorted it all out for us. And that’s what got us out of bed.

And then we pottered about. Me, to do the decorating and John to doing accounts, catching up on TV, and checking on the dishwasher, which has got over its sulk and is now behaving very well, and is wearing a halo.

I was sorry to say that I had to involve John in sorting out some niggles relating to the decorating though. I have been determined to try and do it all myself, but some things are currently beyond me. Like filling the long, and large, gaps around the architrave. I was dead chuffed yesterday, when I managed to fill the gaps above the skirting board with decorators caulk, but arthritic hands and the squeezy gun really don’t mix. I wasn’t quite up to it for going around the doorway. Nor was I up to filling in a very large hole in the wall where the wires come through. So… ta-da!! Hero Henry, aka John, came to the rescue!!

Then, this afternoon we trundled out to the University Hospital in Coventry for a boob inspection. It was all very busy, but amazingly well organised. Sit here; walk there; fill this form in; patients only, please; in you come; check, check; see you soon; and off you go. In and out in a very short space of time, thank you very much.

We drove home thinking of having a nice cup of tea and a bit of cake, and I was thinking of having a bit of chocolate too, until I remembered my waistline. I felt a bit deflated and wondered what to eat instead. Melon beckoned, so I ate that. I think there are fewer calories in a melon than in chocolate, aren’t there? Hope so, anyway.

It was quiz night tonight, but John didn’t feel up to it. His eyes have been sore the last few days and it has begun to really annoy him. Especially as he has so many things to do to keep himself well, it feels such a dispiriting thing to have to cope with every day. I’ve racked my brains as to why his eyes should be particularly bad just now and have made all sorts of inane suggestions to him to try and help. Of course, it doesn’t help at all. Just drives him round the bend….but it just dawned on me…. is it the computer work that’s contributing to drier eyes than normal? I shall suggest it tomorrow…… well, maybe, if I can pluck up the courage!

Quiz night was fun, as usual, but not the same without John, of course. And there were questions there, that only he would know the answer to…. ah, well, we still did all right, much to our relief. It was a jolly good quiz, which made us really think. And it was nice to have a catch-up chat afterwards too. How lucky are we, eh? Friends. Fabulous.

So, today and the COVID figures: 18,213 people infected. 696 people died. 197 people died on 23 & 24 November in hospitals.

Take care everyone. God bless.

I never quite know what triggers a mood. But today has been a good day and I have been in a good mood. Might be something to do with seeing Freddie and Harriet through their lounge window; or perhaps the cuddle John gave me; or maybe the lovely sunshine that emerged this afternoon. Who knows?

I was conscious that the Kenilworth Sleaths are feeling a bit stressed what with one thing and another, so I asked if there was anything I could do to help. As it turned out, Harriet had a couple of errands that needed running, so I said I’d pop over to collect whatever needed delivering and do what I could. They are all still in quarantine and possibly going-stir crazy. But it was delightful to talk to Fred-Fred through the patio window at the front of their house.

I suggested that Harriet put the items for delivery out on the path, so that we wouldn’t be breathing the same air. That is supposed to make you laugh, but I see the seriousness of it now that I have written it down. Anyway, Freddie was on his little tablet playing a game, so I joined in through the glass. We had a lovely time and we could hear each other, so we had a nice little chat. I finally dragged myself away, conscious all the time that my presence was making Mac bark and Paul was probably trying to work. I didn’t see Paul or Lily, much to my disappointment, but I suppose people can’t be paraded on a whim, can they?

Anyway, errands run, I came home to fill the car up with trash. We had booked a slot at the local tip to take the junk that John had put together out of the garage and all the re-cycling that we couldn’t fit into our regular bin. There was such a lot of cardboard, courtesy of Mr Amazon, from the parcels that had recently arrived for our birthdays.

We were on time for our slot, but had to wait about fifteen minutes until a vacant parking space became available. Then we got to it and, in a very short space of time, we were done. Ooh, that was satisfying! Must book another slot at the tip again soon!!

Once we were home, we had a bite to eat and popped some cakey things in the oven so that we could have Kaffee und Kuchen in front of the computer screen as we Zoomed in on Sue and Rod for a natter this afternoon. We had such a lovely time, sharing our current experiences. Although, I must say, I think I hogged the conversation a bit. It feels like a long time since I had a proper chat to someone other than John, so I was like a runaway train.

One of the lovely things about where the computer sits in the Computer Room, is that you face south. This is marvellous when the sun is streaming in (although sometimes you have to shut it out, it’s so bright) and this afternoon was no exception. The sun was moving to the west, low in the sky and casting the most subtle shadows and brightness into the room. Nice. Filled my soul. Hope.

We had another cuppa after our afternoon chat but I decided I didn’t want to sit about, even though I felt a bit weary. I am keen to get that room decorated. I promised I wouldn’t bore you with a blow-by-blow account of the decorating, but honestly, does prep never end?

‘Right,’ I thought, ‘I’ll wash down the skirting boards and get painting them.’ Hahahahaha……….no, you won’t, Mrs. Stop up the gaps with decorators caulk first; sand down the walls (long story); fill in the little holes that you missed the first time round; shift the furniture, then shift it back again, etc, etc…… and I still haven’t got to the gloriously exciting bit of putting paint on my paintbrush. Maybe tomorrow.

As I sit here looking at the latest figures regarding COVID infections and deaths, I look up to my right, out of the window, and see a beautiful, bright moon, shining on me and filling my soul differently. So soothing. If it wasn’t Bake-Off tonight, I’d be making John sit outside, under the new patio heater, wrapped in warm blankets, sipping a steaming mug of hot chocolate, moon and star-gazing. We don’t do enough of that. Another ‘maybe tomorrow’ scenario?

So, 11,299 people have been reported as infected with the virus today. 608 people have died of it in the community and 216 people have died in hospitals on 22 & 23 November. We knew that’s how the figures would tip, but it’s still distressing to think of so many families losing loved ones in a single day.

Keep smiling, folks. And take care. God bless.

I am ever hopeful. Sometimes, I find that I am a bit fed up and down, but hope is never far from the surface. I suppose that is mostly what gets me up in the mornings. Hope, that today will be a bit better; that the poorly among us will be healed; that the politicians will see sense; that we will be able to see each other freely again soon; that I will finish (and be satisfied with) whatever job I’ve got on the go at the moment.

Hope is buoyed up by wonderful family and fabulous friends. They are just there whenever I need them. Ruddy marvellous, isn’t it? It is also buoyed up by the support of strangers or lesser acquaintances. In our case, it’s most often the NHS staff. And we were there, at Heartlands, today, for John to try out a new nebulised drug in an attempt to clear the persistent infection from his lungs. What I find amazing is that the staff and the consultants are forever beavering away, trying to improve John’s lot, hoping to see an improvement, hoping he’ll feel a bit better.

Heartlands has recently had some re-arrangement, with the oncology and haematology department moving over to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The beloved Ward 19 is no longer dedicated to this discipline but is now a COVID ward. This will mean, unfortunately, a longer trek for us in the future, should John need to be hospitalised again. However, in the meantime, the research department and the respiratory department are still there at Heartlands and keen to engage with John. In fact, they greeted him like an old friend when he arrived today, and they were delighted to see him. And those greetings, just in themselves, seem to offer hope.

Firstly, we met up with a very friendly nurse who administered the nebuliser as a trial this morning, and then we toddled off to a building called MIDRU. I had absolutely no idea what that meant and neither did the nurse when I asked her – even though she worked there! It transpires that it means: Medical Innovation Development Research Unit. Anyway, the research team want to take blood samples for part of their COVID investigations. We don’t believe John has had COVID, but they are keen to compare his samples with those who have a similar respiratory complaint and who have had it. It’s always fascinating, and John is always keen to contribute to the science. And it made me think. Being ‘an interesting case’ and a willing participant, John is a contributor to the hope for many others.

And so I am thankful for all the people, like John, who are willing guinea pigs for the benefit of the greater population. And there have been thousands of them, haven’t there, for the COVID trials? And there’s hope on the horizon, that a vaccine might be available and it might work, for a while at least, and we might get out of this enforced ‘huddling at home’ business. Fingers crossed. See? Hope – right there!!

Other than a trundle across to the hospital today, we have been busy with one thing and another. John has still been looking at the accounts in between having a rest and watching TV. I have been wrestling with stepladders, paint pots and brushes; and then, later on, wrapping paper and labels and stamps.

I decided I ought to try and get Graham and Gail’s parcel sent across to OZ earlier than normal, since we have no idea what the impact of COVID might be on the workforce and whether it might slow up the transition of any parcels. The wrapping took me all evening, would you believe it. My wrapping paper cupboard was in a mess, so I threw everything out onto the floor so that I could tidy it as I wrapped. Crikey!! I haven’t half got a lot of bits ‘n bobs. P’raps I ought to start a wrapping service.

Anyway, I finally got the parcel sorted and wrapped ready for posting. Then, I thought to myself, why didn’t I pay online and print the postage label off? Well, I did it, but I didn’t half get myself into a muddle. The parcel is multi-packeted. The online postage page asked for the weight of each item. Gosh, I don’t know! Crikey, I’ve parcelled the bloomin’ things up now! Had to make it up…….ah, well, I am sure approximations will do, she said, hopefully…..

There is hope, too, in today’s figures and the announcements made by the government today. 15,450 people have been infected with the virus today and 206 have died from it, plus 123 people in hospitals who succumbed in the last couple of days.

The figures have gone down a bit. Will it be a trend? I’m hoping so. That’s my new favourite phrase.

Take care everyone. God bless.

It was another one of those days when I didn’t know whether I was coming or going and it all felt a bit treacly. I woke up early, intending to ‘go to church’ but didn’t in the end, just sat in bed reading my book. When I finally winkled myself out of bed it was already mid-morning. Shall I have a shower now, or later? Later. I’m going to be decorating.

But I didn’t start the decorating until this afternoon. There was tidying to do. And washing up. Which all seemed to take ages and ages. It was lunchtime by the time I’d done all of that, by which point John had taken himself outside, with the rake, to gather up all the golden leaves adorning the drive at the front, and then into the back garden to gloriously reveal a green lawn underneath the golden carpet. He worked very hard all day, and I watched a bit as I stood at the sink sorting out the pots. I was putting off the decorating obviously.

I sat down on the sofa for a drink of orange juice and a snack. Still putting off gathering up all the decorating stuff. I relaxed and read a bit more of my book. Then felt guilty, so got off my bum and went into the former-office-cum-snug-cum-gym to survey the scene. I may have said this before…. but I hate the prep….. ah, well, I did eventually buckle down to it and finally, finally, got one coat of paint on the ceiling. But it felt very hard work today.

Had to laugh at myself though. I got all ready in my nice, new pink overalls. I knew that they’d be warm so I just popped a T-shirt on underneath. Just as I was getting my bits and pieces ready, I thought I ought to go to the loo first so that I could really take a run at my paint pots. Got a bit of a shock as I dingle-dangled the sleeve over the edge of the loo though, didn’t I? Oh, blimey, that needed a wash and dry before I could carry on wearing it! I mean, nothing is ever simple is it? Made me chuckle though.

The afternoon’s decorating was threatening to run on into the evening, but fortunately, John came in from the garden, Darth Vader-style, and said, “That’s enough for the day. Stop now.” I thought I’d do as I was told, so I stopped. We sat on the sofa and trawled TV programmes for a minute or two. Plumped on Blue Planet II which turned out to be quite soporific. John was soon snoozing and I felt my eyes going. But I needed a proper clean-up after my exertions this afternoon, so I ran a bath. Oooh, luxury.

While the bath was running, I whacked some chicken and veg into the oven to roast, so that it’d be all ready when John was awake and I’d finished bathing. Unexpectedly, John appeared at the bathroom door. I hadn’t thought he’d wake up yet, but actually, he’d only got up to go and have a lie down on the bed. He sorted out lighting the candles in the bathroom for me and then disappeared for a proper rest. And I had a proper rest in the bath. It were luvverly.

It’s funny though, isn’t it, the things that trigger melancholia? As I lay in the bath I thought of all the times I’d done that when the boys were little and they’d sometimes got in with me – and I was reminded of my favourite little book: ‘Five Minutes Peace’ by Jill Murphy. And I felt sorry that those times are over and wondered where the time had gone to. I know everyone says, ‘Don’t know where the time goes’, but sometimes it’s just a bit more poignant than others. And then, I thought of all the things I’d done wrong as a parent and wished I could have the time back to do parenting properly. And that’s how it gets you, isn’t it?

After we’d eaten our evening meal, which turned out to be delicious, John decided he’d go back to accounting on the computer. He is playing ‘catch-up’ and is probably about half-way through now. I am not in the mood for numbers or what we’ve got where so I am no help to him at all. Thank goodness he has his head screwed on, that’s all I can say.

The evening passed with John popping his head round the corner every so often to tell me something monetary, while I addled my brain with Strictly and I’m a Celebrity. Although it was late, neither of us wanted to go up to bed so I read to the end of my book, and John watched The Undoing.

So here we are, at the end of another day where COVID features prominently in the news but with the possibility of Christmas get-togethers. Sadly, many families will be mourning the loss of loved ones this Christmas due to the virus and will no doubt wonder whether their infections were avoidable.

The data today shows 18,662 people infected and 398 deaths, plus 137 in hospitals, related to the virus. It looks like it’s slowing maybe? Although there’s thousands and hundreds still……

Take care everyone and take heart – there’s a vaccine on the way. God bless.

I only had two glasses of Prosecco yesterday, so I couldn’t have been drunk or have a hangover, but today has been an odd sort of day. I am assuming it’s because it’s an anti-climax after the excitement of the last few days with birfdays and everything.

We chose to stay in bed this morning, a-snoozing and reading and checking out e-puzzles ‘n things. John did get up to get me a nice cup of tea though, for which I was very grateful. Then the doorbell rang, and I sped downstairs to find dear Margaret on the doorstep, just about to turn round and go home, thinking we weren’t up/in. As it was nearly mid-day, I am not surprised she was surprised that we were still a-bed.

Anyway, I reassured her that we were awake, but we were just lolling around, not having opened the curtains or anything. At which point, she indicated a sweet little parcel popped into the porch, with an apology for a late birthday gift. Crikey! No need to apologise. I wasn’t expecting a gift, so I am delighted to have one, belated or not.

Such a lovely present though – a silver charm in the shape of a pot of blue paint and a paintbrush dipped into it. A nice little nod to all the painting and decorating I am doing at the moment! Made me smile.

I decided it was, perhaps, time to actually get up at that point, and so did John. In fact, John came panting into the lounge, thinking he was missing the rugby matches that were on today. Phew! What a relief to find that he wasn’t.

But that was more or less our day – a little bit of prep-work in the former-office-cum-snug-cum gym, ready for painting it tomorrow, interspersed with TV viewing of rugby matches and Strictly. And eating and drinking cups of tea, too.

We both did a little bit of computer work, one way or another, too. John still ploughing through the accounts, and me ploughing through payment of Mum’s bills. In addition, we both, separately had a fiddle with the dishwasher, which is on the blink. John noticed that there was a problem on Thursday, but set it going in the hope that it would right itself. It didn’t, so we switched off overnight. I switched it back yesterday but it seemed to go for hours, so we turned it off again. Once more into the breach this morning, I had another go at putting it on a different programme, only for it go for hours again. Right! That’s it then! Hand-washing the pots from now on…..and John plans to tinker with it tomorrow. To be honest, I am not holding out a lot of hope, but the man works miracles with loads of other things, so why not this?

On the COVID front there have been 19,875 cases of infection today and 341 deaths in the community; and 195 deaths in hospitals in the last two days. Lily is on the mend, and Harriet’s test was negative, so that’s all positive, isn’t it?

Take care everyone. God bless.