The day after the night before

It’s Day 231 since we first locked down and shielded in March 2020, and it’s four days before we go into ‘lockdown number 2’ on Bonfire Night.…..cue The Archers music……

I didn’t get up awfully early today, still feeling grumpy from yesterday’s news, but once I was up I didn’t feel too bad after all. I was too late for church, although I had hoped to go, as services are ended for a month after today. However, my bed called me and it was too cosy to get out of. That, despite the fact that, at six-thirty this morning, I was awake and had opened the curtains to enjoy the sunshine streaming in. Unfortunately, I fell back to sleep and the sunshine went away, leaving me to wake up again at nine o’clock. A bit late to scramble myself out of bed and get ready to go out.

The plan was to do some painting today – two lots if I could manage it: the front door and finish undercoating the bookcase.

It turned out that I couldn’t manage it. Just did the front door. Not too bad at all, but…. you know how new stuff contrasts with old stuff? Weeell, the door looks sparklingly white, but the architrave looks exceedingly scruffy now. Might have to tackle that next. Eeeh, it’s like the Forth Bridge here!

That is my only achievement today, other than popping to the shops for something for tea, cooking food and tidying round a little bit. I had thought I might go to Mum’s but I decided today wasn’t the day. Might go tomorrow. We’ll see.

After I’d finished the painting I had a bite to eat and shot round to the shops. Then I did that fatal thing of sitting on the settee for a while. I nodded off. John thought it was funny that I seemed to still be watching the wartime film, ‘Reach for Skies’ but in truth, I was inspecting the back of my eyelids.

John did some clearing up too and had another go at finishing sewing the cover for the patio table. It looks like its done now so it’ll go on the table tomorrow, in the daylight. Our eyes are so dim these days that night-time encroaches on any visibility, and we are stumped.

This evening we watched Strictly and Top Gear, and bemoaned the howling wind wrapping itself around the house and whistling down the chimney and slipping in between the gaps in the doorways, rattling the doors and their handles, and whispering through the rafters. The house is better than it was though, since we had new windows last year, so we don’t feel the draughts quite so badly now. But under the circumstances, bed is calling early tonight. Hibernation beckons with my ‘head in the sand’ mode now that ‘freedom’ has been snatched away again for a little while. Especially as it sounds exceedingly stormy outside. We have resisted the temptation to light a fire though – saving that treat for another day.

In other news, Andrew reports that his COVIID test came back negative, so that’s a relief, but that he is likely to be made redundant under the lockdown situation. That’s naff, isn’t it? I am waiting to hear exactly what his work will do……. but no work equals no pay, I think, so he may have to come home again until things ease off.

And talking of COVID – 23,254 people have been confirmed as infected today. 162 people have died in the community and 107 in hospitals on 30 & 31 October.

In the meantime, take care everyone. God bless – and I leave you with a poem that I thought says it all just now, from the Yorkshire Poet, Ian McMillan:

TALK TO EACH OTHER, AND LISTEN
Behind closed doors
A closed tear falls.

Behind closed walls
A closed smile paused.

Behind closed mouths
A closed song fades.

Behind closed eyes
A closed hope dies.