COVID on our doorstep then….

So, poor Lily. Her test revealed that she has the COVID-19 virus, and she is feeling rather poorly. She is confined to her bedroom which, fortunately, was recently decorated and is lovely to be in. Normally, she wants people to stay out of her room. Now, of course, just when it’s not really appropriate, she’d like company. Such is life.

In the meantime, the family is self-isolating and stuck in the house. Freddie seems to be having a whale of a time and we have had some lovely photos and videos of his adventures in the last couple of days. They have made a massive robot out of cardboard boxes and we have a couple of videos of Freddie roaring towards the camera. Great fun. Long may it last. (Well, not the virus or the self-isolation, but the fun and games…)

Chez nous, our daily humdrum has continued. I got up early to join in with Jaime’s yoga session this morning, which was bliss. Especially as I did the class in the lounge and used John’s laptop for the Zoom session. The laptop had been put away, but was easily found as, for once, all of its component parts were in the drawer, and not strewn over all parts of the lounge. Also, the sun was streaming into the lounge this morning so that, when it was relaxation time, it was exceedingly toasty.

After the session, I decided to catch up on some TV while I had a late breakfast and cuppa. The trouble was, with that hour or so of relaxing on the sofa, I felt tired for the rest of the day and really didn’t want to be ploughing on with things. I did, however, do the ironing, so that I could call round to Mum’s to drop her washing and shopping off this afternoon.

John had an enforced late start to the day as I was flailing arms and legs around in the lounge. Once he was up, though, he decided he ought to tackle the accounts. It’s while since he’s done them and it’s taking a bit longer than he thought it would. Chuntering sounds trickled round the corner from the ‘library’ area where he has his desk, into the lounge, making me chuckle. He’s so funny talking to himself.

Before I went to Mum’s I checked on the text message I’d had from Tracey, her cleaner. Tracey had visited yesterday and told me she thought Mum was a bit muddled. I feared the worst – as I always do, of course. Anyway, Mum was delighted to see me when I got there but kept shaking her head, and finally said, “I can’t hear a word you’re saying.” A change of batteries in her hearing aids and there we were. No confusion at all. Forgetful, yes. But not confused.

When I told Tracey later, she laughed and told me that she’d offered to change Mum’s hearing aid batteries but Mum had refused, rejecting ‘those weird-looking things in peculiar packets’. She didn’t have the chance to refuse my offer, but she was a bit muddled when I asked her to pass me her hearing aids. She started hunting high and low for them. “Aren’t they in your ears, Mum?” I shouted. She looked puzzled. Like a magician magicking a coin from behind someone’s ear, I reached out and lifted each one from her lugholes. She had no idea that that’s where they were. Life’s exciting when you don’t know what’s coming next, isn’t it?

Over in Sutton, we gather that Thomas is none the worse for the accident yesterday and all is fine. That’s a relief. Thank the Lord.

Still being tired, I have suggested to John that I might have an early night. He thinks that’s a good idea – especially as I dropped asleep mid-way through MasterChef this evening – bit of a give away, that.

With regards to the rate of infection for COVID, the incidence for today is currently at 22,915; 501 people have died in the community and 230 in hospitals on 17 & 18 November.

The debate still rages on about how to deal with the pandemic and what to do about Christmas, but there is hope in the air, now that vaccines are on the horizon. The administration of any vaccine will be a logistical challenge but I am hopeful that this time next year we will have a more settled outlook. As someone said on Twitter today: “Better to have empty chairs this Christmas than empty chairs in Christmases to come. Let’s have family celebrations when we’re all full of vaccine.” What do you reckon? Good advice?

Stay safe everyone. God bless.