Hello, Monday

Gosh, is it really Monday? Didn’t feel like it all day. It was more like a Saturday. So much so, that we had a lovely long lie-in this morning. The sunshine was gone and it was a very murky looking day out there, so what better than to snuggle up under the covers for an hour or two longer?

I was disappointed though, not to see any snow. I was scrolling through social media for some of the time that I was lounging in bed, and people were posting lots of photos of snow outside their back doors and down their streets, with children making snowmen and throwing snowballs. None here in Balsall Common I’m afraid.

We finally winkled ourselves out of bed just after eleven and did a little bit of pottering about, still trying to have a tidy-up after the parcel opening the other day. Once we’d done that we thought we’d better eat, so John made banana pancakes – which were perfect. Mind you, instead of them being our breakfast they were now our lunch! Time had run away with us and it was one o’clock already.

I had a nudge from Andrew just before we ate, wondering if I’d delivered the parcel he’d bought for Freddie. Red-faced, I had to admit that we hadn’t – and not only that, I had forgotten that it was in the boot of the car when we went to the park yesterday, otherwise he could have had the gift then. Ah well, no worries, we made the trip over to Kenilworth to play Santa again. The Kenilworth Sleaths were out, though, so I just popped it in the hallway for when they got back. Duty done.

We are not sure what has happened to the rest of the day. We have watched a little bit of TV – we thought we’d start watching The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix as it has had such good reviews. We watched the first episode and thought it was very well done, so I think we’re hooked already.

Today was the day to get out the Christmas jigsaw, too. It’s been ready for weeks and it came downstairs just over a week ago ready for us to get started on Christmas Eve but, goodness knows what we’ve been doing, because it’s just been sat there until now. It is a beautiful picture of The Shambles in York and I have been eagerly anticipating getting it all out, but then the excitement wore off a bit, as I realised it’s a difficult jigsaw. However, the edging is all done now, as well as a couple of the windows. So…watch this space. Be warned, though, I shall update you daily on its progress!

John, on the other hand, spent a fair bit of time playing his poker game on the computer, with running commentary. Made me smile…. he said he’d enjoyed it and done quite well. I wasn’t sure he had, since there was a fair bit of tutting and sighing going on – presumably when he had a bad hand….. tee-hee.

We have had some exciting news as well, confirmed today, so I can tell all. Dear Lucy has got engaged. I am so thrilled for her and she looks delighted in the photographs, so we have a wedding to look forward to – COVID permitting, of course – in 2022. Apparently Tom popped the question on Christmas Day, which is very romantic, isn’t it? I tell you, it’s all happening in the Cross household, with Lucy getting engaged, Liz moving house and expecting a baby early in 2021. Such exciting times. I feel as excited for them all as if they were my own children. Lovely.

Meanwhile, back in the cold, hard world of COVID, the story is a poor one. There were over 40 thousand people confirmed as having contracted the virus today. That is one helluva of figure and the scientists keep reminding us not to mix at all. I think I might put my ‘first lockdown hat’ on and just stay home now.

The figures today then, are as follows:

• 41,385 people were confirmed as having been infected with the virus today
• 357 people died from it today in the community
• 186 people died over the last couple of days in hospitals
• Hospitals are beginning to fill up with poorly COVID patients now, putting pressure on other disciplines in the health service.
• Today is Day 12 of our second run at Tier 3, and Day 27 of being in Tier 3 altogether.
• And we have tried to keep ourselves shielded as much as we can since March, this being Day 285

Take care everyone. God bless.