Potter, Potter, Potter

So that’s it then. We’re in lockdown. But what perplexes me, is what was it that tipped them over the edge? Yesterday it was all fine and dandy to send the kids to school. Today? Codswallop. Keep ’em at home. Keep everybody at home. Probably until after the February half-term. Or until March. Or, actually, more like the end of March. Take your pick.

Of course, the announcement was no surprise to us. But it was certainly a surprise to Mum when I called in today, bless her! She shook her head and wondered what the world was coming to. Me, too, Mum. Me too.

She did make us laugh though. When we got there she wasn’t in her customary chair, snoozing her head off. She was in her bedroom and, for a moment, a little shiver went down my spine – was she unwell? But no, she was browsing through some of the poetry books we had printed for her on her 90th birthday, 5 years ago. She looked up at me, unrecognising. “Hello,” I said, “I’ve come to see how you are.” She replied, “Well, that’s nice.” But not a spark of recognition. To be fair, I suppose everyone looks the same these days wearing a mask. I grinned at her – a grin she couldn’t see, of course – and said, “Do you recognise me?” She shook her head. “No, I’m afraid, I don’t.” I lifted the mask for a second and told her it was me. It dawned on her then, and she smiled and chuckled a bit.

We stayed for about an hour, trying be as COVID secure as we could, pottering about putting the ironing away that I’d done for her, gathering up more washing, checking her cupboard to make sure she’s got supplies, emptying the bins, reading Graham’s letter to her that he’d sent her for Christmas, and browsing through the calendar that he’d sent too.

Every piece of information is a revelation to her. She hadn’t seen the calendar before, nor had she read the letter, she said. Despite the fact that we’d had look at them on Christmas Day. We didn’t remind her of that as it would only distress her, and she was happy each time something was presented to her. She was, in fact, in very good spirits and we were treated to several renditions of ‘I was born under a wandering star’ while we were there.

We walked back in the dark, which was interesting, as I suggested we go via the ‘Yellow Brick Road’ which isn’t lit. It was twilight and lovely but John couldn’t see where to put his steps and meandered about a bit, at which we had a giggle.

Other than that, it’s been more jigsaw and more poker. Honestly, what decadent lives we lead! And then a touch of TV this evening.

I have been thinking about Graham and Gail and wondering how they’ve been doing, so Gail sent me a pic of Graham carving the Christmas ham, that they’ve just got round to cooking. A wonderful photo, but it made me jealous that it was lovely and warm over in OZ. And made me miss them all over again, of course.

The missing of Graham and Gail is just a bit more poignant because it’s unlikely we’ll go over to visit them now, and they won’t be able to come and visit us any time soon, either. Ah, well, there’s always Skype, or WhatsApp, or Messenger…….thank God for technology, eh?

We know why we are in lockdown, but here are the stark facts from today:

• 58,784 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours
• 407 people died in the wider community having tested positive for the virus within the last 28 days
• 225 people died in hospitals having tested positive for the virus in the last 28 days on 2 & 3 January
• There are still no figures for hospital admissions, the data having stalled on 22 December

So here we are, then, having lived through Day 5 of Tier 4 and ready to start Day 1 of lockdown tomorrow. I really can’t keep up….. although I know it’s Day 292 since we first started all this stay indoors caper.

What can I say, that I haven’t already said in the last 10 months? Keep your peckers up everyone – we’ll get through this, I am sure, if we are sensible. In the meantime, let’s keep talking to each other, shall we? God bless.