Month: March 2021

We thought we might get a bit of a breather today from intensive medical stuff but there was more of the same today, plus a bit more…..

This morning we were up early again and off to Solihull Hospital for a bone density scan. We were delighted that it didn’t take very long and so we were back home in time for me to do my yoga class. However, John was unsteady on his feet today. He says he feels woozy/dizzy/wobbly and, when walking, it feels like he’s on a wobble board.

We managed to park in a disabled spot for no charge and stumble towards the front entrance, whereupon John collapsed into a seat while I took his letter to reception. There were some very inviting wheelchairs at the entrance so we thought it prudent to partake. “What an embarrassment,” John wailed. “Not at all,” I reassured him. “No-one knows you here. It doesn’t matter.” I am not sure he was thinking of his immediate situation of course, I think he was more concerned with me consigning the event to posterity in the blog……..tee-hee.

Once home, John watched a bit of TV and was about to eat a packet of crisps when I said I was going to prepare some lunch. Fortuitously, my singing lesson was postponed until tomorrow, so that gave us time to eat and then get back to Solihull Hospital for his second radiology appointment of the day: a CT scan of his chest.

He was able to walk in this time, leaning on me, as it wasn’t far from where I’d parked. More fortuitousness, however, when the radiologist said that as John had had a recent scan when he was in hospital, he didn’t need this one.

By then, however, we were both concerned about John’s ‘wobbliness’ so we decided to take a trip to A & E at Heartlands. “Shall I pack an overnight bag?” I enquired. “No,” came the very firm reply. Hmmm……

I left John at the entrance to A & E and went home. I did a local shopping order and some tidying up; spent a little while chatting to Michael and Andrew; and kept my eye on the messages from John. He was in a corridor; he’d had an ECG; he’d had blood tests; he wasn’t near a plug; the battery on his phone was dying; and….yes, please, I’ll have an overnight bag.

John stayed in the corridor until ten o’clock this evening. He was waiting for a porter to take him to a ward. The porter never turned up, so a nurse pushed him to the ward. Once at the ward, however, he was tipped out of the wheelchair and into an ordinary chair in a waiting room………along with two other patients. Finally, they found him a bed to lay on (although just in a corridor, I think) and he texted, “I don’t know what’s going on. They are waiting for a doctor to decide whether to admit me. I am going to lie down anyway and sleep.”

I am hoping that I don’t get a phone call at one in the morning asking me to go and collect him……..nine o’clock tomorrow will be just fine. I am also praying that John is kept well clear of anyone who might be infectious with anything and especially COVID, of course, and that they quickly establish what’s making him wobbly and can treat it. More positive vibes needed, folks.

In the meantime, the rollercoaster of life is still happening to others too and so I think of them and empathise. In terms of the latest infections of the dreaded lurgy, it seems to me that the figures are plateau-ing.

• 6,753 people tested positive for the virus today
• 181 people died with the virus in the community in the last 24 hours
• 63 people died in hospitals with the virus on 9 & 10 March
• It’s Day 64 of Lockdown 3; Day 352 since the start of Lockdown 1 last year; and Day 360 since John and I voluntarily shielded last year. I think we’ve got the patience of Saints.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Up early this morning to trundle over to Heartlands for some treatment for John. He’s not feeling great at the moment, and struggled really, but made it there in one piece. When I picked him up later though, he was exceedingly out of breath. I was concerned. “I don’t know what to do for the best,” I said, “apart from take you round to A & E to get them to have a look at you” Alright then…. he agreed…..let’s do that.

So we drove round the block and stopped in front of A&E. John looked at the slope leading up to the door and thought he’d never make it to the top. He did, however, but then immediately came trotting back down again to say he felt better and didn’t think he needed to go in after all. So we drove home.

Once we were home, we had five minutes to slurp a cuppa before it was time to nip down to the GP surgery for another bit of treatment this afternoon. Then, the medical, medical stuff was done.

We relaxed this afternoon, watching programmes that we’d recorded and John snoozed for some of the time. He said he still wasn’t feeling great and felt a bit wobbly on his feet. ‘Wait until tomorrow’ is his motto though.

This evening it was the Quiz. However, John wasn’t up to it and said he’d go to bed. Out of breath coming up the stairs and generally looking a bit green. Hopefully a good night’s sleep will help and, like Fagin, we’ll ‘review the situation’ tomorrow.

John has more medical appointments tomorrow – whether he’ll be up to them is another matter…..fingers crossed and good vibes, please, everyone!

The Quiz evening was enjoyable, but I did have half a mind on John and found my brain distracted. Lovely to see everyone though. It does my soul good to see the group’s lovely, smiling faces each week and hear their laughter and join in with the banter. Ah…. friends…. wouldn’t want to be without them.

Because we were watching telly today we caught up with the news and found ourselves awash with the fallout from the ‘interview’ and Piers Morgan’s resignation. To be honest, I don’t care. I know that these are their lives, and upset and trauma has been present, but really, it’s all over the top. There are many, many ordinary, every day folk needing our love and understanding right now – such as the Everard family, whose daughter has gone missing, presumed murdered – so let’s get our priorities right, shall we?

In COVID news, the figures are about the same – so they are stabilising.

• 5,926 people tested positive for the virus today
• 190 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 79 people died with the virus in hospitals on 8 & 9 March
• Nearly 23 million people have been injected with their first dose of the vaccination; and one and a quarter million have now had their second dose.

Stay safe everyone. Take care on the roads tomorrow with all the winds howling around. God bless.

John brought me a cup of tea. “Thank you, darling, that’s lovely,” I said, as I sat up, plumped the pillows and picked my book up to settle down to read in bed for a bit. No need to get up yet. The run across to Heartlands isn’t for a while…….wrong. John popped back about fifteen minutes later to ask if I was actually getting up. I yawned. “Yes, in a bit,” I replied, stretching out. “Well,” John said, “we’ve got to be there for nine o’clock.” Oh…… ah….. Mad scramble to ablute, get dressed and grab some breakfast. Well, actually, just a banana on the hoof, if truth be told.

Once we arrived at the hospital, we were bang on time – in the car park. It took John another ten minutes to walk to the ward. He was struggling to breath as he walked. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get a wheelchair, John?” He shook his head. “No.”

Anyway, we got there, but of course they won’t let me into the ward, so I sat outside for a bit. A very nice nurse brought me a cup of tea. “Well, he’s having one, so why shouldn’t you?” she said, cheerfully. To be honest, I had thought that John would be in the clinic for an hour tops. After 40 minutes, I thought maybe I could go and drop the Moses basket off at a charity for babies, but realised that they didn’t open until 11.00, so that wasn’t an option. In the end, I went and bought a paper and sat in the car to read it and do the puzzles….and wait……and wait…..and wait.

At 11.30 I thought I may as well shoot over to the Pershore Road and drop the Moses basket off as I was still waiting. I checked with the nurse and told her I’d be about an hour. “Yes, fine,” she said airily. Heavens, what are they doing to the ol’ man? “We’re just waiting for the blood and urine test results that’s all.” Ah. OK. I texted John to let him know what I was doing. His reply? ‘Just sleeping on the bed. About to have dinner!!”

Fortunately, when I got back just before one o’clock, John said he was just about to come out, so there was no more waiting. That was a relief. But now more waiting as he has to go back in a couple of weeks for more tests. They are baffled as to why his kidneys are pooped. The latest theory is that it was the infection that did for them. Other than that, a great shrugging of shoulders. Keep up with drinking plenty of water, Mr Sleath.

This afternoon then, was a bit of a wash-out. We got back home and drank oodles of tea, watched the news and a bit of Judge Rinder before I realised the time. At three o’clock I was supposed to be logging on to the Crem Webcam to follow the funeral of Mum’s dear and most long-standing friend, Hazel Cantes (nee Dawson). Fortunately, I got there in time and thus had my first experience of a remote funeral.

It was good to be part of it even if it was only as an observer and not a partaker. I shall share it with Mum shortly, but because there is no signal for my phone at Mum’s flat, I wasn’t able to share it live. I am hoping to find some way of sharing it when it’s posted on the Crem’s website in a day or two.

As the day wore on, we both felt less and less inclined to do anything of note, so I plumped for reading my book again. And John plumped for more poker. Jobs? Maybe tomorrow.

Regarding the news, there has been a great kerfuffle over the ‘interview’ with the Sussexes, which has now culminated in Piers Morgan flouncing off the ‘Good Morning Britain’ set and jacking in his job. Honestly, you can’t make it up, can you? Handbags at dawn, eh?

The news on the COVID front isn’t as positive as yesterday, with cases and deaths higher today; and the scientists casting a gloomy picture over the possibility of another surge at the end of the summer. I think we’d better tread lightly as we lift the lockdown, don’t you? I am not really keen to remain locked down, locked up and climbing the walls for another twelve months.

• 5,766 people tested positive for the virus today
• 231 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 70 people died in hospitals with the virus on 7 & 8 March.

And we are on Day XXX of Lockdown XXX. I’m minded to stop counting……it’s all getting a bit much. However, I shall certainly tell you when we reach the year mark next week, folks!

Take care everyone. God bless.

Nope. Today wasn’t happening. It wasn’t even the Monday morning feeling, because it wasn’t like I was going back to work or anything like that. It was just that I felt very, very tired.

I had made a list to try and winkle myself out of bed this morning. Things like: Open the curtains – to let the light in, to see if that would encourage me out of bed. And did it? Nope. Drink a glass of water – to see if hydration first thing would prompt the legs swinging out of bed. Did it? Nope. Meditate – to help my mind clear its clutter and create an enthusiasm for the day ahead. Result? Nope. And so on. The list ran to six encouraging items – none of which worked. I resolutely stayed in bed with my early morning cuppa that John had brought me about nine o’clock.

I finally forced myself out of bed about half past ten, having left John snoozing. It was as much as I could do though, to prepare a bite to eat, make another cuppa and empty the dishwasher. I decided, then, to give in on all the jobs I’d got lined up and took myself to the library area and read my book instead.

John came downstairs around mid-day and went into eat-drink-poker mode. Eventually, we both sat down to watch the news at one o’clock, whereupon I promptly fell asleep until half past three.

Groggy, I roused myself, aware that we were due to be ‘Zooming’ in with Carol and John this afternoon. I dragged myself to the kitchen to make another hot drink and hauled myself upstairs to log in. Boy, I was so tired. I have absolutely no idea why.

Anyway, the chat with Carol and John brightened me up and I felt better by the end of it. John offered to cook our evening meal as I had suggested that we might just have egg and chips which is relatively easy to cook. Of course, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth so I said yes. I am sure I’ll soon feel recovered. Maybe tomorrow?

John, after his marathon sleeps yesterday, was awake all day once he’d got up at lunchtime, and he had enough energy to play poker, watch TV, join in well with our chat on Zoom and cook the tea. Can’t be bad. I also think, echoing in the mists of my sleep, that I heard him talking animatedly to George P on the phone this afternoon.

John is still a Puffing Billy and struggling a little bit to get some strength back. Unfortunately, because I was asleep this afternoon, we never did go for a walk today to test his legs and strength out today. Another ‘maybe tomorrow’ scenario?

In the meantime, the country has been taken up with the children going back to school and, according to the Kenilworth Sleaths all went well today for Freddie and Lily. I think I heard a collective sigh of relief among all the parents as they waved goodbye to all their little darlings at about half past eight this morning – did you hear it?

The country has also gone crazy for the Royal family gossip, fueled by the interview that Meghan and Harry have done in America. Goodness me, people, there are more important things to worry about, surely? Let’s not get distracted here.

The numbers of people contracting the virus and dying from it continue to fall which is a relief, but there are warnings of the Brazilian variant threatening, so I don’t think we can be complacent yet. However, for now, I am celebrating the success of lockdown three, and looking forward to the moment when we can at least meet up with family at the end of the month.

• 4,712 people tested positive for the virus today
• 65 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 47 people died in hospitals with the virus on 6 & 7 March
• Lockdown 3 is ended, sort of, unless you count the fact that we adults still can’t meet up with anyone. So it might be Day 61 of Lockdown 3.
• It is, however, Day 349 since the beginning of Lockdown 1; and Day 357 since the shutters came down at our house in March last year.

Take care everyone. God bless.

It being a Sunday I had decided to join in with the church service on-line this morning but, as the time neared for it to start, I was still lazing in bed and wondering if I could be bothered to get out of it to sit in the computer room and log on. Then I had a brainwave – why didn’t I watch on the phone? Well, what a brilliant idea. I put my headphones on, warbled softly to the hymns so that I didn’t annoy John too much, and had a grand start to the day.

And so, in a very gentle way, the day has unfolded. I didn’t rush over anything or press myself to do anything specific – just went with the flow. John was up just before mid-day, took himself into the lounge and did a similar thing. Going with the flow in his book, however, meant inspecting the back of his eyelids for quite a while. He was very tired today.

I wanted to nip round to Pete and Dawn’s to drop something off this afternoon, so I popped my head round the lounge door to tell John what I was going to do – he was asleep. Ah, right. I got ready to go, and then heard a very large yawn so I thought he must be awake. He was awake – just enough to acknowledge that I’d be out for a few minutes. When I got back, he was fast asleep again. I patted him gently to see if he wanted to go for a walk. “Maybe later,” he groaned. It was already three o’clock, so I said I’d like to go now? “Nah, I’ll go later,” he said, closing his eyes again.

I had a wonderful walk over the fields. The weather was glorious with a clear blue sky and a warm sun. I really enjoyed myself striding out, looking out for birds and interesting things in the hedgerows which are beginning to bud. Once I got back, John was awake so, after a little bit of pottering about, we both went for a walk in the park. It was a struggle, but we made it once round the marshland and back again. A cup of tea and a cake when we got back – very nice. John reckons he’s lost a kilo since he came out of hospital – must be all the cake I am feeding him……

Not a lot else to report – just TV watching (or poker playing in John’s case) after our evening meal and then the luxury of bed to look forward to.

• 5,177 people tested positive for the virus today
• 82 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours – mind you, it is the weekend, so figures may not be accurate
• 55 people died in hospitals with the virus on 5 & 6 March

The numbers are looking much better so I continue to be hopeful that things may yet improve for us all.

Take care everyone. God bless.

A long-anticipated day today – a Zoom session, offered by the Association of Christian Writers, on how to publish your stuff. A fascinating insight into how other people have written material and published it into a book for others to read. I am still clattering through the writing situation with the blog, mostly with the intention of providing an update on John’s health and with not much thought of anything else. So what was the reason for doing the on-line/on-zoom course today?

Well, I was after tips on perhaps having another go at publishing Mum’s poems and also, putting the series of articles I had written for church over the last few years into pamphlet form. However, it all sounds like a lot of hard work, so we’ll see. I might have time to do something with it all – it’s the inclination that might be lacking.

Anyway, that’s all I did all day. Got up, abluted and breakfasted, then settled in front of the computer for two and a half hours this morning, before returning for another couple of hours this afternoon. When I finally came downstairs and sat on the sofa, I was exhausted. John was on the computer and started talking to me about replacing the hedge at the top of the garden near the house, but I nodded off and failed to register the rest of the conversation. Who’d have thought that a few hours zooming could tire you out like that? Mind you, I am getting old and an afternoon nap is now in order……

John, meanwhile spent the day alternating between the computer, playing poker, and the television, watching thrillers. He said he had a rubbish day at poker with naff hands and he didn’t earn (m)any points today. He has started playing for money, too, having laid out £30 on a site, and coughing up a few pence at each hand. He’s not sure he’s going to make any money there, either. But, as he said, it’s keeping him off the streets.

While I was zooming this afternoon, John had a fabulous doorstep chat with Paul and Harriet who had called in to see if we needed anything. I was rather grateful that they found time to do that when their lives are so full and they are so very busy. And I think John was pleased and uplifted too.

We had a lovely time Skyping Pete and Dawn this evening. It’s so good to share your triumphs and worries with good friends, isn’t it? We’ve all got issues one way or another, but the sharing of them and the amusing stories that go with them lifted us and we had a laugh.

We were also amused by the WhatsApp chat today among the ‘Tribe’ – our family. Freddie was spending a bit of time with William before he goes back to school on Monday. Great photos of them playing together and great banter on the chat. Cheered me up no end. It was sorely needed after hearing about the cricket…. what a mess that was.

And of the COVID situation, it’ still heading in the right direction. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens once the kids go back to school.

• 6,040 people tested positive for the virus today
• 158 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 104 people died in hospitals with the virus on 4 & 5 March

Take care everyone. God bless.

We had another slow start today and I had another cup of tea in bed this morning. Good, eh? I could get used to this! And once we’d drunk our tea we meandered downstairs and took our leisurely time with breakfast.

By the time we’d finished our breakfast and cleared the plates away, it was well past eleven o’clock. And there ensued the now-standard conversation, much in the way of the two vultures in The Jungle Book, of, “What you gonna do today?” “I dunno, what you gonna do?” John planned to play some more poker. I planned to do some more sorting (ish) in the messy bedroom and the loft. And we both planned to take a walk later.

I wasn’t all that pleased with my efforts today, although I did get the last of the Christmas decorations boxed and put into the loft. There are two aims to this work: 1) a tidy loft in which we can find what we’re after (and perhaps with an inventory of some of the antique-y things?) 2) a tidy room on the first floor where the children can play, now that I have razed their play area in the lounge.

The trouble is, my decision-making is shot. For example, we have a large trunk in the loft. Heaven knows what we used to keep in it, but now it houses only boxed birthday and Christmas cards from our teenage years and early twenties when such things were fashionable. ‘Right!’ I thought, ‘I’ll shift all those out and put the treasures in there instead.’ Ha! You think? As soon as I started looking at the cards and the sentiments written in them, I found I couldn’t actually sort them and I just dumped them back in the trunk. Maybe tomorrow…..

This afternoon we chose to walk alongside the canal at the Knowle locks. It was a lovely walk, with super views, great excitement at seeing several species of birds, and a feast for the eyes with wild and cultivated flowers. As well, of course, as admiring all those interesting barges moored alongside the path.

John was OK going downhill. “Shall we walk as far as the house and then turn back?” I said. “No, we’ll walk a bit further,” he panted. We walked past the house and on a bit further. “Do you want to turn back now, John?” I wondered, hearing him out of breath. “No, we’ll walk a bit further,” he replied. And so on. When we eventually did turn back, I am not sure whether John was ruing how far we’d walked or not. He certainly wasn’t going to admit it. But the uphill return journey was certainly a battle. “Shall I fetch the car, John?” I asked. “No,” he growled, and determinedly strode on, his walking stick tapping out a Morse code all of its own.

He fairly flopped into the car, relieved at having made it back up the hill. “Hot chocolate when we get back?” He nodded – he thought that would be a lovely idea. “And cakes,” he said, grinning.

Home again with hot chocolate and cakes having been ingested, John had a snooze while I watched a bit of TV – my eyes also feeling heavy. And that was it then. That was us done. We ate our evening meal and watched more TV but nowt else. More of the same tomorrow? Perhaps.

In the meantime, there is still the pandemic going on and we continue to be cautious. Oh, for the days when we don’t have to be!!

• 5,947 people tested positive for the virus today
• 236 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 93 people died in hospitals with the virus on 3 & 4 March.

I want to stop counting the days but here we are on Day 58 of Lockdown 3; Day 346 since the beginning of Lockdown 1; and Day 354 since the beginning of our voluntary self-isolation last March. I think we should all get a medal for courage and fortitude, don’t you?

Take care everyone. God bless.

Is it Thursday? Yep, it sure is!! Oh, goody – bin day! I have raced around the house, finding every waste paper basket to empty and chucked their contents all in the bin, ready for collection tomorrow. It’s the highlight of the week…..so cathartic. There is something good about throwing away debris and defunct items leading to new beginnings, just so that you can do it all over again next week, isn’t there?

Anyway, despite the racing to empty waste paper baskets, we have moved at snail’s pace today. I was in the doldrums first thing, despite another cup of tea in bed courtesy of the ol’ man. I felt dodgy. Didn’t want to face the day, really. And I think John felt similarly as he took his drink and went back to bed.

By the time I thought about getting out of bed, I found I had tweaked my calf muscle overnight due to a ‘touch of cramp’ (an in-joke, if you’re wondering) and my arthritic joints were objecting to several of my movements. I am sure that the planned yoga class would have sorted me out, but I really felt too dodgy to try. I also felt too dodgy to try singing today, too. In the end, I cancelled both lessons and gently propelled myself downstairs and into the day.

I cooked breakfast and was pleased to hear the bedroom door open and close, then footsteps coming down the stairs just at the right moment to eat the food I was preparing. We sat at the breakfast bar and savoured the food, each other’s company, and the moment. It was lush.

“What are your plans for the day?” John enquired. “Erm… I think I am going to start sorting out the messy room upstairs and at least try and get the Christmas decorations into their respective boxes.” I replied. “What are your plans?” Poker. John planned to play poker all day. He did, however, think that a walk might be on the cards. I was pleased about that – see if we can strengthen him up a bit.

We set off mid-afternoon for our walk and planned to try a different path at the far end of Station Road. Regrettably, the path was exceedingly muddy. We ploughed through the first couple of hundred yards and came to a second gate, through which a lady was passing. She greeted us and said, looking at our footwear, that she thought we probably wouldn’t get very far from hereon in. It was rather boggy. We turned round and drove to the Lavender Hall Park instead – our favourite haunt – and enjoyed Katharine’s Wood. It was lovely.

Back home to a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a rest on the sofa. John had a little snooze, but I popped back upstairs to do a bit more sorting, before preparing the evening meal. I was able to sort nearly all of the Christmas stuff, with just one more box to go. I heard John’s words ringing in my ears, however, “We need to chuck some stuff out.” so I was mindful of this as I climbed to the top of the house. I had a little look at things I might throw out. The Moses basket – needed by a charitable organisation in Birmingham – that can go. Paul’s punch bag – does he still need it? I’ll ask. The old rucksack – what do you reckon John? Can that go? We’ll sell it, came the reply. Hmmm…. might need to wash it first….

There was the collection of badges – keep those; the collection of postcards – ooooh, keep; Nanan’s mirror – ah, I’ll just hide that at the back. I love that mirror even though I have nowhere to put it at the moment. And so on….until I came to a little selection of stickers with Paul’s name on, which choked me up – and then these… which made me smile. They’ve got to be thirty years old at least – but how apt!!

This evening I Zoomed with the college girls – and what balm for my soul that was. It is so good to see their beautiful, smiling faces. To hear their news and to share our lives with each other. I have said this before, so apologies for repeating myself, but their friendship is like a lovely, well-worn slipper. Just fits perfectly and so comfy. Long may it last.

John spent the evening playing poker and watching TV – catching up on programmes he’d missed out on while he was in hospital, I think. This morning, we were both hanging our heads with exhaustion, but by this evening, John looked heaps better. Must be all those good vibes everyone is sending across – thank you.

The national situation on COVID is still looking promising, although there are new variants being discovered at frequent intervals now. The vaccine looks like it might hold these at bay though, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

• 6,573 people tested positive for the virus today
• 242 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 80 people died in hospitals with the virus on 2 & 3 March
• Nearly 21 million people have had their fist injection of the vaccine; and nearly 1 million people have had their second.

We’re still locked down for the third time (Day 57) but everyone is preparing to go back to school next week, so the kids are on a high, really looking forward to seeing their friends, and their parents are on a high as they whoop with joy at no longer having to do homeschooling. Baby steps….

Take care everyone. God bless on this, the three-hundred-and-forty-fifth day since Lockdown One, and the three-hundred-and-fifty-third day since John and I huddled at home in March 2020.

Once again, we have taken it steady today. Neither of us got up early and, in fact, John was up again before me, bringing me another cup of tea in bed. I drank my tea and got up, but John stayed in bed to rest. I cooked a decent breakfast and took it upstairs to the ol’ man, before I ensconced myself in the computer room to join in with some singing.

I am taking part in a ‘Couch to Chorus’ singing lesson from Opera North. I was originally undecided as to whether to join in with the soprano or the alto part, but opted for the soprano. However, I am now beginning to think that the soprano is a bit high. Fortunately, no-one can hear me as we are all on mute, apart from the choir mistress. Well, I say no-one can hear me….. but John could certainly hear me warbling away in the next bedroom.

John got up and played some poker. I think it’s very hit and miss as to whether he earns any points in the game, so there’s no real rhyme nor reason to it yet. I left him to play and shot over to Paul and Harriet’s about 2 o’clock to drop a spot of washing off that I’d done for them.

John was also busy today with sorting out the scrapping of the Mazda. We had lent the car to Andrew some months ago and it had served him well. However, a couple of weeks ago it started to stutter, and failed to offer any engine power to pull away. We suspected that it was the diesel particulate filter, which we had had replaced once before with a reconditioned one. Andrew took it into a garage and they confirmed that that was the issue. It was a very old car, and a repair was so expensive that it was out of the question. With regret and a lot of sadness, we took the decision to scrap the car. RIP our lovely, faithful old Mazda……

When I got back from Paul and Harriet’s, I suggested that we go for a walk. John was game, so we set off to take a walk over at Temple Balsall in the woods behind the church – a walk that Louise had suggested. Despite the rather murky weather, it was a good walk and John did incredibly well. It was an amazing sight though – there were thousands of snowdrops. The ground was literally covered in them. So very pretty – although they were hanging their heads due to the weather and not quite as joyous as they might have been. I was thrilled to see them though – I am a sucker for snowdrops.

When we got back, we made ourselves a large mug of hot chocolate each and settled down in the lounge. John was soon feeling sleepy after his exertions, so nodded off for an afternoon nap. I watched daytime TV……

Before I got stuck in cooking the evening meal, I toddled outside into the evening dusk to plant some lily of the valley that I’d taken delivery of the other day. It was late, but I was determined to do it today. I am so looking forward to seeing them come up in a couple of months. Like snowdrops, lily of the valley are another flower that I am a bit of a sucker for.

After we’d eaten our evening meal, it was time for Quiz Night. John wasn’t sure he was going to join in as he felt very tired. He did join in, in the end, however, and had some good contributions to make. I also felt tired and found that I knew nothing this evening. However, it was lovely to see everyone and to hear all their news and to be part of it, but I think we both felt a bit ‘outside-looking-in’ this evening. A large glass or two of sherry for me, and the same of whisky for John, numbed the feelings of inadequacy though, and we are sure that we’ll feel better and have kicked our brains into gear by next week. We know we know stuff – it’s just that we might not know the stuff we need for the questions being asked……..

It may not amount to much, what we’ve done today, but step-by-step I am hoping that John will soon start to feel better and, with some better weather on the way, enjoy life again. I think positive vibes and prayers are still in order if you are so inclined…….

It is now nearly a year since we made the decision to absent ourselves from normal contact with others – we are now on Day 352 – but it’s amazing how we are adapting to this new life, with lots of Zoom sessions to keep us involved with friends, relatives and activities. Thank the Lord for technology, eh?

Today is Day 56 of Lockdown 3 and Day 344 since the beginning of the formal Lockdown 1. It’s a long time, but here comes the light – well, we hope, anyway.

• 6,385 people tested positive for the virus today
• 315 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 105 people died in hospitals with the virus on 1 & 2 March

Take care everyone. God bless.

We have tip-toed through the day today. Neither of us wanted to upset the apple-cart by rushing about, so we spent the day gently meandering through it.

John didn’t sleep awfully well, which meant that neither did I, so when we woke up this morning we were both a bit bleary-eyed. John got up and went downstairs to make a cup of tea which we drank in bed. That was rather nice. After we’d drunk tea though, John was tired and settled down for another snooze. I decided to get up.

Once I was downstairs, I decided to rummage through all of John’s bits and pieces to make sure I knew which pills he’d got to take. The rummaging included looking at all the supplements that he’d been advised to take by the nutritionist too. The last few months have been a bit hit and miss on those, so I checked we’d got everything and put them all out ready, with his breakfast.

Some years ago, when John had his transplant, Sue and Chris had sent John a tray for poorly people, which makes us smile every time we use it. There’s a space for a bell (service, please!), a bowl (I think I could manage a little soup), some bread and butter (brave little soldiers), some tissues and arrows pointing in the direction of daytime TV. I thought the tray was called for today, so placed John’s egg and soldiers on it with a nice cuppa and took it to him in bed.

I spent most of the day feeding the washing machine and the tumble dryer, and generally dashing away with the smoothing iron while we watched daytime TV. John, having got up at mid-day, sat in his armchair and dozed a little, read the paper, watched TV and played a bit of poker.

And, really, that was about it. We saw that the sun had come out this afternoon and thought we ought to perhaps go out into the garden, but didn’t. We did a bit of bird-spotting and saw a robin, dunnocks, blue tits, blackbirds and ruddy pigeons. Apart from the pigeons, none of the birds went to the food we’d put out though. But at least two of them were carrying bits of straw in their beaks. Nest-building time. Spring is coming…… time to start being more hopeful.

I acknowledge that it’s time to look forward and feel hopeful, but I confess to having felt rather overwhelmed with emotion today. Must be having the ol’ man back home in one piece. That was another reason for the tippy-toes. We felt delicate and didn’t want to upset each other. Hopefully, a better night’s sleep tonight will set us up with strength for tomorrow.

As Stephen King says in his book, ‘On Writing: a Memoir of the Craft’: “You try to tell yourself that you’ve been lucky, most incredibly lucky, & usually that works because it’s true. Sometimes it doesn’t work, that’s all. Then you cry”. Yep.

The national situation offers us hope, though, as the vaccination programme continues to roll out apace and the numbers of those infected or dying are reducing steadily.

• 6,391 people tested positive for the virus today
• 343 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 110 people died in hospitals in 28 February and 1 March
• Over 20 million people have been injected with the first dose of the vaccine and nearly 850 thousand people have had the second dose.

Keep up the good work is all I can say. We have managed to plough our way through another lockdown day (Day 55 of Lockdown 3; Day 343 of Lockdown 1; and Day 351 of self-imposed shielding) and we can see the buds of our better future burgeoning in the days ahead.

Take care everyone. God bless.