Girls Gathering

More paper. More stuff. Will we ever get Mum’s things sorted out, that’s the question?

Dear Anita came across again today, and we concentrated on clearing the sideboard – or ‘high board’, we now find it is called – and sifted through lots and lots of little bits of paper, paperclips, notes to self, and correspondence. We also checked over cutlery, crockery, embroidery and sewing materials and so on. It is all taking an inordinate amount of time, so our next plan is to ignore the paper, check over everything else and bring the paper home, if necessary, to meet my own imposed deadline of clearing the flat by Thursday of next week.

We got on well, really, and made progress, but the flat looks like a bomb has hit it. My own attempts at organisation remain inadequate and I am grateful to Anita for quietly and firmly leading the charge. I think I might have dissolved into a blubbering mess before now if she hadn’t been there.

We had a shortened day at the clear-out, however, as I was keen to get over to Linda’s this afternoon to say au revoir to Hazel. A gaggle of girls gathered there (well, six of us anyway) to sit in the sunshine and enjoy each other’s company, as a group, for a final time before the Lewis’s set off for pastures new.

The gathering was absolute bliss. The sun was shining, and it was beautiful and warm on Linda’s patio. There was cake and prosecco and very good company. We arrived early afternoon, but none of us seemed to want to be the first to make the move to break up the party. It was gone five o’clock by the time we all reluctantly thought we ought to say goodbye. A beautiful afternoon which has made a beautiful memory.

Having had a glass of prosecco this afternoon, I found myself more carefree that I might ordinarily have been when I got home. That meant that I couldn’t be bothered to cook – or doing anything really. John made me a cup of tea. Then he prepped our evening meal. Then I shut my eyes for a minute or two…

Upon opening my eyes again I decided that I really ought to get to bed early this evening. We have another busy day ahead of us tomorrow. So here I am blog-writing in the middle of the evening instead of at the end of it.

John has spent the morning sorting out putting Mum’s sideboard – sorry, high board – onto eBay, in the hope that it’ll bring in a few quid. He then spent a little while playing poker before pottering in the garage to get the Lotus ready for lift-off. That is, of course, lifting the body off the chassis to check out the anomaly of why the body and chassis don’t seem to be square on. Watch this space, folks.

The news today is running stories about tackling climate change (ha!), the overwhelming of India with Coronavirus and running out of oxygen in hospitals, and (is it news?) the death of a former Bay City Roller. I suppose that last bit of news is waving goodbye to our youth, which is just as uncomfortable to hear as all the other news we’ve heard today.

• 2,729 people tested positive for the virus today
• 18 people died with the virus in the community in the last 24 hours
• 15 people died on 20 & 21 April with the virus in hospital

• It’s Day 25 since the lifting of Lockdown 3;
• Day 11 of our new, limited freedoms, where we can play in each other’s gardens;
• Day 395 since Lockdown 1; 
• Day 401 since our self-imposed Lockdown 1

All for now, folks. Stay safe and God bless.