A Family Day

This morning we went over to the Kenilworth Sleaths to babysit Freddie while Harriet went for a job interview. We had a lovely, relaxed time.

Freddie was watching TV when we got there, so we carried on with that for a little while. Then he played Minecraft on his tablet which baffled me no end. Apparently, you add TNT to flint and steel (or something like that) to make an explosion…. add a pumpkin head to iron to make a golem….add this and that to make a creeper….. goodness me, it was a whole new language and a whole new world. Fortunately, there were parental controls on the tablet so the session didn’t last too long. “But, Grandma,” said Freddie hopefully, “I can play some more if you know the password?” Sorry, Freddie, but I really don’t know the password!!

For a while after that, we played ‘I spy’ in the lounge – but I was even baffled by that, too. It wasn’t ‘I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…. a letter’. No….. it was something beginning with a colour, or a number. Fortunately, Grandpa was there and he got the hang of it quite quickly, so I was saved.

Eventually, we went outside on a bug hunt. It was such a beautiful day that I really didn’t want to stay indoors for very long if we could help it.

At one point in the morning, however, I thought we had lost the dog. Harriet had said that the dog-walker was coming at 10.30. It wasn’t long after Harriet had left that I realised it was very quiet. It was only 10 o’clock so he couldn’t have gone on his walk yet, surely? Ah-ha! Yes, he had!! We were about to go on a dog hunt, when the dog-walker returned him. Phew….. he’d had an early walk and I hadn’t heard her arrive. Be still, my beating heart.

It was results day today for the GCSEs and Lily had one subject she’d done early, so when Harriet came home, following a good interview, they went down to the school to see how she’d done. I am delighted to report that she’s done well and got a ‘B’. Whoop! Whoop! What a year those poor kids have had one way and another – just to get through the work has been something, but to get a good grade as well deserves a fine celebration.

This afternoon, I went over to visit Mum, who continues to be in fine fettle despite the memory loss, which doesn’t trouble her at all. She was pleased to see me as usual, and we had a lovely chat. She had some of her old spark in her, however, as she pointed out that I was getting fat around my waist, and one of my friends looked very old. Well, thank you, Mum. Good to know you’re still in there! She was thrilled to be looking at photographs of the family and cooed over all the great-grandchildren. She said she’s happy. And that makes me happy too.

On a totally different topic: the COVID figures for today, are as follows:

  • 33,074 people tested positive for the virus
  • 94 people died in the community
  • 46 people died in hospitals with the virus on 10 & 11 August
  • 89.2% of the adult population has had the first dose of the vaccine
  • 75.7% of the adult population has had both doses of the vaccine

It’s still not over, so we still have to take care, don’t we? God bless.