The Rugby Season

The rugby season is in full flow and John has been following various matches on telly for several weeks now, but it was the start of the Six Nations today and hopes were running high this morning. We were looking forward to watching the matches this afternoon and some more tomorrow. The icing on the cake would have been if England had won but, by a hair’s breadth, the Scots overcame England at the end. Oh, bother…… still, it was a good game on the whole, and a good game is always enjoyable to watch. But that’s it now for a week or two – wall to wall rugby.

We had had a slow start to the day – which has now become a habit, neither of us wanting to ease ourselves out of bed very early – and nothing much was done before ten o’clock, apart from a lovely video-chat with Michael and Thomas. Soon after, I grabbed a shower and did a lateral flow test before heading over to Dawn’s to show her the spoils of yesterday’s trip into Birmingham. John caught up on his sleep after yet another night of interruptions and journeys to the bathroom. It’s beyond a joke now – and certainly beyond what’s tolerable.

Had a lovely hour at Dawn’s looking through the samples I’d brought back. We were after pink to complement her suit. “What about this one? With a swirly pattern? Or this one – with the flowers?” We set aside several as being unsuitable and kept back a couple that might do. Then I said, “Or how about this one? I know it’s not pink but…..” Ha! Ha! It’s always the thing you least expect, isn’t it? Like the mystery house on ‘Escape to the Country’. “Now that’s nice…..”

I think I’ll toddle off to the Rag Market again next week and get a larger sample. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to remember which stall I picked it up from and that they’ll have some left.

This afternoon I went over to Kenilworth to drop a pasta maker off to the original Kenilworth Sleaths. As luck would have it, they were planning a walk with the Kenilworth newbies, so I was able to take some bits and pieces for them, too.

“Are you coming in?” Paul asked. Yes, thank you – don’t mind if I do. A cup of tea, a nice chat and a play with Freddie while we waited for the others to arrive. We had to wait a while – the kids were having a nap. But that worked out well, because Harriet brought a McDonalds meal in with her, on her way back from playing hockey. Shhhh….. don’t tell John.

In the end, the Kenilworth newbies didn’t make it until mid-afternoon, by which time I decided that I would head back home and watch the rugby with John, instead of going for a walk. It was windy and the wind-chill factor wasn’t awfully attractive – well, not to me at any rate.

In relation to the rugby today – and many other things besides – Susie Dent published a good Word of the Day recently, which I think may be rather apt: ‘forwaked’ (14th century): weary from watching and waiting for something that never seems to materialise. That seems to be my life in recent times.

Anyway, we’ve got one or two things to look forward to this week, so fingers crossed that they’ll add to the pile of happy thoughts and overwhelm the unhappy ones. ‘Something to look forward to’ – that’s the trick, isn’t it?

In other news, my friend, Tim, is home after his surgery. Thank you to all those of you who sent positive vibes and prayers.

Take care everyone. God bless.

60,578 people tested positive for the virus today. 259 people died. 1,596 people were admitted to hospital with it.