We often like to take a trundle out to Baddesley Clinton, where they have a bed of dahlias at this time of year. In the past, we have gone along with Pete and Dawn, or even on our own, to witness the wonder. Last year, of course, with the unexpectedness of COVID, there were no dahlia beds, and we thought no more about it. But this year, we were hoping there’d be a fabulous display……. only to find that the dahlia beds have been replaced by pumpkins!!
It transpires that the dahlia beds have been overtaken by disease and they are no more. Ah, well, never mind, we took a trip out there anyway, chauffeured by Pete and Dawn, accompanied by Jack, and had tea/coffee and cake at the café instead, before taking a look at the pumpkins swelling in their by beds by the hundreds.
It was a beautiful morning and we enjoyed ourselves. We made strategic stops at every bench available and admired the view. We scampered into shady corners to avoid the sunshine as it scorched the earth beneath us, before we made our way back to the car. It was super. I think, however, that we were probably half an hour too long enjoying ourselves, because we had to fold Dawn into the car afterwards, and John landed with a thud on the back seat, with a sigh of relief at having a comfy chair.
After his rest in the car and following a continuation of a discussion we’d been having recently, John was fired up to remove the front wall in the garden when we got back. I was fired up to do nothing at all. I sat and watched the cricket while John beavered away in the hot sunshine, wheelbarrowing heavy bricks back and forth to the skip. “I think I’ve done too good a job,” he said. “Mmm?” I murmured, looking up from the cricket. “I mean, I did too good a job on building the wall in the first place. It’s got deep footings and I’m not even at the bottom yet…” Ah…. I see. Fortunately Peter came round for half an hour and helped with one or two bits before it was time for a cuppa and a rest, and they sat and had another good old natter before Pete went home again, wishing John good luck with the rest of the wall demolishing.
I wished I hadn’t bothered with the cricket. Wickets fell like the pins at a ten-pin bowling alley, one after the other. In despair, I gave up when we were not enough for 8. I was still weary, but had a walk up to the shops and back, and then did some more sitting down before I got the tea ready.
And that, was more or less it, for the day.
Just the 41,192 people testing positive for the virus today; 45 deaths in the community and, apparently, only 10 in hospitals on 4 & 5 September which, if true, is good news.
Hope you’ve all enjoyed the warm weather today – it’s been a cracker, hasn’t it? Take care everyone. Keep up with the mask-wearing and keeping your distance as much as you can to save the lives of others – it really isn’t over. ‘Learning to live with the virus’ is no good at all if we end up dying from it or suffering from long COVID for years to come, is it? God bless. Prayers have been said for each and everyone of you.