Shielding: Day 124

We had been hopeful that the weather would be kind to us today and, to a certain extent, it was. It didn’t rain, thank goodness, but it was overcast. I don’t normally mind an overcast day, although John finds them extremely tedious, but it was breezy as well, which whipped a cool draft up our trouser legs as we sat out this morning.

For the first time since lock down, we welcomed my dearest goddaughter, Liz, and her husband Ben, for a little sojourn in our back garden. The greetings were warm, and the easy conversation took our minds off the coolness of the air, although I have to say, that Ben’s bare arms and legs went blue and we did notice that. He said he was alright and didn’t need a blanket but, as soon as the sun started to shine, he joined me outside the shelter of the gazebo, to heat ourselves up in the few rays of sunshine, like iguanas basking on the rocks.

It was such a delight to see them. They are such easy company and all-round lovely people. And Liz brought exciting news. After nearly twelve months of discernment, in which she explored her calling to enter into priesthood, she recently had had a face-to-face interview with the Bishop and he said ‘yes’. Yes! Wow! How marvellous and uplifting. It is the right thing. Liz has a ministry in her that she will do amazingly well, so I am absolutely delighted for her. She has often been my strength in times of doubt and, for a young woman, has a brilliant head on her shoulders. Training doesn’t start until 2021 so, in the meantime, she and Ben are going to get a shift on to transform their existing situation in readiness for the three-year course. I’m saying a prayer or two for them now and wishing them very well.

We decided, after Liz and Ben had left, that indoor tasks were the thing to pursue today, since it was breezy and cool outside. John hi-ho’d to the garage to fiddle with more wires and junction boxes and pour over wiring diagrams while I poured over the internet looking for birthday gifts. There is such a lot to choose from, isn’t there? And so it was another happy hour feasting my eyes on all the lovely things to be had, before I finally made my choice and sent off for the precious item.

Mid-afternoon, John decided he was going to rock up to the motorist’s shop in the village to buy a bulb for the car. He had mooted this idea while Liz and Ben were with us, and I immediately went into ‘no, you’re not’ mode. Liz and Ben laughed at us and thought that that was their cue to leave, anticipating a domestic incident on the horizon. I wasn’t happy about the idea, but John was determined, and so, masked up and sanitised he made the trip, grabbed the bulb from the rack, paid and sauntered home. “Yes, yes, I’ve washed my hands.” he said, when he got back, to my mute enquiry.

Scrolling through pictures on ‘tinternet’ this afteroon encouraged my lazy bones, and I couldn’t drag myself from the sofa to do any of the jobs on the ‘to do’ list. I sat, mesmerised by daytime telly for over an hour before finally galvanising my body into doing something at least. Even if it was only making a cup of tea and prepping the evening meal.

Normally, I love a roast chicken dinner, but since Mum has been living with us my enjoyment has waned. It seems I am no longer able to cook chicken. It is always too tough. Ah-ha! I thought, I know, I’ll do it in the chicken brick instead, on top of a load of vegetables – that way, it’ll be soft. Of course, what I hadn’t properly accounted for was the extra time it might take to cook. I popped it in the oven just before five, aiming to eat about six-thirty. An hour to cook, twenty minutes to rest and all that.

The chicken was a large one – OK, maybe an hour and fifteen minutes to cook, then? Perhaps we’ll eat a little later than I thought. In the end, we sat down to eat at twenty past seven. Bless her, Mum had been fretting about food since about five…… “Have a cake?” I offered. She had a cake while she waited. However, what do you reckon folks? Was my chicken successful? Could Mum eat it? Yes, she could! Ta-da!

After we’d eaten, I scampered into the lounge to set up John’s laptop for a Skype session with Pete and Dawn. I didn’t give Mum the chance to start watching a programme to get engrossed in, in case we had a similar situation to a few weeks back, when she definitely wasn’t going to give it up and we had to skulk in the kitchen instead.

What a great evening. Pete and Dawn are always such great company (I suppose that’s where Liz gets it from) and we nattered and nattered and nattered. We also drank a drop or two of wine. Cheers everyone!! Jack joined in the nattering on their side of the screen but, on our side, Mum didn’t. In fact, she’s been extremely quiet all day. Bemused at the idea of going back to her flat, I think, but I am sure that with all the help in place she’ll soon enjoy her time there again. Fingers crossed anyway.

The sheltered accommodation that Mum lives in has been COVID-free and they have taken good measures to keep it that way. Masks and gloves are de rigueur, and social distancing is being respected. No deaths have been reported there from the virus, so, with care, Mum will be OK.

There have been deaths forom COVID-19 elsewhere, of course, with 3 deaths reported in a hospital setting up until five o’clock yesterday, 17 June 2020, and 5 being confirmed for the day before. I am still not sure of the accuracy of these NHS figures, but I have started, so I’ll finish…… The government, however, is trying to sort out its reporting of the figures and today published a figure of 40 deaths by four o’clock, with 827 people confirmed as infected.

If in doubt, folks, now’s the time to eat cake or have a glass of wine to keep your spirits up. Take care and God bless.