The Daily Echo: Day 196

It being Sunday today, I thought I’d do Sunday things. Got up early, had my annual wash and brush up (it is September, after all) before setting off for church. I had a quick scrabble around in the cupboards to see if there was anything suitable to take with me, as it was Harvest Festival, and I managed to fill a box full of stuff. I was relieved about that. We were all supposed to be taking fresh fruit and veg though, but I hadn’t been to the shops to oblige that particular part of the bargain, so tinned, dried and packet food is what they got. Whatever the donation though, I am sure it will be helpful to someone.

It was a weird old service though. I mean, we normally sing our hearts out to ‘We plough the fields and scatter’ but it’s just Kim singing and playing while we follow the words on the screen, now. We didn’t walk up and offer our harvest goods, while we grin at each other shuffling up and down the aisle, either. Just held ’em up while Father Peter said a blessing. No hugs or handshakes when we acknowledge each other for the peace either, just a bow of the head and blink of the eyes in the hope that you’ll catch someone’s eye and disappointed when you don’t. It all felt a little hollow – and then that sets you thinking doesn’t it? I’m always a wobbly Christian, but even more wobbly now.

It was still Sunday when I came out of church and so promptly did another Sunday thing – visit Mum. Before lockdown, that was often my habit – to call on her on the way home. But of course, I have only been to church twice since March, so the habit is a bit broken.

She was delighted to see me of course. She was sitting in her now beloved all-singing, all-dancing chair that used to be Aunty Mollie’s, and which she wonders from whence it came, every time I visit her. She was very cosily wrapped in a blanket and very happy. I stayed for a couple of hours doing a few jobs for her, including filing some correspondence away and throwing other correspondence out. My rummage in her filing cabinet revealed a little stash of photographs, which I thought she might enjoy looking at, so I took them through to her. She certainly did enjoy them and turned the pile over several times. One photo was of a brand new teddy sitting on her sofa at her house in Coventry, bought for her many years ago. “Ah…. look there’s Ted.” she said fondly. Then, again, as she turned pile over for the second time, “Ah…. look there’s Ted.” and then, on the third time, it was, “Ah…. look, there’s Ted again.” I gently told her she was probably back at the beginning of the photos……. so she relinquished them then.

I brought washing home with me, intending to get on with it, but John suggested we might go out and look at more furniture. We still have a few things on our list and are after a new nest of tables to place alongside people when the hordes visit, as well as a new coffee table to set between the two sofas. We’d also like a new dining room suite – again, to accommodate the hordes when they come for dinner. We didn’t see anything we agreed on, although I did see a lovely dining room table. But the trip set us both thinking. Will we ever have the whole family round again? Will we ever have the parties we used to? Not least because once we’re allowed to we might feel we’re a bit beyond it. So then, what style of furniture do you buy? Should we be downsizing? I don’t know, it’s been a funny old day, with what seems like the wind of change very much firmly blowing us into uncharted waters.

On our way home, Paul phoned to say they were just passing by our house and where were we? We laughed, “We’re just passing your house!! On our way back from Leamington. We’ll be home in fifteen minutes.” But not to worry, they’d been shopping and didn’t want to wait. They were just dropping a bottle of one of my very favourite wines, Pouilly–Fuissé, to us. God bless them. Such thoughtfulness. Thank the Lord for sons – and daughters-in-law, of course!

Had to laugh though, as Paul and Harriet were hovering outside our house, who should be trawling the streets for food bank donations, but The Lions? Harriet, apparently, had to to scrabble in amongst her recent purchases to make a donation. Mind you, I bet they feel virtuous now…..

They didn’t see us, but we passed them just as they were leaving the village and we were just arriving in it. Once we were home, John decided he was going to do a bit more work out the front, and I decided I was going to sit on the sofa and watch the tennis from Roland Garros with a Magnum to keep me company. When John finally came in, we did a bit of TV channel-hopping at which point I promptly fell asleep. Another afternoon nap…… eeeh, I must be feeling my age. Or was it because I didn’t go to bed until two in the morning last night?

When I finally woke up, it was beyond that other Sunday thing of a roast dinner, so we ate up left-overs instead. And John decided to welly a bottle of white wine, so he, too, had a snooze on the sofa, before we finally ended up watching another round of the archaeological dig at the HS2 sites. This time, it was Birmingham, which was intriguing – and distressing to be reminded of the terrible conditions the people lived in. They came to Birmingham in hope but often died beyond hope, with evidence of physical ailments such as rickets, cholera and TB.

The news offered us fewer COVID infections today with 5,693 people affected, 17 people having died in the community and 12 in hospitals in the last couple of days. But it’s the weekend, so I am hoping it’s the true number, and not the limited reporting that’s making the figures look slightly better.

Tomorrow is another new day, bringing a new week with lots of things to look forward to. Face the wind of change and embrace it. Best foot forward folks. God bless.