I think I might have to diet…

Do you remember, many moons ago, that I had a rather nice little philosophy that centred around chocolate? It went something like this: Chocolate! The great comforter of all things. Confused by the advice of the government? Stay in and eat chocolate. Anxious about your husband’s health? Stay in and eat chocolate. Suffering from lockdown syndrome? Stay in and eat chocolate.

That was Day 56 of Lockdown Number One. And the mantra has been pretty steady over the course of the last nine months. Yep. Whatever the problem, eat chocolate.

However, I think it’s time to take a look at myself and see if there’s another answer. And what has brought this on? Well, it’s the pink overalls. I love ’em! And I have taken to wearing them whenever I’m doing my bit of decorating. No bother. The only thing is, they’re a teensy bit tight around the waist. I mean, it’s still alright, because they are elasticated in that particular area, so there’s a leeetle bit of ‘give’, but there could be more. Just sayin’. Especially as I have to press the poppers back together at fairly frequent intervals as I work…..

So, this morning, Helpful Henry, aka John, suggested that I might like to weigh myself. Just to see, you know, if I might need to make adjustments to my diet. Well, the scales told their own sorry tale and their recommendation was, yes, definitely, adjustments needed. Chocolate rationing is on.

In other news, we had a bit of a lie-in this morning. I was awake and just strolling though Twitter when a text came in from Andrew: ‘Apparently, I have COVID.’ Whaaaat? He had a test yesterday in readiness for going back to work next week which came back positive. He has no idea where he’s got it from. He’s stayed home for the last two weeks and only been to Tesco to do some shopping. We suppose it must have been from there. His boss doesn’t believe it, saying he thought it might be a false positive and to do the test again, please. So watch this space, folks. Fingers crossed.

We had just settled back on our pillows for a bit more rest, when we were rudely, but thankfully, interrupted by a phone call from Virgin. We are opening a new bank account and were trying to do it online. As often happens, of course, the website takes you down a bit of a blind alley and then says ‘Naah, you’re not going any further.’

In the end, the only solution was to talk to a real person. They sent us a very helpful email and a number to phone. But I was busy, wasn’t I? I was doing decorating, so didn’t initiate the phone call. Not to worry. Virgin is here to the rescue!! A very friendly-sounding chap tried phoning yesterday, but I was otherwise engaged and couldn’t take the call. So, anyway, having made a short story long, a very nice lady phoned this morning and sorted it all out for us. And that’s what got us out of bed.

And then we pottered about. Me, to do the decorating and John to doing accounts, catching up on TV, and checking on the dishwasher, which has got over its sulk and is now behaving very well, and is wearing a halo.

I was sorry to say that I had to involve John in sorting out some niggles relating to the decorating though. I have been determined to try and do it all myself, but some things are currently beyond me. Like filling the long, and large, gaps around the architrave. I was dead chuffed yesterday, when I managed to fill the gaps above the skirting board with decorators caulk, but arthritic hands and the squeezy gun really don’t mix. I wasn’t quite up to it for going around the doorway. Nor was I up to filling in a very large hole in the wall where the wires come through. So… ta-da!! Hero Henry, aka John, came to the rescue!!

Then, this afternoon we trundled out to the University Hospital in Coventry for a boob inspection. It was all very busy, but amazingly well organised. Sit here; walk there; fill this form in; patients only, please; in you come; check, check; see you soon; and off you go. In and out in a very short space of time, thank you very much.

We drove home thinking of having a nice cup of tea and a bit of cake, and I was thinking of having a bit of chocolate too, until I remembered my waistline. I felt a bit deflated and wondered what to eat instead. Melon beckoned, so I ate that. I think there are fewer calories in a melon than in chocolate, aren’t there? Hope so, anyway.

It was quiz night tonight, but John didn’t feel up to it. His eyes have been sore the last few days and it has begun to really annoy him. Especially as he has so many things to do to keep himself well, it feels such a dispiriting thing to have to cope with every day. I’ve racked my brains as to why his eyes should be particularly bad just now and have made all sorts of inane suggestions to him to try and help. Of course, it doesn’t help at all. Just drives him round the bend….but it just dawned on me…. is it the computer work that’s contributing to drier eyes than normal? I shall suggest it tomorrow…… well, maybe, if I can pluck up the courage!

Quiz night was fun, as usual, but not the same without John, of course. And there were questions there, that only he would know the answer to…. ah, well, we still did all right, much to our relief. It was a jolly good quiz, which made us really think. And it was nice to have a catch-up chat afterwards too. How lucky are we, eh? Friends. Fabulous.

So, today and the COVID figures: 18,213 people infected. 696 people died. 197 people died on 23 & 24 November in hospitals.

Take care everyone. God bless.