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I know the title says ‘isolation’ but, in reality, we have not really been isolated for a while now. We have been seeing our family and some of our friends in the garden for a good few weeks, so it feels a bit of a cheat to call our incarceration ‘isolation’. ‘Keeping our distance’ is more like it. We’re ‘zooming’ and having ‘path chats’ and inviting people to sit in the garden, and even the porch when the weather isn’t up to much. So, I can’t really say we’re properly isolated. In fact, one of my friends said to me the other day that our social life seems more active than hers – and she’s not even in the ‘shielding’ category.

So, we’re feeling blessed. And today in particular, as we hadn’t seen eldest son face-to-face for a little while and withdrawal symptoms were setting in, so a barbecue chez nous was just the ticket.

The sun shone all day and created just the right ambience. The garden played ball and set out its stall beautifully, gracefully mellowing to the hilarity of the children’s slide, the stilts stomping all over the lawn, and the game of Jenga (or Freddie’s version of it) tumbling down to much laughter.

The parasols went up, the chairs sprung to attention and the cushions plumped up ready for anyone who wanted to rest their weary limbs. We dusted off the barbecue, chilled the Prosecco and prepped everyone’s favourite foods. Nothing was left to chance and everything fell into place. It was fabulous.

There was a gentle ‘busyness’ to our afternoon, with John wielding all the equipment you need for a barbecue and presiding over the meat as it incinerated there. Well, actually, it was only the pork that was incinerated – everything else was perfect. Paul popping to the shops to buy fruit for the Pimms, before playing with Freddie; Lily and Harriet prepping the Pimms; Freddie swinging and swinging on the swing; and me, darting in and out of the house with salads, bread, chips, cutlery and rhubarb crumble. I was reminded of Alan and Janet Ahlberg’s ‘Peepo!’ today. Even though I was in it, I felt like I was watching our afternoon unfold. And it was good.

As always, at the end of the afternoon, we didn’t really want to let the family leave. We would have liked to have held onto them for so much longer, but Lily is fourteen and wanted meet to meet her mates, and Freddie is four and it would soon be bedtime. Reluctantly, we knew it was time for them to leave. It had been such a welcome interlude with Freddie running here, there and everywhere, rough and tumbling with Daddy, and Lily, so sophisticated, creating a Pimms for us all to drink – all so relaxed and so very familiar.

I just love that feeling of being among family or friends, not having to pretend at anything. We’re just us, and even a tease is a warm embrace.

Nothing else much, really, today – had a lovely Zoom coffee chat with fellow church members this morning but other than that, Mum has been conspicuous by her absence, not wanting to join in with the family at all; feeling kippered by the barbecue smoke, so opting to stay indoors; resisting every attempt to tempt her outside; feeling hungry in between the times when food was actually available; but watching from the side-lines and devouring any food that was offered – unless it was sausage which was clearly indigestible.

After the family left, John and I opted to stay outside and sit in the comfy chairs just chatting and watching the sun go down. We might have been helping the bottle of Prosecco go down too, but that’s another story. A perfect ending to a perfect day and perfect weekend, really. For once, we felt content. Alleluia.

We are lucky. We have had some very tough times in recent years but we still have a lot to be thankful for. We are thankful that we are shielded from the virus doing the rounds, which has claimed 21 lives in all settings and just one in a hospital setting as of yesterday. 650 people were infected, according to the government figures by five o’clock yesterday, too.

Keeping our fingers crossed that our current strategy of keeping our distance continues to pay off and we have more contented days like today. We are also willing all our friends and family time and space for contentment in this topsy-turvy world. Peace be with you and God bless.

When the sun came out today it was hot!! Did you notice? It didn’t start like that though, although we willed it so. We took our breakfast out onto the patio under a pleasantly warm sun this morning, but we’d not long been sitting there, when a black cloud descended and wiped away any heat, and a little breeze ushered in a chill wind. John scarpered as soon as he could. I followed not many minutes after.

I have to say, though, that breakfast with hubby on the patio was an unexpected treat. We don’t often sit down together to eat in the mornings, so I savoured every moment.

After we’d eaten, we gathered our things together and headed over to the Sutton Sleaths. There had been a suggestion that we might join them in a visit to Baddesley Clinton today, to help us emerge from our hibernation, but it was fully booked so we were thwarted. Instead, we went to their back garden for a cuppa and I helped William in his search for treasure.

I felt lucky that Mum got up and came downstairs before we set off without too much difficulty, so I was able to leave with no worry. She had her breakfast and lunch all ready for her, and the TV was on TV Gold, so I knew she’d be OK while we were out.

While we were at Michael and Danielle’s the sun came out and it was lovely and warm. We sat under their newly erected pergola which was splendid, cooed over baby Thomas and played with William. “Grandma,” he said, “This is my shop and you can be my first customer. Here’s a penny for you.” He handed me a coin, which I handed back as I ‘bought’ a smelly welly. Eeh, we had fun!

John was in his element, too, as there was the re-positioning of the lamp on the back wall to be tackled, in order to accommodate the pergola. It felt good to be able to help Michael do the job – even if it was mostly offering advice and passing the drill and screws up to Michael a-top the ladder.

We had to cut our visit short though, as we had agreed to take delivery of my Aunty Mollie’s all-singing, all-dancing armchair for Mum, and we were due to meet Catherine’s husband, John, at Mum’s flat. It all worked very smoothly, with John waiting for us as we arrived and then it was just a matter of manoeuvring the chair into place. All socially-distanced, of course. I am not sure what Mum is going to say about the chair when she gets back to her flat. I haven’t told her about it yet…..

Mum was still safe and sound when we returned, giggling her head off to one of the ‘Gold’ programmes, so we went into the kitchen to get on with a bit of baking and preparing the evening meal. John made some more ‘sandwich rolls’ and I put together some little desserts that were supposed to develop a yummy lemon curd at the bottom as they cooked. I was delighted with them as I took them out of the oven, only to be disappointed that the lemon curd was nowhere to be found. Then I saw that the lemon juice I’d so carefully squeezed, was still sitting in the jug on the side…… oops. John sent a photo to the family and asked if they could spot the deliberate mistake? Andrew, the chef, got it in one, of course! Planning to make another batch tomorrow. Let’s hope I’ve got my brain in place by then!

After our potterings in the kitchen and clearing up after our meal, we flopped onto the sofa and watched nothing very much at all this evening. Not for us, any intellectual plays or films today. No…… just TV trash please…….oh, and a browse through a little photo album, with pictures of Freddie growing up from birth to a few months ago, that John had sent away for. Awww……. I had forgotten how cute he looked then and how cute he looks now. He’s a little joker and often, the photos show that little character. Can’t wait for Paul and Harriet to see it.

All in all, it’s been another good day. Nothing startling, but solid, family stuff for which I am eternally grateful. Love is everything.

Seems to be quite a few more deaths in all settings from COVID-19 today, though, with 148 people having died by nine o’clock this morning, according to the government report. 820 people are reported as infected. The NHS figures are a puzzle though, with 18 deaths reported and confirmed for Wednesday 9 July, and no actual figures for yesterday. I think I am not the only one to be confused by the numbers being gathered together though, as none other than Robert Peston has been querying both the government and the NHS figures today. Let’s hope they are ironed out shortly. And that it’s not really a spike…..

And breathe. Let’s all keep faith and try for a better tomorrow – for surely, it will come? Take care and God bless.

It’s early. 5.45 a.m. I watch the life stirring in the garden as the sun tries to ease itself through the clouds. I gaze out of the window for a good while and then consider what to do. Get dressed and go for an early stroll? Or sit in bed and read my book? Or snooze on? In the end, I decided against the walk. I picked up the book I was reading but my eyes turn heavy and it isn’t long before I fall back to sleep, dreaming delicious dreams that whisper away as I wake up, five hours later.

The front doorbell is jangling in amongst my dreams, and I spring up out of bed and leg it downstairs, pulling on my jeans as I go, to find Hobbo outside. “John phoned me yesterday. He’s got a few plumbing bits for me.” Ah, OK. John is also still a-snoozing in bed. I’ll go and see.

John hoofed it downstairs, and I hoofed it back. In the short time since awakening, I decided I’d get back to my book. I was surprised at myself really because, for the whole of lock down, I have been struggling with one of my first loves, that of reading. However, I joined a small book club, and this book, ‘The Girl with the Louding Voice’, was the next one to read. My friend, Penny, said she couldn’t put it down once she’d started it. Same. Spent all day reading it, in fact.

I was so engrossed in the book that sustenance was forgotten until John brought me a feast to breakfast on in bed, about twelve noon. I read on and finally unrolled myself from my bed about two o’clock in the afternoon. Bliss.

“What are you doing today?” John asked. I thought I might start cleaning the walls in the ‘office/gym/snug’ but on the second thoughts, perhaps I’ll do nothing but read my book, I told him. He, on the other hand was busy in the garage with his beloved Lotus, gluing more carpet into the boot. Although, in the end, he thought he hadn’t actually done a great deal today and has felt a bit ‘loose end-ish’.

I think Mum has been ‘loose end-ish’ too, today. Of course, getting up late myself I thought nothing about food for her. Surely, on rising, she’d had her breakfast, and by two o’clock, some lunch? About half past three, she started to say she was hungry. I suggested she go and find herself some cake. You’d have thought I was suggesting some torture. “Ohhhhh……well, I suppose so.” she said. “But I’ll have to have something to eat.” And, martyr-like, she tottered into the kitchen. As she ate her cake, I asked her what she’d had for her breakfast – nothing. And lunch? Nothing. Oh. Then I queried it. “Why didn’t you have any breakfast, Mum?” She just shrugged. She didn’t know, and she couldn’t tell me.

I sat reading my book in the lounge this afternoon whilst John was a-tinkering. I put on a bit of Wimbledon for Mum to watch and as background listening for me, but as it was last year’s men’s final, it was fresh in my memory and Mum wasn’t too fussed either. “Would you like Tipping Point, Mum?” She looked at me pityingly, “Well, yes, anything will be better than this.” she said. But, an hour later and the beginnings of The Chase, she said she was fed up of ‘this rubbish’ and wasn’t there anything else to watch? I put TV Gold on which was showing ‘Only Fools and Horses’. She liked it and she was laughing. What she didn’t like was that I wasn’t watching it and laughing. “You should be watching this,” she said, “it’s funny.” I told her I didn’t want to, as I was reading my book. She gave me a hard stare. That was enough to drive me from the room. I mean, I do like to do what I like in my own house…….

Conscious that Mum hadn’t eaten well today, I made a good evening meal for everyone and made sure she had plenty. She polished the lot off, so I know she’s not starving. After our evening meal, Mum went back to ‘Only Fools and Horses’ and John and I had a very merry evening on Zoom with George and Sue.

We had a good old natter and put the world to rights in every direction. We chinked our glasses of wine virtually and threw hugs and blew kisses at the end of the evening, everyone agreeing it had been a lovely time, but virtual reality is not the same a real reality. We planned to see each other in the flesh, in our garden, in the near future. Yes, please.

Corona Virus was one topic of conversation, of course, and what are we doing about relaxing our own rules to going out? I am still in the ‘anxious’ category and John is still in the ‘let’s take a risk’ category. However, as the numbers continue to ease a little, maybe our two minds might meet somewhere along the line soon.

The latest on COVID-19 is relatively reassuring as today at 9 a.m., the government tells us that 48 people died in all settings, and 512 people were confirmed as infected, and these are steady figures. The NHS tells us that there were 6 people who died in hospitals yesterday and 8 were confirmed for the day before.

We are never going to get to zero. That is not our government’s strategy by all accounts, but if we can keep lowering the numbers of infectees and those who die, then I will feel happier about the risks of being out and about.

Handwashing and keeping our distance are still the secrets to keeping this virus at bay. Let’s keep at it, folks. And may peace be with you all.

Deliveries! We have had a few of those today, and don’t you just love ’em? And we never know when a delivery driver is going to call, as it can be any time of the day these days, can’t it? Nor are we ever quite sure what we’ve ordered until it comes, but that’s the thrill of it. Ah, yes….. lock down syndrome has addled our brains. We excitedly order an item and then two minutes later forget all about it, only to remember it once we’ve opened the mystery parcel or recognise the box.

This morning a large-ish parcel arrived. What was it? I wondered. Ah-ha! said John, I think that will be one of the sides we’ve ordered for the gazebo. He clearly has a better memory than me. I opened it. Yes, it is, I said. It’s a side with a door in, the same as the one that arrived yesterday. No, no, protested John. The one that came yesterday has a window in it, hasn’t it? Ermmm….. I don’t think so. Nope, it’s exactly the same as the other one. Oh, OK we’ve got two now then. No actual gazebo yet, but two sides with doors. Lovely.

This afternoon, the doorbell rang and another delivery driver with a large-ish parcel stood on the doorstep, with his little tablet, taking a photo of it there, safely delivered. Now, I knew what that was, because it had the word KitchenAid emblazoned across the box. We had sent Andrew’s poorly mixer away to be repaired and here it was, back again. Another lovely.

Just before our evening meal, another delivery. I hadn’t a clue as to what it was, but John was busy chatting to the delivery chap as if they were old friends. Then I recognised the box. All the way from Liverpool, John’s eye serum had been delivered by courier, and the couriers are such nice, friendly people that we always stop and have a chat to them. Mystery solved.

I think that was it for today. But it breaks the day up and it seems to feel a bit like Christmas when we have delivery days. However, on the day when the retail sector has announced job losses and closure of some John Lewis’ and Boots’ shops, I feel guilty that we no longer do all our shopping on the high street. Retail sector representatives talk about everyone changing their shopping habits as a result of the lock down and it’s a bit of a shocker really. I suspect there will be more to come, and I regret that we are contributors to those job losses, but just now, there is little alternative.

In between deliveries we had a ‘faffing about’ day. And, surprise, surprise, Mum came downstairs, dressed and raring to go just after ten-thirty, even before the ol’ man was up!! “You beat me to it.” he said, gob-smacked, as he came into the kitchen to find her there already.

John fitted a couple of pieces of carpet into the side panels of the boot in the Lotus this afternoon, and it looks like he’s done a great job so far. It’s gone in nicely. He also cooked both lunch and the evening meal today, which was a bonus as far as I am concerned. In fact, he’s been on a roll with cooking and baking, having made some paleo ‘sandwich rolls’ the day before yesterday, and which are absolutely yummy.

He makes me laugh though. I was weary of cooking and did that *sigh* …… I suppose I’d better get food…… *sigh* thing that you do when you really don’t want to do something. He was kind. No worries, I’ll cook, he said. What shall we have? I’d got pork chops out of the freezer but hadn’t decided what to do with them. He looked up a recipe from tinternet. Irish coddled pork with cider. Sounds nice. Got any cider? Yes. Phew. Cabbage? No. Bacon? Yes. Swede? No. He did it anyway, with replacement veg for the stuff we hadn’t got – and it was very, very tasty. Even Mum enjoyed it. He’s just invented ‘Sleath Towers coddled pork with cider’, I think.

My day started beautifully. A little video from William, eating his breakfast, “Good morning, Grandma.” I sent one back, saying good morning, William, and ‘have a nice day’ to which he sent me another one telling me to have a nice day too. Heart full, I walked on cloud nine for a good few hours after that.

I managed to finish the ironing today, as well as having a little potter in the garden sorting out the poor roses that had been bashed to bits in the rain, in between the showers. I also finally cleared everything I wanted to clear from the utility room so that I can put my mind to preparing the walls in the ‘office-cum-gym-cum-snug’. Update on the room’s name: John isn’t keen on naming it a ‘snug’, so back to the drawing board.

This evening was a delight, spending time on Zoom with the college crew. It was soft and gentle and just good. Heartfelt thoughts and prayers for dear Susie P though, as she attends the funeral of one of her best friends tomorrow. Not COVID related, but shocking nonetheless as it was a brief and unexpected illness.

COVID related deaths, however, were reported today with 85 people having succumbed by nine o’clock this morning, in all settings. 642 people were confirmed as having been infected too. The NHS figures don’t seem to tally with previous information, but for the record, today’s report shows four people having died in hospitals by four o’clock yesterday, and 8 having been confirmed for the day before.

Let us savour every moment we have, folks. Life is precious. Take care and God bless you all.

I woke up early. Then listened. Was it raining? No, it didn’t sound like it. I lay for a while and then peeked out under the bedroom blind to confirm the state of the weather. It was overcast but dry. I decided to go for a stroll before the dog-walkers were about.

I didn’t see anyone, but I did see a bus coming towards me. I slowed to avoid a repeat of yesterday whereby I am walking on the pavement, the bus is travelling on the road, the bus ploughs through a deep, dastardly puddle and I, not suspecting a thing, get soaked. Ha! Missed me today!!

The walk did me good and I felt refreshed, ready for the day. Not that I’d got plans as such, but the house tidy-up is now required after a few days of ignoring the bits and bobs laying about. Especially with John labouring away at the ‘office-cum-gym’, I feel an imperative to complement his work. So, today it was a clear-out of the utility room which was still strewn with tools, paintbrushes, plant pots and spare drugs that had yet to be installed in their rightful box.

All tidied and mostly cleaned – apart from the floor – it’ll be the shower room next and then onto the painting of the newly floored room, I hope. The more I think about the room, the less I like the new name, ‘the gym’. Admittedly, it does have the cross-trainer in it, but I’m leaning more towards a little ‘snug’. I’ll let that sit with us for a while and see what we think.

We had a generally relaxed sort of day. Snoozing on and off in between chores and jobs, picking up TV viewing for a little while – there was the 1993 Women’s Final from Wimbledon and a Test Match to look forward to. Well, Wimbledon, at least, wasn’t rained off……

John pottered in the garage with his Lotus for a bit, tinkering with the final pieces of sound-deadening in the boot area and tidying it up, before he had a lie-down in bed to inspect the back of his eyelids. I prepped the evening meal, popped it in the oven, before sitting in the lounge and inspecting the back of my eyelids. Not sure if Mum did her own eyelid inspection this afternoon, but I doubt it, as she didn’t get up until one o’clock.

I was relieved though today, not to hear those oft-said words, “Anne, are you asleep?” just as I’m dropping off. I thought maybe she hadn’t noticed my somnolence, but as soon as I woke up it was, “You’ve been asleep, haven’t you?” And is it just me, but is there an accusation in there somewhere? Surely not.

Just before our evening meal, the doorbell rang, and it was one of the managers from Mum’s sheltered accommodation delivering a handful of her post. I persuaded Mum to come to the front door. “It’s Mandy, come to say hello.” I said. Mum shook her head – she had absolutely no idea who I was talking about but, dutifully, she did haul herself from her chair and away from watching ‘The Chase’ to see who it was. “Hello, Mandy,” she said, as she neared the door – clearly, she did recognise her after all.

After we’d eaten this evening, it was quiz time. John was Quiz Master for our Centre Stage friends and we had a cracking evening. The questions were hard, but enjoyable, and there was no dispute over the answers until just before the end. Ah-ha! said Nigel. I know the answer to this one. I know because I compiled a quiz on the exact same question. We demurred a bit and suggested an alternative answer. No. Absolutely 100% sure it’s Greece. We acquiesced. The answer came. It wasn’t Greece. It wasn’t our other proposed answer either. We all laughed. Nigel was still sure it was Greece.

We spent the next fifteen minutes giggling our heads off, cheeks aching, sides splitting, as Nigel justified his answer and why John’s answer wasn’t right. Maps were consulted, Google was brought into play, more maps pored over, degrees latitude were considered, and no matter how it was presented, Nigel was adamant. Oh, but it was just soooo funny. And Nigel is such a great sport. He took all our laughter on the chin and joined in himself. “I’m a bit competitive.” he said sheepishly, as we drew the quiz to a close. We don’t mind – in fact, we quite like it.

So, what’s new in the COVID-19 picture? Very little. It’s still there, people are still catching the darned virus, and still dying from it. The government report that 126 people died in all settings up until five o’clock yesterday. The report also tells us that 630 people were confirmed as infected. Deaths in hospitals, according to the NHS report, were 4 people yesterday and 11 confirmed for the day before.

Better news, though, is that the government have some plans to support people in getting back on their feet. The proof will be in the pudding as the packages announced today roll out, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that things will ease a bit for all those suffering the most – although there is bound to be the devil in the detail……..

Take care. God bless.

It’s July for goodness’ sake!! The seventh month of the year already, when we’d normally being thinking of us ‘olidays and relaxing on the patio with a little alcoholic drinky-poo at sundown. But it’s tipping it down with rain; the temperature is cool and, when I walked to Kaye’s for a socially-distanced meet-up under her gazebo this afternoon, I matched my steps to the ‘hot chocolate, drinking chocolate’ advert of 1964, and drank just that, wrapped in a warm woolly and my waterproof mac. A bit of a contrast to yesterday, eh what?

I really do need to get a grip though now. The once-sparkly life we used to lead is long gone and, despite the few occasions when I am uplifted by family visits, we are definitely in the doldrums. Others are beginning to be out and about visiting the hairdressers, the dentist or the pub, and ‘bubbling’ with loved ones, hugging and kissing. Not that I am jealous, you understand. I am delighted for all those who can (seriously), but wondering whenever we will be released from the straitjacket we’re in. And it’s leaving me a bit purposeless. John keeps saying “Smile?” but it’s a bit of an effort.

I mean, it’s been quite a good day today, one way or another, so I can’t really complain, but find that I’d like to, thank you very much. How ungrateful is that? We are warm and dry; we have delicious food and the means to cook it; we have ample clothes to wear (even if I do need a new pair of jeans); we have entertainment in pretty much every form, including the means to exercise; we have the most wonderful space for flowers and plants, with trees for shade and garden games to play if we want them. We have everything we need – so I can’t really complain…… but I’d like to, please!!!

Anyhoo…. as you were, and as I say, it’s been a good day. We have all been well and generally pottering about doing our own little bits and pieces. John has been beavering away sorting out the ‘office-cum-gym’ and it’s now ready for a jolly good clean up and a lick of paint. I am undecided exactly what colour to put in there but may end up just using the leftovers from the business to start with – white or magnolia – and install a feature wall.

I am equally undecided as to how we will dress the room. There are two or three ‘givens’. One is the cross-trainer, which is already in situ, as are an IKEA bookcase and some shelving. But do we put a bed in there so that we can use it as a spare room at Christmas? More to the point, will we ever have anyone to stay over ever again at Christmas? Or do we put a futon in there and a telly so that it can be a ‘bolt-hole’? Decisions, decisions. Answers on the back of a postage stamp please….

I had the thrill of a spot of ironing and then the anticipation of putting it all away – lucky me – before I trotted round to Kaye’s. The original arrangement, to meet on ‘the green’, was made last week but, for a variety of reasons, only three of us could make it. Of course, I was in the doubtful category. Should I go? Was it safe? My friends assured me it would be safe. Take your own chair and your own drink and sit two metres apart. It’ll be fine.

Well, as before, when we went to Sandra’s, it was raining. Ah-ha! A get-out clause, I thought. But no, they are a determined bunch. Instead of meeting on the green, we met under the shelter of Kaye’s gazebo in her back garden. The mantra was repeated; bring your own chair, bring your own drink, sit two metres apart – it’ll be fine. It was fine, of course, and I had a lovely time.

Mum also had the excitement of putting away her clothes. I had left them in a pile next to her on the settee, where they sat for a while before I broke the news to her that she was going to take them upstairs herself. She shrugged, helplessly, and said she couldn’t possibly as there was such a big pile. I had an answer for that. Take them up bit by bit. She looked crestfallen. She could tell I was serious. Not long afterwards she picked up half a dozen handkerchiefs and took them up to her room. I smiled to myself. She was definitely going to take her ironing up, but it may take a while…..

While Mum was making her way up the stairs, John and I had an exciting half hour. The other day, we decided we’d buy a gazebo. “Shall we have a look and see what there is?” John suggested. “Ooh, yes, let’s” I replied, and we settled down in front of the computer to select an appropriate one. This is what our lives have come to, folks, and that’s as exciting as it gets.

Not only that, a gazebo purchase is a bit more difficult than you think. We wanted a sun defender, as well as also a waterproof gazebo, given that we may be sat out in the garden for some time to come. Most, don’t you know, say they are water-resistant. That’s not quite what we’re after. And then, you see one you quite like – only to find its five hundred quid or something. Anyway, we did find one, but we had the devil of a job to order it. Amazon kept taking us round and round a loop telling us that the choice of delivery wasn’t an option and getting stuck there before the payment window. We ordered it from somewhere else in the end. Wonder how long it’ll take before it arrives?

After we’d eaten, we took delivery of another Ocado ‘specialist’ shop, so I whiled away half an hour on ‘shopping washing’, while John did ‘pot washing’, and Mum did ‘place mat washing’ before we all sat down to enjoy a bit of TV. And thus passed another day. Tick, tock.

So, what do you think to today’s figures on COVID-19? The weekend catch-up? 155 people have died in an all settings according to the government as at nine o’clock this morning; and 581 people are confirmed as infected. The NHS report 7 deaths in hospitals as at four o’clock yesterday, and 9 were confirmed for the day before.

God bless you and yours, everyone. Take care.

Did alright, didn’t he? The ol’ man doing yesterday’s blog? Who’da thought it, eh?? Marvellous.

So, after a good night’s sleep, I woke up quite a bit more cheerful today, and shook off yesterday’s melancholia. None of us got up especially early – well, you might know Mum wouldn’t – even though we were all awake with the lark. I was particularly brightened by the thought of the Sutton Sleaths calling in. An early morning text to let me know that a picnic in the back garden was on, if that was OK and we hadn’t got any plans? Had to laugh. Plans?? None whatsoever – the only plans we have, generally speaking, are hospital trips and there were none of those today.

The weather had looked good early this morning, but by mid-morning the wind was up, and it was a bit cooler than I’d hoped. Let’s get the chiminea ready, I thought. At least we can huddle round the warmth of the flames if necessary. In the end, although the heat of the fire was very welcome, by the time the family arrived, the wind had slowed, and it was quite mild.

The car drew up on the drive and we excitedly went outside to greet them. William was asleep. Thomas was asleep. Well, thank goodness for small mercies – snoozing children on the ride over is always a bonus. We opened the back gate in readiness and invited them round into the garden. I shot upstairs to tell Mum they were here and get her up, but to my surprise, she was actually dressed and already grinning because she’d seen them arrive from out of her window.

Picnic blanket spread out on the lawn; picnic hamper opened and contents disgorged; sleeping baby; and one very happy William tucking into egg or cheese ‘n pickle sandwiches followed by fresh fruit and a brownie. Bliss. Even Grandma Hazel got in on the act once she’d had her breakfast, eagerly stepping out of the patio doors to see the new baby.

We had no idea how long the Sutton Sleaths would stay. I think they thought maybe a couple of hours; see how Thomas behaved, see how William was, see what the weather was like, and so on. We had no agenda. We had nowhere to go and nothing particular to do. The weather warmed up and the wind abated. Thomas fed and slept. And slept. William was as happy as a sand-boy rediscovering the garden – feeding the fish, playing on the swing and digging in the sandpit.

Despite the weather improving, Grandma Hazel went back indoors as she was getting chilly. She was disappointed though, not to be joining in. I moved the wing-backed chair into the patio door recess, so that she could watch in the warm. We all noted it was even more like Bates’ Motel, as she stayed there all afternoon, but she thoroughly enjoyed watching the to-ings and fro-ings of the family, smiling and waving at us all intermittently.

The sun came out and Michael and Danielle stretched out. One on the picnic blanket, one in the lounging chair. John chatted to them and I plucked at a few weeds and William joined in. We put the weeds into the ‘YumYum Bin’ (aka the green wheelie bin) which gobbled them up with its big mouth, ready to rot them down to make new soil. I know this because William told me so each time that we made the trip there and back.

We exhausted one flower bed and moved onto the next. We found little stones and started to collect those. William trotted back and forth with a handful of stones to place in the gravel bed at the top of the garden. Wagging his finger at me, he said, “You stay there Grandma, and you do some more weeding.” I stayed where I was told. Trotting back to me, he called out to John, each and every time, “Hers waiting for me!” and I would reply as, his eyes shining, he arrived back at his station near to me, “Yes, I’m here, waiting for you.” Then he’d say, “You’re my friend.” And I’d reply, “You’re my friend, too.” And thus, we spent a very happy hour, or even two, just searching flowerbeds for weeds and stones, marvelling at the different shapes and sizes of the stones; and discovering white, floaty, chick feathers which William placed safe in a bowl, and then in a teapot(!).

Meanwhile, Michael and Danielle rested. John rested. Thomas was asleep. William was playing with me. It was a lovely afternoon and my tears of yesterday, broken-hearted at not seeing Freddie so often and missing the Kenilworth Sleaths so acutely, was put into perspective. The time will come when I can companionably play with Freddie again, I am sure. He’ll have moved on from stones and feathers and weeds, but I shall look forward to whatever it is and wherever it is that his imagination takes him, and I’ll follow.

Finally, it was six o’clock. William was feeling hungry. Each of us feeling reluctant but we thought it must be time to go. We offered to make egg and chips, but it really was time to go. Chips in the making in Sutton, so no worries. A ‘Red Cross Food Parcel’, including a belated Easter Egg, was thrust upon them as they got into the car and then, with a smile and a wave, they were on the way.

Such an unexpected treat today. We had no idea when the day started that we would be enjoying ourselves so much. Felt like we were on holiday. And we felt very, very blessed to have been close to all three sons, as well as their wives and the grandchildren in the last few days. Lucky, lucky us to know love like this.

Meanwhile, people have still been infected with COVID-19 and died from it. The government reports 16 deaths in all settings up until five o’clock yesterday, and 352 people confirmed as infected. The NHS reports 3 deaths in hospitals for the same time period, and 10 deaths confirmed for the day before. My thoughts are with the families of all those people.

Love is all. Stay safe everyone. Keep on keeping on with all the precautions, lest the lurgy strike unexpectedly.

It must have been in 1961, just after Christmas, when the vicar came to call. We had been playing with my new WHOOPEE cushion, which were all the rage at the time. As kids do, we were hiding it under various cushions on assorted chairs, and waiting till some poor unsuspecting person, i.e. a parent, sat on it. Well, we had never had a visit from the vicar before. Come to think of it, we had never had a visit from ANY Vicar before. However, this one, Anthony Rowland Smith, (honestly) was trying to get all his parishioners to sign up to regular “giving” for St Christopher’s Church. I had answered the door and, in a state of some shock, had directed him to the “front” room. As I went to call my Mum, I heard a distinct PHUUUT. Now, those of you familiar with whoopee cushions will know that they have two different responses to being sat on. The preferred option is when a light person sits down on it and you get a long satisfying raspberry sound (for want of a better word). However, when the cushion is subject to sudden heavy weight, the air is expelled very quickly, and produces the aforementioned PHUUT. Anthony Rowland Smith was a large man. As my mother went in to talk to him, I decided to remain in the kitchen, and tried to explain the situation to my father.

When I say today has been rather a PHUUT of a day, I hope you will understand what I mean. Those of you who are connoisseurs of English prose, may also have noticed a totally different style of writing. This is because the writing of today’s blog, has been taken over by your usual scribe’s spouse, your usual scribe having succumbed to a PHUUT of a day.

So, today has been a strange day, which actually began last night. Although every day is the same, somehow, Sundays still manage to feel different. After Anne had posted her Blog last night, she came to bed about 1 a.m. I had been having a restless sleep, and shortly after getting into bed, Anne asked, “Do you think taking a couple of paracetamol might help??” This is code for “either lie still or go to the spare room”.

The spare room was cooler than the master bedroom, and very dark, thanks to blackout blinds. I woke sometime in the morning, expecting to hear Anne singing along with her church service. As there was no clock in the spare room, nor any light, I assumed it was not yet 9 a.m. I eventually got up, and discovered it was 10:30 and Anne was not “going to church”. She was going to join the group for “morning coffee” at 11.

About 10 past 11 Anne came into the kitchen having left the coffee morning. “Just not in the mood”.

We decided to try and do an Ocado order, so I went and booked a delivery slot, whilst Anne did the fruit for breakfast.We ate breakfast then did the online shop. How does one make that sound interesting????

Because it was a PHUUT of a day, there was a certain reluctance to keep going upstairs to winkle Granny out of bed. Consequently, it was about 1:40 p.m. before she got downstairs. Anne had made her a lunch of an egg sandwich, and we had some discussion as to whether or not to take it through to the lounge, or get Granny to come into the kitchen. Granny normally can manage to get her own breakfast of Apricot Wheats, and then eat her lunch about 30 mins later. Anne left the sandwich at Granny’s place on the kitchen table, and she eventually came through and ate the sandwich for breakfast.

By now, it was time for the Austrian Grand Prix on TV. I sat down to watch it, Anne got the ironing out, and Hazel came through and sat in her usual telly watching spot. Now here is one of those little conundrums that play out in the back of your mind. I COULD have recorded the Grand Prix and watched it later. Granny clearly was not happy at having to surrender the choice of TV programme to someone else and miss watching Tenable, Tipping Point, The Chase. Again, I COULD go and get on with tidying the “office-cum-gym” and let her watch her programmes…….. but the Grand Prix was very exciting, with a large number of cars retiring due to mechanical failure; signs of a long layoff it seems.

After the GP, Anne and I went to Paul’s, to deliver some goodies we had ordered for Freddie and Lily. We spent a heart-warming half hour socially distanced in their garden. Funny how missing a hug with the ones you love can seem so weird. So near yet so FAR!!!!

On our return home, Anne made the Spaghetti Bolognaise whilst I finally finished the office-cum-gym. Hazel normally spends most of her dinner time forensically dissecting her meal, looking for anything that might be regarded as “tough”. We managed to convince her that the mushrooms did not fall into the “tough” category, and about 7:30, we managed to retire to the lounge to watch TV. We watched The Durrells again, and then Maigret. At about 9:30 we remembered we were supposed to be joining in the Kenilworth Sleaths Zoom Quiz. Oops. Was it because today was Sunday? Was it because today was a PHUUT day?? Or was it because of copious amounts of wine? Who knows.

Remembering the Covid-19 figures, the figures are clearly “Sunday” figures, because there were 2 deaths in hospitals, the government stated 22 deaths in all settings and there were 516 newly reported cases.

So, it’s been an odd day, definitely felt like a Sunday, yet nothing happened to make today any different to every other day. Driving to Paul’s today, we saw lots of people out walking, entering pubs, but we didn’t see any face masks. And, surprise surprise, the papers report on last night’s lack of social distancing as the pubs open, after 12 weeks, on a Saturday night!!!! If it didn’t have the potential for being so tragic, it would be laughable.

Well folks, please do what you can to keep yourselves safe, hopefully normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

Stay safe, and alert.

John

When you wake up at half past five in the morning, what is your inclination? Groan, turn over and snuggle back to sleep? Get up and go to the loo – then go back to bed? Sit up and read? Or get up, get up? That was my dilemma this morning. In fact, it’s been my dilemma for the last couple of mornings. Not sure what is so magic about that time of the day, but something is waking me up. Dawn chorus maybe, or the sun rising, perhaps.

I was actually tempted to get up, get up. For about ten minutes I thought I might wander downstairs and start on the ever-lasting jobs list or go for an early morning walk. However, I resisted temptation, rolled over and went back to sleep until eight o’clock. Then I started on the ever-lasting jobs list.

One of the things I wanted to do was to put all of the lockdown blog into the leather-bound Family Album. I had started it a few weeks ago but made a mess of backing some of the pages when printing it out. Today, it was tidy-up time. I am sure there are going to be oodles and oodles of writings about the pandemic and the lockdown situation from different people, but this is my personal account for the friends and family – and anyone who’s interested really.

Because the putting-together of the album is for the family, I am kicking myself now for not including more photos, so I intend to rectify that by choosing some apt ones to accompany the words where I can. However, the album is now full, and I can hardly squeeze any more pages in. I thought I’d start a second volume, so researched the company that made the original book, only to find that it’s a Polish company and it looks like they may not make that particular product any more. So, here’s another little project – hunt down a similar family book to complement the one I’ve got. Yay!! Another project……. photos and a new album.

John, as you know, has plenty of projects on the go and today’s tasks were to a) watch qualifying for tomorrow’s Austrian Grand Prix, and b) fit the edging round the ‘office-cum-gym’ on the laminate flooring. In between times, he offered to cook our late lunch.

We do a mean poached egg and vegetable ‘stack’, so we thought we’d have that. I made the mistake of suggesting that, instead of simply frying sliced sweet potato, we could have rösti. Great idea, and John was up for the challenge. The only thing is, that in doing the ‘stack’ you have to get the timings right. Bless him, he got exceedingly hot and bothered fulfilling the brief and was, in fact, exhausted by the time it came to eating it! The only saving grace was that whilst he was cooking he was able to watch the Grand Prix qualifying at the same time!

Despite being exhausted, John did tackle the edging in the ‘office-cum-gym’ and it’s looking good. I did hear a fair bit of swearing along the way, but I can’t see what there was to be swearing at. He’s doing a grand job and I think he’s feeling quite satisfied with it and himself.

Mum, on the other hand, was feeling very weary-willy today. The heating had kicked in due to the drafts circulating in the house, and I think it had made her room too warm. She wasn’t keen to get up and showed me a very woe-begone face. I decided not to take notice of it but just to be matter of fact in the hope that she’d soon get over it. And, indeed, she did.

But she was funny. I’d suggested that she stay in her dressing gown until she’d had her bath. Unfortunately, because she’d got up so late and I was so busy with my Family Album that it was mid-afternoon before it was on the cards. It’s the first time I have actually heard her ask, “When am I having my bath?” Had to laugh.

And the laughter continued into the evening. Being a people-watcher, I enjoy a bit of Gogglebox – whether it’s standard folk or celebrities – and so, wanting a little light relief at the end of the day, I put it on. Well, Mum and I had a real giggle, then John came and sat with us and he laughed along too. We fell into the highlights of the Michael McIntyre show afterwards and, unusually, found ourselves laughing at that too. Sometimes, it’s good to be entertained by something other than an earnest piece of drama, isn’t it?

With our social interaction also being soft and gentle today, we’ve generally had a decent day. Malcolm called with the shopping this morning, with whom I enjoyed a ‘path chat’. Excitingly, he brought cherries – not just any old cherries in a punnet, but a great big tray of them. I have lots of favourite foods, and cherries is one of them. Honestly, I am as happy as a pig in clover!

All our boys have been in touch one way or another today, too. Andrew called us on his way to viewing a flat, with the news that the car wouldn’t start. It transpired that he’d left the lights on and the battery was flat. All sorted now, but it’s one of those little things to remember, with it being an older car. We have got so used to modern cars thinking for themselves, haven’t we? Michael called us on a video chat. Well, to be precise, it was William at bath-time, who spent a good twenty minutes telling us all about his SuperWings and how they’d got put out the fire. Plenty of actions to accompany the words as well. Made my heart sing, I can tell you. Paul and Harriet went across to West Midlands Safari Park today and Harriet sent us photos of them having a great time there. Looked fabulous fun and I wished I’d been with them. One day……

One day…. when there’s zero deaths from COVID-19 perhaps, but not yet. Today’s figures from the government, as at five o’clock yesterday, show 67 deaths from the virus in all settings and 624 people infected. The NHS figures show 2 people died up until four o’clock yesterday with 19 deaths confirmed for the day before.

The pubs were open today. Let’s look at the figures in a couple of weeks time……In the meantime, take care and God bless.

It’s been a blustery old day today, hasn’t it? So much so, that the wind has whistled through every nook and cranny of our hundred-year-old house. This morning, I wondered why it felt particularly cool downstairs, then I remembered. The door to the ‘office-that-we-now-call-the-gym’ is off its hinges, leaning up against the wall, as part of the floor-laying process. Equally, one of the doors through to the garage is off its hinges too, as part of the same process. The wind is enjoying playing round and round, and then scudding into the kitchen, lounge and half-way up the stairs.

This morning it didn’t matter too much. I busied myself mending the cupboard in the ‘office-cum-gym’ and putting more washing into the washing machine, before it was time to have a run out in the car over to Heartlands Hospital, for John’s regular clinic appointment with the haematologist.

Mum made it downstairs before we left, so I was sure she was safe and sound, and she’d managed to have her breakfast. I made her a cup of tea and a sandwich, which I left on the kitchen table, in readiness for her lunch, along with a little tub of jelly and a few sliced strawberries, before we set off. I shut the door between the kitchen and the utility room to stay the wind as best it could, put the TV on for Mum and then we were away.

We had a good run into Birmingham, marvelling at the length of the traffic queue to get into the recycling plant, and the volume of traffic on the way. We also noted, with some irritation, that the tyre pressure warning light pinged on as we were half way to our destination. We chose to ignore it just then, promising ourselves that we’d deal with it on the way back. We didn’t. I needed the loo on the way back, so that’s a job for another day.

The report from Paneesha, John’s haematologist, was mostly all good. Blood counts all behaving themselves, so Paneesha was delighted, and the results of the recent lung function test and CT scan was in. The scan showed that John’s bronchiectasis is about the same, and the lung function test confirmed similar results to the test he did a couple of years ago. Just got to get rid of the stubborn infection lurking there, and manage the bronchiectasis condition going forward. All in all, not too bad. And Paneesha was thrilled to see John looking so much better and upbeat.

Home again to put the kettle on for a cuppa, to find that Mum hadn’t touched her lunch or the cup of tea I’d made her earlier. “Didn’t you fancy your lunch, Mum?” I asked. She looked startled, the cogs whirring in her head. “Oh……. yes, yes. I just haven’t had it yet.” she replied. Made me smile. Good for her that she had the wit to think – she had forgotten about it but didn’t want to upset me by saying so. A few minutes later, she got up to get her lunch and, to my surprise, she ate the jelly and the strawberries…….. there’s really no accounting for it – one day she doesn’t like them but the next she does. Made me smile again, but in a resigned sort of way this time.

After lunch, John was tired, so he made his way upstairs for a rest. Five minutes later, there was a tap at the front door. There was our darling Andrew. He’s moving out of his flat shortly, so he’d brought some more pieces of furniture for us to store. John made his way downstairs again – not so tired now, eh?

As I said, it’s been a blustery old day and neither John nor I fancied sitting outside with Andrew today. Not even to sit in front of the chiminea. So, Andrew sat in the porch, and we sat, marooned, in the middle of the hall like we did once before. It worked really well.

There are really no words to describe the feeling you get when you see your children, are there? It was just so lovely. Like a warm blanket wrapped around us. Comfortable, easily chatting, chuckling, planning, considering the future, debating our situation, reminiscing, righting wrongs – all sorts of stuff, and just blooming marvellous!

As always in these situations, it was over all too soon and he had to go. I thrust what we laughingly call a ‘Red Cross Food Parcel’ at him. “Ooooh… loo rolls and chocolate, Mum? Spot on!” he laughed, as he peered into the contents of the bag.

After Andrew had left, John went upstairs for his rest and I had a little sit down on the sofa and maybe I nodded off for half an hour. I knew it was the wrong thing to do though, because in my half-conscious state I knew I should have been bustling about getting our evening meal ready. And I knew that because just as I was dropping off, Mum said, “Anne? Are you asleep?” I said yes, kept my eyes firmly closed and ignored the fact that I should have been getting on. A short while later, I could hear Mum on her perambulations with a little bit of tutting and sighing going on and standing very close to me. I opened one eye and saw her watching me, disapprovingly. The TV was on. She’d recently been to the loo. So, it could only be that she was hungry. I ignored the eyes boring into me for another ten minutes or so before I gave in and scuttled into the kitchen. Honestly, you’d think I was ten years old!

Having been in and out of the back door earlier in the afternoon we had forgotten to close the door between the kitchen and the utility room and once again the downstairs was feeling a bit chilly. So, John lit a fire. Oooh, it was so cosy. Loved it. It’s July and we lit a fire!! The seasons are a bit topsy-turvy, I think.

The topsy-turvy world still includes a fair few deaths in the community from COVID-19, which is disappointing. The government report today indicates that there were 137 deaths in all settings up until five o’clock yesterday, and 544 people who were infected. The NHS report counts 6 deaths in hospitals up until four o’clock yesterday with 8 deaths having been confirmed for the day before.

That’s it, folks. Another day of doin’ nothin’ much but appreciating what we’ve got – a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, the capacity for warmth when it’s cold and, above all, our love for each other. God bless.