Lockdown 3

Hello Everyone,

Well, we are now in our third week of lockdown. Sadly, some have not survived it and I send my sympathy and condolences to those who have lost loved ones. It is our Easter weekend and normally we would be excited and looking forward to sunny days ahead and much activity. Churches will be empty this Friday morning, the time for remembering Christ's crucifixion, and on Sunday for his resurrection. If there was ever a time to look after or look out for each other it is now. If there was ever a time to be positive, smiling, happy and hold on to hope it is now. My pics this week are of my book showing the apt title and a candle. I would like to ask you all to join me this Eastertide and light a candle for all those who are suffering. We must also remember those front line soldiers who are still working and putting their lives at risk for the rest of us. They deserve our respect and our weekly applause. I am going to post a section telling the Easter story and two of my Lockdown passages. I hope they will help you or maybe even inspire you to do something positive through these Groundhog days.

The Easter Story

Today is Good Friday in the Christian Religion. It is the day when Christians remember how Jesus died on the Cross outside the Jerusalem City Wall. 

On Sunday the church  will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. That first Sunday morning, when the women went to the tomb where Jesus had been hastily lain only to find the stone removed and the body missing, is celebrated. The women were anxious to anoint the body, in accordance with Jewish tradition, at the earliest opportunity. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and other women arrived at the tomb, expecting to find it secured by a stone. Imagine their surprise, the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Inside, a young man, wearing a white robe, spoke to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go tell his disciples and Peter, that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him as he told you."

(Mark ,Chapter16, vs 6 & 7.)

Lockdown

Day 14,

Hey, we are almost at the end of week two in the UK. Other countries are further into this. After our monarch’s inspiring address yesterday we can do a few more if we have to. Maybe, we should see each day as an adventure. This is different from anything we’ve ever known before, horrendous as it is, if we look at it as something exciting and with new opportunities it will seem easier to endure.

It’s 12.19 and I’m on my second cuppa. Yep, late today but I was reading until the small hours and was still awake at 3.00 am. These things don’t matter now do they? Night and day have become kinda synonymous. Oh it was a Sophie Kinsella book.

I know some peeps are getting bored. Well, bored peeps are boring. If you’re bored you need to do something about it. Take this time to learn a new language, take up a new hobby, catch up on reading, catch up on odd jobs. The choice is yours and with the Internet you don’t even have to go out.

I’ve just been sent a message about prayer. If ever there was a time for prayer it’s now. Whatever your religion or beliefs never underestimate the power of prayer.

What am I doing today? Not sure yet but I will not be bored.

Now, let’s take a look at the figures. Be brave. Locally, the number has risen to 316. Not good. The UK number of cases is 48,000 where as USA is at 336,000+. Worldwide the figure is 1 ¼ million. Deaths 70,000+. It wants me wanna have a lot of duvet days but we must be positive. Always remember good will conquer evil. We will win this war.

Will watch the goggle box for a while and then maybe face the mounting dishes in the kitchen. Have fun. Normally, I would be going to the library for afternoon tea on Monday. Yes, it’s deffo Monday, yesterday was Sunday! Routine had disappeared but not down the black hole. It’s just taking a rest and will return. I’ve also noticed that library books have all been dated for return on June 30th. Do they know something we don’t?

It’s 6.30 pm and the day has sort of drifted by. I went out for a walk. Well, to be more precise I walked about two hundred yards round the block. There was not a soul in sight. A helicopter hovered above. I’m assuming they were monitoring the situation particularly in the nearby Park and Sandwell Valley ensuring peeps were not congregating or sunbathing. I can’t believe peeps are actually doing that. I did notice a change on our Tesco’s car park . No cars. It looks like it’s been set up as a Covid19 testing centre.

I’ve just had the great experience of the week…I put the bin out. I waited all day until 6.00 pm. I took my grey household waste bin out of my back gate and my neighbour brought her bin out at the same time. It was really exciting. I never thought the day would come when putting a bin out would be so exciting or the highlight of the week. Garden rubbish and food waste collections have been suspended so we only have recycling and household rubbish collections now and for the foreseeable.

What next? I shall watch the soaps and then the last episode of 'Liar'.

So, stay safe folks.

Day 15,

Oh dear, our PM, Boris is in intensive care. His symptoms persisted while in isolation and now it’s serious. Should we all learn from this? The virus is demanding. He insisted on working and leading the Government while in isolation. Should he have rested?

Something has just been delivered. Dare I pick it up off the mat? I’ll put gloves on first. Well, it was the letter from the Government on Coronavirus. I guess in about a hundred years time one or two of these remaining letters will be sold for a fortune on a kind of eBay equivalent unless we have destroyed the world by then.

The weather is brill and we’re having a kinda mini summer leading up to Easter. So, this afternoon I’ll be in my little garden working on my potting plants.

I keep feeling my forehead. Do I have a temperature? Well, I could only guess as I don’t have a thermometer. If I tried to buy one they’re probably scarce or cost a fortune now. Anyway, I don’t have a dry cough. Curiosity has got the better of me. Just had a quick look at thermometers at Boots online.. not only expensive but many out of stock, coming soon. We are not only a country in chaos but a world in chaos.

Normally, I would be planning day trips and listening for Antonio’s melodic sound heralding the arrival of ice cream at this time of year. Many would be packing ready to hit the skies for holidays in foreign climes. Recently, a relatively new word became popular…staycation. The idea of holidaying at home as opposed to abroad. People would take a holiday somewhere in the UK rather like the days of my youth when a holiday was an annual event, not a monthly one, and a trip to the seaside. Usually, it was a week. If you could afford two weeks you were really lucky. Now, a holiday or staycation means stay in your home!

Yesterday, I saw an article by Simon Calder on travel. He predicts that overseas travel will take around five years to get back to where it was before this pandemic. Many are still stranded abroad as flights were cancelled and borders closed last month. Are peeps going to want to fly abroad or go on a cruise after this? How many airlines or businesses, hotels, restaurants etc will survive?

So, let’s look at the figures for today. Note, I’ve put it off today. Worldwide, 12,000 new cases. USA well ahead of any other country at 360,000+. Alarming. We have had more than 5,000 deaths.

On that sobering note it’s time for my second cuppa.

Back for the news at 1.30. No, it’s not good. Tremendous noise in the skies… two helicopters going round today. Have sorted some of my plants out this morning. Relaxing for a while. Thinking about what to do next.

Listening to the update on BBC and learn that I shouldn’t take much notice of the statistics. The listed ones here are hospital deaths only. They do not take into account care homes where many are losing their lives to this virus or deaths elsewhere like homes. So that may mean twice the number shown. Also, the case figures may well be fiction. So, I guess when all this is over we’ll just round it up to the nearest million or so.

Something exciting to report today. I’m learning how to post on Instagram. How many people will acquire new skills during this sad time? Ingenuity and creative skills? Afterwards will peeps have learned never to take things for granted particularly as they look at the mountain of toilet rolls stored in the corner of the lounge (the only room in their property large enough to accommodate them).

A car came round today. I rushed to the window. Movement outside. It was only a council van.

Only one soap opera on the box tonight. Then I shall have my third game of Scrabble and attempt to beat my score. Finally, a nice relaxing bubble bath before I retire. Stay safe peeps and well.

And stay safe my friends. Have the best Easter you can and please light a candle.

Lady M xxxxx