Lockdown 10

Peaceful and serene in the Sandwell Valley 

Hello everyone,

Believe it or not but we are in week 10 of lockdown. We have just had our third Bank hols weekend in lockdown. Peeps are asking for an extra one in October to compensate for the loss of normal activities on these occasions. Some countries are recovering and have removed the lockdown rules. However, the global figure is 5,607,000 cases and 348,000 deaths. We are told that things are getting better. Let’s hope so. I would like to share my weekend log with you. Enjoy!

Day 61, Saturday. Groundhog Day 8265

Hello, another weekend. I feel many will act stupidly this weekend and that’R’ thing will rise again causing us to go back into full lockdown. It’s sunny but very, very breezy today. What do I have to look forward to? Hopefully, my darling will be round later and I’m going to enjoy the download of The Sound of Music.

3.45. My reward for waiting and listening… those melodic tones. He’s stopped by my gate. Off to pick up coins and …yea!

Now, it’s update time again. I’ve had a great time until this moment. The Sound of Music, an American adaptation for television was fantabulous. Then, my Antonio arrived just as Captain Von Trapp was singing Edelweiss. I put it on pause, then enjoyed my 99 with his singing. Deffo a productive and delightful day.

Listening to the update briefing. Once again, it started with the testing figures which they are so proud of. Then those amazing, fictitious figures and graphs. Apparently, they are going down and we’re still be low 1 on the R thing, ratio or reproduction. I’ve heard both used. What seems to be the main item today… a naughty aide, to our PM, has broken the rules…resignation is being called for. Dominic Cummings travelled over two hundred miles from London to County Durham during the lockdown when his wife had coronavirus virus symptoms, and he was worried about both of them getting the virus. Mr Cummings and his wife went to his parents' home to self-isolate. They were concerned about their four year old child being looked after if they both became victims. They self isolated in a separate property from his extended family. It is questionable as to whether the PM new or sanctioned it. Was he actually breaking the rules or not? He was acting in the interest of caring for his child, that is not against the rules but travelling beyond the local area is. Is there one rule for politicians and aides, but another for the rest of us? There are references to two other politicians who have broken lockdown rules and resigned. Professor Neil Ferguson, medical advisor from SAGE, who allowed his lover to join him in lockdown and Dr Catherine Calderwood, chief medical officer in Scotland, who drove to her holiday home twice, after telling everyone else not to travel.

Think I’ve had enough of this for today. Going to switch it off now. For the rest of the day? Play, eat, drink, watch tv. Finally, luxury bubble bath before bed. 

Stay safe everyone. Back tomorrow.

Day 62, Sunday, special day.

Another new day, another adventure! 

Today, I look forward to the morning service, Songs of Praise, and ice cream.

What’s the news all about? Mainly, Dominic Cummings’ resignation. Secondly, the funerals in Pakistan of the air crash victims. What should have been a weekend of Eid celebrations has become a weekend of mourning. Another example of taking nothing for granted. Every thing can change in a second, or blink of an eye. So, take each day as a blessing, a new beginning, be thankful and enjoy what you have. Jealousy, bitterness, fighting, anger are negative and destroy life, and happiness. 

Hey, Brexit has just been mentioned again. Remember that? They still see it as going ahead on time despite the predicted recession. So, there’s going to be a recession? I thought that was going to be avoided by inflating the economy. Or was that yesterday’s news? 

There was a saying in my youth, “it will be tomorrow’s fish and chip paper”, simply meaning that whatever makes the newspapers today, will only be seen tomorrow, when the newspaper is used for wrapping fish and chips. For the youth of today; I talk of a time before social media and texting but after the days of the town crier. Everyone, who had any form of income, purchased a newspaper to be informed of national and international events. That was before television as well. I remember those days when we all sat round and engaged in something called “conversation” as opposed to grunting while glued to a smart phone. Ah, memory lane again!

Thinking back to 1952, our Queen was a happy princess in Kenya, unaware of the fact that she had ascended to the throne, or that her father had passed away, for a day. It took that long to get a message through. Now, such an event would be global and on Facebook in less than a second. 

11.45. Singing along to Come down love divine from a service at Bangor Cathedral.

Okay, peeps, the sun is out but I’m still waiting and listening. As of yet, no melodic tones.

I have been naughty this afternoon. I did apologise first! I’ve removed some of the dust that was happily sitting on shelves in my lounge. We had become like old friends sharing the pandemic together. Now, it’s gone?

Have I made my call today? No, one of my list phoned me instead. See, how it works. You start something and others follow. The old saying? Peeps are like sheep. Sorry, M. Think I may have just lost my number one fan but thanks for the call. 

5.20 pm and I’m still waiting. Will he deliver today? 

Well, it’s a Bank holiday and I give myself a little treat. Roast dinner. So off to put the Bernard Matthews turkey and trimmings in the oven. The wine is already in the fridge!

No, he did not deliver but I’ve had a great dinner and watching the box. Maybe, it would be more exciting if I turned it on! Film The Madness of King George. Later, Killing Eve. Bye peeps. See you, tomorrow when we will share another Groundhog Day!

Day 63, Bank Holiday Monday.

Beginning the tenth week of lockdown.

Sunshine. Normally, we would all be outside in throngs enjoying our glorious weather. Let’s hope peeps have had social distancing imprinted on their brains or we’re gonna be in trouble. Just been listening to Simon Calder, travel expert. June hols abroad? Forget it! Our quarantine rules start on June 8^th. Maybe, we can have staycations from July. We wait for government guidance on this one. There’s talk of air bridges soon, where countries have “bridges” with reciprocal countries who are equally low risk. As the UK has a high number of cases, and the highest number of deaths in Europe, plus we are out of the EU, do not think we are likely to be invited anywhere in Europe anytime soon. We have become a joke over our stupidity on this one. It’s like we are lepers or have the dreaded lurgy. Our “former” friends, Greece, and Cyprus, who took early action are now in celebratory mood, while being amused at our stupidity. 

Okay, what’s my temperature, how am I going to spend today, and will he deliver?

35.7C. The rest. Let’s wait and see.

2.08 pm. I’m ecstatic. He’s delivered. I’ve enjoyed. It’s a beautiful day. Quite a few, in the street, came out for an ice cream. Normality. Also, phoned my chosen lucky person. The lunch time news was all about, guess who…Dominic Cummings. There’s annoyance from many peeps who have obeyed the rules, stayed at home missing final goodbyes, funerals and have yearned just to cross the road and hug their family members. One rule for the politicians and another for the rest of us.

Next? I’m gonna potter outside and remove a few naughty weeds from the garden. Shall I apologise first like I did to the dust yesterday? No, anyone hearing me may question my sanity. My defence would be that I’m an author. On FB I asked the question of other authors, did they feel that they did not think like other people. One reply was from a psychiatrist who described authors as schizophrenics who did not need meds because they knew the difference between reality and illusion. That’s me, folks. Take it or leave it.

4.15. In my library looking at the outside view. Gobsmacked. It’s looking normal. Numerous cars parked and peeps gone over to the park. I’ll bet they’re not practicing social distancing. Many riding rounds on bikes. Loads of peeps strolling around. Not one person wearing a mask. We are going to pay for this big time.

The update is on and monopolised by Dominic Cummings. He is giving a statement telling the entire world about his recent actions and decisions relating to the fact that his wife took ill. His reasoning and intuition regarding his drive to Durham. He did not think that he had broken any rules because of the allowances for “exceptional circumstances” regarding small children and childcare. If both he and his wife took ill who would look after their child? His only option, he thought, was to drive to his family home. He did not stop on the way. He has not been in contact with anyone else. His son took ill, needed hospital treatment, while in Durham. He was also ill while there. Although he has not been tested for Coronavirus, so we don’t know if any of them have had it or not. He did go for a drive, but that was only to see if he was safe and fit to drive back to London; he wanted to get back to work. He did stop by the river, but he did not come into contact with anyone. Peeps, that’s the essence of his lengthy, I’d say about twenty minutes statement.

Reporters are asking questions. Talking about ordinary people who were unable to get help for serious things like cancer; unable to visit relatives who contracted Covid 19 and lived only a few miles away from them; unable to go to funerals of loved ones. They obeyed the rules. Why should he be allowed to do this? Why didn’t he ask the PM first? The PM was already in isolation. There is demand for Mr Cummings’ resignation. I’ve also seen an online petition calling for our PM’s resignation. My question, how did he get the job in the first place? The point has been made several times that Mr Cummings drove along way from his London home when everyone else was in lockdown and not allowed to drive any distance. The message was clear, “Stay home”. Mr C. is desperately pleading extenuating circumstances, and because of these, he acted accordingly and within the rules. He is giving dates for everything he did. He has clearly anticipated all the difficult questions and coming up with carefully crafted answers. Why didn’t his wife drive back to London? Why didn’t he have a driver collect them? Scores of questions. The whole episode lasted for an hour. He still had no intentions of resigning. He has not broken the rules! Well, clearly a politician!

6.00pm Monday is bin time. Yes, I tootle outside with my bins and chat with my neighbour. It was warm, sunny and a glorious evening. The type of evening that makes you happy to be alive. Next, a turkey dinner, vino while watching Downton followed by soaps. Great Groundhog Day!

 Until next week stay safe everyone. Love Lady M xxxxx🌈🍷🌈🕯🌈