Lockdown 14

Sunset,  darkness will follow, then sunrise heralding a beautiful new day

Hello Peeps,

I hope you enjoyed the slight change last week and found Lillian's newsletter with my interview a refreshing interlude.

As I write this, here in the UK, most of us are looking forward to phase 3 on our Boris's roadmap. Many places including hairdressers, much to the relief of many, are reopening after three months of darkness. July 4th heralds a new beginning for us. Our own Independence Day.

We are all going through difficult, challenging times but there will be an end to this global pandemic eventually. We will look back on these dark days and realise how we have grown stronger and more united across the globe. Hope always evolves from despair. Stay positive, my friends.

As has become my custom, I'm going to share three of my daily logs with you.

Day 94, Thursday. 6 months to Christmas Day.

Morning Peeps. It’s so, so, so hot here. It’s beautiful. In the 80’s again. Fantabulous. There may be thunderstorms tonight. Who cares? Let’s enjoy the day. I’m trying to get used to my lounge; it looks peculiar now that my old friend ‘dust’ has been removed.

What to to do today? Go out. After brekky, I made my phone call. Alas, the lucky recipient chose not to answer. Next, popped out to the local shop for a few provisions. It’s great outside but I fear it precedes tragedy. The volume of traffic is back to normal. You may remember, peeps, two months ago I described the centre of West Brom as resembling an eerie ghost town but not today. There are buses in the station and lots of human beings. There’s a jubilant air as if the prison sentence is over. To most, it seems as if easing lockdown restrictions means total freedom. It’s not over!

I arrived at McColls and the first thing I noticed… the notice on the door saying only four peeps in at any one time had disappeared. Mind you, there was only me anyway,  but you can see what is happening. I left with provisions, meat, ice cream (for the days when my darling does not visit), fruit and a tv magazine.

Back home it was a pottering afternoon before my siesta. I just love a siesta on a hot afternoon. It’s so European. Reminds me of all those many happy days in Cyprus. This afternoon I heard much screaming and merriment. Ventured to the window. There was a water fight between my neighbours; they both had hoses and were showering each other over the communal wall. Hazy, crazy days of summer. Happiness prevails for now.

Had an email from the Odeon cinema. They’re reopening. They give details of all the arrangements they’ve made to make the cinema a safe place to visit. Alas, as I suspected there are no Silver Screen films for senior citizens. No nice cheap tickets which include coffee and bikkies. However, they are providing specials for kids.

Evening news. Wow! The idiots rule our country. Once again, I cannot believe my eyes. It looks like the entire British population has rushed to the south coast; the most popular destination is Bournemouth. You couldn’t even stick a pin anywhere on the beach. All  police were on patrol. Cars were parked anywhere as madness prevailed through desperation to hit that beach. A reporter interviewed a black man. In the light of current events I have mentioned the individual’s colour. His reply was that he was not bothered about Covid 19, he didn’t have it, it was a nice day, he was happy and enjoying himself; he wasn’t worried about social distancing. So, let’s look at the figures. New cases today, 1,118! Almost double yesterday’s figure. It’s also a month since George Floyd’s death and the beginning of protest marches. It doesn’t need a genius to see what’s happening does it?

There’s much excitement as we prepare for the great opening up next weekend. Will it happen? If so, how long for? Or, are we going into regional lockdowns? Maybe, Boris will continue with his ostrich approach and roadmap.

Dinner time, chicken, jacket potatoes, veggies plus vino. Soon, there will be another bottle to throw into the sea. Then, the highlight of my day Downton Abbey. It’s series 4 now. There are only 6. What will I do when it’s finished?

It’s 8.30 and I’m watching Martin Lewis talking on his money show. Once again, I can’t believe it. He’s talking holidays abroad. Apparently, the U.K. is arranging air bridges with 11 European countries. Insurance companies will be covering Coronavirus and our European Health cards are still operative even though we’ve left the EU.

Okay, enough for today. Bed calls. Goodnight.

Day 95, Friday, 26^th June, Groundhog Day 30,462.

Morning Peeps,

“And lo there breaks a yet more glorious day.” I was happy to leave the boudoir this morning. There were no thunderstorms last night. Guess, we still have that to look forward to. Tv on. Computer on in the library. Emails before brekky. Normality in my humble abode.

It’s second cuppa time. Loose Women are on the screen. Thinking about what to do today. Have fun folks, be back soon.

Hey, he’s delivered. I’m delighted. So it’s almost 4.00 pm. I’m listening to music. Have made my phone call, kept the washing machine occupied. Now, in a position to watch the mountain of ironing growing.

The data. Globally, 9,800,000+. It’s taken six months or so to reach 8,000,000 and just a week to add almost another million! Here, in the U.K. new cases are at 1,380. That’s 200 higher than yesterday. In my local area there are a few new cases each day. These figures are probably lower than the actual ones. Scary! I think the truth is that we are going backwards in this virus not forward. I’m also thinking the R figure is probably higher than 1. I’m not convinced that we are at 3 on the famous 1-5 system where 1 means it has even eradicated in the U.K. Okay, positivity time. There are 28 countries who have all cases resolved. It will be nice when it’s all 215 countries.

Dinner and television. Bonne Nuit.

Day 96. Saturday 27^th June, Armed Forces Day!

Morning Peeps,

I woke up. It was dull, drab and dismal. Pitter patter! Raindrops on the window. Much needed refreshing, life-giving rain. Pour Moi? Stay in bed. Then, sunshine radiated through the drapes. Yea. I’m out of bed and already dreaming of my darling delivering (hopefully) later.

Today is the Armed Forces Day in the UK. Last year, and in previous years, I remember listening to the celebratory music from the park over the road. Cheerful, happiness, memories. Today? Silence. I think Her Majesty will give one of her messages later. Soon, she will have given more messages through this pandemic than through the rest of her lengthy reign.

What is going on around the UK? We’ve had more stabbings. Last weekend there were stabbings in Reading, Manchester, Birmingham and Walsall. Now, in Glasgow. Football  matches started last week and  Liverpool have managed to win the Premier League behind closed doors. This has caused massive celebrations, fireworks and parties in Liverpool. Peeps have gone mad and last night the fire brigade were called to a fire at the Liver Building, started after a firework was thrown at it. So, peeps, we know which city is going to have the next surge of Covid cases, don’t we. I recall Oliver Dowden, a couple of weeks ago, saying how important it was to restart football matches for the mental health and welfare of our society. Pardon? Football is also associated with hooliganism and a win after thirty years of trying has brought the worst out in Liverpool supporters. Please don’t tell me stabbings, parties etc are all down to pent up frustration after lockdown.

I can’t see any protest marches this weekend. Yet! But there’s been a massive moving party in London. Why?

It’s raining again. No! No! Will my darling come later?

Holidays are now being encouraged in order to boost the economy. Staycations are expected to be popular in the next couple of months. I’m thinking of Bournemouth beach a couple of days ago and I hope peeps will be sensible. I’m also thinking of the ever changing pandemic situation. Last week we had an air bridge agreement with Portugal. Now Portugal has had an upsurge of new cases that has gone. So, presumably the agreement that we have with other countries, at present France, Spain and Greece, can change at any time, even mid flight.

Someone on the box is pointing out that the holiday experience will not be as it was before. Why are peeps so desperate to go abroad or for any holiday? It’s clear to me that the hotel on foreign shores will not be as it was. I’m trying to imagine Paphos and the hotel where I’ve spent many happy weeks over the years under new restrictions. Peeps wearing masks, breakfast served in rooms, no socialising in the bars or restaurant, no sharing of lifts, any entertainment at all? Swimming allowed? Will the leisure centre be open? Then, the whole experience will be fraught with wondering about the dreaded lurgy lurking. Has anyone in the hotel got it? Are you really going to enjoy the experience? Be patient and stay safe.

Sunshine! Yea! Temperature today 67, a drop of 15 degrees. It’s supposed to stay fine until 4.00 pm. Hope my darling comes in the next hour. Ice cream is better than going on hols at present. My temperature 36.4. Unusually high for Moi but still classified as low.

Yes! Yes! I hear him.  I rush to the kitchen door, collect my coins, and go out to greet him and pick up my beautiful, delicious, ‘99’. A neighbour came out and joined me. She had been dubious. Hell no! If/when we go into lockdown again he will disappear. Let’s enjoy his joyous visits while we can. There’s an appropriate proverb, “make hay while the sun shines”. As a farmer’s daughter I know exactly what that means. Memory lane. I remember those summer nights when the whirring of the combine harvester could be heard well into the early hours of the morning.

Had a little siesta,  played a few games and participated in an online party before dinner.

This evening there has been a short service in Reading where those peeps lost their lives last week with family members lighting a candle for each of the victims.

I’ve put it off long enough. Let us face those horrendous figures. The US has seen a surge in cases. Today, they have 20,000+ but yesterday it was 40,000+. Florida and Texas appear to be the worst hit states. They are going back into lockdown. There’s a curfew in Houston in an attempt to get it under control. What is illuminating is that half of the new cases are people under 35. It was thought that youngsters were the least affected. Many have had a cavalier attitude, it won’t affect me. Looks like they were wrong. This virus doesn’t do logic, rhyme or reason. Also the global figure is over 10,000,000. Yes, that’s an increase of 1,000,000 in a week. Could it be the result of protest marches and genuine stupidity of people rushing off to beaches and acting as if the whole thing is over?

Enough, back tomorrow.

Lots of love, stay safe. Lady M xxxx