Pandemic. Plan B

 

Neigh, #7 still here.

Do you like the pic? It looks a lot like us. I found it in Lady M's archives. We, equine, are happy and relaxed animals. We take life as it comes. Humans have learnt a lot from us over the years. You can read all about us in Lady M's book "The Singing Horses" We are available from #amazon, the Internet, libraries, bookshops. If you live in England, in the Midlands we are on show at the Blue Sheep Books shop in Wednesbury. Pop along and treat yourself. Allegedly, restrictions in England are coming to an end soon. So, this will be the last time I will be neighing you from her Covid Chronicles. Enjoy!

Day 663, Saturday 15^th January 2022, (Day 47, Plan B) The end is in sight. Light at the end of the tunnel!

 It’s the weekend. Apparently, it was very foggy last night and this morning? Really? It was beautiful and sunny when I rose earlier today. Oh, it’s afternoon now. However, When I came downstairs and opened the curtains Mrs Pigeons was looking for me. I obeyed her glare and went outside into the January sunshine. I took seed outside for her and hubby. She flew to the fence and stared. Ah, I understood. Coo! Coo! There was a large block of ice on the top of the water, and she was thirsty. I, being a kind person, removed it for her. I came back into the kitchen for my brekky, and she flew to her table for her breakfast, Hubby joined her. So, all is well in my garden.

It is Saturday. I put the BBC news channel on. What is this? Our Booster Boris has been in isolation since Thursday as someone in his family had a positive Covid test. Is this totally true or is he in hiding? The Labour leader and even Tory supporters are demanding that he must go. More revelations of parties in Downing Street. I am wondering if there was ever a time when they didn’t party during our lockdown. They had ‘wine time’ Friday while Covid rules were in place. It sounds like our country has been run by a load of party revellers or alcoholics. It doesn’t inspire confidence in our government, does it?

 One person was interviewed because he had a bar in his garden. No law against that but during lockdown he was feeling low, like the rest of us. Three friends came and joined him one evening for drinks. Did they social distance? There was plenty of room. I don’t know but a law-abiding citizen phoned the police. They arrived and the four of them were fined. At the time, they thought… fair enough! Now, they are wondering if they should demand their money back. During the first lockdown it was rather like prohibition days. Peeps would have lock-in parties and if caught the fine was a maximum of £10,000. Numerous peeps were fined. How many will demand a refund or insist on our politicians paying the maximum fine of £10,000 each?

 Enough, time to look at essential item…tv mag. Ah, ‘On the buses’, a great comedy film from the 70’s. That suits me for the rest of the morning.

 Okay must make some effort today. Tv off until later. Time to potter and remove the Christmas décor form the dining room. Then, I guess I will have to flitter round with my feather duster and wander round the house until I discover where the vacuum cleaner is hiding. Be back later.

 What is newsworthy this afternoon? Our #1 tennis player is back in detention in Australia. His visa has been revoked. The Judge decided on this action after protests regarding his anti-vaxxer attitude. Will he play in the Australian Open next week? Will he be allowed to defend his title? Your guess is as good as mine.

 There has been a tsunami in Tonga in the South Pacific. We seem to have had a lot of those in the last fifteen years or so. I don’t remember any prior to 2004. Interesting.

 We are excited locally because the Commonwealth Games will be going ahead from the 28^th of July and hosted here in Birmingham. Covid will not stop us. Neither will it stop the plans for our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Events are planned from 6^th of next month, the day of her succession to the throne. Do you know, my friends, there was actually a King on the throne when I was born but as the only Monarch, I have ever know is our lovely Queen, I find it hard to believe. ‘The Queen’s Green Canopy’ has been in operation since May of last year and was set up, with the aim of planting trees during this period to commemorate her Jubilee and to increase and protect the native tree cover. Nice, isn’t it?

 Playing time. Then dinner and another quiet night in.

 Day 664, Sunday 16^th January 2022, (Day 48. Plan B)

 Greetings, my friends. All is well. I have been out and fed the pigeons. Sunshine. I am having a lazy day. but I will give you my traditional Covid update.

 Oh, Novak Djokovic is on a plane back to Serbia. He has been deported, visa revoked and will not be playing in the tournament. The decision to deport him was made on the grounds of health and good order. His anti-vaxxer principle may well cost him future tournaments.

 Covid! Things are getting better for us, in the UK, both our case figures and death statistics are falling as a result of the high number in our population being jabbed. 70,924 cases with 88 deaths.  However, we are still at #4 in the global league table with total case figure at 15,217,280. France at #5 appears to be in a worse situation, 14,000,000+ total cases and today’s figure 278,129. That is more than India who are in the second position globally. The US remain in the lead with 66,995,553 total cases, almost twice that of India (37,380,253) Then, remember, my friends, I frequently question how accurate these figures are and feel that in reality they should be doubled.

 Tomorrow is Blue Monday. So, what do we have to do? Stay cheerful!

Day 665, Monday, 17^th, January 2022 (Year 2, Week 97, Day 49 Plan B. Whatever)

                                           BLUE MONDAY!

 Greetings from myself, pigeons, and Wheelie Bins. All of my family wish you a happy Monday. I confess I was late waking up this morning and feeling blue. Psychological because I know it is ‘Blue Monday’. I had to give myself a good talking to. I told all my aches and pains to go away. Sunshine was streaming through the drapes. Happiness is a state of mind. I smiled. Right! Out of bed! Stroll into other rooms. Life is good. I am lucky (well, I will be if I win the lottery). Get a move on, girl. Soixante-neuf et deux is perilously close. I must enjoy the life I have left. Things to do.

 Downstairs. Brekky. Gyles Brandreth is on the box talking of happiness and this blue Monday. He is giving advice. Things like create a passion. Go out. Be a leaf. That one fooled me. He explained that leaves stay on tree as individuals but when they fall to the ground they die. Clever. Basically, he agrees with me. It is up to ourselves to be happy. Happiness is from within.

 Why is it ‘blue Monday’ when the sun is shining, the grass is green, buds on the trees, buses are passing by, although not many passengers travelling? Well, I guess some peeps have snow, rain and cold. Anyway, it is because it’s three weeks after Christmas, the bills are coming in, festivities are over, and gloom follows. In addition, these days we have the Covid factor which has resulted in unexpected fatalities, job losses, evictions, financial issues when Rishi’s magic beans failed to arrive.

 Tv mag. Yes, “Guess who’s coming to dinner” is on Channel 51 this afternoon. I shall watch it. Why? It’s got that drop-dead gorgeous guy starring in it. Sidney Poitier. It’s a golden oldie from 1967 and poignant highlighting the racial problem of the day. Oh, wait a minute. No- one has problems now, do they? I should say it addresses the issue. If you haven’t seen it, it is about an eminent man of colour falling in love with a white woman which shocks both families. The language, attitudes etc would not pass the censorship for films these days. It’s fantabulous!

 Okay. Get moving. Routine. Chores completed by 3.00pm. Film. Then, routine, take out Miss Bugsy Blue and Mrs Grisly Grey and converse with neighbour. A good point. The early evening is getting lighter.

 What is newsworthy? Wow! Do I not always say that you get away with nothing in life? Today, the 66 year old, Paul Shakespeare, has been sentenced for the crime of rape he committed over 30 years ago. He moved on with his life, even moved 250 miles away and judging by the look on his face when the police arrived at his home last year to arrest him, he had forgotten all about it. Got away with it. Wasn’t he clever? DNA! A sample was taken at the time, but DNA was in its infancy then and there was no match on record. As a result of another crime and Paul’s DNA was taken and hey presto! A match!

 Princes Harry and Andrew are in the news again and seem to be there more frequently than the rest of the Royals who are still ‘Royal’. Prince Harry is planning on coming back to England with his children this year presumably for the Jubilee celebrations. He is concerned about protection and wants to pay for the Royal protection squaddies to look after him and his children. Alas, not possible. It’s all to do with red-tape and legalities. He is not a working Royal and therefore is not entitled to it. Neither can it be paid for. Is Meghan coming? Doesn’t sound like it. As for Andrew, Jeffrey, and Miss Maxwell. Well, Jeffrey went for sword rather than dishonour allegedly committing suicide in jail. Miss Maxwell is awaiting her sentence. Why? When she is unlikely to see the light of day again. Andrew? Facing a civil court case in New York having been stripped of Royal titles and dignity? He will face the court as an ordinary man and not a prince. Maybe, that is what it is all about. Retaliation. Virginia Giuffre just wanted him to lose everything. Guess we will find out in time.

 A more serious problem has hit the headlines tonight. Life in Kabul under the Taliban ruling. The reporter showed us families homeless, in financial despair and without food for the winter. Snow on the ground and children with bare feet. Dismal. Aid should have got through to these people. Alas. No. One man is even selling his daughter because he cannot care for her.

                                                          *************

Aw, that is so sad. A papa selling his daughter because he cannot look after her. Sad. We neigh you a happy week ahead. Brighter days are coming. Stay positive and happy. The Singing Horses love you all.

                                        The Singing Horses | Book | Austin Macauley Publishers 

                                                         

 Neigh, #7!

Covid-19 one year on.

                                                                

Hello Everyone,

Believe it or not we have been in this pandemic situation for twelve months. How things have changed. I thought I would share with you the first couple of days of my journal. When I began I expected it to be for the initial twenty-one day lockdown in the UK. How wrong can you be? 

“Lockdown time

Good morning. It is 11.23 Tuesday morning, 24^th March 2020. I am reclining on the sofa with my cuppa, (no not wine, well in a week or two, maybe) of coffee and watching Holly and Phillip on television. ‘This Morning’ they tell us has been declared essential in these trying times. The sun is shining, soon I shall go out and collect the bins. I heard the bin men come earlier and that is about all that is normal in this unprecedented situation.

 

Last night at 8.29 Boris Johnson, our PM, made an announcement. He explained the dire Coronavirus situation and desperate measures of isolation which must be taken in order to save lives. We already had restrictions in place, working from home where possible, self isolation, public places where peeps socialised advised to close, parks and open spaces staying open for exercise but we must stay 2 metres a part. Sadly, we have idiots in our community who decided to see the pleasant weekend as a holiday. They rushed to holiday spots and got as close to each other as they could. So now, we are in lockdown. Pretty soon, I guess most countries will be in the same situation. Some already are.

 

As many of you know I am a night owl. I rise late and am awake until the small hours. So, it was 10.30 when I strained myself to get out of bed on auto pilot. I walked into my library and looked out on to our little street which by this time of day is normally a car park. Today, just residents’ cars. No cars on the distant Tesco car park and very few vehicles on the road. At last peeps have heeded the warning and are forced to conform. Once dressed I visit the computer for email and games on FB. Was there a life before social media? Where would we be now without it?

 

Then, I staggered down the stairs, something which is getting harder with age. Breakfast time and turn on downstairs television and iPad. The first thing I do and have done for a week is look at the updated number of Coronavirus cases locally. Depressing and frightening. Today, it’s 31. What will it be tomorrow?

 

Before the second cuppa I decided to go out at the back of my property and bring the bins in. I looked down the street and someone was taking the opportunity to clean her car but too far down to engage in conversation. Then another vehicle came round the corner, an opposite neighbour. Apparently, he had been out for essential items like milk and found it extremely difficult to find any. One of the supermarkets had an unimaginable queue of peeps clinging to trolleys at a safe distant apart. He eventually bought milk from a corner shop. Yes, we had social intercourse but were two metres apart.

 

After the second cuppa I returned to the library and worked at the computer while admiring the outside world. It was like being in that parallel universe I frequently talk of. So few vehicles and I observed two buses pass both without passengers. I guess the usual ones are senior citizens with passes and they are all in self isolation.

 

Later, I came back downstairs and opened up my porch/conservatory for the summer. During the winter months I only use it as storage. Soon, it will be full of beautiful plants with room for a chair so that I can sit in it and enjoy our glorious summer which will come at the end of this insanity.

 

For the rest of the day I have played games and watched television. I made one phone call. Part of my survival programme is to phone one person each day. I predict the telephone will make a come back and peeps will actually talk as opposed to texting. Right now, I’m watching a rerun of ‘Midsomer Murders’ with a glass of wine. As of yet I have not succumbed to the chocolate but tomorrow who knows?

 

Soon, I’m going to enjoy a bubble bath before retiring. Hey we’ve survived day one of lockdown and to quote Scarlett O’Hara , ‘tomorrow is another day’.

 

Day 2,

 

Good morning! The sun is still shining. First things first, do I have a temperature or cough? No, so thankfully I have not yet succumbed to this virus. Thank you, Lord, for sparing me. If you remember, peeps, I lost my insignificant other to Cancer last September. He was a medium and I recall what he said after the 911 terrorist attack. It was the beginning of many bad things, there would be more attacks, floods, and disease. It was going to be like the plagues of Egypt all over again and when it’s over the world will be a better place. Is this the last of the new plagues?

 

Breakfast time and I check the local number of cases, it is still 31. I guess that’s some good news for now. The breaking news is that Prince Charles has contracted the virus, even royalty is not immune. I wonder what would be on the news if there were no Coronavirus?

 

My plans for the rest of the day? First, second cuppa. Still no wine at breakfast time but I did finish a bottle off last night. Then, I’m gonna get the car out of the garage and clean the interior, maybe the outside. That depends on how energetic I feel. Later, I shall continue repotting or taking cuttings from my plants and put more of them into my summer conservatory. Yes, I’ll be watching television and on the computer. I shall also make my daily phone call. Have made a list and will phone Shirley, someone I met on hols a few years ago. I have decided to plan each evening for what I intend doing the next day. I may not stick to it but it’s worth a try.

 

As a writer I am used to solitude and self-isolation so you would think this lockdown would be easy for me. No. The difference is one of choice. My freedom and freedom of choice has been taken from me. In one sense we are being treated like prisoners. Loss of freedom through no fault of our own or if we are suffering new plagues maybe it is our fault for choosing materialism over humanity during the last decades. We have become selfish and greedy people as opposed to considerate human beings. Just look at the empty supermarket shelves.

 

I’m now thinking about prisoners. Are they thinking, now you know how we feel? Anyway, we must all stay positive and united through this madness.

 

Here I am again. It is 7.15 and I’m watching ‘Emmerdale’. The day has gone pretty well, all things considered. The car has had an interior clean and the surplus grime has been removed from the exterior. Full wash? Too energetic and not essential in these trying times. Yes, more plants are sorted and looking pretty in the conservatory. The birds have been fed. 

 

I made that phone call and, I think, I brightened the day for someone. She seemed to think it was a good idea. I have another victim ready for tomorrow.

 

Today, we have all been aware of the best and the worst of people. Over 400,000 have answered the Governments call for help. At the other extreme there’s profiteering and those trying to steal NHS workers identity badges to get priority at supermarkets. On a positive note, it does seem that the message is hitting home. Fewer people congregating and more staying at home.

 

Somehow, we will get through this. I have plans for tomorrow."

Wow! My friends, this is not over. The third wave has arrived. We have another twelve months of this so brace yourselves. Accepting it and learning to live with it is the only way to survive and thrive!

Stay safe. Love, Lady M xxxxx

Lockdown 6

I burn a candle in memory of those who lost their Covid19 battle

Hello Everyone,

This global pandemic continues and many have lost their lives. Others are mourning and I burn a candle for all of those who are now a number in the death statistics. In my research I discovered that the great Spanish Flu pandemic a century go lasted for two years from 1918-1920. In more recent years we have survived the Asian, Hong Kong and Bird flu pandemics. A century ago the population was 500,000,000 and 50,000,000 lost their lives. I think we all have to stay positive and hope that we don't have to endure this pandemic for so long or have so many fatalities. I'm going to share my logs from last weekend with you. Stay strong and safe, my friends.

Day 33, Saturday, Weekend time

Afternoon Peeps,

Yes I’m still here. It’s another glorious day in lockdown and I’ve spent the morning watching Love Never Dies. The sequel to Phantom of the Opera. No, I didn’t know there was a sequel either. This one was filmed at The Regent Theatre in Melbourne which explains why I didn’t recognise any of the names. It was electric and dynamic with a dramatic finale.

Yesterday, what did I do? Made the phone call to someone I met on hols in Blackpool almost five years. Although we agreed it only seemed like five minutes. That’s age for you. Relaxed. Played. Had roast chicken and jacket potato for dinner. Watched Corrie and Emmerdale followed by a repeat of an episode of  Vera. Guess, it was just another Groundhog Day.

So, on to today. It will be pretty much the same. Gonna be brave and look at the figures. Covid19 is in 210 countries. Most borders and airports are closed apart from repatriation flights. There are still thousands of people all around the world who are desperate to get home but alas were in the wrong place when lockdown arrived. Yesterday, at the update, we were told that at last all those who were on cruises and refused entry to foreign shores when the virus became apparent are now back home in the UK. As for other countries, I don’t know if there are other floating vessels in isolation off foreign shores. What a nightmare it must have been. Anchored off shores and confined to a cabin. Is this the end for cruises?

 2,846,000 cases. 197,000 deaths globally. All those mourning families. They never got to say goodbye. The departed one left this world alone. Even deserted at the funeral. Such sad times. Many young lives wasted. USA is getting close to the million mark. 30% of all cases are in America. Will Trump be re-elected after this? Surely not. The UK? 143,000 cases. Still sixth in the league table but getting closer to Germany’s figure of 155,000. They told us yesterday that we are at the peak as the number of daily deaths is decreasing. With this glorious weather will this trend continue or are idiots going to congregate and cause a second wave of this unpredictable virus?

It’s 2.00pm and I’m off to potter through another day. Have fun folks. Make the most of it. Before I go, I would like to share a line with you. It was written by Sofia Haslington in a letter she left for her best friend and sister-in-law before her death in the novel Look After Each Other written by yours truly! Look forward with hope but back with gratitude! Or if you’re feeling morose and sorry for yourself today because you should be on holiday, getting married or at some other event that’s been cancelled I’d like to share another common phrase which my Father frequently used, “there’s always someone worse off than yourself”. If you’re not on a ventilator fighting for your life, then there is!


Hello, I am upstairs now I'm trying to dictate on my PC. Just discovered the microphone is not switched on. I’m fiddling around now and hey it’s working I'm so surprised I just managed to turn the microphone on. Gosh I'm feeling so pleased with myself. Here goes. I wonder how you put a full stop on here. Hey, it worked What I wanted to say is that I have been observing while I've been up here. I have notice cyclists are still riding around normally. I looked out of my back window because I heard a familiar noise. One of my neighbours is getting his motorbike out; he's going to visit his elderly mother making sure she's okay. I have observed another neighbour outside playing a ball game with his daughter. That’s   brought back memories. We all know how good I am with memories. In fact, I think I spend more time in the past than I do in the present or maybe it's because I fear the future.

 I'm now thinking back to those glorious days in the 60s again. The summers, as we know, we're always hotter than they are today and life was better even though it didn't seem it at the time. I remember spending hours and hours alone in solitude with a ball. I would throw it against the wall and catch it successfully. I was lucky to have brilliant coordination. I seldom dropped it I could turn around and then catch it again. I could throw it under my legs turn around and still catch it or round my back and still catch it. I never got bored with ball games or a skipping rope. On looking back I think I was really lucky because we moved to Ashford Hall in 1960 where I had the luxury of a hundred acre estate to stroll around in. My favourite place in those days was the boathouse. First, it was just taking the dog for a walk. I thoroughly enjoyed the solitude of that boathouse on the River Wye and on the estate. It was only a ten-minute walk from the house through a small wooded area. It was peaceful and serene. Sometimes the peace would be disturbed by the sound of a tractor in distance. I knew it was my father at work and that was comforting. From the mid-60s onwards as my GCSE approached I would go down to that boathouse complete with books and revise without a care in the world. The joy of youth which was not appreciated at the time.

Hey, back to the present. I am further baffled while looking out I'm notice a neighbour has painted his back brick wall white. I'm wondering why. Was it just to ease boredom? It looks peculiar. Also outside the beautiful aroma of charcoal from another neighbour’s garden, smells like the family are about to have a barbecue. Why not? My nostrils will enjoy it.

That was fun using the microphone as opposed to fingers. It’s taken me longer to go through, check it and correct it than if I’d used my fingers on the keyboard.

4.30.watching/listening to the update. Shock horror or is it? UK deaths have passed the 20,000 mark and it’s expected to be 30,000 by the end of May. We are one of only five countries to reach that number and our nation is grieving with the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Pessimistic. Were we right originally when we were asking to go into lockdown earlier while Boris said that the time was not right according to science. Looking at other countries with considerable lower death figures, they went into lockdown much earlier. There’s a warning with regard to other ailments; if peeps are suffering symptoms of heart attacks, strokes, cancer or have a sick child or pregnant they should seek medical aid and visit hospitals. There’s also a rumour that it may take up to five years to clear the backlog of delayed routine operations due to Covid19. There’s a kinda nondescripts answer to that.

How’s Captain Tom doing today? Only five days until his one hundredth birthday. He’s been given a pride of Britain award. Raised around £29,000,000. 70,000 cards! Wow! Optimism after the update and that’s what we all need.

Right, time to make that phone call.




Day 34, Sunday.

Watching Songs of Praise. It’s Sunday and 1.15. No, I’ve not just got out of bed. I was downstairs, dressed if not washed at 10.15 waiting for the morning service. Now, after two hymn singing sessions I’m feeling uplifted and ready to face another week of lockdown.

What else have I done? Last night I had another of those Italian meals purchased on Wednesday with wine and followed by ice cream and chocolate. Watched Britain’s got Talent. Wondering if they’ll be able to do the life shows next month or not. Then had a nice relaxing bubble bath before going to bed.

I’ve always been a night owl and never been able to face the morning. I think morning peeps should suffer some penance for annoying the rest of us as we slumber on. But like most peeps, I guess, in these unprecedented times I’m finding it easier to stay up and harder to force myself to face another Groundhog Day. It’s nice to know I’m in good company on that one.

So far, today, between services I’ve strained myself to do some ironing and another wash load. To be more precise, a winter blanket is now going round and round in my new washing machine. It’s that time of year when the sun shines, the weather is better, and we all go mad with washing.

The beautiful bluebells are arriving in my garden and the trees are in full leaf. A sign that nature continues whatever. I see the green leaves of other plants slowly emerging forth; soon I will have blue and pink geraniums, lovely white daisies and hydrangeas to admire. I am thankful for small mercies.

Will move on to washing up, working and pottering. Be happy. Think positive. If you’re not on a ventilator count your blessings.

Okay peeps, I’m back. It’s 7.30 pm and we are half way through a family programme of The Chaser. This afternoon the sun kinda disappeared but it’s still warm although the weather forecast says that we are to expect changeable, cooler conditions this week. Not good but we must keep smiling, mustn’t we? I’ve completed the washing up, have a blanket drying now, updated my diary, worked and made a surprise phone call. I pointed out to the recipient that it was not her day but I thought I would phone her anyway. She was a little cheesed off because she had made her Christmas cake but alas had no greaseproof paper and therefore could not bake it until tomorrow. Yes, Christmas cake, you read it correctly. It is always good to bake a fruit cake early giving it time to mature before required. Guess it’s like wine. However, that comment sent me down memory lane. You must be getting used to this by now.

In 1964 I made my first Christmas cake in Domestic Science at school. (Whoops, I digress. It’s raining now.) Anyway, back to that cake. I remember spending my pocket money on the decorations. I purchased a little signpost, robin and two others which I can’t remember from a place call Bloomers in Bakewell and the total cost was about 1s or one shilling in old money. Today one shilling is 5p! Also, that shop is still going. I’m sure four cake decorations would cost more than 5p today.

I’ve had dinner pork schnitzel, jacket potato and salad followed by banana and ice cream. Still drinking the wine. Going to make my listed phone call for today in a few minutes. Then, I shall have more wine with chocolate while watching Killing Eve, series 3.

Well, there goes another a Groundhog Day. Captain Tom is one nearer is 100 mark and I’ve decided to leave my cards up and share them with him on Thursday. So, until tomorrow sleep well. Goodnight.

All my love and prayers are for you all. Stay safe and well. Try and smile through this disaster. Smiles are contagious and make you feel better.

Lady M xxxx