Not All Together in Isolation (part 15)........

Saturday 20th June and I forgot until the evening that it was my usual day to update you, but in the great scheme it doesn't matter as nothing much had changed here. Let's see how this week unfolds!

Sunday was father's day and both children and all three grandchildren called round. Iffy weather meant sitting undercover (just enough space to stay distanced). Thankfully it stayed dry so the girls juggled and O brought round his new chess set and the dog had sneaky ideas of escape, so in turn we seemed to ask "where's the dog?" and all while eating yummy cake that daughter made.

I really enjoyed this theatre trip, so well done and didn't lose too much of the live theatre by being shown on YouTube. Although I probably shouldn't have started watching it at 10pm as it wasn't far short of three hours long!

Small Island embarks on a journey from Jamaica to Britain, through the Second World War to 1948 – the year the HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury. The play follows three intricately connected stories: Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica, Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Hope and humanity meet stubborn reality as the play traces the tangled history between Jamaica and the UK.

And a film we watched together, Hubby's choice of course. Predictable but enjoyable.


Online shopping has become the normal now, but sometimes pack sizes are not what we were expecting! This enormous box of cornflakes has had to have the box folded and laid on its side to fit in the cupboard. Although I can just see over it when pouring it out it does take both hands! Hahaha

And a pretty lacy scarf finished with the next one already on the needles.

Maybe a start on the Christmas presents stash.... or maybe just keep them for myself 😉
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Not All Together in Isolation (part 14)......

Saturday 13 June

There's the gradual unlocking but nobody seems to agree how or when and the school's were told to open with huge restrictions and everyone is arguing and some that have opened have closed again. There have been the mass "Black Lives Matter" protests, some peaceful and respecting social distancing and others violent, destructive, ignorant behaviour which will certainly cause a new peak in the virus. Even the BBC are removing archived programmes which were totally acceptable and even funny in the days they were made but now they may cause offence! I'm quite upset by the world I will have to join soon...... think I'll stay in lockdown for a while yet. 

Saturday was really lovely weather and we enjoyed it even more seeing those we love the most. In the morning Son came over bringing some spare plants, cherry tomatoes and a beautiful bush which I think is an azalea (unless you know different).

Correction: I've identified it online and it's alstroemeria

Then as we were eating our evening dinner Daughter messaged to say they'd like to come over as their neighbour's were having a very very loud garden bbq evening and they couldn't relax even with doors and windows closed! So Daughter and three grandchildren and the dog of course spent a lovely two hours ish with us in the garden.

I'm sure you've realised I have a "can't sit still" kind of Hubby, well now he's decided to repair the wall. A major job of replacing lots of broken bricks with some we had spare and lying around. Finished in one day! 

Locally there's a group called Teapot Project and they gather all the unsold out-of-date food that's still edible and sell on with a pay-what-you-can system and free delivery, saving food from landfill and feeding those economically struggling. This was my fruit and veg box this week. I paid full price of course under their "here to help" category and they keep plenty aside for "emergency" orders.

Hubby has been doing all this work in the garden and so has our next door neighbourA so they agreed to go halves on a skip and now spend their days clearing, sorting and chucking it out. 

Oh my the days really have all merged into a groundhog rhythm and it's now 10:20pm and I've realised it's Saturday and I haven't posted this week's blog......... so let's put that right immediately. 

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Together in Isolation (part 11).....

Saturday 23rd May and its really changeable weather. The wind had picked right up again giving Hubby a constant job of anchoring down the fleece more and more hahaha

Oh my word, it's amazing to report that R and E had their 18th birthday!
The day before they came round so we could see them and give them their cards while shouting at a distance in a very very windy garden.
The night before there was a watchparty on Facebook showing them enjoying a great glow party rave! And I was sent this photo

Sunday morning we had a really lovely visit from Son who we haven't seen in the flesh since mother's day and he'd even brought the Easter egg he'd been saving for us. Sitting in the garden at the very safe distance of course we survived the chilly wind.
Sunday afternoon matinee was this,

and needs no explanation I should think. We both loved it.
And Sunday evening was a quick zoom with both my children and all our grandchildren to sing happy birthday to the girls while they had candles and cake!

A bank holiday weekend and I'm sure you are not in the least surprised that it felt just like all the others!

After such an eventful weekend it settled into a very typical (lockdown normal) week. Thank goodness for our garden keeping Hubby busy and he did some serious hedge trimming.

I mentioned to Daughter and R that I'll have nothing exciting to write for the blog so R offered to beat me up, but I reminded her she's not allowed that close, so she suggested beating me up verbally, but there's no photo opportunity in that, so she said she could throw a brick through my window........ nice of  her to want to help but I declined the offer and said our conversation would make an adequate amusing paragraph and thank you!

Hope you are all managing to plod along and take extra care as we gradually start to unlock our lives.
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Together in Isolation (part 10).......

Saturday 16th May

Slept well with the help of two paracetamol after bashing my hand yesterday and today even though I can't grip anything with my whole hand so long as I keep my painful middle finger out of the way I'm managing (not intentionally making rude signs).

This morning one of the bloodrunners from the north of our region has brought the van with the big trailer to take two of the blood bikes up there. With Cambridge, Addenbrooks, Papworth hospitals etc they are being used for regular daytime runs delivering PPE and other supplies as well as their normal work. At the moment BP are paying the fuel costs on all the official vehicles so it makes sense they have them.

Out loud I said thank you to our lovely friendM (she's not here of course)  as these came out the cupboard again for Daughter to borrow as she's making crumpets mmmmm.

And out loud I constantly say thank you to bestfriendML (she's not here either)  for these long heart pins, essential when working with chunky knits but I actually use them for everything.

I'm sure there's an increased swap in junk mail since lockdown, very little through the letterbox and far more in my inbox. This one caught my eye and could have been useful but cannabis gummy bears are no good if you don't like gummy bears!

When Daughter came over to collect shopping, R, O and the dog came too. O was in a very odd mood, argumentative and fidgety, so when he flippantly suggested a science activity out came the cornflour and water which seemed to help for a while. The liquid dripping and hand mixing had a calming effect while pounding and thumping this non-newtonian substance helped release some of the pent up frustrations, plus making all that mess in the garden on a warm sunny day is never a bad thing.

We've had a more interesting route for our laps of the garden this week as Hubby has put down grass seed and covered the patches with fleece to keep the birds off.

I've had to have a fasting blood test in preparation for a consultant's phone appointment.  So my second trip out away from home in 62 days. The scary thing for me is realising it's not scary, it's now normal to be permanently at home, nipping out for medical things only then straight home again and accepting that consultants are happy to phone me at home.

Keep caring and be kind.
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Together in Isolation (part nine)......

Saturday 9th May and the bunting is coming down

Sunday the weather drastically changed as forecast, a lovely warm morning so we walked the 18 laps of the garden. Daughter arrived with shopping, O and dog plus another yummy cake gift.

I'm not joking and you'd never guess one of this cakes main ingredients. (Unless you're friends with Daughter).
The back story is she had a box of mixed cheeses delivered and amongst the variety of yummy ones there was a white stilton with orange and chocolate, she said it was revolting. Not wanting to just throw it away, she added it to cake mix! Who else would even think to do that?
It really is yummy cake, no taste of cheese or chocolate but a hint of orange and the cheese probably improved the texture. My Daughter is a genius!

This week's "stay on your own drive" coffee morning was really brief as it was so cold and so so windy, I kept hiding in the hedge but it didn't help much. The Wednesday workout was mostly cold out there too until the sun popped out from behind a cloud, but we moved more and kept warm.

Having fun and games here today (Thursday). Hubby needs to pick up one of the blood bikes from across town and persuaded me it was ok to take him as I'd not leave the car just drop him off and come home. However, nothing is ever that straightforward, because we haven't used them my car wouldn't start. He just about managed to start his but even with lots of moving them around and jump leads no joy. I won't drive his and no flexibility in picking up the bike so our lovely neighbourA has taken him. He has a big car and Hubby's in the back far left so think they are far enough apart. Most excitement we've had here for ages 😉😲   So I've still not left the house! And I'm counting all that car pushing as today's exercise 🤣

Looks like they are having a long conversation!

Ouch ouch ouch I'm ending this week with a damaged hand.
Yesterday Daughter, R and dog called round to collect stuff and have a garden cuppa while the dog ran which was lovely. They left, as usual, by the garden gate and I, as usual, walk through the house to wave them off from the lounge window.  Rushing through I knocked my middle knuckle on my left hand on the back of a dining room chair. It really hurt and I swore a lot but still managed my wave with a smile (more like grimace through gritted teeth).

And late yesterday afternoon I had a lovely long phone call from an old friend I  haven't spoken to this year apart from Facebook mini comments.

So another mixed week of ups and downs and with government guidelines suggesting a very gradual unlocking....... but think I'm happy staying locked for a bit longer.
Stay alert but stay safe too.
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All Together in Isolation (part seven)........

Saturday 25th April, and I can't believe the time is whizzing by, I really thought lockdown would drag but it hasn't.

The pump for the water feature arrived and Saturday had Hubby mostly in this position

 Took him most of the day, fighting with stuck cables, finally fixed.

Opened the chicken thighs to cook our Sunday roast and we both noticed an odd smell, so double wrapped and straight in the bin. Far too late to thaw anything else so it was roast potatoes, cabbage, beetroot and fish fingers! Hahaha

Late Sunday evening relaxing watching TV, my bulky knitting keeping my legs warm, jacket about 3/4 done THEN THE ***** NEEDLE BROKE! That's the red cable on the floor parted from the bamboo end ggrrrrr. I managed to stop swearing long enough to pick up the dropped stitches and transfer them all to another circular needle but it's the wrong size so I can't carry on yet. Instantly online and now I need to patiently wait for the delivery by post.

I've been enjoying channel 4's extra "stay home" programmes.
- Jamie Oliver did a daily series of Keep Cooking and Carry On. Some recipes from his archives but mostly at home filmed on a mobile phone by his wife Jools and often the children joined in, cooking or filming or the little one coming in to lick a bowl.
- Kirsty Allsopp is doing a daily Keep Crafting and Carry On. She had two film crew and keeps showing how they are sticking to safe distance rules. All at her home with an occasional help from one of her children, plus she's also added in some archive footage.
- Grayson Perry Art Club, with special guests by video link, is a weekly one. He's asking for viewers to submit their art and when we're all free to roam again he's putting on an exhibition to mark the history of "what we did in lockdown".
On that same theme, granddaughter E is also curating her own online art exhibition and is asking for a photograph of submissions created in any medium. She'd love you to get involved.

I was trying to avoid the main subject and just focus the blog on us, but of course it can't be ignored as that's the reason for us living this isolated life I'm writing about, so having to look at the whole situation we're in for a while, I've realised that my opinions are not always the same as others, so I'm largely keeping them to myself.
Of course I'm horrified and scared by it all. It's the unseen germ world war and we have to trust all those now pushed to the front line to protect and care for us all.
However I also want to be understanding of government decisions, to be both radical for our physical wellbeing and lenient for our mental wellbeing. They also need to consider the country's economy and they seem almost to be printing money and giving out grants in enormous amounts. Though so many do I wouldn't criticise as I'd certainly not want their jobs.
Social media gets angry if they see people with children playing in the park, but they may not have a garden, and people got angry when there were pictures of those queueing at B&Q saying DIY and garden plants are not essential, but from what I saw they were practising safe distancing rules so why is that more risky than being in the supermarket. I replied on one post that home maintenance could be essential as some homes may be suffering from the extra use. Also plants and gardening may be someone's only way of coping with loneliness. I was told it was not essential and not allowed.
Perhaps for some getting angry at everyone else is their way of coping.
I'll stay quiet and bake more flapjacks

Talking to my brother earlier in the week and mentioning a very useful Jewish cooking ingredient I couldn't get here, (my late sister had always been my supplier), he bought and posted two packets of matzo meal, how lovely, thanks bro!

Replacement knitting needles arrived yaay!
We improved our score for the Virtual pub quiz with Daughter&co this week!
Been enough dry weather for us to keep our walking round the garden although it's been quite cold some days.
Had a few sunny moments to allow a cuppa by the pond.
And enough rain to save Hubby having to water especially as he's put some new seeds in.

Stay safe everyone.
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All Together in Isolation (part six)........

Saturday 18th and it's O's 11th birthday.
I had made him a big card (but forgot to take a pic) and did a money transfer for him to Daughter's account and we managed a video call so Hubby and I could sing badly but he appreciated it. I'm keeping count of how many cuddles I'll be collecting as soon as I can.

I fancied some cake, however making a whole one means unnecessary overeating so a small mixture and just a few little cranberry and lemon sponges cooked in the sandwich toaster.

Well I managed to video Hubby, in uniform with his liveried bike in front of the banner, clapping. Two takes to get it all in without sun interference. That was the easy bit. I'd recorded it on my tablet and tried to upload it following the link for the person who is going to edit all the members together. With lots of messages on facebook going back and forth we discovered it had failed and so did the second attempt. Maybe my tablet wasn't up to the job, it was quite a big file. I transferred it to Hubby's laptop via Bluetooth (after Hangouts/email/Flickr all failed even my memory stick with micro usb connection had mysteriously broken). Oddly on the laptop there was image but no sound but Hubby sent it on its way anyway with fingers crossed. Big sigh of relief when we got confirmation of its safe arrival and all working as it should. I'm not even going to attempt adding a file that caused that much trouble so just a screenshot

While the weather is so nice I've swapped the indoor treadmill for walking around the garden. We are blessed with a good size garden so why not get some vitamin D along with exercise and fresh air.

Each little stone is a lap and 17 laps = 1.6 miles ish. When I'm comfortable I'll add stones. Some days we walk together but today I was being chased by the lawnmower!

We've been lucky getting groceries. Daughter has managed two deliveries this week and another booked in for next week. Hubby secured a click and collect for this week too. I'm now struggling to think of what groceries we still need.

Seems most of us need a bit of structure and after a month at home, with our normal diaries wiped clean, I'm now included  (mostly by others) for....
- on the drive coffee morning Mondays
- usual Wednesday night girls chat on messenger
- 8pm Thursday clapping outside for the key workers
- 8:10pm Thursday virtual pub quiz with Daughter&co on zoom
- daily 17 laps walking round the garden
- most days mid-morning tea by the pond with neighbourA
And now neighbourT has volunteered her husband to lead us in a stay-on-your-own-drive-keep-fit-session Wednesdays at 11am

We are still having the battle with the heron and our pond! Even with all the temporary blue rope across the fence top and bits of net across the blue rope the heron was calculating what gaps to get in and even when he was chased off and caught a wing on the rope it didn't put him off coming back.
So we've bought more net.
The first plan was to attach the net to the fence and create a cage roof. However,  Hubby had bought netting in metres having measured the space in steps!!! I'm helping at 4'9" to net the nearly 6" high pond area. Two attempts failed, so we stopped for a cuppa and a rethink.

We cut net a bit bigger than needed and secured it at pond level on the hooks Hubby had already cemented under the slabs. Probably the best way but not the most convenient while Hubby is still paving.

Early the very next morning I'm looking out and there's the (insert swear words) heron! He was sitting on the top of the fence obviously sizing up the situation. We left him thinking he would realise he couldn't get breakfast and never come back..... but then he flew through the blue rope and landed on the paving, then sat down, what a cheek! He waited, we waited, then his head went down and up with a fish in his beak quickly swallowed grrrrr.

I rushed out clapping and shouting and off he flew. 

Not sure if you can see from this photo, but he'd gone in at the small gap we'd left at the far end where the plants are growing. We've now closed the gap. 

And no doubt you've been desperate to know how my poor nails are doing. Well they are the shortest and weakest they've been for about twenty years! However I've discovered that a first coat of pva glue before the varnish helps the varnish stay on, and when they need repainting I've just layered over the top yet another pva coat and then the varnish and a top coat.....gotta try anything. This time I went for two tone green.

It's been so nice having the time to write a regular blog post, and even nicer to actually have plenty to write about even though it feels like every day is leisurely and almost the same.

Stay safe everyone, same time next week eh?
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