Seeing friends

Day 8

Sophie ran around the estate this morning while I walked three laps. It was a gorgeous morning, but cold. The birds were out in full force, lucky things, and singing away!

After a breakfast of porridge with Sophie, Keith and I popped to Tesco for Mum as she needed a few things and we wanted some more milk and bread. I was dreading going, but it wasn't too bad. I had to queue outside for about ten minutes and we were allowed in only when a certain number had left. Again, there was a weird subdued air about the place but the staff were very helpful and polite. We had to queue for the checkouts and I said hello to Janine, one of our regular checkout ladies who always chats to us. To be honest I felt quite emotional when I saw her, and I never ever thought I would hanker after the good old days when we used to go shopping and things were normal! Walking past the empty, closed up Costa was also horrible.

We dropped the things off to Mum and I had a quick chat but I didn't see Dad. Maybe later in the week I'll go around and stand in the back garden to say hello.

Back home I pottered about doing little jobs and washed the kitchen window and the front door. I spotted Sue's car across the road so busied myself until she appeared. We then had a long chat from opposite sides of the road! She was doing well, still gardening and working so that was good news.

I spent the rest of the afternoon editing my 2012 blog and then jumped in the bath, which was heavenly. Sophie finished work and we caught up with Masterchef before cooking cod and vegetables for dinner.

After we'd eaten we fancied watching a film so we chose The Day After Tomorrow. It was eerie how prescient the film was, even though it was made sixteen years ago! Looking back, maybe it wasn't the best choice of films, but it was enjoyable nonetheless!

Good news...

Day 7

Keith went to Aldi and Tesco this morning and managed to get everything we wanted that was on our list. He breezed into Aldi but had to queue to get into Tesco and he said the experience wasn't that bad. Better than mine and Sophie's visit, obviously, but then he does have a little coterie of women he gets on with very well in Tesco!

Sophie went for a run and by 9am she was back at work in the conservatory. When Keith returned we put all the shopping away, had breakfast and then popped around to Mum's with some bits that she needed. The roads were a bit busier today and one of the streets in Broughton was closed because of a gas leak but we managed to negotiate our way through without mishap!

Back home I cleaned upstairs and by 1pm I had finished the bedrooms and bathroom. Sophie heated up some leftover paella for lunch which was delicious! Outside the weather wasn't brilliant but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) the rain was needed as the gardens are beginning to get a bit dry! Yesterday we had the tiniest of snow flurries in the late afternoon but it didn't amount to anything at all, which was a shame as seeing the fields and hedgerows blanketed in white would have been lovely.

One piece of good news is that my Dad came home today and we have carers in place to help Mum. We've also arranged a proper hospital bed for downstairs if he can't make it up the stairs, so that's a relief. I am praying that things will become more settled now and I'm so glad that he's at home to keep Mum company.

Keith's brother Val called today - he is about 90 years old and is on his own as well, as his long-term partner, Norma, is staying with her own family. They had a chat on the phone and it was great for Keith to catch up with what he'd been doing.

I relaxed in the afternoon by watching the end of Book Club and my Dad called to say he was home. He sounded remarkably chirpy so that was a relief! When Sophie had finished work we went for a short walk down to the village and then back up again to one of the gates further up our road. There were a fair few people about so this seems to be a popular time to exercise!

Dinner tonight was chilli con carne and while Keith was preparing dinner, Sophie and I watched 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days. Needless to say we're hooked again!

Spring Forward

Day 6

The clocks went forward by an hour last night and for once I wasn't grumpy about it! If I had my way they could have gone forward by months!

I woke up at 7am and it took a few minutes to realise that it was really 6am! Ho hum! Keith was already downstairs and I watched half an hour of Book Club, a film starring Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda, about a group of women of a certain age who meet up to discuss books. When they choose Fifty Shades of Grey, their lives undergo a bit of a change! It was great escapism!

The wind today has been bitterly cold so not an ideal day for going out into the garden. Mum wanted me to drop off a phone charger to Dad in hospital, so Keith and I went to get the Sunday papers and then called to see her to pick it up. She was finding it very difficult this morning and reports on the news didn't help by saying that we could be facing this lockdown until June. It will feel like half the year has been wasted!

The hospital was very quiet indeed and after talking to a man on reception, a trio of nurses appeared and managed to phone the ward and show me which way I had to go. The ward was right down at the other end of the hospital and it was spookily quiet. As soon as I had dropped the charger off, I raced back to the car and we sped home on empty roads. Before having breakfast I showered and washed all my clothes again, just to be on the safe side!

We did manage to venture out for a quick walk (Sophie ran)  and said hello to various neighbours. Back at home Sophie made a delicious chocolate chip and banana loaf which we enjoyed with a cup of tea and we also prepared tonight's dinner of Coq au Vin.

I finished transferring my 2012 blog onto a word document and mooched about for the rest of the afternoon reading the newspapers, even though I said I wouldn't!

Dinner was delicious and afterwards we watched a bit of Antiques Roadshow. It was like witnessing a different world... people milling about in the sunshine, standing close to one another and acting normally. How I wish it was like that now!

What day is it?

Day 5

It's the weekend, but at the moment, it could be any day of the week! After another lazy start to the day (although I was awake early again) Sophie and I went out to get some essentials - the newspaper (the first since Tuesday, but at the moment, I really don't like reading it), milk and eggs for Mum who was running low, and flour so Sophie could make a cake.

I was dreading going to the shops but the reality was OK at the One Stop Shop in Mawsley and the Co-op in Broughton. No stern lectures on what we could or couldn't do, so that was a relief!

The weather today has been overcast and cold, with an insistent wind that prevents us from going out into the garden. My left foot is hurting, which is a complete nuisance because it's stopping me from going for a walk. I think it's a return of the plantar fasciitis I've had in the past. I relieved it then by going into the jacuzzi at Virgin and training the water jets onto my foot, but I really don't have that option now! I'm hoping Ibuprofen gel will alleviate it a bit!

I spent a lot of time transferring my blog onto a word document and 2012 is now almost finished. If this "lockdown" carries on, I will probably get all of the blogs up until 2019 made into books!

Sophie and Keith made Paella for dinner and there was another "virtual" pub session with our neighbours, which was very enjoyable. We are relying heavily on Facebook, WhatsApp, the telephone and texts at the moment to keep in touch with family and friends.

After dinner Keith and I watched Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. We are recent converts as the show is pure escapism and very funny. Obviously tonight they were presenting it from their own homes (last week they were at the studios but there was no audience) so we saw clips from previous programmes, including a hilarious piece where they played a trick on Gordon Ramsay!

Helping out

Day 4

I have still been getting up early every morning, so no lie-ins for me! I seem to wake up naturally at about 6am so it's downstairs for a cup of coffee and a cuddle with Monty.

Sophie had to go into work today as she and her manager had some admin tasks to sort out that couldn't be done online or at home. It was pretty strange waving her off, as we have got used to her being at home.

Today has been gorgeous again, with clear blue skies and sunshine, but there has been a chilly wind. Keith went for a walk and I sorted out Mike's inhaler prescription and called my Mum to ask her to phone the hospital ward my Dad is on, to find out whether we can drop off a bag with toiletries and clean clothes. She called back to say that we could drop off the bag at Reception so after Keith returned and we enjoyed bacon butties for breakfast, we set off to collect the bag from Mum and go to the hospital.

I wasn't sure what sort of reaction I was going to get, to be honest, but it was vital he had some of his belongings with him as he needed his glasses, bless him! Keith dropped me off and it seemed that it was business as usual for Kettering General Hospital. I stood and waited for a member of staff to appear on the Reception desk and while I was waiting, my phone rang. It was a nurse on my Dad's ward. I said I was downstairs so she came down to get the bag and we had a good chat about how he was. They're hoping he will come home at the weekend, so that was good news! The nurse was lovely and really put my mind at rest.

Once back in the car, Keith drove me to Mum's again so we could see her for a few minutes. We then returned home where I put all my clothes into the washing machine and had a good hot shower. You just never know!

I made Keith and I a hot drink with lemon juice and honey and we sat in the sunny conservatory and chatted. The rest of the day stretched ahead so I did an hour on my French course and then transcribed my blog onto a word document, ready for turning it into another book. We also ordered some sealant from Amazon, as now is the perfect time to tackle the windows in the conservatory that need attention!

I then decided to make a batch of custard cream biscuits, which were delicious with a cup of tea at about 4pm! Sophie arrived home and had had a stressful day so it was lovely for her to sit and relax before dinner, which was pizza, wedges and salad. While we were washing up, Mike called on video chat and it was a shock to see his hair so short! He had called me earlier in the day while Abbie's mum was cutting his hair but I didn't realise he was going for a buzzcut!

A new way of shopping...

Day 3

Sophie and I took a deep breath and went to Tesco at 7am this morning. It was not a pleasant experience.

We arrived and parked away from other cars, gathered up our shopping bags and joined a queue of people all standing a good distance away from each other. We didn't have to wait long and a security guard waved us inside. The atmosphere was eerily quiet and the lighting quite dim inside the store. I didn't like it one bit. We had to make a real effort to keep our distance and exchanged wry smiles with people we passed in the aisles.

There was hardly any bread, which annoyed me as the store had only opened an hour ago, so there was obviously a problem with the supply chain. We managed to get almost everything we needed, except baked beans, tinned tomatoes, rice (but we could get Paella rice, which was good as we needed that!), pasta and flour. We had heard the store was limiting people to three items but I thought they were for essentials, like milk, bread, bottles of water, meat, etc. I bought eight bottles of beer for Keith and we chose three bottles of wine and a small bottle to use in a recipe.

There were taped lines by the checkout that we had to stand behind and Sophie made the terrible mistake of putting one foot on the other side, which earned her a reprimand from the checkout lady. She was busy chatting to the previous customer who most definitely was not six feet away. This meant we had to wait to put our items onto the conveyor belt. Sophie then put her foot over another line, which prompted another outburst. We both felt like criminals.

The real fun began when the woman started putting our purchases through and barked that we weren't allowed all the beer and we had to get rid of one of the wine bottles. Her attitude was horrible - she made us feel terrible and I know she could have spoken to us with a bit more civility. The stupid thing is, if we'd thought about it a bit more, we could have taken two trolleys and shopped separately and used two different checkouts. Also, there was absolutely nothing stopping us from coming back later in the day or going to another branch to get our purchases! To fully implement this rule, are we going to go down the rationing route next with everyone issued a ration book, like in the war?! I agree that some foods should be limited, but I really don't think that beer and wine are classed as essentials!

We packed our bags and fled and I decided to go to Aldi where I knew I could get Keith's beer. The roads were very quiet (by now it was 8am) and the supermarket had just opened. What a difference it was! The staff were friendly and polite and said I could have four bottles of beer. There was also ample stocks of pasta, tinned tomatoes, rice and flour (but no self-raising).

We headed home to put all of our purchases away and upon looking at the Tesco receipt, we discovered that we had been charged for four bottles of beer, not three! I said to Keith that next week we'll go to Aldi at 8am and then visit Tesco afterwards to get what we couldn't buy in Aldi. Perhaps he can go in there between 9am and 10am when "older" people are allowed to shop!

After our experience at Tesco I felt really depressed, to be honest. This situation is horrible enough without people being nasty! We all need to show kindness to one another because we don't know what worries people are having. It's going to take all of us some time to get used to these new rules.

I mooched about and then decided that to make the most of this time, I need to do something constructive, so I've signed up to a short French course with the Open University. I can start to brush up on my French in readiness for our visit in September! It's completely free and there are others you can choose from.

Keith then suggested a walk so we went down the track from the village to the Nature reserve.

It was a beautiful day and the temperatures had risen to about 15c, so lovely and mild, although this weekend is set to get colder and we may even have some wintry showers! It can snow all it likes if none of us have to leave the house!

Back home we had lunch sitting in the garden and then Keith and I drove over to see Mum, but we didn't go into the house. She stood at the front door and we stood well away from her and made sure she was OK. She is very upset about my Dad being in hospital and we don't know when he'll be coming home. I really felt for her, but there's nothing we can do except phone her regularly and maybe pop over and speak to her from a distance.

Back home I put a colour on my hair as it was way overdue and then relaxed. The time today has gone very fast and it's been great to be able to catch up with my colleagues at work through our WhatsApp group. Online communication is now vital to us all and it's great to speak to neighbours in the street as long as we keep our distance.

In the evening Sophie went for a run around the estate and said there was a lovely atmosphere with people out walking and enjoying the late sunshine. We made a delicious beef pasta bake for dinner and enjoyed a glass of red wine with it. Tomorrow is Friday but there was no sense of relief like there usually is!

"Every day is like Sunday..."

Day 2

Mum telephoned this morning to say she was really worried about my Dad as he seemed confused and his legs were stiff. She said she was going to ring the emergency number and try and get some help, and I just couldn't believe it was happening. I was unable to go over and see her and when she called later, she said that he was going into hospital, the last place any of us want to be at the moment.

To cut a long story short, he certainly won't be going into the Hawthorns today as he has a urine infection, which could account for him being a bit confused lately. I think the best course of action would be for him to come home when he's recovered, and they get some help in the house. Mum wanted to go to the hospital but I wouldn't let her, telling her to stay at home! Tough, but necessary.

Sophie ran around the estate while I walked four laps and it was another gorgeous morning. The birds were singing their little hearts out, and who blames them? They have no worries. When we got back, Keith went and did his walk and then we had cheesy scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast. Tomorrow we must go and get some shopping as we are running low on milk, bread, margarine, eggs and food for dinners.

I am so grateful today has been a glorious day and it was lovely to see the sunshine and the blue skies. I put washing out on the line and Keith did a pile of ironing. I put Mikey's bed back and then washed my car while Keith cut back one of the bushes at the front of the house. We were lucky to see Richard and Michelle returning from a walk and we had a long chat with them - from across the road! They are both working from home, which Sophie has been doing all day.

I do need to start planning things to do every day, though, as the last thing I want is to drift aimlessly through this isolation. Richard said this morning to be ready for three months of not being able to go out. How on earth will we all feel at the end of it? How many divorces will there be due to couples being cooped up together and not really getting on?

I know I said I liked being at home, but not like this!

The new normal

Day 1

Well, today is Day 1 of all of the country staying at home! Sophie ran around the estate early this morning, while I walked three laps and it was a truly beautiful morning, with the birds singing their hearts out and hardly any traffic going by. We are allowed out for one form of exercise per day, either alone or in a family group and I feel so lucky we have a garden, especially at the moment when the weather is lovely. You can bet anything that this Spring will be warm and gorgeous and none of us will be able to go out to parks or beaches to enjoy it!

I busied myself in the morning by hoovering and cleaning Mike's room and Keith went out for his allotted walk. We're not told how long we can go out for, so I suppose one almighty day's walk would be fine!

Unfortunately, we had to go out as Mum wanted a bill paying at the bank so we set off, but Keith was under strict instructions to stay in the car. He wanted a newspaper and I had misgivings, but we called into the petrol station on the way to the Weston Favell Centre and I went out to get one. The shop was closed and I managed to get the last newspaper, and followed a man to the "night-hatch". He ordered me to stay away from him even though I was nowhere near! I felt like I was some kind of leper, ringing a bell and saying, "Unclean!" It quite upset me, to be honest, especially as I wasn't anywhere near him!

Angrily telling Keith to make the most of the paper as it was the last one he was going to get for a while, we drove to the Weston Favell Centre and we had to stand outside the bank two metres apart. I made sure I was! A woman was out controlling us and she asked what I was doing. When I explained I was paying a bill for my parents, she took it inside and came back out with a receipt, so that was a relief!

We also had to pop to Boots on Riverside, but again, there was a queue outside and as everyone was two metres apart, the line stretched off into the distance, so we gave up and went home!

I do not like this at all, I have to say. I know it's for the nation's good and the sooner we kill this virus, the sooner we can all return to normal, but it's horrible and I really feel for people who are suffering far worse than we are.

Back home, Sophie was working away steadily and I did a few jobs before we had leftover curry from last night for lunch, which was delicious! We shared an orange afterwards and after mooching about for a while and feeling miserable, I went out and tackled the front garden. This meant I could chat to neighbours (we stood on opposite sides of the road, so way more than two metres apart) and Keith came out to help me take down a bush that looked half dead.

We even managed to sit in the garden for a little while so there are some benefits to this, but I miss going to work (yes, I do!) and having my normal life! I just pray that it will be over soon!

An emotional day...

Keith took me to work this morning as Mike had been hinting about going to Abbie's house. As we were officially closed, we had to wait at the back entrance for one of the duty officers to let us in, which he did at about 7.45am, thankfully!

It was a gorgeous morning and we all trooped in, well aware that thousands of emails had been sent over the weekend when we were closed and the phones turned off. We couldn't do anything until Nicola came in and then there was a meeting about the best way of coping with the thousands of requests to freeze memberships.

I was able to do a few quick admin jobs and then we were given tasks to do, almost like a conveyor belt in a factory! I tackled the emails from Friday evening and filled out a form with the details. However, as soon as I was tackling them, new ones were appearing from today! As well as Joanne and I who normally work on a Monday, there were three other staff members in and Sheila was dashing about doing the banking. It's our end of year next week, as well! Sara was dealing with refunds and then made a start on the top of the email list - there were still almost 1200 emails to deal with.

By 1pm, we heard that the company who administer all of our direct debits were going to take over so we did as much as we could as the names and details were going onto a spreadsheet. Before we left we had a very quick meeting to say that today was our last day and that, thankfully, we would be paid while we were off. To say we are lucky is the understatement of the year.

I said goodbye to my colleagues and walked out, feeling very emotional. I just prayed that it wouldn't be long before I'd be walking back in and looking down at the sports hall with people playing early games of badminton and a fitness class going on.

Keith met me and we went home to start arranging for Mum and Dad to go into The Hawthorns, as I've managed to change their minds. With the way things are going, nobody will be allowed out soon and I really don't fancy doing shopping for two households! We called to see them and they were relieved but a little apprehensive, I think. I keep assuring them that it's a trial month and they can return home at the end of it if it doesn't work out.

Sophie came home a lot earlier than usual as the roads were so quiet. With Keith, she cooked a delicious beef curry for dinner padded out with lots of vegetables. We're having to use things up in the fridge and freezer for a while, which is no bad thing!

At 8.30pm, Boris gave a speech to the nation and said that from now on we all have to stay at home and only go out for truly essential items. I am just so glad that we're going into Spring and Summer - can you imagine what it would be like if it was November and Christmas was looming? It doesn't bear thinking about!

A different kind of Mother's Day...

We awoke to blue skies and sunshine again, but it was still chilly in the wind. I suppose it still is March!

The children had bought me cards, chocolate and Champagne so I was delighted with my presents. I called Mum to wish her a Happy Mother's Day and said I would pop over for a slice of cake and a cup of tea this afternoon.

Sophie prepared dinner for tonight while I cleaned the downstairs of the house and changed our bed. It was great to get the bedding out on the line and see it billowing in the wind and sunshine. Another positive about this situation is that we're going into the Spring and Summer, thank goodness and not into the Autumn and Winter. That really would have been hard to have been cooped up for three months in the darkest period of the year.

Sophie and I called to see Mum and Dad in the afternoon and took a cake that I'd bought yesterday. A lot of people were out walking, more than I have ever seen! There have been reports on the news that people have been ignoring the "social distancing" and gathering in large groups in parks and at the beach, probably thinking that as they're outside they're immune to catching the virus. I do think we have received some conflicting advice as not so long ago they said there was less chance of catching it in open spaces and even sports events, but I have a feeling that next week we will be on "lockdown" like in Italy, Spain and France.

We stayed with Mum and Dad for nearly two hours and I helped them with some little chores before we went home. As it was a gorgeous day we dragged Keith out for a walk, choosing to go into the village, see the lambs and then amble down the track that leads to the nature reserve.



It was beautiful and peaceful and so lovely to get away from the news and alarming reports on Facebook. I still can't believe that we are in this situation - it seems like we're in a bad dream.

We walked a fair way down and on the way back met John, one of Keith's friends from the pub. He was out walking his dog and after a chat at a safe distance (even though Keith had been with him on Friday!) we walked home.

Sophie cooked a delicious meal this evening - Mary Berry's Panang chicken and rice stir fry. It was absolutely delicious!

"Keep calm and carry on"...

Never has the phrase "Keep calm and carry on" been more apt than it is at the moment! I didn't sleep well last night as I am worried about Mum and Dad and also about one of us contracting coronavirus and being really ill. I think from now on, we are going to severely limit our interaction with people and I will go and do the shopping, rather than Keith.

At least the sun has shone today, but we have a bitterly cold wind that made the letterbox bang like mad all day! After a slow start (not much to do or places to go at the moment!) Sophie and I went over to Tesco at Kettering to get some much-needed bits and bobs. We called to see Mum and Dad on the way and they both looked quite bright and had even been out for a short walk, so that was great.

Tesco wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be. People seemed calm and unhurried but there were still empty shelves and Sophie was almost apoplectic with rage when she went to get some feminine hygiene items and there wasn't any to be had! The shelves were empty save for some organic ones and cost a fortune!

We both bought what we needed and called back to see Mum and Dad as they had wanted us to get a couple of items. We then drove to Beckworth as I wanted to get Mum a present for tomorrow and I knew that the shop and garden centre were still open as normal. The place was busy but not frantic and most people seemed to be acting normally, which was good news.

We went home, had lunch and then went to collect Mike from town as he was ready to come home from Abbie's house. Her mum had just had a cold the other day but I'm still wary about him being around other people. The less contact we have, the better!

In the evening one of our local residents on our Facebook page set up a "virtual pub" and we all logged on at 7.30pm and raised a glass to one another. I think it was a brilliant idea and it was fabulous to see so many people take part and upload pictures of themselves having a wee tipple. One of the very good things about this awful situation is communities pulling together to help each other out and make sure everyone is OK. I felt quite emotional as the messages and photos started coming up on the page and I hope it's something we can all do again soon!

Shock news...

Keith drove me to work this morning as he was off to Tesco again to get some food for Sunday, which is Mother's Day. Originally we were going to go around to Mum and Dad's and take a meal with us, but I think it's better at the moment to take Mum to Beckworth for a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Work was manic again and we had many, many more membership freezes. We have now been told to fill out a form rather than email our two ladies in the membership team as they have been overwhelmed, and other staff are being drafted in to help with the requests. We estimate that we took about 60-70 requests each and this will no doubt be repeated this afternoon.

At 2pm Keith picked me up and we drove over to Mum's to pick her up so she could go and get some shopping until her delivery arrives on Monday. Keith and I were going to go and have a coffee at Costa but there were no longer doing an eat-in service, just takeaway, so we wandered around the supermarket marvelling at the empty shelves. There was food available, but no loo rolls, tissues or kitchen roll, no bread at all, very little meat and veg, but loads of Easter eggs!

Mum and Dad have decided not to go to The Hawthorns after all, which was hugely disappointing. When we returned to Mum's the district nurse arrived and we managed to have a quick chat about some extra carers to come in and give her a hand. She said that if they were in a position to pay, they could get something arranged quickly.

Keith and I returned home where we watched the daily news bulletin and received some extremely shocking news - as from tonight all pubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and leisure centres were to close. The news we had been expecting, but dreading at the same time. I do think it's a good idea, though and maybe this should have been done earlier to try and make people stop gathering together and stop the virus spreading. The good news is that there is money in place to help people who will no longer have a job to go to (temporarily) and there was a raft measures in place to help struggling businesses.

I texted Sara who wasn't aware of the news and she said she would call me back later in the evening. Sophie came home from work and Keith walked down to the pub, but half way the weather deteriorated and he called us to give him a lift the rest of the way. It was blowing a gale with rain mixed in and neither Sophie nor I had noticed!

We managed to relax with a glass of The Ned Pinot Gris and prepared dinner of baked potatoes. After dinner, Sara called and said that nobody would be working over the weekend and that the phone lines would re-open on Monday at 8am when we would be expected to go in as normal. Heaven help us!

Making decisions

We had another extremely busy day at work as people called to get their memberships frozen. A lot of the calls were from our older members who felt they couldn't get out for a while, which was understandable. We also had calls about whether we were still open - yes, with no plans to close if we could - and swimming lessons which were still going ahead, much to the surprise of some people.

When I left at 3pm the centre was almost empty which felt very strange indeed. There should have been a school in using our swimming pool and we always get lots of people playing badminton or basketball, but it was eerily quiet. The car park was empty!

I drove home, collected Keith and we went around to see Mum and Dad as I had called The Hawthorns yesterday to see if they were still taking new residents, which they were, and they said they would love to welcome my parents. I was very relieved that they were still open during the current situation and after some discussion, they agreed to give it a month's trial.

We didn't stay long as I felt quite drained after work and it was lovely to go home and relax. Sophie was back at work normally today but will be working from home next Tuesday and Wednesday. She said that the gym this morning was very quiet and the usual regulars were missing.

We enjoyed beef stroganoff for dinner with a lovely garlicky sourdough loaf and relaxed by watching Masters of Flip again! It's starting to become required viewing to escape!

An early start

We all had a bit of a disturbed night as Mum called us at 2.30am to say she couldn't get my Dad back onto the recliner after a trip to the loo as there was a problem with the switch. We all went over because Keith had woken Mike in case we needed some brawn, and Sophie came as well to give support.

We managed to sort it all out and returned home where it took me ages to get back to sleep. Sophie woke me at about 6.30am as she was still going to the gym even though she was working from home. I got up, had a coffee and then tried to go back to sleep but I failed!

Before I knew it, Sophie was back and Keith returned from an early morning shopping trip to Tesco. He said it was busy even at the unearthly hour of 6am! He managed to get food for the rest of the week so won't now have to go tomorrow.

Sophie settled herself in the conservatory with her laptop and we did our best not to disturb her while she worked. Keith and I decided to pop over to the Weston Favell Centre as I needed to get a colour for my hair and I had a sudden urge to buy some towels as ours are shabby and horrible!

The Weston Favell Centre was still busy and after shopping in Tesco for the towels we went to Savers where a delivery of loo rolls had just arrived so the shop was rammed with people! We had to queue all the way around the shop so I picked up some other items while I waited!

I treated Keith to a coffee in Costa and bought some chocolate crispy cakes to take home. I was loathe to eat one there as I hadn't washed my hands and this is becoming a real issue at the moment. I try my utmost not to touch my face until I've got home and thoroughly washed my hands!

The weather today has been horrible and has matched our mood. It's been grey and drizzly with not a hint of sunshine at all but the forecast is looking good for the weekend, thankfully! We heard today that Glastonbury has been cancelled as has Eurovision which really made Sophie upset as she loves the show. What with that and her birthday trip to France cancelled, she is not happy!

After going to the Weston Favell Centre we called to see Mum and Dad and I said that maybe it was a good time to consider staying in the Hawthorns for a while, mainly because I knew they would be safe there and receive three meals a day. If the worst happened and we all had to stay at home it would be difficult for them to get out and do some shopping.

Back home Mike appeared and asked for a lift to Abbie's house in town so after a quick lunch, Keith and I took him. If anything, the weather was worse with a steady drizzle and horrible grey skies. Bring on the sunshine! We need a boost at the moment!

This evening, at the now daily press conference on the coronavirus, we learnt that all schools will be closed from Friday with exams cancelled. Every day we receive shocking news and I have a feeling that leisure centres and gyms will soon follow. Watch this space!

Phone madness!

After last night's announcement, things were mad at work this morning and by the time I left at 2pm, we'd had over two hundred calls with most people freezing their memberships until this coronavirus situation is over. I really felt for the two women in our membership department as they will have to process all the freezes, and they were flat out. I have no idea how this will impact the business but I fear it will be a very hard few months.

I wasn't supposed to be answering phones this morning but I had to help out as there were so many. I did put some Easter crash courses onto the system, but a) will we have enough children members to take part and b) will they go ahead anyway?

Today our Government has stopped all non-essential foreign travel so we are definitely not going to France. It wouldn't have been worth it, anyway, as nothing is open there. I cannot believe this is happening here, and all because of an unseen, tiny enemy that, in most cases, causes a mild illness. It is having a major impact on people's lives, businesses, work and freedom and it's very much like being in a war situation, except we don't know where it is, can't see it, feel it or hear it.

My worry is that one of us will get it and then we will all have to stay at home, for 14 days. What will happen to my parents? I am sure I'm not alone in this situation. Even Susanna Reid, the ITV breakfast host, has been confined to her home as one of her children had a new cough.

I felt drained after work, but we went to see Mum and Dad to make sure they were OK. We then popped to Tesco to get them some supplies and after ensuring they were fine, we went home and had a well-earned cup of tea!

Sophie came home and confirmed that she will be working from home tomorrow and a few days next week. We relaxed with a drink and Keith cooked dinner while we watched Masters of Flip, a programme about a couple in Nashville renovating houses. It was great to escape into their world for a while!

Stringent measures

There were just two of us manning the phones this morning and although it was a Monday it wasn't too busy. Denise came in at lunchtime and our calls were mainly run of the mill queries, although we did have some anxious calls from our older members. Yesterday the news came out that the over 70s will have to stay at home for up to three months so that was a bit of a shock, especially as Keith is in that category!

We are now 99% sure that we won't be going to France for Sophie's birthday. However, I am sure there are many, many people who will be cancelling or postponing holidays, some of which have probably been planned for years, so we are not alone. We have decided to maybe postpone the trip to September, when I think the whole world will be celebrating (fingers crossed!).

Keith picked me up at 2pm and said he had managed to source some loo paper, so now we are OK for the time being! Back home, Mike had returned from his jaunt to Birmingham and a friend had picked him up from Long Buckby station. Yesterday he had asked us to collect him from Rugby this morning but I'd said that I would have to go with Keith later today as it wasn't fair on Keith to try and find his way and drive at the same time. Neither of us had a clue where the station at Rugby was!

He then asked us whether Abbie could stay with us "for a while" and we had to say no because the least contact Keith has with other people, the better, especially as Abbie has been living in London for the past few weeks. Apparently her mum may have the coronavirus but she is now going to stay at her Dad's house and Mike will probably join her there.

I went out in the garden to plant my pansies and violas and used some more home-made compost! Today the weather has been slightly better with sunshine and blue skies so all we need now is some warmth!

In the evening, as I settled down to watch Pointless on BBC1, the programme had been moved to BBC2 and there was coverage of the Government holding a press conference on the current situation. Boris was advising all of us to stay at home as much as possible, work from home and refrain from going to pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres. It is getting serious now.

Sophie came home and said that she will have to take her aged laptop into work tomorrow to have work software put onto it, as she will be expected to work from home on Wednesday!

Mooching about...

Again, I was awake early this morning, much to my annoyance! After a slow start I made breakfast of beans on toast with the lovely sourdough bread I'd bought yesterday. It was delicious!

We've had rain for most of the day so not the sort of weather to go out and enjoy the garden. We mooched about the house for the morning and Keith was at a bit of a loss because there was no sport on at all - unprecedented!

At 2pm we collected Mum and took her for a cup of tea at Beckworth. We still had to queue for a table but the wait wasn't as long as it normally is. Sophie and I enjoyed tea with a slice of chocolate cake while Mum chose a scone with jam and a glass of Aperol Spritz. I think she definitely deserved it!

Although it was quite chilly, we walked around the garden centre part of Beckworth and I bagged some violas and pansies that were going cheap. Mum also bought some plants and I just hope the weather improves a bit so we can get them planted out.

We dropped Mum off and then returned home where we decided to go for a walk down to the village. The rain had cleared away and the late afternoon sky was a mix of greys and pinks. We walked down and it was lovely to get out into the fresh air and forget about our worries for a while.

Back home we relaxed and watched television until dinner. Keith cooked a beautiful beef casserole with dumplings for dinner and we sat and talked about meals for the rest of the week. We're just hoping there will be something left on the shelves!

Trying times.

Annoyingly, I was awake at about 6.30am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep! I went downstairs to make myself a coffee and watched the news - things were looking worse.

We are now a little worried about our trip to France in April and it's a time of uncertainty with everything. Today, we heard that all of the English football games have been suspended until April 3rd, the Marathon has been postponed until October, the Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled, rugby fixtures are off and upcoming sporting events might be in doubt.

In the news they said that our Government may well ban all mass gatherings until this crisis is over. It's mind boggling what's happening - I have never experienced anything like it.

Sophie was reluctant to spend the day cooped up in the house so I suggested we take all of the recycling to Milton Keynes (I had bags and bags of pet food pouches in the garage) and then have a walk around Willen Lake. Neither of us fancied mixing with lots of people in the shopping centre!

I let my fellow members of ROAR! know that we were going and Lynn popped around with some more recycling. We had a chat and as she used to be a nurse, she said that it was good people were starting to think about hygiene more!

Sophie and I left at about 1pm and drove to the house in Milton Keynes where we drop off the recycling. There was now a separate crate just for Tassimo pods - there were thousands of them! We left our contribution and drove the short distance to nearby Willen Lake. Opposite was Gulliver's Land, where we had spent many happy days years ago, when the children were small.

Our first thoughts were about lunch as we were hungry by now, but both of us were a bit disappointed with the small and dingy cafe. It probably looks better on a warm and sunny day, so we decided to come back another time and drive to Olney to have a bite to eat there.

We took the route through Newport Pagnell and Tyringham, and I managed to find the slowest driver for miles around who rigidly stuck to 25mph all the way through the village and out onto the main road!

Olney was packed with people, with no car park spaces anywhere. So much for people staying at home! We abandoned that idea and went instead to Castle Ashby where we managed to bag one of the last tables in The Buttery. By now it was past 3pm and we were very hungry indeed!

We did have a lovely late lunch, though. Cheesy toasties served with salad and coleslaw and a bowl of chips that we shared. Afterwards we had a quick look around the food shop and bought some treats for dinner later.

Back home we relaxed and didn't have dinner until 8pm. Now all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canaries have been cancelled and the country looks to be going the same way as Italy. We have now also heard that the US is not letting flights in from the UK and Ireland so we are mightily glad we are not off to San Francisco this year. Imagine!

An evening of relaxation.

I was hoping that today wouldn't be an unlucky Friday 13th as there is enough bad news about at the moment! Having said that, we had another film postponed - Mulan - and the phones did go down briefly!

At 2pm I went straight to see Mum and Dad and had a cup of tea with them. To be honest, they are in the best place at the moment as the coronavirus is becoming worse and worse by the day. I managed to add to Mum's Tesco delivery tomorrow and ensured it would be delivered for them!

Back home I cleaned the downstairs of the house and set the table in readiness for this evening. I was highly aware of hygiene so I mopped all the floors, scrubbed the cloakroom and washed all the crockery and cutlery!

Sophie came home from work, showered and then made me a lovely salad. We had about half an hour's relaxation before we had to prepare the food so we did manage one glass of wine! Mike went to Birmingham this evening to spend the weekend with Abbie and some friends. I wasn't entirely happy about him going as we all really need to try and stay away from large groups of people at the moment.

Sue and Michelle arrived at 7.45pm and we had a lovely evening catching up and eating some delicious food. We went through two bottles of Prosecco and a bottle of the New Zealand Pinot Gris so we were all very merry! Obviously, the main topic of conversation was the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic but we all managed to retain our sense of humour. Maybe one of the good things about the situation will be communities coming together to help each other out?

Sue and Michelle left at about 11pm so after washing up and clearing away, it was off to bed!

The saga of the loo paper!

Unusually for a Thursday, I took myself to work as Keith refused to go shopping this morning and then come and pick me up at 3pm - peak time for the Cheltenham races!

I discovered that the box office returns hadn't been completed on Monday as I'd assumed, so I stopped everything to do them - I just wish that the woman doing them had let me know! I was back on the phones at 1pm and issues about the coronavirus are starting to trickle through to us now. I happened to mention that we hadn't seen any loo paper in Tesco again yesterday and everyone said the same was true of their local supermarkets.

A bit later I went to the loo, and when I came out, Sheila was brandishing her phone at me saying that Nicola was in Tesco and had managed to grab two packs, the maximum she was allowed, and did I want them? Yes, I did! It caused great hilarity in the office when she returned so at least our sense of humour is not diminished!

At 3pm I hared off home and Keith met me at the door, all ready to go shopping. I had thought I'd have time to change but we went immediately as the time was getting on! We decided to go to Aldi first even though the shop was in the middle of Kettering and not really on the way! I will be so glad when the new one has been built opposite Tesco! We were lucky to find packs of loo paper available in the store so we now have enough to last us a couple of weeks. However, there was no pasta to be had anywhere!

We did half of our shopping and then drove the fair distance to Tesco where there was no loo paper, no flour, no pasta and definitely no hand sanitiser. I picked out some food for tomorrow night when Sue and Michelle are coming over for drinks and something to eat.

Coming out of Tesco we hit the rush hour traffic and it took us half an hour to drive a distance that would normally take less than a minute. The road going out of the car park was gridlocked! Before going home we called to see Mum and Dad and help them with a computer problem and then it was back to unpack and treat ourselves to a well-earned drink! It was almost 6.30pm!

The first cut...

I had a lovely slow start to the day but by 9am Keith and I were both in the garden. He attacked the trees in the back border and managed to cut them down to a more manageable size while I mowed the lawn. Although the grass was fairly dry, the ground itself was still wet so it was a hard slog! At one point all the grass clumped up underneath the blades and we had to dig it all out!

Keith had left the tree branches scattered all over the garden so I gathered them up and decided to cut them down and then leave them in a pile for the insects to use as a home. When we were finished the garden looked so much better - the first cut is always the hardest!

We popped to Tesco very quickly, as we needed some milk, and I treated myself to a tray of yellow pansies and some lavender plants. As soon as we were home I planted them in the garden using compost from our own heap! It looked great and Keith managed to turn over the top layers so it filtered down. The compost heap has slowed down over the winter but I'm hoping that with Spring here and warmer weather ahead, it will start decomposing a bit quicker.

After lunch in the sunny conservatory, I spent the afternoon hoovering out my car and then the rugs in the garage which were covered in leaves and mud from this morning. I then made a batch of flapjacks, so I have been very busy today!

Sophie and I enjoyed a non-alcoholic sparkling wine this evening and relaxed while Keith cooked roast chicken and all the trimmings. It was his choice to have a mid-week roast so we let him get on with it!

We do need a bit of colour!

Film woes!

I took myself to work this morning because today is the first day of Cheltenham, a sacred event in our house!

I was off the phones today and I concentrated on admin work before turning my attention to putting the next batch of films onto the system. I had just finished when our Marketing Manager appeared and said that Peter Rabbit 2 was the latest film to be postponed for a few months... arrgghh! We all decided to halt putting the films on for a while in case anyone else followed suit!

At 2pm I sped home and discovered that Keith hadn't had a brilliant day. The repair man came out to fix the oven but was totally useless and charged us almost £50 for doing absolutely nothing. He said the part we needed was obsolete, but Keith managed to find it on eSpares and promptly ordered it. He and Mike will fit it but the hinges still need fixing, so I was very annoyed indeed.

Keith had also had some money on a 12-1 horse that was doing well until another horse brought it down. Oh well! Mum had also phoned saying they had a problem with their freezer, but by the late afternoon it seemed to have resolved.

I busied myself with sorting out some payments and caught up with another couple of jobs. I am so looking forward to a day off tomorrow and tackling the garden! The weather still looks set to be dry and sunny, so fingers crossed!

Pasta woes!

Keith was feeling much better this morning so he took me to work and then returned my blood pressure monitor to the GP surgery. We had a busy morning but at least three of us were answering the phones so it wasn't too bad.

At 2pm Keith collected me and we drove to see Mum and Dad. Mum had been having problems with her Tesco order but she'd sorted it out before we'd arrived. She still needed to get some bits so we took her to Kettering as we had to get our dinner for Tuesday and Wednesday. I was amazed to see the pasta aisle even more bare than Saturday, if that was possible! Even the expensive pasta had all gone!

Cheltenham is on this week so after today Keith will be glued to the television and has "booked" a week off! I am very glad it's going ahead and hasn't been cancelled because of the dreaded coronavirus, a word I am getting sick of!

Back home I hoovered upstairs and looked forward to a night of abstinence! Sophie and I sipped on sparkling water with our chilli con carne and we did feel very virtuous! Outside we had terrible weather - heavy rain and winds - but the forecast for the next few days is set to be drier and sunny. I am itching to get out into the garden and cut the lawn! I'm hoping Wednesday will be the day to do it!

Rude people!

We had been planning to go to Stratford upon Avon today as we all felt we needed a break and we hadn't really celebrated our "anniversary" on Friday, but Keith came back to bed this morning feeling unwell. I was in the middle of a dream about flying to New Zealand so it was a bit of a rude awakening! He said he had stomach cramps so I left him in bed while I went downstairs to have a coffee.

It was clear that Keith was going nowhere today (far from a loo, anyway!) so we decided to stay put. Sophie wanted to go to Boots and we decided to have a quick breakfast, get ready and head out. I called Mike to say we could pick him up earlier than we had originally told him so at least we could relax this afternoon!

We went to Jones's first where I avoided buying rolls and rolls of loo paper (some people are stockpiling it!) and Sophie and I just bought a few bits that we needed. From Jones's we drove to Boots on Riverside and then called Mike to say we were on our way to pick him up.

Back home we enjoyed a duplicate lunch of yesterday and at about 3pm Sophie and I decided to go for a walk. Keith was feeling a little better and was wrapped up on the sofa with our thick bedspread.

Sophie and I walked up to the village and called to see the lambs on the way. They were so sweet! Today has been breezy and we've had a mix of sunny spells and cloud but at least it's stayed dry!
From the village we walked out onto the single track road and admired the views across the fields. We walked along the road for about twenty minutes and then turned back home.

In the distance we could see rain clouds and I predicted that it would rain very soon! As we neared our estate we passed a couple who we didn't recognise and both of us stepped off the path and into the road to make room for them. They passed us by without a word of thanks or even a nod or hello, which shocked us! Do they not know of the countryside code? Earlier we had stopped to chat with a man and his dog, and said hello to a woman from the village. It doesn't matter if you don't know someone when you pass them in the country, you always say hello!

We carried on and I said I hoped that the heavens would open and they would get drenched, as well as stepping into something nasty, a cowpat perhaps. I hoped very much that they weren't the new people who had just moved onto our estate!

My predictions proved correct when it started to rain hard just as we got home! Phew! The rest of the afternoon were spent relaxing and then I helped Sophie make a delicious Gino D'Acampo recipe - his sausage pasta with broccoli. We added some wine and a dollop of cream and it was gorgeous. Keith just ate some garlic bread as he still felt a bit wobbly and he certainly missed out!

On the hunt for pasta...

I didn't have a brilliant night's sleep last night because of the blood pressure monitor, and at 2am I was sitting downstairs watching television with Monty keeping me company...

However, when I went back to bed I must have fallen asleep and I woke up at 7.45am. The blood pressure monitor did one last reading at 8am and then I took it off. What a relief!

Sophie had an eye test this morning at the Weston Favell Centre, which is not an ideal place to go to on a busy Saturday morning! We managed to locate a space after driving around and around, and she had the eye test to be told she really needed glasses for reading and working on the computer.

After she'd chosen some lovely frames and paid for them, we went across the road to my office as Sara had asked me to go in and check the cinema box office returns, which had to be done today. I wanted Sophie to see where I worked, which was great! We had a chat with Sara and Sheila and then we drove to Beckworth to try and find some pasta for tomorrow's dinner - the orecchiette (or "little ears"). Beckworth didn't have any so we decided to get some bread and cheese for lunch and then headed home to have a quick bite before going to pick up Mum from home.

She said that Dad had had a better night so that was a relief. We headed over to Kettering and Sophie popped to Next to take back a gym top she'd bought. We then headed to Costa for a coffee and a cornflake crispy cake which I just cannot resist!

Our next stop was Tesco where Mum did some shopping and Sophie and I went on the hunt for the pasta again. Imagine our shock to see the pasta shelves almost empty! The only packets left were the expensive real Italian brands and we still couldn't find the orecchiette, so we had to make do with conchiglie instead. Were the shelves empty because people are panic-buying or was it because Tesco had a problem sourcing the pasta from northern Italy? I noticed that the noodle shelves were also similarly affected!

After dropping Mum back at her house we returned home where Sophie hoovered, bless her and I tidied up. We then prepared all the vegetables for dinner but by now I felt really weary so it was time for a little nap!

Dinner tonight was "Coq au Riesling"- a Hairy Bikers recipe - and the chicken had been soaking in a whole bottle of wine since this morning. Sophie cooked the entire dish and it simmered away in the oven for an hour and a half. We enjoyed a bottle of Riesling with it as well, a wine we'd bought in Wimereux last year and it was very good indeed.

Dinner was delicious - I said to Sophie it tasted like a meal I'd eaten in France and it was full of flavour. To carry on with the French theme we watched a new drama that we'd recorded over the last couple of weeks called Just One Look. It was very intriguing!

Being monitored!

At 8am this morning I went to the GP surgery to have a 24-hour blood pressure monitor fitted. I was seen by one of the nurses who is lovely and we had a laugh while she fitted it. It can come off tomorrow morning and I will be mightily glad when it does!

I'm a bit annoyed I agreed to have it fitted today as Keith and I celebrate 32 years together! All plans to go out for the day or a drink this evening have been put on hold as I really didn't fancy going out with the thing attached to me!

Back home Sophie made us cheese on toast for breakfast (she has taken today as holiday as well) but the grill suddenly stopped working and flipped one of the switches. It means we'll have to get someone out to fit a new grill element and also fix the oven door hinges that aren't working at the moment! It never rains...

We took Mike to Abbie's house and then popped to the pharmacy to pick up Mum's prescription before calling around to see them. The doctor was there when we arrived, as Dad has been repeatedly waking in the night to go to the loo and it's affecting their sleep. Hopefully, with some antibiotics, the situation will improve!

My blood pressure monitor went off every twenty minutes through the day which was quite irritating and my poor arm felt like it was being constantly squeezed! Sophie and I did manage to get out for a walk, though, and went down to the village and past our old house before walking along a lovely lane with views out over the fields. It's been a glorious day today and it's been lovely to see the sun and blue skies.

We were out for about an hour and I felt really good after the exercise. We stopped and spoke to a young lad that stands outside his house and waves to everybody, and he said he was 18 today! I think he will be celebrating in the pub tonight, bless him!

Keith walked down to the pub this evening and Sophie and I prepared dinner of baked haddock, roast new potatoes, asparagus and peas served with a cheese sauce. Delicious!

Walk...thwarted!

I was very busy at work this morning and we'd received the unwelcome news last night that the new Bond film is going to be delayed until November. Thankfully, I hadn't actually put the film onto the system yet but the new brochures were out today and obviously they had included the film in our May listings. The reason it's been delayed is because of the coronavirus, which is a bit alarming, to be honest!

At 3pm Keith picked me up and we went home where I managed to persuade him to go for a little walk. However, no sooner had we set out than Mike called to ask us to pick him up from Brixworth, where he'd been staying with a friend.

We turned around (we'd only got to the entrance of the estate) and drove over to collect him. To be honest, it was very cold so I think Keith was a bit relieved!

Being nosey!

Mike had a hospital appointment this morning and we had to take him to the Respiratory department at Northampton General. I'm not sure that being in a hospital at the moment is a good thing, but he'd already cancelled one appointment so we'd made him go. We were there for about half an hour and he had to breathe into a mask and do various tests.

We dropped him back off at home and Keith and I popped to Tesco in Kettering to get dinner for this evening. The previously beautiful weather had turned a bit grey, and rain had been forecast but I wanted to go and look at the new road layout in Moulton because Keith and I are very nosey!

As we drove over it started to rain but we pressed on and left the car by the Shell garage on the outskirts of Moulton. The old part of the A43 has been closed completely and anyone living further down the road has to drive into the village and access it by another road. I should think the local residents are a bit irritated!

Keith and I have been using this stretch of the A43 for over thirty years and it was weird to see it so empty - like a ghost road! I suppose the residents must love having it so quiet, though, after years of it being so busy!

We walked right down the road, almost to the Round Spinney roundabout where a lot of roadworks were still taking place, as they were building a new road to link onto the dual carriageway. We think this meant that the people living right next to the roundabout would have to drive along the stretch of new road up to a new roundabout if they wanted to go into Northampton.

On the way back to the car we diverted down a road that used to lead straight to the village of Overstone but which has now been cut in half, with the new bypass road running through it. There was a new phase of homes being built here and we managed to find out way through the maze of building works back out to the old road.

While we were walking through the new estate I said to Keith that we could be anywhere and I certainly didn't feel like I was still in Northampton. It all looked so strange!

Back at the car I bought a pack of biscuits to have with a welcome cup of tea at home as we were now wet and cold. It had started to rain heavily so we fled home and put the heating on!

In the news...

I suppose I had better mention the subject that all of us are now talking about and which is dominating the news - the coronavirus, which now seems set to affect the UK population. I am a bit worried that Keith will get it as whenever he has a cold it goes straight to his chest, and of course, Mike has chest problems as well.

At work we had a parent cancelling her children's swimming lessons and although we laughed about it, if other parents have the same ideas, it could spell disaster for us. I remember when we first learnt about it (towards the end of January) I never thought for one moment it would reach the UK, but with modern travel, it now seems set to spread across the whole globe.

I do think that it's being hyped up as most people who are infected recover, but I worry about my parents and Keith in particular. We are all being urged to wash our hands regularly and the phrase "self-isolate" is now being bandied about everywhere. There's even a case in Northamptonshire - someone had been to Northern Italy and has brought it home with them.

Work was OK this morning - Joanne and I were left alone to get on with our work as the managers were off at a training session. I put all the crash courses on for the Easter holidays but at the back of my mind was the thought that if the illness does strike, would they even be allowed to happen?

Keith picked me up at 2pm and we went to see Mum and Dad who are really in the best place at the moment - self-isolation! We had a cup of tea and then returned home where I pottered about until Sophie arrived back. We are abstaining from alcohol from Monday to Thursday this week and just drinking water. Boring, but good for us!

Sorting out...

I was surprised to see "heavy snow" forecast for during the night but we awoke to absolutely nothing and barely a frost. I was mightily relieved, as the thought of Sophie driving off into deep snow at 6am was slightly unnerving!

I went to work by myself this morning as dinner tonight is bubble and squeak and cold roast beef so Keith didn't have to go shopping. Work was busy and noisy as there were three of us answering the phones this morning!

At 2pm I sped home to change because I was going to Ruth's house to help with the recycling sort. There were just four of us helping today with two women I didn't know (one was a bit strange, to be honest and I had the strong feeling she didn't like me for some reason!). It was a bit messy but we managed to get it all done in under an hour and at least this time I had a cup of tea!

Back home Keith and I watched the end of the Bond film we'd started watching last night. The ending was very sad but it was the only outing for George Lazenby, who was replaced by Sean Connery again in Diamonds are Forever. I discovered that our cinema at work is screening the new Bond film from the 1 May (a month after it's released) but that will give us time to catch up!

Just pottering!

Keith and I popped to Tesco this morning and I took a load of plastic bags to recycle in the store. It's surprising how they mount up so quickly!

On the way home we called to see Mum and Dad who seemed a little better today, thank goodness, but I could tell Mum was finding it hard to be cooped up in the house. It's a shame the weather is so cold at the moment - although it's sunny and dry (at the moment), the wind is freezing!

Back home I hoovered Sophie's car and then gave it a good wash as it badly needed it. I was tempted to do mine as well because it's filthy, but looking at the forecast I could see it was going to rain this afternoon so I left it and went back into the house to get warm!

Sophie let me know she was at the Kitty Cafe in Birmingham and said that after they'd visited they were going to leave to come home. Laura's mum had very kindly offered to drive her home so we didn't have to go and fetch her from the station. I had a long soak in the bath to celebrate!

Sophie arrived home at about 4pm and we relaxed and listened to what she'd got up to over the weekend... cocktails featured a lot in her tales!

Relaxing with Monty

Keith cooked dinner this evening - roast beef with all the trimmings and Sophie and I shared a bottle of red wine which was delicious. After we'd eaten Keith and I settled down to watch "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" with George Lazenby. I didn't think I'd seen it before but I must have as I remembered lots of scenes from the film, the saddest being the end when Diana Rigg cops it! We didn't watch all of it as it was over two hours long and it's back to work tomorrow!