Worrying times...

Day 38

Keith went shopping this morning - some things don't change! We are planning on having a takeaway from our local this evening so that's something to look forward to. We tried calling as soon as the phone lines opened at 10am but the number was constantly engaged!

Keith wasn't able to get any paella rice in Tesco so we decided to venture out in the morning and go to the Weston Favell Centre. I have to admit to feeling quite low today - the weather was a mix of sunshine and showers and I was worried that my Mum would be discharged today when she wasn't really ready to come home.

Keith and I drove over to the Weston Favell Centre and Keith was still unlucky with the rice in the large Tesco there. Our last resort was Waitrose in Kingsthorpe and although there was a fairly long queue, he managed to get a pack at last!

On the way home we called into the pub and Keith ordered in person. We arranged the meal for 7.30pm so it will be great not to have to cook this evening.

Back home I called the hospital to discover that my Mum was being discharged at about 2pm with a care assessment team calling to the house at about 4.30pm this afternoon. Sophie and I drove over to her house and picked up the car and as soon as I arrived back, the hospital called to say she was ready to come home.

I drove down to the hospital in the pouring rain feeling very nervous indeed. I was worried she may have contracted Covid19 on the ward and dreaded getting it and passing it on to Keith. At the hospital I called the ward and was able to park in a short stay space right outside A&E.

Mum was brought down about ten minutes later and was wearing a mask and a hospital gown. I spoke briefly to her nurses (neither of whom were wearing masks) and they explained about her medication. Mum seemed a lot better than last week and at least we were able to hold a normal conversation in the car on the way home. It continued to pour with rain all the way home and the weather was a match for my mood.

Before getting her back I called into the Co-op and bought some essentials and then once at home I settled her into the house, made her a cup of tea and we chatted. She suddenly seemed very nervous about being on her own even though I had explained that she would be. She had been having strange dreams in the hospital and was worried that she would do something in the house whilst on her own. To be honest, this was really not what I wanted to hear at all, so I phoned Northamptonshire Carers and fortunately managed to secure carers to stay with Mum at night until Monday when the live-in carer is due to arrive.

At 4.30pm two women arrived to carry out an assessment and I wasn't at all impressed. As Mum doesn't need help with washing or dressing they said they would only come out once during the day - an evening call to help her prepare a meal. The two of them were very young and a bit patronising, if I'm honest. I'm glad they will only arrange for the care visits for today, tomorrow and the weekend. One ominous thing was Mum coughing quite a bit - the carers hadn't been worried as she'd been tested in hospital and was negative, but I was very concerned, nonetheless.

I returned home and with Sophie we had a look at the carers who were interested in looking after Mum and Dad. We picked a lovely lady called Binty who loves cooking and had had experience with Parkinson's. I approved our choice and she is going to arrive on Monday lunchtime, thank goodness!

Keith and I picked up our meals at 7.30pm but my appetite had disappeared with worrying about Mum. At 7.45pm my mobile rang and it was the night carer who couldn't find Mum's house. Sophie and I dashed over and met her so we could guide her to the house.

We settled her in and I was very glad she was there so Mum could get a good night's sleep. We drove home the scenic way but the niggling cough Mum had was worrying me tremendously so I couldn't enjoy my usual favourite views over the countryside. What else can possibly go wrong?

I tried to relax when we got home by watching Everyone Loves Raymond, but my head was still full of worries. I just hope I sleep well tonight!

A spot of fantasising!

Day 37

I woke up a bit later this morning as Sophie had decided not to go for a run. The weather outside was grey and dreary but it wasn't raining, at least!

Keith and I resumed the painting of the en-suite bathroom and my husband cleared away the sealant he had put down yesterday as he hadn't made a very good job of it! He spent some time studying a YouTube video and ordered some special implements from Amazon!

Today has been rather dreary and after finishing the painting, I mooched about and did very little. I did fantasise about houses in California and had a look at the Pebble Beach resorts website. How I would love to be there now!

In the evening Sophie and I went for a quick walk up to the village and although it was dry, the sky was full of clouds. We went to see the sheep but didn't venture into the field and on the way home we stopped and spoke to Paul. He told us his trip to New York on the 15 May had just been cancelled - he was going with Sharon for her 50th birthday celebrations. I have a feeling that we will all write this year off as I am not sure when things will ever return to normal. Will we get to France in September?

After dinner this evening we watched The Repair Shop (another emotional programme!) and an episode of James Martin's Islands to Highlands. It was so lovely seeing people act normally!

A spot of decorating

Day 36

Unfortunately, the small glimmer of hope of yesterday was extinguished today as things haven't been brilliant. I've had several phone calls from my Mum, starting as early as 7.30am, with her sounding very confused and upset about still being in hospital.

Keith and I had an argument first thing as well, over (of all things) a shopping list, and he flounced off to Tesco in a major grump... oh well! Combined with all that it was raining and although I'd previously moaned about the nice weather being a mockery of the situation we're all in, now it's gone I miss it!

Keith returned from Tesco in a slightly better mood and after mooching about for a while and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to bring up the subject of the painting of the en-suite bathroom ceiling which we have been putting off for ages...

It turned out to be a good idea because it kept us busy and, although we were cramped up in a small confined space, it was good to listen to the radio (Ken Bruce had the cheek to be away) and do something constructive.

I painted the ceiling and carried on with the walls while Keith replaced the sealant in the window and then in the shower. At times we got in each other's way and today has been the first real time we've bickered during the lock down, so I suppose that's not bad!

It rained all day with no let up which is good for the gardens if nothing else. Sophie kept me fed and watered all day and by the middle of the afternoon I'd completed one coat of a white emulsion on the walls, and the en-suite was looking a lot fresher and cleaner.

I decided to have a break and started watching After Life on Netflix starring Ricky Gervais. I'd read at the weekend that he's a huge fan of Ever Decreasing Circles (as am I) and he'd named Penelope Wilton's character in the series after Anne from the 80s sitcom.

While I was watching, my Dad called and he sounded very confused indeed. He was talking about the car keys and groceries in the boot, and when we rang the care home later, they said they were going to test him for a urine infection. I do hope he doesn't have another one...

My Mum also called sounding extremely confused and upset and I am beginning to wonder what on earth is going on. Do we have some sort of curse hanging over us? She called back later in the evening and sounded a bit calmer and I said I would look into live-in care for them both as I can't think of anything else to do. It's expensive, but we could perhaps give it a go on a temporary basis and see what happens.

Sophie cooked a delicious sausage casserole this evening and the rain continued all evening. My Aunt Joyce called and we had another long chat, which was great. I'm just hoping that tomorrow things will be a bit better!

A small glimmer of hope?

Day 35

Sophie woke me at 7am this morning and went for a run while Keith and I watched two episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, which is fast becoming a favourite in the morning. Something I might actually miss when I go back to work, as it starts at about 7.15am, the time I'd be getting ready to leave!

Keith and I popped over to Mum and Dad's house as we were both worried we couldn't find my Dad's wallet yesterday and I didn't want to leave it in the house. Luckily, Mum had told me where it was when I'd called her in the early evening so we found it straight away, which was a relief!

The weather was a bit grey again this morning and back home I chatted with a nurse from the hospital who said that my Mum was sounding good and that they were arranging for her to come home in a few days. I also chatted to a manager of a care home in Northampton, who had vacancies for my parents if we decided to go down that route. The cost of care is alarming, though!

Because it was cool and cloudy I decided to mow the lawn and tidy up the garden. Keith and I also signed up to our local council's garden waste collection scheme as we have so much to get rid of after cutting back the bushes and trees. Our compost container is full to the brim and sadly, the tip at Brixworth is closed, which I find a bit baffling - they could let a certain amount of cars in at a time and if we all kept our distance, what would be the problem? The waste operators don't actually handle any of the things that are tipped or recycled!

After I'd mowed and strimmed, the garden looked lovely and I cleaned out the bid feeders and put out fresh water for them. I feel like I've neglected our little feathered friends a bit lately!

At lunchtime we all popped over to Brixworth and Sophie went to the post office to send a parcel while I visited the Co-op. Tomorrow we're having a neighbourhood collection for a local food bank so I bought some tinned foods to add to the pile.

Back home it was time for lunch and Sophie and I sat in the garden munching on toasties with a cuppa. It was actually very pleasant - do I dare to believe there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon?

After pottering around some more and having a bath Sophie and I walked down to Walgrave and my cousin Kim phoned. We had a long chat about my Aunt Pat - I've spoken to more members of my family in the past four days than I have in four years!

Busy little bees!

Day 34

I had a bit of a lie-in this morning and didn't wake until almost 9am. I lounged about in my dressing gown for an hour which was a great and very relaxed start to the day.

I had a mound of ironing to do as we'd washed all the bedding and also some clothes of Mum and Dad's yesterday. Even though Keith is normally the ironing King, I did all of our laundry as well - I don't think I have ever washed and ironed as much as I have lately! While I was doing that, Sophie cleaned the house, bless her, and Keith prepared all the vegetables for dinner. We were certainly busy this morning!

After that was all done we decided to pop back over to Mum and Dad's house and make up the bed. While we were there I managed to check their current account and saw that all was well. I also made sure they were OK with bills so that was one worry sorted. I only wish I'd managed to get Power of Attorney some years ago, even though I would never have used it.

We stayed for a good while and I watered the plants and made sure everything was OK. Back home we had lunch (leftover quiche and cheesy potatoes) and sat out in the garden again as the weather has been beautiful. I do think this is about to change, though, and next week is set to be cooler and cloudier.

I sent off for some information on care homes in the afternoon and spoke to Mum several times. Later in the afternoon she was a lot better and had come to accept that she may be in hospital for a few more days until we can get a care package sorted out. I also spoke to my Dad who sounded bored and fed up but at least I know he's safe and well.

As the afternoon turned into evening I went and had a shower and caught the last twenty minutes of You've Got Mail, starring the lovely Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Of course, in my highly emotional state, I was soon blubbering away... note to self: DO NOT WATCH SOPPY ROMCOMS!

Dinner this evening was baked cod with diced roast potatoes and vegetables. It clouded over considerably and I did think that at one point we were going to get a downpour of rain. Our meal was delicious and after we'd eaten we watched the last episode of Race Across The World. At the end they were advertising for next year's participants and both Sophie and I were sorely tempted!

A Spring clean

Day 33

We woke up this morning to a cloudy and cool start - it was only 6c when Sophie and Keith went for a walk first thing! Brrr!

After they returned and we'd had breakfast, we all went over to to Mum and Dad's house where we gave the house a freshen up and a clean and stripped the bed Dad had been sleeping on, and their big super king upstairs. I also gathered up lots of towels to take home to wash. The house wasn't bad at all but because the carers had been in and out constantly, the carpet in the hallway needed hoovering and the kitchen floor needed some attention. Sophie cleaned downstairs while I tackled the bathrooms and when we came to leave, the house looked a lot better. I felt quite relieved when it was all over and if Mum does come home in the next few days it will all be ready for her.

When we left the weather had improved and it was now warm and sunny. I spoke to Mum on the phone back home and she was a bit upset so I said we'd take some magazines and chocolates down to her. We called into the newsagent at Moulton and the streets were thronged with people out walking or cycling. It was really busy!

At the hospital I was allowed into the main entrance door and I had to call the ward using the reception phone. A lovely lady came down to pick up the bag and said my Mum was fine but wanted to come home.

Before going home we called to see Mike again (at a safe distance!) but thankfully I wasn't as emotional as I was the other day! He seemed OK and was scoffing a  bowl of noodles!

When we finally arrived back home we all sat in the garden for a while and enjoyed a cold beer. What a difference from the weather of first thing this morning! We decided to barbecue later in the afternoon as they were forecasting showers for tomorrow evening and knowing our luck we'd be rained off!

Keith set the barbecue up and prepared everything while Sophie and I watch Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip. It was hilarious and it was great to watch and forget about everything for a little while!

The family rally around...

Day 32

Sophie was back in at work this morning and I waved her off at about 8.45am. She texted me about fifteen minutes later to say she had arrived so the traffic must have been non-existent!

Keith and I went over to Mum and Dad's house again this morning and we plugged in timers to make it look like the house was occupied. I did more tidying up and collected some towels to wash. I'm hoping tomorrow or Sunday we can get the house spick and span in case Mum and Dad return soon,  but if they do I'm not sure what will be for the best. While I was there, the phone rang and it was my Aunt Joyce who had been trying to get hold of Mum and Dad for a while. She was shocked to find out what had happened and we had a long chat, with her saying she would call around the rest of the family to let them know.

From Mum and Dad's house we drove to the care home to take Dad's mobile phone and some things he needed. We then trekked around the shops as we needed a new light bulb for the oven. Although I said the roads were quiet for Sophie's commute this morning, there was noticeably more traffic about today. We went to Riverside where Keith attempted to go to Homebase but it was open for collections only. I popped to Boots and he also went to Currys PC World but had no luck there either. Our last stop was the Weston Favell Centre and I couldn't resist driving past my workplace - I was surprised to see cars parked in the car park. If they were from people visiting the surgery next door they may be in for a shock as I'm pretty sure Parking Eye is still operating! And we aren't there to take the calls!

While Keith went to try and find the light bulb, I chatted with my workmates on WhatsApp and I discovered that Sheila was busy putting on all the playscheme places for the summer holidays. How I wish I was in at work doing that as well!

Keith had no luck with the light bulb so we went home, had lunch and then I spent a fair amount of time looking at local care homes on the computer. There is one near us in Moulton that looks lovely and will take couples so I submitted a request for a brochure.

Keith and I sat out in the garden for a while (it was glorious) and when Sophie arrived home we chatted and had a glass of wine. Let's not forget it's Friday and wine night! My Mum called several times and seemed upset but she did sound calmer than yesterday and I think she understood why she needed to be in hospital.

After dinner of quiche and salad, my Aunt Pat called and we had another long chat about my parents. She is now in a beautiful care home near Norwich and loves it, so that was great to hear. She struggled very much when my Uncle died so it was lovely to hear how much she was enjoying being pampered.

After I put the phone down to her, my cousin Beverley called and I chatted with her and her husband, Steve who was in a similar position to me some years ago with his parents. It was great to know they wanted to help and to be able to talk to someone who understood.

All I know is, I do not want to have an old age where I'm frail and dependent!

The crying game.

Day 31

Unfortunately, all I seem to have done today is cry. Not good!

I had to go to the Weston Favell Centre this morning to pay a bill on behalf of Mum and Dad and I saw one of the women we used to deal with when we had the business. As I was feeling very emotional anyway, it was quite hard speaking to her and explaining what had happened to Mum and Dad. This was when the crying started. Back outside, where Keith was waiting, one of our old staff members had stopped for a chat so this brought on the tears again, especially as she was so sympathetic.

Keith and I went to the hospital to take Mum's bag as she had nothing with her and needed some clean clothes and toiletries. I had to take the bag to a special part of the hospital where it was collected and taken up to the ward. The volunteer on the door was a neighbour!

Keith then suggested something that was a bit naughty - Mike has been back with Abbie for quite a while and I really miss my son. He said to call him and we could pop to the house and have a chat - from a safe distance, of course. I really needed to see him so we phoned and arranged to meet up. In my now very emotional state I burst into tears again and this carried on as we drove through the town.

As I've been living in Northampton for so long, there is not one patch of the town that doesn't hold a memory of some sort. With all the stuff going on with my parents, and the restrictions we're going through, the yearning for things to be normal again was really intense.

We stopped to see Mike and explained what had been happening and it was lovely to see him again. He seemed very concerned about me but we agreed to FaceTime every day and keep in touch. From the town we drove over to Mum and Dad's house and I sorted some things out while Keith popped to Tesco. To be honest, I hated being in the house on my own and it was truly painful to see the numerous happy photos about the place and all the things my parents have collected over the years.

I did a lot of tidying up and cleaning but Sophie and I are going to come back to give the house a proper clean at the weekend. I don't know what the long term future will hold for my parents but I do know they can't carry on the way they have been doing. It's not right for my Mum to have to sleep on a sofa at night and I need to start doing something to help them very soon.

Back home, just as I pulled up on the drive, Dad's care home called to say that last night he'd fallen by accident and they now suspected he had a fractured wrist. I couldn't believe it... what else can possibly happen this week? The care home said that he was going to the hospital for an x-ray and they would call us later when they knew what was happening.

We attempted to eat lunch (crumpets - and they were horrible so we put them out for the birds) and I spoke to the Occupational Therapist at the hospital about Mum. I am still getting numerous phone calls from different organisations and just as we were about to go out for a walk in the evening my Mum called. I am finding it very upsetting to talk to her at the moment so we said we would call back later and I turned my phone off.

To try and get some peace we all went for a walk to the village, through the sheep field and then back along the road. As usual, it was a glorious day and the sun shone from a gorgeous blue sky. The walk was lovely but I have to confess to having a lot on my mind, so maybe not the peace I was hoping for!

When we returned, Sophie made dinner and after we'd eaten we went upstairs to look out for the Elon Musk satellites that are orbiting the earth. We didn't see them but we did spot a lot of bats flying about!

An emotional day.

Day 30

Keith and I went over to Mum's house at 8am and met the new carer who would be with Dad until the afternoon. She was lovely and very chatty and the outgoing carer, Daniel, said that everything had been fine overnight, which was a relief.

Keith and I then popped to Tesco to buy things for Mum and Dad - both for the hospital stay and the care home stay so there was quite a bit to get. Tesco was very quiet and Keith went to get some shopping for us as well while we were there.

After doing the shopping we went home to have breakfast and Mum called to say she was coming home today which I wasn't expecting at all. I was hoping she would be in for a few more days as I really didn't like the idea of her being on her own at home. In the ten days leading up to her hospital stay she hadn't been eating properly or taking her medication which was a real worry.

I decided to contact The Hawthorns to see whether she could go and stay there for the month's trial which had already been paid for and the good news was that she was able to go. However, one slight niggle was that nobody would be there to make sure she took her medication properly.

I had picked up a load of laundry at Mum and Dad's house so I did mounds of washing and ironing for them and then we went back over to the house to get Dad ready to go. I had bought him some lovely pyjamas and lounge wear and I packed all of his things, including books, medication and toiletries. With the carer's help we got him into his own car and set off for the care home. Again, it's been a beautiful day today with endless sunshine and clear blue skies. Ordinarily, I would have enjoyed the weather so much!

At the Care Home we were met by one of the staff and I said goodbye. I was so upset - it was a heart-breaking decision to make (well, actually it was my Mum's decision a few days ago) and I have to confess to crying all the way back to their house. The worst thing was remembering how he was and how horrified he would have been if I'd told him a few years ago what was going to happen to him. However, it's a short term solution and I hope very much that things can return to normal soon and the plan is for him to go to The Hawthorns with Mum after the respite care.

Back home the phone calls started from the hospital, with conflicting messages from the nurses and Junior Doctor and the Intermediate Care Team who felt Mum wasn't ready to come out because her blood pressure dropped significantly when she stood up. We had a nightmare few hours with both sides arguing and us caught in the middle. Finally, I spoke to a Junior Doctor who said she was OK to be discharged if she was going to The Hawthorns tomorrow.

Sophie and I went and picked her up at 5pm and she was brought down to the main entrance doors in a wheelchair. I was shocked when I saw her - she looked vacant and could hardly get out of the wheelchair into the car. I asked the nurse with her if she was sure she could come home and the nurse said yes.

We set off for Mum's house but it became very clear that my Mum was not with it at all. She couldn't talk properly and kept saying strange random things that worried Sophie and I very much. She was making no sense at all and the amount of medication she'd been given was another huge worry. I would have had trouble sorting it all out let alone Mum, who was very confused.

I made the decision to turn around and take her back while Sophie phoned the ward. When we arrived we were told to come up to the ward and Sophie fetched another wheelchair as there was no way she could walk. I explained to the Junior Doctor and a nurse about how she was and we were taken to a small private room to have a chat. I urged them not to discharge her as I felt she was a danger to herself and there was no care plan for her in place at The Hawthorns that would help her take her medication.

We had a very emotional chat with the staff and it was decided that Mum would stay and be assessed in the morning. Sophie and I drove home with a feeling of relief that she would be safe in hospital but I felt terrible about the whole situation and more than a little angry with the hospital for allowing her to be discharged like that.

I am just hoping that tomorrow will be better than today!

Angels in disguise...

Day 29

Sophie and I had been up all night and at 8am I called Northamptonshire Carers who were able to provide sitters for today, from 9am until 8pm, tonight from 8pm until 8am and then tomorrow until 4pm. This meant that we could go home and catch up on some sleep and also try and get the respite care for my Dad in place.

Why I thought I could go home and sleep I'll never know... every time I nodded off the phone would ring and I'd have to deal with nurses, carers, social services and the local GP. To cut a very long and horrible story short, we managed to arrange respite care for my Dad at a home in Kingsthorpe from tomorrow. This would be for two weeks and hopefully by then, my Mum would be out and feeling better and things could carry on as before, but with care in place for my Mum as well.

Today was like a strange and unsettling dream. Both Sophie and I were shattered and the beautiful weather outside seemed to be like a mockery of the situation we were in. I lost my appetite which is highly unusual - I was so worried about my parents and what the future would hold for them.

Mum called several times today and was on the same ward as Mike last year at Northampton General Hospital. It's lovely and modern but she called to say she was coming home and was going to discharge herself. Sophie managed to persuade her to stay in and I think the nurses agreed. They think she may have had a mini stroke, but that hasn't been confirmed.

The carers from Northamptonshire Carers were fantastic, especially the woman who came today to look after Dad. We popped back at about 5pm to bring him something to eat and my Dad seemed very with it and clued up about things which was a relief. He was also very cheerful but understood what was going on and the fact that he needed to go into a home tomorrow as I wasn't able to look after him 24 hours a day, which is what he needs.

We returned again at 8pm to see the night carer and I can't stress enough how relieved I was to have him sitting with my Dad all night. The thought of another sleepless night was unbearable.

We went home and I tried to relax before bed, but I fear I didn't have much luck!

A nightmare unfolds...

Day 28

Things finally reached breaking point this morning when I received a call from my Dad to say that my Mum was ill and in bed and he was alone downstairs. I went rushing over to the house, imagining all sorts, to find my Mum wielding a hoover in the hallway...

Before I left I'd taken calls from several people about the situation my parents are in and I'm going to try and arrange a care package for my Mum when my Dad goes into respite care. They have both agreed he needs to have a break and my Mum needs a rest from caring for him. However, I am worried about her coping on her own so I had several talks with Adult Social Services to arrange carers to come in every day. My Dad will also have to have something in place when the carers stop coming in a few weeks' time as well.

While I was in the house I said to Mum to go and have a shower and I made my Dad a cup of coffee. I then did some tidying up and cleaning and received (and made) lots more phone calls. I felt desperately sad that we are in this position, especially as, looking around the house, it's full of memories of happier times. I never thought for one moment that we would be in this situation because my parents always looked and acted younger than their real ages, and now they seem to have aged over the last few months.

I left at midday when the lunchtime carer visited, and went home to have a shower and change my clothes. At 1pm, when Sophie was on her lunch break, we popped over to the post office at Brixworth to send some parcels (we are putting stuff on ebay again) and we went to our own surgery to get our prescriptions. I am so fed up of all the medical matters lately! I would be very happy if we never had to go to another surgery ever again!

Back home Keith made me a sandwich and I took a call from Adult Social Services about Mum's care package. I was on the phone for ages! It was lovely to finally relax and sit and eat my lunch in the conservatory. Outside the weather was glorious again and I realised that the children would have been back at school today - it's the first day of the summer term.

When Sophie finished work at 5pm we both went for a walk up to the village and through the sheep field. No encounters with sheep this time but they did all eye us curiously!

When we were sitting relaxing at about 6.30pm the phone rang and it was my mum sounding very confused and ill. She said her head felt funny and that she hadn't mentioned to me that she'd banged her head the other day.

Sophie and I went rushing over to the house, leaving Keith to sort out our dinner. We found Mum looking very ill and extremely low, with no sign of her evening meal being prepared. We heated Dad's food and made sure he had his dinner before trying to get my Mum to eat something. I was extremely worried about her as she wouldn't eat. We settled her on the sofa and she said she felt a bit better so we told Dad to keep an eye on her and if she wasn't better when the 9pm carer came to put Dad to bed, to let us know.

On the way home Sophie was very upset about the whole situation and I hated seeing her like that - I try to shield my daughter from these kinds of problems, but today I just wasn't able to.

Back home I didn't feel like eating but we did sit down to a meal and again, after dinner, the phone rang at 9pm. The carer had been on the phone to her supervisor who was worried about my Mum so we all went over again and this time I called for an ambulance.

Keith went home and the paramedic who arrived was fantastic. She took her blood pressure which was a bit low and her temperature was a bit high. After lots of tests and a talk with an out-of -hours doctor, she decided to admit her to Northampton hospital, which we felt would be better for her. The ambulance arrived (the paramedic had been in a car) and at just before midnight, my Mum was taken to hospital.

This meant that Sophie and I had to stay to look after my Dad who was asleep. We tried to get emergency care sorted all through the night - dialling NHS 111 and Adult Social Services but to be honest, we were given the run around. The thought of having to deal with my Dad all day tomorrow and then even tomorrow night filled us both with absolute despair. It was a horrible night and we only managed about an hour of sleep each. I'm sorry, in this post I cannot find anything positive to end on.

Shock awakening

Day 27

I was woken at just before 8am this morning by the carers to say that a paramedic had been called for my Mum as she had a temperature and raging sore throat. In the end, she wasn't taken to hospital and the paramedic was fairly sure it wasn't coronavirus, as she said my Mum was dehydrated, which could have caused the sore throat and her temperature wasn't that high.

Sophie and I went over to see her and met the paramedic who was just leaving. She had organised some penicillin for her, to be collected from Tesco at Kettering which we said we would go and get as we also needed to do some shopping for her.

Sophie took her own trolley at Tesco and this was her first real experience of shopping in the coronavirus age! She was a bit bemused by the one-way system and went off to get ingredients for tonight's dinner - a Gino D'Acampo recipe of chicken risotto with saffron.

I trundled around buying foodstuffs for Mum and Dad and collected my Mum's tablets from the instore pharmacy. She now has even more medication to take which is a bit worrying, as she is getting easily confused at the moment.

Tesco wasn't too bad at all and at least we didn't have to queue to get in! Normally Sundays are very busy but not any more. I just hope that we are nearing the end of this now but I fear we will be shopping like this for a fair while to come.

We dropped the shopping off at Mum's and put it all away. She looked a bit brighter and I made her take two tablets before I left. Luckily the carers were coming in several times today and tonight they are having someone stay all night so I was relieved about that.

Back home we put our own shopping away and I went and had a shower. We all decided to go for a walk in the afternoon and we did the "round", something I haven't done for ages, although Keith is trying to do it every day. It was wonderful to be out in the fields and the more we walked the better I felt. It was great to power up the hill without stopping so maybe the increased amount of walking I'm doing lately is having benefits.

Back home we relaxed in the garden and it was wonderful to soak up the afternoon sunshine. We stayed outside for quite a while and the sun was really hot on my jeans!

Sophie and I cooked dinner in the evening and after a worrying start when the risotto didn't have much taste, it turned out to be delicious. We roasted some asparagus to accompany the meal and put some garlic butter pats onto an uneaten garlic naan from last night as we'd forgotten to get any baguettes! It went very well and the meal was lovely!

A late meal!

Day 26

We awoke to rain and grey skies this morning and I can't believe that I'm actually saying it was a bit of a relief! The gardens certainly need a good downpour and that's what we had this morning!

I spent an enjoyable couple of hours watching Tom Kerridge cook in delightful places such as Florida and California and then the phone rang, which brought me right back down to earth. My Mum called to say she felt dreadful and really ill, but I was baffled as she looked and said she felt fine yesterday afternoon when I called in.

I suggested she call the carers for advice as she said she couldn't cope with looking after Dad even though she had refused respite care the other day. Perhaps it's time to look at other options, even if they're temporary as I am getting to dread mornings now and feel very anxious about getting a phone call from my Mum.

Keith and I spent the morning replacing all the sealant in the kitchen and I cleaned the cupboard doors and tiles. When Keith had finished everything looked so much cleaner! The rain abated by lunchtime and although we did see a patch of blue sky, it stayed mostly cloudy. I called my Mum in the afternoon and she seemed a little better but I think on Monday I'm going to have to make some phone calls and try and sort things out for both of them.

In the late afternoon I had another bath and then Keith, Sophie and I played cards in the conservatory. The sky was still grey and cloudy but the weather is set to improve tomorrow. We ordered an Indian takeaway from Mawsley and we were told it would be about an hour as they were very busy.

At 8pm it still hadn't been delivered and we were all starving! We watched an episode of Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip and the threesome were in San Francisco and Napa. They went to the "fake" castle winery - Castello di Amorosa - that we visited very briefly on our wine tour (we drove into the car park!) and had a tour inside with a tasting. As there are so many lovely wineries to visit in the area we found this a bit surprising but I suppose it has novelty value!

Our meal finally arrived at 8.30pm, so two hours late and far later than I wanted to eat, but there you go. We munched on poppadoms and curries and it was great to not have to cook, but I think in the future we'll choose a less popular night to have a takeaway!

Roasting on a Friday.

Day 25

Sophie was back at work in her office this morning so she left at 8.30am. Just as she drove down the road I had my Dad's carers on the phone about my Mum who wasn't at all well again. I went over to see her and she was looking very wobbly. She mentioned something about a prescription from the surgery so I popped to Mawsley and was able to collect it from the pharmacy, which was a relief.

When I took her medicines back I also collected some more ironing and some pillowcases that weren't dry. I have to admit that I'm really upset about my parents at the moment and this is turning out to be a very difficult time indeed. I am just glad that I'm not working as I dread to think what would happen if I could only sort things out in the afternoon for them.

Keith had been for a walk and was in good spirits so that was a relief! I ironed Mum's clothes and pillowcases and spent the rest of the day mooching about feeling a bit miserable. Keith and I decided to pop over to see my parents in the afternoon and I woke them from a nap. My Mum looked a lot better and the house was clean and tidy so maybe I was worrying too much this morning.

We took the scenic route home and marvelled at how beautiful the countryside is at the moment. Spring has really sprung and it's been another glorious day.

Back home I jumped in the bath and when Sophie returned it was wine time and an episode of 90 Day Fiance, while Keith cooked a roast chicken. It was unusual for us to have a dinner like that on a Friday (in normal times he'd be at the pub) but the chicken's use by date is tomorrow and we're planning a takeaway for a treat, so tonight was the night!

After dinner we had half an hour of bliss watching Gardener's World and then we caught up with the final of Masterchef. We were delighted to see Thomas win, even though I had predicted Sandy to take the crown!

An encounter with a horse!

Day 24

It has been yet another gorgeous day today - very soon we'll start seeing reports in the news that there has been a drought! Just wait and see!

Keith and I popped over to Mum's house this morning and went to Mawsley on the way because we'd forgotten to buy stuffing and garlic bread in Tesco the other day. The shop was closed for replenishment and on the way back to the car I recognised the woman in the vehicle opposite - it was Angie who used to work for us as a chef when we had the children's play centre! I hadn't seen her for years! We had a long chat and caught up with what was happening in our lives, so that was really great! She is now living in Mawsley after splitting with her partner some years back, and told us she'd been living in Walgrave too! How we hadn't bumped into each other before now, I'll never know!

We decided to abandon shopping at Mawsley and took back Mum's ironing. She wasn't back to her proper self again and I urged her to go and have a lovely shower and relax for the rest of the day. Before heading home I queued up at the co-op in her village to get the bits we needed and I had to wait for a fair while outside as they were only allowing two people in at a time.

Back home I knuckled down and cleaned the house although, to be honest, it wasn't really that dirty! The bathroom needed a clean but I hoovered everywhere and also went outside in the garden to sort out the plants. The geraniums that I have kept over the winter have started to flower so I put them in the full sun, moving the pansies and violas to a more shaded part of the garden as they don't like the heat. Keith and I even sat outside for a good while and enjoyed the sunshine because it's been lovely and quiet around us today. It was great to feel the sun on our faces and Keith fell asleep when I left him out there!

After having a shower I fell asleep on the bed and Sophie woke me up when she finished work so we could go for a walk. I suggested going down to the village and we were surprised to see the horses by the gate. I couldn't resist stopping to say hello even though we had no food with us. One of them, a big bay, seemed to like being stroked and patted and I think she would have stood there all evening if I'd carried on! I would loved to have given her a good wash and a brush!

"Come back!"

We carried on down to the village and noticed that the sky had clouded over and the sun was quite hazy. We're due to get rain on Friday and Saturday which will be strange - it's been so long!

An encounter with a sheep...

Day 23

Keith went shopping early this morning and bought enough food and essentials to last us over the weekend and into next week. When he returned and we'd put everything away, I went over to Mum's to pick up her shopping list. She still wasn't feeling great but I hoped that by doing her shopping I could cheer her up a bit.

Tesco was nowhere near as bad as I'd imagined it would be. Keith said that he'd been told by his checkout lady to "stay behind the line!". When he said that he was, she asked him to move the whole trolley behind the line! I read an article in the paper today and the word "Covidstasi" was mentioned - a totally new word but somehow apt for this horrible and very trying time in our lives. I totally understand that we all have to keep two metres away from everyone else and respect these new rules, but I suspect there are some people who take real enjoyment in barking orders at other people, now that they have the power to do so.

Anyway, my shopping trip was fine and I managed to get everything my parents needed. When I took it all back, the lunchtime carer was there so that made me feel a bit better. I took away a pile of ironing for my Mum to try and make her sit and relax a bit more. I just hope it works!

It's been another beautiful day today and I find it truly ironic that we've had such a horrible, wet and rainy winter followed by this gorgeous Spring, in which none of us can go out and really enjoy ourselves. It must be hell on earth for people trapped in flats in cities and towns whose only escape would be parks which have all been closed. Somehow, this continuing good weather is almost like a cruel joke that's been played on us.

I mooched about all afternoon, feeling a bit dispirited and restless. Towards the end of the afternoon I decided to watch a film on Amazon Prime but that just made me feel sleepy so I had a nap, next to Keith who was also asleep. Tomorrow I am not going to let this happen! I have a list of things that need doing (most of them boring but they must be done!) and I'm not going to let myself slide into this lethargy.

Sophie dragged me out for a walk after she finished work and I'm glad she did. We walked into the village and then back through the sheep field. I am convinced the sheep are getting used to us (or maybe loads of people are doing the same walk) and one of the sheep mums came right up to me and nuzzled my fingers before running off! It's the closest I've ever been to a sheep!

Back home we delayed dinner for a while and Sophie and I watched the excellent and very entertaining Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip, set in the USA. It was hilarious and really made us feel better! The next episode comes from San Francisco and Napa so that might be one to keep!

Not the best of days...

Day 22

Today hasn't been the best of days and I'm only thankful I'm not at work at the moment. Keith and I called around to Mum and Dad's first thing as they're having a hospital bed delivered today and we needed to make room in their kitchen/diner. The carer met us at the door saying that my Mum was really ill and had nearly passed out upstairs.

Keith and I rearranged the furniture and then popped to the surgery to take a sample for her, in case she has an infection again. The surgery said they would call me, which they did later in the morning to say that she didn't have any infection, so I still think it's to do with her gardening on Saturday when she maybe overdid things.

I spent the morning at home and then went back to Mum's later in the morning to make sure they were both OK. The hospital bed had arrived and after a fair bit of discussion with the carer we decided to get Dad back downstairs as it would be another week before anyone could come around and help him, and my Mum was really struggling with going up and down the stairs all the time.

We managed to get him down very carefully on his bottom and settled him on the sofa. If the weather stays nice Mum can perhaps open up the double doors leading into the garden to get some fresh air. She seemed a little better and we talked about getting a stairlift to make things easier and then the hospital bed could go back. I went home and managed to get an appointment for this afternoon for someone to come out and do a survey.

At lunchtime, Sophie and I went over to Brixworth - we needed to pop to our surgery to take our prescriptions in, and Sophie had a parcel to send back. Even the simplest of jobs now takes ages as there were queues for the co-op and the post office, and I had to post our prescriptions into the mail box on the gates of the surgery.

At 2.30pm Keith and I drove over to Mum's again and I queued up in the co-op in the village to get her some things she needed. I was told off for standing too close to the till even though the previous shopper, a young girl, had stood right up close to the barrier!

At Mum's I made them both a cup of tea and cleared away the lunch things, telling my Mum to relax and not do too much this afternoon. We sat and chatted but I managed to keep a safe distance from them both while we waited for the stairlift salesman to arrive.

He was a bit late and explained things to us before completing his survey and giving us a price - for both a brand new one and a re-conditioned one. It was a fair amount of money so I said we'd have to discuss the prices and then get back to him in the next few days.

Keith and I went home and after Sophie had finished work for the day, we walked to the field where the horses were. On the way we had a chat with Lynn about Monty's spat with Joe and she said that her cat was fine. We told her about the vet's bill and she was astonished!

The horses were munching grass way off in the distance but we managed to get them to come over and gave them a handful of carrots. They were as feisty as ever and after gobbling up the veggies they all wheeled around and cantered off!

Dinner tonight was pie and vegetables, cooked ably by Keith while Sophie and I caught up with Masterchef. We already knew who was in the final after seeing the four in the newspaper...ho hum!

A cold wind blows...

Day 21

We awoke to grey skies and a cold wind this morning - a bit of a change from yesterday! Keith carried on with the sealant in the conservatory while I ventured outside and tidied up all the branches we'd left lying in the gravel garden the other day. I think we now may have to get the garden waste collected every fortnight as we now have bags and boxes full of greenery and there is only so much I can put on the compost heap!

As well as tidying everything up I washed the double doors leading out to the garden but we'll leave the rest of the conservatory until the weather warms up later in the week.

Keith finished the sealant and it looks so much cleaner and brighter! He's done a fantastic job! We relaxed for a while and then had an early lunch of leftovers from last night. We'd been watching A Place in the Sun beforehand and with the continental meats we were eating it almost felt like we were in France, like the couple in the programme. How I wish! Outside the weather had improved and it was sunny and dry but the wind was still cold.

Sophie and I popped to see Mum in the afternoon and then it was home for Sophie to have a facetime session with her friend Laura. While they were chatting, Keith and I watched another Bond film - The Man with the Golden Gun - which was a bit cheesy but enjoyable nonetheless!

Sophie and Keith snacked on sandwiches for supper while I ate some of my chocolate egg as I was still full from lunch!

A different kind of Easter...

Day 20

This morning was like a repeat of yesterday! Keith and Sophie went for a walk while I popped to get the Sunday newspapers and took Mum's laundry back. One of the senior carers was there and we had a chat before I went home and had breakfast in the conservatory with the papers.

Keith carried on with replacing the sealant this morning and I followed him, cleaning all the window frames and sweeping up all the old bits of sealant which were all over the floor. It was hot, messy work and I was glad when we'd finished. Keith then started to re-seal all the gaps and it looks so much better already!

It's been another gorgeous day today but we had weather warnings out for thunderstorms later in the day (we didn't get any). It was warm in the sun but the wind was starting to pick up and it's due to be a lot colder tomorrow as the wind changes direction.

Late in the afternoon Sophie and I popped to the co-op at Brixworth as we needed a few bits and the sky was looking very interesting, with towering storm clouds building up. I said it would be good to have a big storm but I wasn't holding out much hope!

In the evening we had cold turkey, salad and new potatoes for dinner, followed by Sophie's Tiramisu that she had made earlier in the day. It was absolutely delicious and any worries she had about soggy fingers were quickly dispelled!

Sophie and I stayed up late tonight to watch the hilarious A Fish Called Wanda and it was as great as I remembered!

A poorly paw

Day 19

Sophie and Keith went for a walk at 9am again while I went to get the newspapers and collected some laundry from Mum and Dad. Their tumble dryer has stopped working and Mum wanted me to take some towels for her as drying them outside on the line makes them go stiff and scratchy. Things seemed to be great with them both, which was a relief, and Mum said she was looking forward to going out into the garden later in the day.

Back home Sophie and Keith returned and we had breakfast. Sophie was very worried about Monty's paw as it was red and swollen so she telephoned the vets at Moulton but there was no answer. We learnt that Vets Now, an emergency service, were available from 12pm so I suggested we go to the veterinary practice and see if anyone was there.

We drove to Moulton and we were surprised to see a fair few cars there. One woman kindly explained that we had to ring the bell and someone would come out and see us, which they did. She told us to either go and get Monty and come back before 1pm or ring and make an appointment with Vets Now for later in the afternoon.

I was worried about the cost of an emergency vets so I suggested we drive down to Pets At Home and see if we could get some ointment for his paw until we could make an appointment on Tuesday. The roads were startling empty and Riverside was very quiet indeed. Only one of us could go into Pets At Home so I sat in the car and googled what they had on offer. Sophie came back to the  car and I showed her what to get, so she went back in and bought three products which we hoped would help.

Back home, we applied one of the creams but Sophie said the toe was looking far worse, and was oozing pus. We called the emergency vets again and this time we managed to speak to someone who asked us to bring Monty down to the practice. She quoted £180 for the consultation.

Keith took our ancient pet carrier down from the eaves of the garage and it was covered in dust, so we had to hurriedly give it a good clean! Amazingly, Monty went into the carrier without a murmur and we put his blanket in the bottom.

I had expected him to be very uncomfortable in the car, but Sophie sat in the back with him and he was fine, bless him. At the practice, we had to wait for a vet to come out and he asked us lots of questions about Monty, his general health and what had happened to his foot. We then had to place the carrier in the middle of the car park so he could pick him up! We weren't allowed to go in with him.

After about fifteen minutes the vet appeared with Monty and said he had "inter-digital dermatitis" which could have been caused by him standing on something abrasive. He said he couldn't see any puncture wounds. He'd been given two injections and we had a course of antibiotics to give him, starting from tomorrow evening.

The total bill came to £291... but Sophie was so relieved it was worth it!

Back home we relaxed before Sophie prepared our evening meal - Gino D'Acampo's sausage pasta dish. She added cream and wine this evening as well as a lot of vegetables, so it was delicious!

Frying tonight...

Day 18

So, it's Good Friday, but as I've said before, it could be any day of the week!

Keith and Sophie went for a walk this morning whilst I continued to grapple with uploading my blog onto the book publishing website. I have no idea why I'm having such trouble with it this time as before it's been very simple. Even Sophie tried as well, but in the afternoon we gave up.

I have to admit to being in a bad mood today. There is no end in sight to this lockdown and I am missing my normal routine so much! At least the weather continues to be beautiful and I really should be thankful that we are all OK, we are incredibly lucky to have a garden and be surrounded by countryside that we're able to walk in!

Sophie and I went for a walk in the evening but my heart really wasn't in it. We walked up to the village and through the sheep field and then back home. It was amazingly warm for the time of year and I'd worn the wrong top, so I was hot!

We are having a little worry at the moment with Monty's foot - since last Saturday when he had the spat with Joe, his left paw seems to be hurting him. Yesterday we thought it was fine but today he keeps lifting it up and then licking it. Of course, now is completely the worst time for him to have anything wrong! Not only is it the Easter weekend, but we are all on lockdown and I'm not sure if the vets are even open, except for emergencies.

This evening someone thought it would be a good idea to have fish and chips and as our local chippy is closed, we decided to batter and fry the fish and chips ourselves... Keith made a beer batter and after joining us in the kitchen, Sophie said she couldn't bear watching us cook, so she left us alone. We had half-filled the wok with vegetable oil and we cooked the chipped potatoes first. They took ages and when they were done we kept them warm in the oven. Then Keith coated the haddock and cod in flour and dipped them into our home-made batter. He cooked the fish in batches and we were actually very pleased with the results! The batter was thin and crispy and tasted delicious! Maybe we can do it again!

Grumpy people!

Day 17

Sophie was at work today as it was the last day of her working week and Keith and I went and did our shopping, as well as Mum and Dad's. Mum had emailed me a list the night before so all I needed to do was pop in and get her bank card.

It was another gorgeous day and we arrived at Aldi just as it was opening. We each took a trolley and although Mum and Dad don't normally shop in Aldi they were going to get some shopping there today! It would have been pointless for me to have sat in the car while Keith bought our things!

Unlike Tesco, Aldi didn't have arrows all over the aisles and we were left pretty much to get on with it and be sensible about staying away from other shoppers. However, when we were both queuing up at the checkout, the woman at the till shouted at Keith to keep his distance! I found it highly embarrassing and I did point out that he was my husband so therefore allowed to be closer than normal! She was OK after that but it's these kinds of things I won't forget when this is all over!

We then drove to Tesco where we realised it was coming up to 9am and from then onwards for an hour, our NHS workers had priority. A couple of women started to do a bit of shouting but I couldn't make out why - because there were other people about or because Tesco hadn't called them through immediately to go and shop?

We had to queue for a fair while and Keith was allowed in before me so I had to wait for another five minutes. Never, ever will I take for granted just being able to walk into the supermarket again! NEVER!

We did our shopping and there was another angry man having a go at a customer because he wasn't keeping his distance, something that is extremely difficult to do at times in the store. I felt like saying to the angry man to tone it down - this is a horrible situation for all of us and no-one knows what other people are going through. The first few lines of the opening of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities springs to mind:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...

This situation has brought out the best of some of us and the worst in others, unfortunately. I now hate going out, I'd far rather stay at home (as we're supposed to) because at times there's a horrible atmosphere, almost like everyone views everyone else with suspicion.

Anyway, two and a half hours after we set off, we arrived back home, put everything away and finally had some breakfast. Mum had been very happy with her shopping (even the Aldi items!) and Keith and I decided to pootle about for the rest of the day and leave the gardening to next week. There is no end in sight to the lockdown and the weather is set to be sunny and warm over the weekend and into next week.

I did give the garage door a good wash, though, and the surround so I did do something! Keith and I sat in the garden and soaked up the sunshine for a while and listened to the birds singing - what a beautiful sound!

Sophie was home from work by 4.30pm and we decided to sit in the conservatory and play a game of cards, something we hadn't done for ages! It was a most agreeable evening and we all enjoyed playing and having a good chat. Dinner tonight was just baked potatoes and after we'd eaten I had a sudden urge to watch Bram Stoker's Dracula starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. They all looked so young!

More garden chores...

Day 16

We were treated to another beautiful day today and although the sunshine was a bit hazy first thing, it soon cleared to a gorgeous Spring morning.

Sophie ran around the estate and had plenty of company this morning as other people were out jogging as well. I sat and watched The Good Karma Hospital - more escapism - and I really fancy going to India one day! I had the chance back in 1987 as I could have flown to Nepal via India but I went via Pakistan instead. The beach in the programme looks beautiful but I know the series was filmed in Sri Lanka. However, Goa appeals - who knows? I don't think for one minute I'll get Keith there, but one day I might get to visit!

While Sophie was working, I went out into the back garden and mowed the lawn. It was becoming very warm! Let's keep our fingers crossed this lovely weather continues! I tidied up the borders and then decided to cut down another bush in the gravel garden that was suffering. Half if it was completely dead, but new leaves were sprouting on some of the wood so I cut down most of it and I hope it continues to thrive. Keith came out with me and tackled some of the ivy, but I'm worried that the birds use it as a roost so I asked him to leave the rest until later in the year.

The gravel garden is a source of despair to us at the moment as we don't use the area at all and the "love-seat" at the bottom has suffered over the years and is gradually falling apart. Ideally I would like to have some old bricks put down as a patio and have lots of pots there, with a seating area and doors leading out from what is our study. I would keep the ivy which trails all over the fence just in case the birds do use it as a home!

By lunchtime, we had had enough as I had changed our bed earlier in the day and done loads of washing as well! I made soup and crusty rolls for lunch and then put the fresh bedding back on that had been drying out in the sunshine. It smelt lovely!

I was too tired for a walk this evening, and my foot was killing me, so I went and had a soak in the bath. Afterwards I changed into summer clothes which was great, but I'm not becoming complacent yet! There is still time for a change in the weather and frosts could still happen at this time of the year!

Outdoor jobs

Day 15

It has been a beautiful day today and ideal for tackling outdoor jobs. Sophie woke up with a headache this morning so decided to abandon any running, which I thought was a good idea. It disappeared very soon, though, which was a relief, and I think it was a hangover from working the previous day. She was doing a lot of figures and maybe squinting at her laptop screen all day.

Keith went out for a walk and I washed Sophie's car, inside and out. When Keith returned he came out to chat and I mentioned the overgrown bushes at the front of the house, which really needed some attention. He agreed to tackle them with the hedgetrimmer and I followed behind him raking up the fallen branches and making everything tidy.

Of course, it was a great opportunity to chat to neighbours (Sue was visiting Archie and Bailey) and Richard and Michelle also came out to say hello (we all stood far apart though!). Everyone was enjoying the warm temperatures and sunshine and the atmosphere was quite jolly!

We worked until about 1pm and I was very pleased with the results. The bushes have been cut right back (but not aggressively - I reined in Slasher Keith!) and now the light can get to the verge, which we will re-turf later in the year when we can get out and buy some grass to put down. I did contemplate top soil and grass seed, but I know that Monty likes to lie in this patch of grass and no doubt the birds will also feast on the seed!

I made sandwiches and fruit salad for lunch and then went out to tackle the front windows which were dirty and cobwebby. I took the step ladders out with me, but decided to try not to use them as several friends have had accidents doing cleaning jobs since we've been confined to our houses! One friend has broken her ankle falling off a ladder, while another has done her back in!

By 3pm I was pooped so I watched A Place in the Sun and then had a shower. Afterwards I lay on our bed for half an hour and dozed. Outside I could hear the lovely sound of children playing - although we are all confined to our homes, it's still nice to hear life going on all around us!

When Sophie finished work we went for a walk again and did the same circuit as last night. The sunshine was a bit more hazy this evening but it was still beautiful and the lambs seem to be getting used to us walking through their field! Back home a delivery from Amazon arrived for my Mum and Dad so we popped it over to them, and then returned to relax with a soft drink while Keith made cottage pie for dinner.

The week is whizzing past again and we're looking forward to Easter this weekend, but it won't be Easter as we know it! I hadn't yet booked any time off over Easter and was preparing to work either Good Friday or Easter Monday, but that's not a worry any more!

Here, there and everywhere!

Day 14

I woke early this morning and watched Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again as an alternative to the news! Last night Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital, which was a bit worrying. His symptoms seem to be continuing longer than expected and I did wonder whether his refusal to rest and recover had an impact?

The blue skies and sunshine had gone to be replaced by grey skies and rain, so Sophie decided not to have a run first thing. I had an appointment for a blood test at 9am so Keith came with me as we were going to go and do some shopping afterwards.

The surgery was very quiet but I was seen quickly and efficiently and within minutes we were driving towards Mawsley to pick up Mum's prescription from the pharmacy there. I will be mightily glad never to have to go there again! However, her medication wasn't ready so we went straight to her house and I picked up her bank card as she wanted some shopping. By now, the sun had come out and it was very pleasant indeed!

We drove to Aldi and Keith went in to do a shop which should last us all week. I sat in the car and read the paper while he was gone as I think only one person is now allowed in to do a shop. Crazy times! I still can't believe we are in this situation!

From Aldi we went to Tesco and it was my turn to go in. I queued up like I did the other day and the woman in front of me was not happy when she saw we had to queue around the homewares department! She stormed off saying she only needed a few things! I managed to get everything on my list for Mum and a few bits for Keith that he wasn't able to get in Aldi. We drove to Mum's, dropped off her shopping and went home to have lunch in the sunny conservatory.

We had one more trip to do - go back to the pharmacy and collect Mum's prescription, pop to the Co-op to get bread (we'd both forgotten it) and then it was finally home. Keith and I decided to watch Ant and Dec's last Saturday Night Takeaway which should have been coming from Florida - what a terrible shame.

Later in the afternoon I realised that today was the first day of what would have been the Easter holidays, and I thought back to all the time I'd spent inputting the crash courses and the holiday playscheme...Arrggghhh! What a phenomenal waste of time! I could have sat and cried!

Once Sophie had finished work at 5pm, we ventured out for a much-needed walk in the early evening sunshine. It was glorious. We walked up to the village and then through into one of the fields. Walking along the perimeter, we came to the gate and strolled through the sheep field, trying to be as quiet and careful as possible so as not to scare the animals. A couple of sturdy lambs spotted us and idled off, but most of them seemed unfazed by our appearance!

It was a really beautiful evening with a Florida sky again and a cool, gentle breeze. Once in the village we walked along to the single track road and then turned back, admiring the gorgeous purple Aubrieta as we walked.

We were out for about 50 minutes but it did us the world of good and we plan to do the same tomorrow night as well. We are giving up alcohol in the week so it's a perfect time to get out and enjoy some fresh air instead!

Birthday celebrations...sort of!

Day 13

I was awake early this morning and arranged Sophie's gifts by the fireplace. She had a box of presents from her manager and a bottle of Taittinger Champagne from us, as well as lots of cards.

She came down at about 9am and we woke a groggy Mike so he could wish her happy birthday as well. She received some lovely French style gifts from her manager and a recipe for a "Welsh" something she would have been eating if we'd been in France!

Luckily, it was a gorgeous day with warm winds, blue skies and plenty of sunshine. How lovely it would have been if we'd been by the seaside! Never mind! We pottered about in the morning and Sophie watched some of her programmes on TV, and then we went for a walk around midday. We walked down to the village and went to see the alpacas but they were as uninterested as usual!

We trekked through the fields and sat by the graveyard for a little while, enjoying the warm sun and seeing numerous cars and cycles go past. This morning, when we went to get a newspaper, we saw twenty eight cyclists both ways to Mawsley! I'm sure that must be some kind of record and at one point about seven came through a block of temporary roadworks in a group, when the traffic light was against them. Naughty!

We walked through the graveyard pointing out various people that we had known over the years, and then turned right to walk back through the village. Overhead, we saw one of the Red Kites, which reminded us about the other day when one of them came swooping down into our garden to pick up a piece of fatty meat that Keith had thrown onto the lawn! He was right overhead and so close I could see his feet tucked up under him! He made several fly-bys but then a couple of crows appeared and frightened him off. It was marvellous to see, though!

We arrived back home feeling a little hot as by now it was warm in the sunshine. Sophie wanted to open the Champagne so we had a bowl of nuts, olives and crisps with the delicious wine. Mike joined us and we had a good chat. I then suggested opening a huge bottle of sparkling Perry that Sophie had received at Christmas from one of the managers as it was only 5% but it was horrible! Keith had suggested drinking it with Guinness and that's the only way I would touch it now after taking a sip!

We relaxed by watching the end of Charade and then Sophie wanted to watch My Best Friend's Wedding as a birthday treat. There was no sport on so Keith could hardly complain!

Afterwards, I watered the garden as the wind and sunshine had dried out all out winter flowering pansies and violas. It's been perfect drying weather and lovely to get the washing out on the line!

Before dinner we watched Gordon, Gino and Fred's tour of Mexico and the USA which was hilarious and great to escape into. How I wish we could have been with them! Sophie and I then prepared dinner - a Spanish themed meal of cold meats and cheeses, tortilla, ciabatta served with aioli and patatas bravas. It was delicious and a fitting end to a lovely day!

Visiting old haunts!

Day 12

This morning dawned beautifully sunny and the forecast is for it to remain the same all weekend. Today, we should have been on a ferry to France, which was a real shame, but hopefully, we can go in September when this is all over.

First thing, Sophie and I went to the pharmacy at Mawsley to pick up Dad's prescription. I had a long chat with Mum on her doorstep and then we came home to a breakfast of veggie sausage sandwiches, sitting in the sunny conservatory.

I will say one thing at the moment, though - the time is absolutely whizzing by, which is a good thing! Sophie and I did a quick tidy-up and hoover and we prepared the chicken for our Jerk Chicken Pasta this evening. By lunchtime we had contacted Mike and went to pick him up from town. In all honesty, today resembled a "normal" day - there was quite a few cars on the roads and tons of people out walking, jogging or cycling. In fact, I have never seen so many people out on bikes on the roads!

Back home I made Sophie's ice-cream cake and then had a quick shower. The plan was to go out for a walk and I put my walking boots on in the hope they would ease the pain in my foot. Yesterday, a Shiatsu foot massage machine arrived and it's been a big hit with all of us, even if it is a little painful at times!

We had a wonderful walk - we went up to the village and crossed the sheep field to join up with the track we used to use. I can't remember the last time we went this way and it brought back some truly lovely memories, especially the field where there used to be horses, and the owner would dump a load of carrots nearby to feed them. We always managed to find weird shaped ones to giggle over!

We saw another family out walking and stood for ages looking at the back of our estate where changes had been made to some of the houses since we came here last. I felt so lucky that we have all this on our doorstep and we can roam over the fields to our hearts' content!

A gorgeous Florida sky!

We carried on and decided to take the path that comes out behind a row of houses in Walgrave. However, since our last walk here, a small bridge had been removed so we had to walk a bit further to cross the small stream. It was so beautifully quiet, only the sound of a skylark somewhere overhead could be heard.

Finding the track at last, we passed an old friend of Sophie's who was out walking with her family and when we reached the village we met one of her old teachers! We had a chat and then trudged home - by now we had been out for an hour and a half!

Back home we had a good chat with Richard and Michelle, Paul and another neighbour Ruth. The sunshine has certainly brought everyone out!

Today was supposed to have been the Grand National from Aintree but they decided to run a virtual race instead! I picked Any Second Now as my runner and we were still able to place bets on the race. It wasn't the same as usual but I was able to watch it without any fear as the horses weren't real and if they fell, it didn't matter! Keith's horse came first and mine came third so we didn't do too badly!

After the race, Sophie made us both Margaritas and we settled down to watch the lovely film, Charade starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. It was really great to sit and relax and forget about the current situation.

I made dinner this evening and while we were cooking I went out to get another bottle of wine and heard an almighty racket going on - Monty was having a vicious fight with Joe who lives down the road! I managed to separate them and Sophie came rushing out to find out what was going on. Both cats hared off down the road, where Monty had another go at Joe! Sophie managed to separate them again but Monty was all bristly and in a right state! He growled at her when she picked him up and she realised he was bleeding from his paw.

We always thought that Joe and Monty got on but it seems not! We settled him down but he was very uptight all evening!

Dinner was delicious and after we'd eaten we watched a new Nordic thriller on BBC4 called Twin. It looks very promising!

A strange way of shopping!

Day 11

Sophie was at work today so she woke up a little later, which meant I had a lie-in as well! Keith had already gone to get our week's shopping at Aldi and Tesco so after waving goodbye to my daughter I watched Everyone Loves Raymond, which was light-hearted escapism for a little while!

By the time Keith returned with the shopping, I was showered and dressed and after putting everything away and having a quick breakfast, I drove over to Mum and Dad's to get their shopping list. I was really dreading going to Tesco for them, but after an initial queue which stretched the width of the car park, and then a single file shuffle through their homewares department, we were allowed to go our own way, albeit with the help of arrows on the floor. It was the strangest shopping trip I have ever been on!

As the time went on, it did become quite busy and it was almost impossible to keep two metres away from people. I think to do it properly Tesco would need to prevent too many people coming into the store.

However, I bought everything I needed, including some bird food for our feathered friends who are  busy building nests at the moment, ready for their babies. I took everything to Mum and Dad's and found both a carer there, and a district nurse, so they were certainly being looked after properly!

The rest of the day was taken up with running errands for Mum and Dad - going to the pharmacy and picking up some medication and talking to various nurses and carers on the phone, so the afternoon was very busy and our planned job of replacing the sealant in the conservatory had to be put off for another day.

Sophie came home from work and had had a really good day - much better than yesterday when she was struggling. Her manager had ordered pizza and had given her a gift bag for her birthday on Sunday so it was great to see her looking so cheerful again!

Mike also got in touch with us and has asked if he can come home tomorrow. We were initially reluctant, but as he's been spending the last two weeks in self-isolation, we thought it was safe. I have really missed him, to be honest, so it'll be nice to have my family all around me again!

Not the best of days...

Day 10

I walked around the estate this morning while Sophie ran and it was the best part of the day - gorgeous early morning sunshine and birdsong. I did three laps and then sat on the front step with a coffee while Sophie carried on running. The sun was coming up and it was beautiful!

The rest of the day hasn't been quite so good as Mum is finding it very difficult with Dad at the moment and we honestly don't know what to do for the best. He is now upstairs as the carers don't think it's a good idea to bring him down, so that made it worse for Mum who has to keep going up and down the stairs all the time.

The early sunshine gave way to thick cloud but the forecast is looking better over the next few days, thank goodness. I couldn't cope with grey, horrible weather at the moment! We popped to Mum and Dad's pharmacy to pick them up something they needed, and then went to our surgery as Mike's prescription for his inhaler had to be picked up as well. It was nice to actually get out in the car and drive!

We drove across Pitsford to get to Brixworth and the footpath around the reservoir has been closed. There were still a couple of cars parked nearby though and both of us said that we couldn't understand why the path was shut. If people stayed away from each other, surely it would be OK for them to get out in the fresh air and exercise?

Back home, Sophie was also having a stressful day with her work and she was very glad when it was 5pm and she could stop. She needed petrol so we both went to the garage in Moulton, being careful to wipe down the petrol pump and wash our hands thoroughly when we got home. The weather had brightened up a bit and it was a lovely evening. We drove back and it was the time that Sophie would usually be going home along the A43 and it was so quiet, not nose-to-tail traffic like it usually is!

Mum and Dad didn't have anything in for dinner this evening so I suggested they call their local pub who was doing deliveries. They called and placed an order for a meal and it was delivered straight to them! Brilliant!

A bit glum...

Day 9

I was really hoping that the headlines of the news today would be "April Fool!" - it was just a joke and now we can get back to normal, but alas, it wasn't to be. I'm not sure if anyone has the stomach for playing tricks on us this year!

Today dawned grey and overcast, which matched my mood. Every morning I wake up and then the reality hits me... we're all in lockdown. Sophie did her run and then settled down to work and I spent most of the day grappling with uploading my blog onto the book publishing website. Now I know why authors have it done professionally! It was extremely frustrating!

By early afternoon, I'd had enough so I managed to convince Keith to let me have the remote control and I did something I rarely do during the day - watched television. I chose The Aftermath, a film starring Keira Knightley and the gorgeous Alexander Skarsgard. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it nicely filled a couple of hours!

We had planned on going for a walk when Sophie finished work, but the weather continued to be grey and very cold - we've had the heating on all day so heaven knows what our bills are going to be like for this period.

Instead of going out we settled down and watched Masterchef as we are a couple of episodes behind. Dinner tonight was breaded chicken escalopes and I'd suggested to Keith we make our own chips for a change as the oven ones are so insipid. I went upstairs to get changed and when I came down Keith had filled one of our large saucepans almost to the top with vegetable oil, which unnerved me. Having worked in the fast food business for over 20 years, I was very alarmed to see the oil bubbling away... I suggested we use our big wok instead, but he pooh-poohed that idea and started putting all of our chipped potatoes into the pan.

Predictably, the oil overflowed and went all over the hob. Thankfully, it didn't catch fire which would have been a real calamity! I quickly turned off the gas and went to get the wok so we could use that! Sophie appeared and started taking charge because, of course, she used to cook in the cafe and knew exactly what to do!

Over dinner we talked about where we'd go if we had the chance and for some reason I started talking about Scotland, when we did the whale watching tour and Keith had eaten fish and chips every evening for his meal! Maybe we'd give that a miss!

Our viewing choice for the evening was Tony Robinson's new series of train travel around the world. It was heaven to watch it and escape for just a little while!