A quick jab!

Day 9

The weather today has been truly horrible. We've had a nasty drizzle that soaks everything, and it has been grey, foggy and chilly. The very worst of the winter weather,

Keith and I drove over to the doctors' surgery for Mike's sick note and then delivered it to the golf club. Luckily, Mike's boss was in the car park, so we were able to give it to him straight away. The place was empty again, and I had no idea what the greenskeepers were doing in the foul weather!

Back home, Keith had ants in his pants and wandered around the house looking restless and bored. He decided to clean Mike's room, and we managed to shift a whole bag full of plastic bottles and empty crisp bags. We then had four washes to do!

While the washes were on Keith went to Aldi, and Sophie and I went for a very wet walk. It was dry at first, which fooled us into a false sense of security, but halfway to the village the dreaded drizzle started again, and we ended up soaked!

It was bliss to get home and have some lunch in the warm conservatory. Keith arrived home at the same time as us, and we helped him unpack some of the essentials we buy in the supermarket. It will save us time tomorrow.

The weather didn't improve all day. We have the heating on permanently at the moment, so heaven knows how much our fuel bills are going to be after this is all over. At least during the first lockdown, it was Spring and Summer!

The news tonight was terrible again - another record number of deaths, but infections do seem to be falling. However, over 2 million people have now been vaccinated, including my parents, who received the Oxford-Astra Zeneca jab today. Great news at last!

The early bird...

Day 8

Keith and I were up at 6.30am this morning (a bit of a shock), and left for Tesco at just after 7am. At first, we were the only public in the supermarket, everyone else was picking for online orders, so it was very quiet, which was reassuring. After the news last night, I had really worried about going, but as we can't get an online slot (and Keith hates the thought of someone else picking out our food), there's not a lot we can do about it. Going early seems to be the safest option.

We were home by 8.15am and I sat with Sophie and read the paper, which was great as we hadn't been out to get one since last Thursday. We are arranging to have the papers delivered later in the week - a man on the other side of our estate has a box where they're delivered to every morning.

Sophie and I went for a walk around the estate, and then ventured a short way to the village at lunchtime tried to get Monty to come with us, but he gave up at the middle green and returned home. The weather, previously grey and cloudy, turned sunny at midday, and we were treated to blue skies all afternoon.

I managed to spend a lot of time in the kitchen today - preparing vegetables for dinner this evening and making a Banana Upside Down cake with some brown bananas. It was delicious with a cup of tea later in the afternoon. I made two, so plenty more for tomorrow!

Dinner tonight was more successful! Sophie and I cooked Beef Tacos, and there was so much leftover that we can have the mince with our baked potatoes tomorrow. After we'd eaten, we watched the last two episodes of The Serpent, which I think was a brilliant series!

Worrying news...

Day 7

So another week of lockdown begins, and who knows how long it will last? The infection rate is rising and deaths are higher than they were in the first wave. It truly is frightening. I found out today that a work colleague, Kathy, has contracted Covid, along with her husband and daughter. When she wrote on our WhatsApp group chat last week about having a headache and feeling exhausted, alarm bells started ringing. She has asthma, so I just hope that she feels better soon. I can now say I actually know someone, in my close circle of friends, neighbours and colleagues, who has it. I wasn't able to say that back in the first wave of the pandemic.

I spent the morning pottering about and touched up the white paint on our bannisters, something I've been meaning to do for ages. At lunchtime, Sophie and I went for a walk, just into the village and back, but it was great to get out and have some exercise and fresh air.

Sophie and I made Chicken Pillau in the evening and, unfortunately, it wasn't a huge success. We were supposed to have had it last night and although the chicken was in date, it smelt funny, like farts! Keith said it was the preservative on the chicken, but it did put us off slightly. I'd made a curry paste in the afternoon, but I think if we make this again, I'll buy a jar of curry paste and then keep any leftover in the fridge. So, not the most successful of meals - Sophie also said the garlic tasted too strong! Ho hum!

Big Brother's watching you...

Day 6

I was shocked this morning when I read a post on our residents' Facebook page, that a woman who lives alone, but who had formed a support bubble with her ex-husband, had been reported to the police. They duly turned up at her house with two police cars (can you believe it?) and interrogated her about her visitor. The woman in question is a pillar of our community, does so much to help others, is a Parish Councillor, and volunteers for no end of local organisations, including acting as co-ordinator for people who need help during the pandemic.

Naturally, there was a huge outpouring of sympathy and anger about what had happened, and I wouldn't like to be in the person's shoes who reported her to the police! I privately think the person isn't on our Facebook page, and that it's someone who has a grudge, but it was unpleasant nonetheless. To think we have a snitch in our midst!

Unfortunately, Great Britain looks to be heading the way of the Stasi who used to operate in East Germany from the 1950s. We seem to be encouraged to snoop on our neighbours and report anything suspicious. How wonderful. How low have we sunk when people do this to one another?

Only last week, two women who had driven 5 miles from their homes to meet at a reservoir, were fined £200 by the police. They were carrying takeaway coffees at the time, which were deemed to be "picnics" so they were berated for that as well. As we have been told we can drive to take exercise, this has resulted in confusion as to what we can and cannot do! Keith and I drive longer distances to go to Tesco and Aldi! It's becoming ridiculous - sometimes I honestly cannot believe I am writing these words and I keep thinking I'll wake up and this has all been a horrible nightmare.

Anyway, we stayed at home all morning, but at 2pm Sophie and I drove over to wave to my Mum and Dad through the window of their bedroom. We cannot go in and see them at the moment, as there have been three positive tests at the care home, and it's likely we won't be able to go in until after the 20 January, but I wanted to see my Mum and Dad and have a chat on the phone. It's the least we can do at the moment.

After we'd seen them and had a chat, we drove to Mill Lane, and parked the car halfway along the single track road. Sadly, the weather today has been grey and cold, with no sign of the sun at all, so no beautiful sunset this afternoon. We walked back the way we had driven and saw several joggers, walkers and cyclists. We hadn't brought the litter picker with us, which was a shame as there were lots of drinks cans and rubbish in the hedgerows.

It was great to get back in the car and head home to our warm house! I had a nap on the sofa, and when I woke up, Sophie came downstairs and made us Martinis. Delicious! Dinner tonight was the Chicken Kievs we should have had yesterday, and we roasted cubed potatoes to go with them, as well as baked asparagus wrapped in Parma ham. Yum!

The fog!

 Day 5

This morning, the sunshine through the fog, was truly beautiful. The fields were all misty with the distant trees looking blurry through the haze, and there was a gorgeous ethereal atmosphere that I wish I could have captured on my camera. 

The fog didn't lift all day. The sun shone throughout the morning, but by the afternoon it was very grey. We watched Saturday Kitchen at 10am, while eating veggie sausages for breakfast, and then mooched about the house. Sophie made a cake out of some leftover almonds and pistachios and the delicious aroma filled the house. We then managed to apply a "glow" facemask and while it was working its magic I watched another episode of Winter Walks on BBC iPlayer. 

The very cold and foggy weather didn't stop us going out for a walk, though, just to get out of the house for a while! Keith came with us, and we took the litter picker and our rubbish bag. The frost had gone today, so we were able to pick up quite a bit of litter, and by the time we'd reached the village hall, and an area nearby where we think some of the youngsters gather, we had filled the bag completely. Rather than carry on walking with it, we put it into the village hall wheelie bin. We were dismayed by the amount of rubbish we'd picked up which consisted of drinks cans and bottles, sweet wrappers and a McDonald's food bag. Disgustingly, we also spotted a used condom that we certainly didn't put in our bag! Ugh!

We walked along the single track road and I think everyone had the same idea today! There were lots of people out and about, the weather not deterring them getting some fresh air, albeit it freezing cold air!

Keith bundled up against the freezing fog!

It was heaven to get home in the warmth and enjoy a slice of Sophie's cake and a cup of tea. Not quite Teapots in Olney, but we can dream!

We had planned on having a Tesco Finest chicken Kiev for dinner, but Sophie was yearning for a Chinese, so we called the local takeaway in Brixworth who were able to deliver to us. While we waited Sophie and I played Scrabble with a drink, and very enjoyable it was, too! 

Dinner came earlier than expected, and after we'd eaten we watched another episode of The Serpent. We then enjoyed a road trip film called "She's in Portland" which was perfect escapism, especially as it was filmed on the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Oh, how I wish we were back there!

Lockdown chores!

Day 4

The weather today has been grey and frosty, and still very cold. I helped Keith with replacing the sealant in our shower cubicle this morning - such fun we are having at the moment! It's a horrible job to do, and I helped him remove some of the old sealant before hoovering it all up. When he'd finished it did look a lot better, though!

We only ventured out once today - to take Mike's SSP form to the golf club. It was strange seeing the car park empty again, and I'm sure Mike hasn't missed much this week with the weather being so cold and frosty. We have had snow forecast for today but we haven't seen any, as I predicted. Oh well!

After returning home Keith and I watched the second episode of Cheetah Family and Me, and I really struggled to stay awake! I have been awake very early in the mornings and I think it's catching up with me!

After a lovely soak in the bath again, Sophie and I settled down with a Vodka Martini (our first alcoholic drink since Monday) and watched Grand Designs, which was brilliant. I knew when the build started in 2016 that it was going to be a long process, and I was right. It featured a man converting an old lodge in a cemetery into a fabulous home, and it looked gorgeous when he finished! The last filming took place in November 2020, probably just before we went into lockdown again!

An icy walk!

Day 3

Keith and I left to go to Tesco and Aldi at 7.15am this morning. It was freezing outside, but Keith had put some old cushion covers on the windscreen of the car which meant we didn't have to scrape that! We drove gingerly up to the A43, and both of us were amazed at how many cars were on the road! There was a constant stream going towards Northampton! Lockdown? What lockdown!

We arrived just as Aldi opened and there were only one or two other shoppers in with us, so that was a relief. We whizzed around and bought the majority of our shopping in there, before scooting off to Tesco over the road. I went in on my own and again, the supermarket was very quiet, so we'll probably come at this time every week from now on.

Before heading home we called into the new Costa on the A43, and I ordered two Flat Whites to take home as a treat for Sophie and me. The sun had come up and it was a beautiful day, but there was fog about which, for me, made it even more gorgeous, with the misty fields and the weak winter sun struggling to get through.

I gave the upstairs of the house a good clean, and at lunchtime, Sophie and I walked down to Walgrave. We took the litter picker, and a bag again, and took care with walking as the paths were covered in icy leaves.

We passed several other people, and they commented on our litter picker, saying we were doing a good job. If everyone, out on a walk, picked up just one piece of litter, it would make such a difference!

On the way back we switched to the other side of the road and collected loads of drinks cans, cigarette packets, and coffee cups. Who just drives along and throws things out of their car windows?

As we walked back, the fog was rolling in again, and the previously blue sky was turning an ominous grey. We have snow forecast for tomorrow, but again I'm not getting my hopes up, as almost always it amounts to nothing.

The afternoon was spent pottering about, having a bath, and preparing dinner of liver and bacon. We watched the news at 6pm, and couldn't believe our eyes when we saw what had happened in Washington. The world surely is going mad!