I do hope you are all keeping as safe and well as possible in these difficult times.  Some people (me and my husband) have got away with this situation so lightly I feel very guilty.  It makes me very aware how very different it is for others.   We thank our lucky stars several times a day.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.  I had a reminder for a dentist’s appointment and realised I didn’t have to go.  That has to be a plus!

It’s also terribly unlikely that anyone is going to catch me without my make up on.  If anyone rings at the door they’ve run away long before I’ve had time to get there.  Although there is the ever present danger of Facetime, Skype or Zoom.  None of these things are bad, but they do require make up.  And darlings, the angle!  Double-chins on parade.  Although I’m learning.  There is a way to avoid this.

And all this pulling together has created an atmosphere that sometimes seems almost festive.

I have been demanding (yes!) that my children send me pictures of their children and the results have been lovely.  All I need now is for them to be printed out.  I could have a coronavirus album.  Imagine that written in careful childish writing on the front of a book, decorated with stars and little hearts.  Lovely!

Another thing I’ve enjoyed is how much everyone has been cooking, swapping recipes like anything.  I made some really delicious rock cakes (my husband said, you don’t even need to take your pick – a reference to a joke his father made, when he was at school probably.)  But I had forgotten that recently when I’ve felt overcome with a need to bake I’ve given most of the results away.  I was at risk of being locked down with delicious cakes!  I’ve been comfort eating far too much for this to be acceptable.

Luckily I’m within walking distance of my daughter so I was able to put them in a bag and leave them on my wall.  Phew.  Now I feel I gave them away too soon and am tempted to make some more.  Am I the only one doing this?

I predict that we’ll all emerge, blinking into the sunlight, our hair long and grey, wearing mu mu’s, or whatever those caftan-like garments are called.  It’ll be either be a horrible shock or very funny!

As I can’t walk up hills because of my heart condition (or the pills I’m on, not sure) and as I live in a very hilly area, my outings are mostly confined to my garden.  But I’ve loved my daily perambulations!  I take my phone and have taken a couple of photographs.  (Usually I leave this to the professionals, aka Young People.  Honestly one of the hardest parts of this whole thing is having to deal with technology without a Young Person to help.)

Here is a Lilly of the Valley shot from my garden.  Watch this space for more photos.  But decent photographers our there?  Don’t worry.  You will never be challenged by me.