Day 57 – Curfew – Tuesday 19 May.
When I began my ‘Curfew Journal’ I had no idea what to expect after the initial 3 weeks; I guess I knew curfew wouldn’t be fully lifted, but I only planned to write daily for 21 days hence I am now writing every week or 10 days because:
1. I find there is little change in day to day activities
2. I don’t want to bore my readers
So, with ‘less is more’ in mind I’ll take you through the last 9 days.
We had the funeral of my late step-brother-in-law last week. A small affair with just 5 of us, it was nevertheless a good send-off. Marsden was a writer (not published but a very descriptive and detailed writer), so the story of his life was told using his memoirs. It was a beautiful sunny day. Looking over the huge, open countryside from Redditch crematorium the views really are awesome; somehow this makes a funeral service more bearable, it’s almost as though you can imagine the spirit of the deceased floating out of the crematorium onto another beautiful and peaceful plane…and this from someone who doesn’t really believe in an afterlife!
I’ve now been able to meet up with several friends (one at a time) for runs and walks which has been wonderful. A person to person conversation with a friend should never be seen as unnecessary…or as an idle chat – it’s all about making connections and we all need to connect with others.
On Sunday I drove over to meet my daughter who lives in Cheltenham. Cleo and I took a walk down the disused railway track to Pittville park where many children were enjoying riding bikes and scooters and others were simply playing imaginary games in the little wooded area with a stream running through it. We spent a lovely few hours there with cakes and coffee supplied by Cleo (Miss Organised).
Since ‘Stay Home’ (?) changed to ‘Stay Alert’ (? is apparently the relevant emoji) the roads are busier and there are more people out and about but we are nowhere near back to pre-virus living.
I don’t quite understand the mask-wearers who put their masks on and take them off constantly – for example to smoke a cigarette. I saw a guy do this yesterday and wanted to say, ‘You’re more likely to die from smoking than the virus’. Seriously though, if you wear a mask surely you should keep it on until you are home or taking it off completely?
Wearing a mask then dropping it down to sit around your neck and then putting it back over your mouth and nose must mean any contamination is then going to directly go into your nasal and oral cavity? I’m sure when a dentist or surgeon wear a mask they wear them as a one-use protective piece of equipment.
This is just my personal take on it – officially we all seem to be slightly confused as to whether or not to wear masks. My Mum wore one when I took her to the doctors last week and she found it extremely uncomfortable.
I feel sorry for all those key-workers who have to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) all the time…imagine 8 hours wearing a mask or shield?
I do admit to rather enjoying the time (and glorious weather) that I’ve ‘found’ to spend in the garden over the last 9 weeks. Even the little gate and fence which leads to our front garden has been painted! The latest flowers to bloom are some beautiful Iris’s; they didn’t bloom at all last year.
My gooseberry bushes are full of fruit and I have been told to ‘Give them a gentle squeeze’ in a week or so as they should be good to pick by then. My daughter’s partner’s dad – R – has been asking for gooseberries the last couple of weeks, but they are not available in the shops yet so as soon as I have a crop I will send him some for sure.
We will have to gradually get back to normal; a new normal it may be but we cannot keep children away from school and people isolated in their homes forever.
A friend of mine ‘M’ popped a comment on FaceBook yesterday: ‘Paying people to sit at home is like enabling the slow death of the country from disease, poverty and mental illness, more dangerous than any illness’. Though provoking for sure!
Hugs
Leigh x