Diary > Sunday 19th April

[california dreamin]

I hope everyone has had an enjoyable day.  The weather here has improved amazingly.

And so.... another ropey night.  This time I was awakened by the piercing howls of goodness only know what kind of creature.  I would have guessed a wolf if I didn't know better!  I'm putting to down to Mr or Mrs Fox who could not use their usual route through our garden.  Our neighbours, who now have a dog, decided to put up one of the those plastic fences to stop said hound coming into our garden.  We nor the foxes seem to appreciate this gesture!

A bit late this morning.  I think tomorrow I'll need to set my alarm. I really need to get up earlier!  No park today, but some chores this morning.  As the house is now an office/school/craft workshop so I'm limited in the housework that can be done during working hours so I tried to have a bit of an unclutter, wipe and vac session. 

After lunch in the sunshine then a local walk.  There are some lovely old mansion houses nearby and it is always great fun to see how the other half lives.

Of note:  I saw four aeroplanes today !  Level of cars and people about has certainly increased.

Family quiz this evening + two good programmes on the telly.

Trying not to think of tomorrow - have pretended today that there is no such word as 'lockdown'

Stay safe!
CD

[Roobarb]

I never set an alarm unless I have an appointment and at the moment I can't think of any good reason to get up early.

I've been very agitated all day today. I'm sure a lot of people will think I'm pathetic in these times when so many dreadful things are going on but I can't help it. I have a spider phobia. Five years ago I had hypnotherapy to enable me to get rid of  them (don't ask how, you probably wouldn't like the answer). It did stop me getting hysterical and feeling like throwing up when I encounter them in the house although I still feel agitated. Late last year I decided that I would seek out some further kind of therapy as I felt I was getting progressively worse. The current situation has prevented that.

Last night I'd gone upstairs to bed, came back down to the kitchen and there was one on the floor just inside the kitchen door. I got rid of it and went to bed feeling relieved although unsettled. I woke at 6am with no idea why and spotted a dark shape on the carpet next to the skirting board. I got rid of it, my heart pounding.  Heaven know how but I went back to sleep. I feel a bit sick now just thinking about it.

All this has been bothering me all day, particularly the one in my bedroom as I have no idea where it came from. The only things I can come up with are either that it was on the clean washing that I'd had drying outside (not that day) or worse still that it was on my clothes.

I went for my walk today and other than that I mostly sat in the garden reading. I can't settle, I've not been back to normal after the bad news the other day and this just makes me feel like crying. Pathetic I know.

[River Tyne Lass]

I felt so tired when I finished nightshift mid morning and developed a splitting headache as I can do when over tired.  In town I saw that there was a spaced out queue already forming outside M&S. 

Bus was in when I got to the stand but I had to wait for a man to finish his bus disinfecting routine before I boarded.  I noticed that the front area seats were all tied off and had notices up informing that passengers should keep their distance from the driver.  All good and sensible and this is how it should be .. however, it does all make you feel like you have the plague.

By the time I got in at lunch time, I just wanted to drop into bed, I was so tired.  I was so hungry though so I made myself have a hurried breakfast first.  Thankfully, headache had gone when I woke up.

After tea, I looked again at lovely photos I have been sent of two year old Grandson on Easter Egg hunt.  Oh how I miss them all!  I long for the day when it will be safe for us all to get together again as normal.

Now I am waiting again at the bus station for second connection to get work.  It is very cold.  I am hoping the driver will show up on time as they did last night.

Roobarb .. I am sorry to read of this agitation today.  You are not pathetic.  You can't help it if you are scared, no one chooses to be scared.  I hope you can settle and things feel more relaxed tomorrow.

Andra tutto bene

https://www.thelocal.it/20200312/italian-expression-of-the-day-andr-tutto-bene

I like this phrase so much now.  Apparently, it was the slogan that appeared with the first rainbow pictures in Italy.  It means 'Everything will be alright' .. just the soothing message we all need to hear reiterated at this time.

[Roobarb]

You're very kind River Tyne Lass, you have so much to put up with yet you find time to reassure me, thank you so much. I haven't been out in the real world for almost five weeks now, it's quite an eye opener to read what you have to deal with on your journey to work and how exhausting it all is. I hope the picture of your grandson in your mind's eye will keep you going.

[Viktoria]

Up at a reasonable time today, it has been getting later.Sunny but really chilly with the Easterly wind very drying for plants too.
Tried an experiment I saw on a site,cut a rose, push the stem into a potato and plant that in a pot of soil ,it ought to grow into a nice rose bush.
We will see.
Went a walk this afternoon in the cemetery ,a few people , five, were there
so plenty of space.
I had tidied out a cupboard ,took a few out of date things like dates,oats to feed the birds ,had raisins but if dogs get those they can be very ill,and quite a number of people habitually walk dogs there ,they must be on leads but—— not all adhere to that ruling !
Watered the window boxes and containers etc.
Had lunch outside, Haloumi sticks and salad .
Practically no housework done today!
Looooong call from my daughter,worried about her business as many must be.
Up to date with GGrandson’s antics , he can’t understand why he can’t  go to his Nanny, asked did she not love him anymore?
Aaaaw, he is enjoying long walks in the Suffolk countryside ,with a pic nic of course.
He is growing carrots ,but “ drownded them”, too much water.
I might buy him a dwarf apple tree for his fourth Birthday, they are ten  years old when you buy them and mine blossomed and bore fruit the first
year I had them.
Second son working from home ,but has been told he will get no holidays this year,wonder why,he is very concientious and evidence is there that he does not slack etc,three way international conferences as example.
Hope everyone is well.
Roobarb,Imoved a bag of soil in the garden yesterday ,——- call it a spider!
Was more like an octopus!
Ugh!,I nearly jumped out of my skin , you could have harnessed it and put the thing to work!
Where they come from in the house I do not know, but there they are from time to time.
I put one out of the window last week,picked it up with a tissue ,but knowing what the beggars do, run out of the tissue and can get back in via you!
I threw the whole thing out of the window.
Cheeri up folks, it seems a vaccine could be on its way,made from the plasma of recovered Corona   Virus patients .
Viktoria.

[Caw1]

It's good to read others daily diaries and know that you're not alone when you either have restless nights, wake up late, have days of feeling unsettled... it helps to understand we're all in the same boat and our feelings are similar...
Sorry you've not had a good day Roobarb hope tomorrow is a better one for you...
Spent the morning reading the Sunday papers... reverted back to the Sunday times after last weeks trial with the Saturday telegraph..... I gave up reading the main paper as it's mostly doom and gloom or inaccurate reporting... by lunch time thought I ought to get dressed 😱
Usual sandwich ...
We decided it was a lovely day for a walk and off we set.. just got outside the front door into the garden when two cyclist riding by and one started shouting out OH's name.. caught us by surprise... it turned out to be someone who was in his department at school 30 yrs ago! We were gobsmacked anyway we had a chat, socially distancing of course, exchanging news and off we went for our walk over the fields...
once home cup of tea and listen to daily briefing...
Friend phoned had good chat with her, turns out that one of her employees father sadly died a couple of wks ago of covid19 he suffered from Parkinson's. Her husband had also got it but recovered but she was ok... it dies hit home when it's closer to you..
Had lovely roast chicken for dinner... seemed a bit odd given the weathers been so warm today!
Then had a FaceTime with close friends, it was great to 'see' them and catch up, you realise how much you miss the contact with friends... we decided we do it again.
Watched some tv and off to bed for a read...
Another day to tick off... west will tomorrow hold I wonder

Stay safe everyone and healthy

Caroline

[Viktoria]

My sister’s mumblemumble Birthday today.
She has not celebrated it for decades,if you don’t celebrate it ,then it  doesn’t  Count .
Very vain about her age ,so will not want a card,well she hasn’t got one from me but in these troubled times I  must  phone and make a passing joke etc like “  was it like  this in WW1.?”
She is older than I am .
In all this ,and her main concern was getting her roots coloured !
But that is a positive if you think about it really.
Gorgeous sunshine again so I might get the garden bench and table metal parts painted with Hammerite black.Sikkensed the wood last week.
No birds coming to my garden but a nearby large Ash tree (I like Ash die back!) has
 plenty singing away, if only the darn thing did not drop it’s leaves and blasted seeds everywhere within a ten mile radius!
Found some Forget me nots ,planted from seed in a window box, given by girl across the lane in memory of he sister’s nearly full term baby who died
before birth last Spring.I put them there so they would be a bit safer ,glad they are up.
Well off to ring my sister” A very merry un birthday to you to you”.
I ought to get my breakfast first though or it will be lunchtime before I eat !
Cheerio.
Viktoria.