Diary > Thursday 30th April

[Roobarb]

Couldn't get to sleep last night, things going around in my mind, but I didn't sleep particularly late this morning.

Cloudy when I got up, I think it had rained earlier. Did the usual catch up of the news on the BBC app, two large cups of tea etc, read my book. Went for my walk a little bit earlier than usual, only half an hour or so but there seemed to be more people out with children. It was quite windy and the sun was trying to break through. Messages to a couple of friends when I got home, a few chores and lunch.

Went out to cut the front lawn, the front is North facing and often has a totally different climate to the back garden so I put a body warmer on. Realised just after I started that I hadn't put the bucket on the lawn mower, think I'm losing my marbles. Did quite a lot of weeding in the border under the shrubs and some deadheading of spring bulbs. It looked whole lot better when I finished.

Felt a bit weary, perhaps the lack of sleep was catching up with me. Came indoors and had a restorative cuppa, caught up on Rootschat and with some emails. Later on I did some ironing while watching A Place in the Sun, I don't know why I torture myself with it. Ah well, I can dream. I seem to have done so much laundry lately, I think I'm washing towels and tea towels more often, not that I iron those of course. I also wash loads of cleaning cloths and dusters, I use some of them to wash my shopping so they go straight in the wash.

Fish for tea, I don't know why I'm not a better swimmer considering how much fish I eat. Had it with a jacket potato, peas and tomatoes. Hope Tesco brings the salmon I've ordered next week, haven't had any for a while. Also ordered tinned mackerel, haven't had that for a while either.

Been watching the Grayson Perry programme I missed a few days ago, quite entertaining, I've set the rest of the series to record. Went out to clap at eight, all the neighbours out again, great to see them. Having a glass of wine now, because I can!

Stay well everyone.

[Viktoria]

Ooooooh! Forgot the clapping,but chucking it down here so would have had to stay in the doorway anyway.But I intended to do it.
I am afraid the days are all running into one another.
I don’t get a daily newspaper,and not always a TV mag, so the days drift by
and I am struggling to note the passing of days.
Dustbin days are red letter days!
Hope everyone is alright, particularly those working in health care .
Viktoria.

[Caw1]

Like others are finding one day blends in to another and today like the last two days has been wet.... I know the gardens need the water but we've had enough now can the sun come back out to play please!

Can't remember what I did this morning....

Some sewing that's it and sorting through my buttons to find some big enough to put on the 30 headbands I've made yesterday....

Managed to pop into the garden between rain and survey it ...my goodness the plants are growing almost before my eyes!

We've a cardoon and I swear it's doubled in size over the last couple of days...they are magnificent structural plants and they definitely dominate the area. The flower heads grow incredibly tall and when they flower this haze of purple is visible.
Our lilac trees are out one pale and one dark purple ... our neighbour gets more of its flowers than we do but they smell heavenly so I picked some to put in a vase to go on the hearth.

Bacon rolls for lunch... even put the heating on for an hour it was so chilly.

OH well into his jigsaw so took a video of him to send to the boys... this is what grandpas doing with his time
Daughter FaceTimed us back immediately as boys started talking to him without realising I'd filmed him and messaged it!
They were having a music lesson... making shakers from different containers with different beans, stones etc inside then covering them with paper and drawing /sticking things on them! She's so imaginative with them!

Persuaded OH to have a game I'd scrabble and I won yeh...🎉🎉 now score 5-8 to him.
Listened to Boris in the daily ritual...

Dinner was beef stroganoff with rice and green vegs...
Out to clap at 8pm... didn't stay out long as it was blooming freezing!

OH spent all evening jigsawing.... didn't like to comment he didn't seem to have done much but it's a hard one 1000 piece millennium one!

I watched tv and started knitting another babies blanket for the hospital.
Off to bed and a read...

Sleep tight... keep healthy and as cheerful as possible.

Caroline

[River Tyne Lass]

Just catching up ...

Hi Caroline, Roobarb & mowsehowse,

Re: my work - I work in the care field and not for the NHS.   Like you though, I am full of admiration for those who do work in the NHS.   My dehydration due to cutting back on fluids at certain times of the day is self imposed as I do worry about the public toilets now having been closed.  This lockdown has the expectation that people just go out for short local trips for shopping or exercise and there is no consideration for workers like me who are not spring chickens anymore, and who may need to pop into a toilet along the way on a long commute.  (Thanks for the almond tip by the way). The Mass Observation day diary event will be taking place again this year on 12th May.  No doubt this year will be of particular historical significance with regard to how this situation is affecting individuals and how they feel and are managing to cope with things.  It might be an indelicate subject but I am certainly intending to insert in this issue of lack of public toilets and commutes.  I totally understand and accept why these have closed but I just want to make a point that this has been and will be an issue for me, and also perhaps for others who might be in a similar situation.

Diary:

Finished nightshift.  Got two buses home which both came on time.  I enjoy second bus ride  home (day time only) as this is a much more scenic route than the one I have to use when travelling to work.  The route home takes me past fields with horses, walkways where I can see people out on daily exercise, a lake and best of all a pretty little scenic village, Church and large possibly deserted old hall.  I do enjoy this and it makes me feel like a tourist out on an excursion.  Seeing the farmland leads me to think of something someone has told me recently. This is that not enough British volunteers have come forward to harvest the crops later this year and so plans are to get some people over from Rumania to help out.  I wonder if this is true or just a rumour?

I get home and have breakfast and read the paper.  It is nice to read that Boris and his partner now have a baby boy.  I go to bed with a headache.  When I wake up I find that sleep has not sorted out my headache so I take some painkillers which sorts things out very quickly.

I went out at 8 pm to clap with others in my street.  Someone also toots their car horn, someone is jingling bells, people are cheering in the distance.  No fireworks though, thank goodness!  I think the message must have got through that this is not helpful as it frightens animals.

After this I look at my little pile of books and try to decide which one to start on next.  Spend a little time reading before proper bedtime.

[Viktoria]

Well, May 1st today, MayDay.
Oh - years gone by the Gas Works horses  milk cart horses ,bread van horses etc would all be decked out in their brasses ,rosettes and ribbons.
They would parade along our road ,quite a spectacle.
We girls  would “ dress up”and decorate a broom handle or stele with crepe
paper ribbons ,go around the neighbourhood singing and “ crowning “ the girl chosen to be May Queen.
We would knock on doors and sing and dance round our makeshift Maypole,
we usually got a few pennies and later would have a “ party” with crisps and pop.
The horses were also decked out and paraded on May 24 th Empire Day,which happened to be my Birthday ,so I felt a bit special.
Hope everyone is alright .
We haven’t heard  from Skoosh for a few days, hope all is well ,as with everyone of course.
Viktoria.
Cheerio.

[Roobarb]

Viktoria, what a shame you missed the clapping, I didn't put a reminder on yesterday, will make sure I do so next week. I struggle to remember what day it is too, no structure to the week.

River Tyne Lass, I'm sure that working in the care field must be very difficult, your work is very valuable and you certainly have my admiration. I think you're right to mention the issue of public toilets, it wouldn't have occurred to me and probably lots of other people as to how their closure would affect you so much.

There were fireworks let off again around here last night, one of them was so loud it really made me jump. Some folks around here are obviously not getting the message. My next door neighbours have a dog, he's totally unfazed by it thank goodness. He's a springer spaniel, perhaps because they're used as gun dogs it's in the genes.

[River Tyne Lass]

I really appreciate these kind words Roobarb.  You do come across as a lovely, warm and kind person in your posts.   

To begin with I wasn't going to mention the indelicate toilet issue.  But then I thought, what the heck .. it is an issue in these times for some people like me so I will mention it.  I think it will not be something that anyone would naturally think of unless it they find it of relevance in their own particular circumstances.  I am sure the government will not have thought about this being an issue and I do understand and accept why things are unlikely to change.

[Roobarb]

Thank you RTL, I do try to be. 

I definitely think it's worth mentioning, toilets are something we all need. I agree that things are not likely to change at the moment but it does need to be taken into account. God forbid we ever have a situation like the current one but there should be plans if there's a need in future to close the toilets for any reason. Not sure what the solution would be, perhaps there could be a key system like there is for some of the disabled toilets. I'm sure the government employs plenty of clever people to come up with something!

[Caw1]

I so love reading all that is written on RC and Viktoria I think you should be writing a book about days gone by as from your descriptions I'm right there with you and it's so nostalgic.....

I hope that during this time people will come to realise the true value of kindness, friendship and community spirit. I also hope that we won't go back to how things were before and things change for the better...

Already saw today that Devon/Cornwall police are having issues with drug users and youngsters in general not abiding by these measures that the rest of us are and actually spitting at the police 😱...personally I'd lock them up immediately.....sorry bit draconian I know.

Anyway your all lovely people and it's so comforting to know there is kindness on here.
RTL I take my hat off to you as I couldn't do the job that you do I'm not patient enough and although cared for my Mum it's different and she was not an easy lady by any stretch of the imagination!

Keep safe everyone and we'll all get through this hopefully.

Caroline