Diary > Tuesday 22nd December

[Roobarb]

A melancholy day despite the sunshine. In the morning I put the ingredients for spag bol in the slow cooker, no idea what else I did.
Decided to go to the beach, not to my favourite one but the one on the outskirts of town. So after lunch I got well wrapped up as it was a cold day, made sure I took my hat. Sometimes I enjoy saying hello to people I don't know as I walk along the beachside path- this wasn't one of those days so I went down onto the beach. It wasn't windy but I was glad I'd put plenty of layers on. There were a number of dog walkers down there. The light on the sea was beautiful, already softening, it wasn't yet three o'clock.

Back home, did a few bits of tidying and cleaning, sat down with a cuppa and phoned my friend in Kent. He's 85, much oder than any of my other friends but still has a great sense of humour. He's had his first vaccination, he said they all had to wait in a queue outdoors, all over 80s, not good in that respect.

Had some of the spag bol for tea, the rest will go in the freezer. Had a glass of wine, I always fancy one when I have pasta. More rubbish on telly, bath and bed. Lots of rain forecast tomorrow, maybe I'll just stay in bed.

[Caw1]

I know how you feel Roobarb... life feels like that these days... it’s hard to see the end of the tunnel.
I’m really surprised that the over 80’s would be kept outside waiting for their vaccinations... seems a little harsh... but a relief to be receiving it!


I was woken in the middle of the night first by a door banging shut... OH’s I expect as he leaves it open and it was windy... he apparently didn’t hear it... then later I was woken by the rain beating hard against my window and the wind causing the blind to clatter....always have a small window open what ever the weather...
It had stopped raining by the time I got up and there was some blue sky out there...
After breakfast I had a message from one of my Tuesday coffee friends to find out if we were going for a walk ... I said I was happy to go... other friend wasn’t able to and didn’t hear from other friend... so just two of us...
it certainly wasn’t cold out but pretty wet underfoot with a lot of water lying around....
As we walked down the bottom end of the village nearing the loop road we heard the two dogs barking... we carried on walking not talking until we’d got past and it appeared there was no one at home but the dogs did quieten down once they’d had a bark but no growling or persistent barking.
We had a good old chin wag mainly about stupid people not doing what they should be doing!...
it was lunchtime by the time I got back... watched the news and apart from more lorries stacking up in Kent there wasn’t anything else of note...
After lunch we had a game of scrabble and today I wasn’t so lucky and I’m back to four behind again 😥.
The postman arrived with a long parcel... it was the calendars that SiL does every year for the family... all different photos for each of us... sadly he’d got addresses mixed up so we’d got the ones for his family! Messaged daughter to tell her and she said she’d got ours... expecting to be seeing us tomorrow of course to give it to us... sadly not... anyway told her about online posting... so she’s sending ours and I’ve organised our postie to collect theirs tomorrow!
I’d done some washing earlier on and hung it on the line... goodness knows why as it was just as wet when I brought it in as when I’d hung it out!
Had some messages with old friend ...
then one from my friend who works at Gatwick so we had a WhatsApp video call... she’s just come off 2days and 2 night shifts... she said the airport had been very busy... 40,000 passengers through the other day... less now as not so many flights... she said that people need to have negative tests to be able to fly to some places... good job too... hope they’re doing that to those coming in too!
We had the rest if Sunday’s beef in gravy with mash and vegs..
Watched some tv... not that inspiring...
That’s the sum total of the day really pretty dull ....
Daughter said Christmas cake was a little sloped on one side due to all icing put on by the boys and still quite wet! Fortunately no one had been ill through eating too much icing... whilst talking to me she noticed couple of decoration bits round the side appeared to have ‘gone missing’ into someone’s stomach I expect... so I reminded her of when she and her brother who at about the same ages had eaten all the chocolate buttons ( roof tiles) off the back of the ginger bread house I’d made for them one year and I hadn’t noticed until I moved it and saw they’d all gone! So we had a laugh about that... she said they’d wondered how long it would take me to notice! ... little monkeys...
Well like you Roobarb it looks like a wet and windy day tomorrow.... not planning on going anywhere....
There must be some parts of UK where it’s better....
Caroline

[Mowsehowse]

Caroline, I am guessing if your friend at Gatwick airport didn't mention anything about testing for incoming passengers then it is still not happening.  Would love to be told different, but I am still waiting for evidence that Covid testing measures have ever implemented at any of England's ports or airports for incoming travellers.
QUOTE: "There must be some parts of UK where it’s better.... "
Not on the coast of the South West Ladies, another day of frequent heavy and blustery downpours, but glory be......
As I was staring out of the window thinking pessimistic thoughts I noticed strange activity in the sea.
Initially I thought it was 2 swimmers in wet suits, but the motion was odd.... then I wondered if it was a family of cormorants diving, but thought the diving and surfacing was far too quick.
Eventually it dawned on me I was watching a school of porpoises/dolphins*.
I grabbed camera and mobile and went onto the somewhat damp balcony, phoning elderly neighbour downstairs as I went. 
She grabbed her coat and camera and rushed into the garden.  She has lived here around 25 years and never seen that before.
I was watching the porpoises as they fished for around 10 minutes, and managed a few reasonable shots with my little camera's 40' zoom.
It really was a very uplifting sight, but I realised my greatest joy from that experience was the pleasure my neighbour had once I alerted her.
Nothing else of note, but a definite red letter day.
 
(*Sadly I am not educated enough to tell the difference.)

[Annette7]

A dull day but not raining.  Up earlier than usual and at the hospice retail centre an hour after they opened.  5 black bags of jigsaws (from throughout the year) and umpteen smaller bags of books.   The system they have because of COVID is that a large white van arrives at 10am and items for donation must be bagged up and placed in van.  Once van is full that's it for the day (I'd arrived too late yesterday).  Came home after that and after lunch departed for the recycling centre for 2.30 booking.   Had 4 black bags of rubbish to dispose of - 2 for textiles, 2 general waste.   Then drove to Matalan to pick up a click and collect order and then on to cash point at nearby Sainsburys to get some cash.  Masked and gloved throughout.  So nice to get home and have no bags piled at the top of the stairs and room back to normal.

Really didn't do anything else of any note the rest of the day.  Felt rather tired - early mornings don't agree with me!

Late last night message from niece to say little Darcy off some of the antiobiotics and slowly re-introducing feeding.

Went to bed earlier than usual (and went out like a light).

Annette
 

[Mowsehowse]

Well done Annette, great job.
Very happy to know that Darcy is holding her own.....

[Caw1]

Annette - I can only reiterate what MH has said....
I’m sure all your discarded jigsaws and books will be a feast for others...
So pleased to hear little Darcy is progressing....

MH - what wonderful sight and how thoughtful to tell your neighbour too... whether they’re dolphins or porpoises isn’t important just to see them is wonderful...our experience of them... which ever they were... was in the Maldives when they were swimming alongside our boat and giving us a tremendous free show...

No my friend didn’t mention any testing of those returning! Just those leaving as some countries won’t allow people to enter without negative test proof... wonder if  testing to return to UK from foreign countries might be required.... I’ll ask her next time we speak...
Caroline

[Roobarb]

Caroline, always good to get out for a walk with friends and have a good old moan! I share the concerns about people flying into the country.

MH, how wonderful to see the porpoises (a rose by any other name!) and to have shared your joy with your neighbour. I hope your weather is better today, although even though you've been kind enough to share it with us I suspect that you've been having another wet day.

Annette, good to hear that Darcy is doing well. Nice to know that someone else will be enjoying all those jigsaws you've passed on.