Diary > Sunday 27th December

[Roobarb]

Very cold again but a lovely sunny day. Took my clean dishes back to next door and also a bottle of flavoured gin for the cook. Other years I've taken her some flowers but couldn't do that this year as I'm not going to any shops. Had also heard from people that there weren't any available just before Christmas, I wonder if they're all in the back of a lorry somewhere.

Off out for a walk while the sun was shining, headed around the driest bits and the walkways. Had forgotten to put a scarf on but was glad I was well wrapped up otherwise.
Had some lunch before my grocery delivery between one and 2pm, it was towards the end of the slot. Not a lot this time but needed fresh bread etc and a few other essentials. After dealing with that I did some painting, correcting the watercolour I started in class. Watercolour isn't my forte but I feel like I should have a go. More of that to do.

Made some pasta sauce, took some cooked chicken breast out of the freezer to have with it. Put it all in the bowl before I realised my error, I hadn't cooked any pasta. Put the sauce in a pan to simmer while I cooked the pasta.

Watched Who Wants to be a Millionaire, it's the only one with celebrities that I can stand, no audience there whooping and shouting and laughing at nothing. I got the motoring question right and Jeremy Clarkson got it wrong! Now that is something to laugh about. 

[Caw1]

Good to get in with some painting and out for your walk too... sure the bottle of gin will be appreciated too.... we didn’t have issue round here with flowers as I bought some in Lidl’s when I did my mad early morning shop...
I did have a laugh at your pasta sauces and chicken without the pasta 😂😂 my daughter forgot to cook the Brussels on Christmas Day..... so they had them on Boxing Day instead.
Well done with your motering question too..✅

It was pretty cold when I got up this morning but a clearish sky... nice to have the new weather station as had missed not seeing what the outside temp is...
 Lovely big crossword in the paper today... two infact but think ones cryptic which I’m not good at... need a special brain for those... I definitely don’t have one... both my parents were great at them... my mum used to devise questions and could always tell when someone different was setting the questions!
We took all the rest of the meat off the turkey and I used the carcass added some carrots, leeks,celery to it in a big pan to make stick...had some lunch then I suggested we went for a walk... I delivered this weeks lottery money ... the pavements and the roads in the village are in right mess... lots of branches, leaves and mud lying around everywhere and drains so full there’s nowhere for excess water to run...
Where the new houses are being built there has been a problem from the beginning...saw a neighbour opposite the houses and he’d had to have sand bags along the front of the house as the water running off the fields had been like a muddy river running down the footpath... house next to it had water in the garage and creeping up to the house..
We weren’t able to walk the loop road as the brook runs all the way along the road and it was flooded there too... so it was a shorter than normal one but we still saw several lots of villagers out... it was pretty cold so glad to get back inside...
Hot cuppa and a game of scrabble... just about to start when had a phone call from a good friend who’d lived in the village moved away to be near one daughter in Cumbria... it’s ten years tomorrow since her husband died... we were the last to chat to him as he set off for a walk and then couple hours later friend phones to ask for help... he’d had heart attack on the side of the road and luckily been found by passing car... sadly he’d died there and then.... traumatic time for us all... I still see him when I close the kitchen blind... never goes away... glad she’s made a new life for herself now...oh sorry shouldn’t be so morbid...
I won at scrabble so only one game behind now...
We had turkey curry for dinner,,, think we’ll have to eat something different tomorrow...
Friend from Cirencester phoned to say they’d had floods there too, but luckily they live up the hill... they’ve just recently finished converting part of the house that was the nursery school into self contained accommodation which they’re putting on airbandb... it came in useful as their daughter and family stayed in it over Christmas which meant they could see them ...
Watched some tv...
Not caught up with all threads in other days posts... but hope all is well with everyone..

Caroline

[Mowsehowse]

What a horrid memory for you Caroline, and I dare say you are not alone with it, however, good that you were able to get out, and that you have flowers in the house.
Nice of you to take gin as a thankyou Roobarb.... my 8 year old grandaughter told me they would be going to the pub later... I asked her if she liked beer, or lager or Guinness, but she didn't understand. Mum told me she only knows about gin and champagne!! 
I had already ordered a new cover for the kindle, but thank you for the advice... I think I may have it sorted. Will let you know.
Yesterday we walked over to Oldway again as we can get there by quiet back roads. We were shocked to find the road outside the flats was crammed with parked cars, and the Esplanade was parked up from end to end.
When we arrived at Oldway that beautiful Imperialis had been flattened by the storm. It was lying horizontal on the soil, with the roots exposed. I was gutted.
Some oyster catchers flew over our heads as we walked back to the flat.
I know parts of Uk have snow today.... keep warm and safe everyone.

[louisa maud]

28th
I am really angry this morning, I read the paper showing hoards at the sales in the Northern areas, ,  although people were in the high street they were all walking close to each other, AND NO MASKS, I wear a mask in every shop and if there are a lot of people about OUTSIDE  I wear it outside as well, or have I got it wrong?

LM

[Pheno]

I think what you have wrong LM is that you are not required to wear a mask outside, only to socially distance.  If you want to fine but you can't automatically expect everyone else to.

Pheno

[louisa maud]

They were in very close proximity and I still think they should be wearing masks

LM

[Mowsehowse]

Pheno is correct that we are not obliged to wear masks in the street, only within shops, however, I don't think you are wrong to be furious LM.
On the other hand, we are in this for the long haul, and fury is a very exhausting emotion, so I shall  try to avoid that, and continue to grit my teeth, and observe "HANDS, FACE, SPACE", for my proection.

[louisa maud]

MH yes, you are right but they were all jam packed together, common sense is needed sometimes, well  most of us want this done and dusted don't we, been confined long enough

LM

[Mowsehowse]

MH yes, you are right but they were all jam packed together, common sense is needed sometimes, well  most of us want this done and dusted don't we, been confined long enough. LM

I do so agree LM, but I haven't the energy to keep up a flow of smiling good humour AND be furious at the same time.