Diary > Monday 4th January

[Mowsehowse]

Up very late, (watching Ghost,) so I may as well cause a stir, and make a start.
Had to get out early to do the weekly grocery shop. Not too many cars in the car park, but the staff were very busy trying to re-stock the fresh produce counters, and we struggled to get what we needed. 
It doesn't seem to matter when we go, there is always a problem of one description or another!
I picked up a stir fry for only a few pence, which H and I had with salmon for tea, and a naughty pack of crumpets which we toasted with onion and cheese for lunch.
After lunch we walked over to the lakes, as it hasn't rained for a few days and I thought it might not be very muddy.  I was wrong, but we were almost the only people there, which was a bonus. 
I saw the heron fishing, and the usual swans and ducks.
While I was walking by the lakes I had a message telling me that our esteemed PM was planning to address the nation at 8 p.m.
I tuned in and heard what we all heard.... yet another lockdown for at least 6 weeks!  More disruption to education and commerce, and the poor front line workers battling through, despite they must be so fearful for their own health.
I also transferred information from the old diary to the new, and moved the birthdays onto the new calendar.  It is still only the 4th day of the year, so I'm quite pleased with that achievement.

[Roobarb]

I thought I was seeing things MH!  Will you be telling us about your day or would that stir us up too much? 

[Bee]

I think MH has nodded off

[Roobarb]

She's still there, her light is on.  No hiding place! 

[Mowsehowse]

Cheeky monkeys!!  All is now revealed.    Enjoy.

[Roobarb]

Ah, good to hear about your day MH. It's amazing how many really old films have been on TV lately, I watched Castaway the other night. Well done on the bargain front, nourishing and cheap too, ideal. Your walks sound lovely, great to see the wildlife too.

My day:
Yet another night when I laid awake for hours, eventually had four hours sleep so I felt rather spaced out when I got up. After being revived by the cup that cheers I decided to do some Pilates. As I haven't done it for ages I started off for today with just the warmup and ten minute arm exercises routine. Don't want to overdo it, I'll try and remember to do it daily and increase it each time. After that I went out for a walk, I'd thought of going to the beach but it was really cold and damp and was looking like rain. It was fine while I was out but did rain a little while after I returned.

The post had arrived early today, with a few things I'd sent for. A scarf in Scottish wool, I'd previously bought one as a present for someone and as it was so nice I'd decided to treat myself to one too, ideal for chilly walks. A second paperback book I'd ordered arrived, also a packet of Cosmos seeds ready for spring. The plants I'd bought last spring were so lovely I thought I'd try growing some from seed. Not so welcome was a letter telling me that my fixed rate savings account would soon be coming to an end and would be transferred to an account paying 0.3% interest, ie for a thousand pounds of savings I'd get the princely sum of £3 for leaving it there for a year. The trouble is that most accounts are paying about the same, although I did read that the stock market has made a slight increase now that the Oxford vaccine has been released,

Was really hungry so had lunch early, did a couple of boiled eggs with some of the seeded bread. Had to go in the garage to get some apples out of the coolbox I keep in there, it's an ideal place in this weather. Finally finished off sorting the big drawer out, I can actually see what's in there now. Spent the rest of the afternoon doing things on the computer. Fish for tea with jacket potato etc. My friend in Devon phoned, was good to catch up. Very cold there too.

The Prime Minister's broadcast was as expected, tier 5 lockdown. Sadly it seems there's not much option, thank goodness the vaccine is on its way to us all, some sooner than others but we just have to be patient.

[Caw1]

Wow MH up first today.... well actually yesterday now but whose counting!

Lovely to get a walk in even if a bit muddy and seeing a heron too..
you’re right it’s hard to know when to shop... I’ve that joy on Thursday ... could be really quiet if people are staying home or manic buying.... we shall see..
Well done with your new diary too... not bought one this year... only got freebie calendar from Good Food mag.... got five birthdays in January so need to think about cards!

Well today was a sunny day ...I heard the phone ringing before 9am 😱... OH must have answered it... our alarm company! Old one sold out to this new one and they wondered if they could come in next half hour to do the annual check... definitely not apparently OH told them... so coming on Friday..
After breakfast did some paperwork... sorted fridge out...
had a shower and washed my hair...
After lunch went and did the ironing...
Friend came with bits of shopping had quick chat about the dogs... apparently one out in between the two flimsy fences they’ve got...
 woman householder there and said sorry to our friends... but she couldn’t get the dog to return...
 friend told her she didn’t think saying sorry was really enough for their behaviour and they shouldn’t be out the front barking and growling!
They need to have a pee she said
Friend didn’t say anymore as she could see she wasn’t getting anywhere...
Still no news re any police visits...
Had a game of scrabble... lost 😢 now we’re level..
Dinner was cod loin coated with Dijon mustard and oven baked with new pots, mushroom, tomatoes, capers and chorizo and green vegs.
Watched Boris..... think we knew it was coming but to be back in lockdown again until mid Feb... maybe longer is a depressing thought...
OH had only last week booked to play 10 holes of golf twice this week... well not now..
Can’t really express how I’m feeling... like everyone else I suspect...
It seems hard to believe they’re going to get 2 million a week vaccinated when it’s taken them a month so far to do 1 million....
We were going to have a dry week but I’m afraid we fell at the first hurdle and had a 🍷🍷....
Wondering how others are feeling...

Caroline

[louisa maud]

I joked with my husband this lockdown was a bit like being in prison but as  least I assume prisoners are mixing and being more sociable than we are, don't know about that, but it is becoming a strange feeling, most of us haven't seen our friends for months, or our family

I spent a lot of the day entering birthdays in to  my diary and my "countryfile" calendar, plus checking off  Christmas  card list, another job done to tidy up new year

The bubble confuses me, we don't have a support bubble, we have managed on our own,  but we have a daughter and family who we locally to us, we haven't seen then very much at all , we did stand in the front garden on Christmas day but is she supposed to be able to visit?, not sure,  I think " the bubble " is being manipulated to suit the people concerned, if a visit from Essex to Yorkshire for new year is a bubble, I will eat my hat!!

Talking about TV I have found a channel, think it is Smithsonian or something like that, it has some really interesting programmes, last week I saw 2 hours of lions and their groups, looked as if it was going to end up with a sad ending but it didn't, it was most enjoyable

Someone mentioned on here they have trouble sleeping, I am the same hence me on the computer at this unearthly hour, I would just like a steady 7 hours sleep, that would be nice but current event make it worse for me, wish I could switch off

Night Night all

Louisa Maud