3rd April 2020

Living in lockdown hasn’t, so far, been too dissimilar to what Sue and I would normally do at home. Retirement may offer the opportunity and time to travel, but it also prepares you for extended periods of being together. Yes, the clubs and social activities that were once part of our lives have been put on hold, as has the freedom to move beyond the confines of the house and garden. But, like the majority of the population, we have adapted. There is a routine to our day, and for now, it feels comfortable. I think that’s important, because out there, beyond our sanctuary, are the monsters: the virus and those who carry it. We remain cautious. Are they lurking on the handles of the wheelie bins? Have they settled on the post through the letterbox? Should we answer the knock at the door?

We are living in risky times, rolling the dice each time we venture out, for daily exercise, to fetch the newspaper, to shop, or even to talk to the neighbours (at a distance). We take precautions, and we hope.

It has always seemed like common sense to take sensible precautions when faced with a potential threat. During our teaching careers, if one of us became ill, the other would move into a spare bedroom, logical, to give at least one of us a chance of avoiding infection. We’ve followed the same principle for COVID-19. After returning from the Amazon, I bought a pack of face masks within two days and divided them among the most at-risk family members. You never know, it might turn into a pandemic, I said. Past travels to the Far East have taught me that people there consider masks essential protection against airborne infection. I could never understand why the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised that only those infected or caring for them should wear masks. That may now change. WHO’s official advice on whether the public should wear masks could soon shift after new evidence suggests they may offer protection. About bloody time! The argument against them was that people wouldn’t wear them properly or dispose of them correctly. Have they never considered educating people?

Another gripe: how has China, with its vast population, managed to keep its official death rate lower than much of the world (2.3%), even under an authoritarian regime with largely obedient citizens? (Bloomberg). The U.S. intelligence community concluded in a classified report to the White House that China has concealed the extent of the coronavirus outbreak, under-reporting both total cases and deaths, according to three U.S. officials. There you have it, if it’s to be believed (and that’s never a given with Trump in office). I doubt it surprises anyone.

Yesterday brought some awful news about Phil in Italy, but today there’s far more room for optimism. His temperature has receded, and he has been diagnosed with pneumonia rather than the more worrying COVID-19. Still, in considerable pain from gout, he is at least well enough to complain about not being allowed home. Sounds like he’s getting back to his usual self. Fingers are still crossed.

St Luke’s Hospital in Harborough was closed today after its first confirmed coronavirus case.

On a lighter note, I dug another three rows in the vegetable patch, and two varieties of lettuce, Thimble and Iceberg, have been sown in the greenhouse.

This afternoon, Mia called me on video. She didn’t say much but was clearly pleased to see me. I do miss our walks and lunches. Harry, however, seems to be struggling with the isolation. Meanwhile, Jamie, Ruth, Joey, Rocky, and Maddie enjoyed their first BBQ of the year. Charlotte was given some science books for Ellis by one of her clients. When she returned from work, she found him enthusiastically experimenting. Let’s just hope it wasn’t anything too explosive!

03/04/20 A year ago today, we were visiting Joan and Phil in Italy. How the world has changed since then!

Another row of soil has been turned over in preparation for potato planting next week. I look forward to this rather strenuous and repetitive task, mostly because it is repetitive. It requires no real concentration; it’s almost automatic, leaving my mind free to wander to more interesting matters.

I have the radio on (always a mistake). Endless programmes drone on about coronavirus, with talk-show callers demonstrating their lack of understanding, intelligence, morality, or common sense. And then, on the hour, the news, offering, perhaps, a glimmer of enlightenment, if only anyone actually listened (though I doubt it).

Sad to say, I seem to enjoy hurling abuse at the devil’s instrument. There’s something oddly satisfying about disengaging from it while simultaneously venting my frustration. I can only hope these callers are seeking their fifteen minutes of fame, because if they’re not, heaven help the rest of us if they ever find themselves in a position of influence.

Friday is usually the day the family gathers, and I feed them a couple of curries of varying quality. But that hasn’t happened for quite a few weeks now. Sue and I have kept up the tradition, though, this afternoon, I made a curry.

Normally, I have to omit mushrooms from any of my pièces de résistance, as several family members distrust this nutritious fungus and refuse to eat it. Today, I was looking forward to finally including this flavoursome ingredient. But on checking our stores, I found we had none! Queuing outside a supermarket during lockdown for a small tin of mushrooms would have been irresponsible, so once again, we had a mushroom-free curry. Damn you, coronavirus!

I received an email from Ken in Spain. He and Chris are well, though the virus appears to be creeping ever closer. The mother of Chris’s hairdresser, who lives in their village, has succumbed. Though restrictions on their freedom are tightening, they continue to carry on with as much normality as possible. Chris has finished the quilt she started on the Magellan, and Ken continues to write. I’ve included his short, amusing epistle describing his mood whilst living in isolation. It can be accessed by clicking on this link and downloading: Lockdown.

This evening, we watched Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat on the cinema system. Andrew Lloyd Webber is releasing some of his musicals on YouTube every Friday at 7 pm. A spectacular, glossy production, high on glitz, costumes, and catchy tunes, but thin on storyline. Sue thought it was fabulous and would happily watch it again. I, however, found it too disjointed. If you knew the story, you could fill in the gaps; if you didn’t, you had to be satisfied with excellent performances, an impressive spectacle, and hummable tunes. I can see why it was so popular in its day, but I won’t be watching it again. Roll on the next one.