22nd April 2020

The UK is “at the peak” of the coronavirus outbreak, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told MPs, on the same day that the number of hospital deaths in the UK rose above 18,000.

On a lighter note, I watched a YouTube video shared on Facebook by a friend that really made me chuckle: The Liar Tweets Tonight.

In brief: This morning, I washed and waxed Sue’s Suzuki Alto and watered the vegetable plot and vines. Sue posted a letter. In the afternoon, I potted on some cucumber plants in the greenhouse. A slow, quiet day in lockdown at Willow Bank. Last night, the Rothwells stayed up late and made themselves comfortable on the lawn to watch Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites and a predicted meteor shower. Unfortunately, Ellis couldn’t quite stay awake to see the meteorites. Sarah had Abby visit today to drop off some gifts for the baby.

For the second time since lockdown, WhatsApp malfunctioned. The first time, I was using the app to talk to Brigitte in Leicester when Jim and Kate Crawford suddenly joined the conversation. It happened again today, Brigitte was chatting to her husband Jim in Cyprus, and I was using my mobile to solve a crossword when suddenly Jim and Brigitte appeared in conversation. Unlike the previous occasion, which was a video call, this was voice-only, with our three photos displayed. We chatted for a while, and I learned that Brigitte was hoping to rejoin Jim in Cyprus in a few weeks, as the Cypriot government was planning to resume repatriation flights. I believe Cyprus has only suffered 19 deaths due to coronavirus, so that seems a wise move, though I imagine the grandchildren will miss their Nan’s company.

23/04/20
A total of 18,738 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5 pm on Wednesday, according to the Department of Health, an increase of 638 from 18,100 the day before. The Health Secretary announced:

“From today, employers of essential workers will be able to go to gov.uk to arrange a test for any of their staff who need one. And from tomorrow, any essential workers who require a test will be able to book an appointment themselves directly.”

As Suraj, Lee, and Jamie are on the essential workers list, I expect they will have the option of being tested, though I do wonder whether it’s necessary if you haven’t developed any symptoms. We shall see.

Another quiet lockdown day. Neither of us ventured beyond the garden, though we did have a late-morning parcel delivery, a bench. The temperature reached 26°C. Sue busied herself cleaning the inside of her car, then made some celery soup for lunch. I replaced a washer on the outside tap, which had been dripping for some time, and planted a small vine to replace one that had died over winter.

In the afternoon, I assembled the bench and placed it around the apple tree. Disappointingly, that evening, we attempted to watch the National Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night, but the action and sound weren’t synchronised on YouTube, so we gave up after 15 minutes. It was a modern take on the story; with the original script, it looked interesting. Annoyingly, it seemed to play perfectly on my laptop.

For the rest of the adults in the family, it was a typical lockdown workday. Afterwards, they chose to cook exotically for their evening meal:

We had chicken pie, mashed potatoes and beetroot chips, followed by melon balls and ice cream.

24/04/20

Today is significant, not because the coronavirus death toll in UK hospitals has reached 19,506, an increase of 768 from the day before, nor because of the heartbreaking news that identical twin sisters have died within three days of each other from the virus. On Tuesday, NHS children’s nurse Katy Davis, 38, passed away at Southampton General Hospital, where she worked. Her twin sister, Emma, a former nurse, had died earlier on Friday at the same hospital.

Instead, today is significant because the man in charge of one of the world’s most powerful nations has demonstrated to us all what a dangerous idiot he truly is:

“Donald Trump has stunned viewers by suggesting that people could receive injections of disinfectant to cure the coronavirus, a notion one medical expert described as ‘jaw-dropping’.”

During his daily address to the nation, he revealed a shocking lack of understanding of the crisis and a complete ignorance of anything medical or scientific. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics with a specialisation in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, but clearly no common sense whatsoever. Perhaps his BSc really stands for Bullshit Clown?

Another quiet lockdown day at Willow Bank. My time was filled with therapeutic mowing and filling two half-barrels with soil, ready for planting courgettes. Sue spent the day dusting and cleaning the balcony overlooking the pool.

I had a chat with Viv and Ian over the garden fence. They have had to shut down their chiropody practice until June and, in the meantime, have been busy sourcing PPE for themselves and their patients. The equipment they need is readily available, but at extortionate prices. That’s just the way things are at the moment; there will always be those eager to exploit the misfortune of others.

Later on, I wasn’t surprised when I received a call from the NHS informing me that my appointment with the podiatrist next week had been cancelled and would be rescheduled. In the current climate, visiting a hospital for anything other than an emergency is fraught with unknowns, and I must admit, I feel somewhat relieved that I don’t have to go.

Late in the afternoon, our neighbour Claire texted to let me know that the female muntjac had made an appearance with her newborn. I watched and photographed the little one frisking about manically across the river, revelling in the freedom of open space, while its mother grazed patiently on the freshly mown grass. At the same time, Mr Pheasant and his new lady friend arrived to feed on the grain I had scattered earlier. I suspect she may have a nest with eggs nearby.

Lee, in addition to working from home, has been fitting out and decorating his study. Today he finished, and from the photograph, it looks like he’s done a pretty good job.

In the evening, I watched Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. It was panned by the critics, and Sue lost patience after five minutes, retreating to her laptop to catch up on other things. I stuck with it to the end and actually enjoyed it. There aren’t any particularly catchy tunes, but the story is strong, and the singing and acting are excellent, though the final scene was far too sad for my liking. I much prefer a happy ending. Still, it was worth watching.

Breaking News: Ruth got a first in her university exam! She and Jamie opened a bottle of wine to celebrate.