8th June 2020

In the UK, 55 people died after contracting coronavirus, the lowest daily total reported since 22 March.

In the Netherlands, protesters gathered outside parliament on Monday, calling for an end to fur farming following a coronavirus outbreak on mink farms, which led to the culling of tens of thousands of animals. Worryingly, the virus has now been detected on 10 of the country’s 140 mink farms. Last month, the government confirmed two cases of humans being infected by mink, the only known instances of animal-to-human transmission since the global outbreak began in China. This only reinforces the urgency of bringing the pandemic under control, as the virus continues to find new reservoirs. What other species might yet harbour it?

Raheem Sterling has voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter protests, stating that racism is “the only disease we are fighting right now.” Perhaps he should stick to football; his talent lies in his feet, not his reasoning.

It was a dry, cool day.

My morning cycle ride took me through one of the larger building sites around Harborough, where there seemed to be significantly more activity than in recent weeks. The site was clearly adapted to the new COVID-19 regulations, with designated pathways, signage, and disinfectant stations in place. Over the past week or so, a few workers had been tidying up, putting up fencing, and making small preparations, but today the site was fully active, tarmac being laid, scaffolding erected, and earth moved. The rat-tat-tat of nail guns and the growl of generators echoed across the skeletal rows of buildings. Interestingly, no new plots were being excavated, and those with only their concrete slabs laid remained idle. It makes me wonder if only buildings that have progressed beyond ground level will be finished, perhaps in anticipation of a downturn in the housing market. That would make sense.

On one of the few road sections of my route, I met an old work colleague, Clair Watling, who was out walking her daughter’s dogs. We chatted for a good half-hour until the animals grew impatient. Like many others during lockdown, she’s considering getting a dog of her own, for both company and the motivation to get out more, especially since she lost her husband. Pets have a way of fostering conversations; other owners are always eager to chat about their animals. It’s funny how quickly you lose your own identity and become simply “the person with [insert dog’s name].”

During the afternoon, with the lawn freshly mowed, I spent a couple of hours replacing the cylinder in the automatic window opener in the greenhouse. Last summer, the expansion liquid had leaked, leaving it useless. Rather than replacing the entire unit, I discovered I could buy just the cylinder, a much cheaper fix. The job took longer than expected because I had to remove a few glass panes, but with the lockdown still in full effect, there’s no rush. Plenty of time to fill! Even time for a good chat with the neighbours.

Viv and Ian, next door, both chiropractors, have started working again from home this week, now fully kitted out in PPE. Just after lunch, we had a natter over the fence. They admitted that their new gear makes work more difficult, the gloves hinder their manipulations, and the visors steam up, making them sweat. To brighten their day, I handed over a lettuce from the garden and a bottle of wine from the garage store for their tea.

Meanwhile, Lee took Alice for a spin in her pushchair, with Mia and Sarah in tow. He looked every inch the proud dad. He’s already counting down to Alice’s first Christmas; apparently, it’s only 200 days away. Humbug! I say!

It was a pleasant day, dry and, at times, warm. Sue and I spent it in the garden; she filled more bags with windfall rubbish while I tackled the hedges and ivy at the front of the house. By the end of it, I had three bins full of leaves and twigs, which would need to be taken to Harborough’s recycling centre. I booked an appointment online for 3:15 pm tomorrow, only to discover that I’m only allowed to visit the site once every two weeks! The rear hedges are much larger and more extensive, it usually takes me three days to cut them and half a day of back-and-forth trips to dispose of the debris. This new restriction poses a bit of a logistical challenge… one that might require some creative thinking.

Meanwhile, the UK coronavirus death toll disappointingly rose by 245 over the past 24 hours. On the brighter side, zoos, safari parks, and drive-in cinemas will be allowed to reopen from June 15, alongside non-essential shops. At least that’s some step toward normality.

(9th June 2020)

A day of showers interspersed with sunny spells. We made a late decision to brave the weather and follow a route Sue had received earlier in the week from the U3A. A short drive took us to the village of North Kilworth, where we parked in front of the White Lion pub before setting off down Green Lane. The light drizzle that had accompanied us on our journey soon cleared.

Almost immediately, we were struck by the charm of this ‘Tardis’ village. Countless times, we had sped past its outskirts, our pace dictated by the ever-watchful speed camera positioned near the ‘other’ now-defunct pub. Perhaps the pub’s demise was hastened by the presence of the camera, though it has since been converted into a house.

Our walk led us through a labyrinth of ancient streets, lined with beautifully maintained houses spanning a variety of architectural periods, most of them picture-perfect. We wondered why we had never taken the time to explore this little gem before. Stopping briefly in Washpit Lane, we read the information board detailing the historic uses of its small pond: a cattle wash, a soaking place for wooden wagon wheels, and a dunking trough for the blacksmith.

We left the village on a path leading from the Parish Church of St Andrew’s, taking us through a field of cattle lazily chewing the cud as they lay in the grass. Our route then crossed a small footbridge over the River Avon, passing close to the river’s source. Soon after, we reached the Grand Union Canal, which we followed all the way to the new marina on the village’s outskirts. A short road walk brought us back to the car.

At just 3.85 miles, this was certainly the shortest walk I’ve stretched my legs on, but we were fortunate with the weather, and the unexpected charm of this village made it more than worthwhile.

In the afternoon, I kept my 3.15 pm appointment at Harborough’s recycling site to drop off my hedge clippings and Sue’s garden sweepings. After a brief delay, caused by a car reversing out of the one-way system (presumably in breach of the regulations), I was one of only two vehicles there. My registration number was checked, and I was in and out within ten minutes. Despite my earlier prediction that the appointment system would lead to chaos at the gates, it seemed to run efficiently. But then, it has had two weeks to settle in.

In Desborough, Maddy got a bath, and in Newbold Verdon, the garden columns were felled in readiness for sale.