20th June 2020

A further 128 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus, according to the latest figures released by the Government. Spain’s foreign minister has announced that Britons will be able to holiday in Spain from Sunday without needing to quarantine. However, discussions are still ongoing between the UK and Spain regarding whether Spanish visitors arriving in the UK will be required to self-isolate. As it stands, most arrivals to the UK must quarantine for 14 days or risk a fine of up to £1,000 if found in breach of the measures.

This morning, I planted a short row of outdoor tomato plants in the vegetable plot before taking a car full of hedge trimmings to the recycling site. When I arrived at the dump, I found only one other car discarding waste during my 15-minute slot. What struck me, however, was the presence of seven operatives, either standing or sitting, watching the two of us unload. I can understand why they didn’t offer to help, but it does raise the question: why so many staff?

Meanwhile, we are now permitted two visits per fortnight instead of just one. Is this an acknowledgement that a single visit was insufficient? Or is it simply that the site isn’t as busy as anticipated? Then again, perhaps the citizens of Harborough are becoming more environmentally conscious.

On my return, Jamie, Ruth, and Joey had arrived to use the canoe. We decided they would paddle on Saddington Reservoir, but upon driving there, we were turned away by a group of fishermen who claimed that boats were not allowed on the water due to COVID-19 restrictions. With the associated sailing club closed and its website down, we had no way of verifying this, so, rather disappointed, we left.

Back home, I mowed the lawns and potted on some snapdragons, while Jamie drove to Whetstone Pastures Farm to pick strawberries in an attempt to ease their disappointment. After gorging themselves, they stopped by briefly to drop off the life jackets on their way home. We didn’t get any strawberries!

In the evening, Sue and I watched Operation Finale, a true story about an Israeli team of secret agents tracking down Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann, the mastermind of the Holocaust.

21st June 2020

The UK’s Covid-19 death toll has risen by 43, bringing the total to 42,632. Meanwhile, Germany’s reproduction rate has spiked from 1.06 to 2.88 in just two days, raising concerns about a second wave. An R number of 2.88 means that every 100 infected people would, on average, pass the virus to 288 others. To contain the virus, the R number must stay below 1. Have they eased restrictions too soon? Will we make the same mistake? I suspect Spain might have.

Today was Father’s Day. First celebrated in 1910, it was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd and is marked on the third Sunday of June each year. I chose to rise a little later than usual, waiting for the traditional text greetings from Charlotte, Jamie, and Sarah. Shortly after, while drinking my morning coffee, I opened my cards and sent thank-you messages.

Mid-morning, Charlotte, Suraj, Lucas, Ellis, and Harry visited, bringing a pair of wellingtons and some cheese and crackers. We spent some time enjoying the sunshine and chatting in the back garden before they headed home.

While Sue spent time at the dining room table on her Family Tree, reaching back as far as the 1700s, I set about finishing the tree-seat I had begun at the beginning of the pandemic. After first clearing away the topsoil underneath the seat, I then set a layer of cement, spreading 5 bags of blue slate on top. After lunch, I visited Homebase and acquired 6 more bags of slate and spread those too. Finishing off, I mixed some mortar and firmed up some of the loose stones that held the slate in position. Though at first sceptical about the family’s suggestion that putting ‘something’ underneath the seats would be better, I have to agree, it is.

The rest of the afternoon was spent tying up the grape vines and then the tomato plants in the greenhouse. I finished off by transplanting some lettuce while Sue took advantage of the mounds of topsoil I had collected and potted up some succulents acquired from Sarah.

22nd June 2020

There were 15 coronavirus deaths recorded in the UK in the past 24 hours. The death toll now stands at 42,647. Mr Bean has been signed up by the WHO to offer social distancing and hand washing tips to the world. With the UK seriously considering reducing social distancing from 2m, this WHO video is recommending just 1m: Mr Bean’s Advice.

On a promise by the BBC weather lady that the next few days would see a return to summer, Sue and I took the opportunity and drove up to Newbold Verdon to see our granddaughter. It was Lee’s first day back at work (upstairs in his study), so we were greeted by Sarah, Alice and Mia. After spending around half an hour chatting in the garden, we took Mia out for a walk and a picnic, letting Alice, who had been awake all night, have a sleep.

After discovering our first Geocache of the day outside the Church, our route took us to Barlestone, a small nearby village once home to coal miners. Although there was never a mine in Barlestone itself, the miners travelled to pits in Bagworth, Coalville, or Newbold Heath.

As we passed a small park on the village outskirts, we spotted the entrance to a raised wooden walkway winding through an area of shrubs and marshland. As a diversion, we followed its snaking path and soon came across some Giant Hogweed, often described in gardening literature as hazardous. Venturing further into this wilderness of small ponds, swampy ground, and woodland, we discovered our second successful Geocache, hidden beneath a stone and discreetly nestled between the roots of a tree. This find was particularly satisfying, as we had previously failed to locate one in the village centre and suspected it had been “muggled.”

Returning to the park, we settled on a bench and table at the top of a slope for our picnic. From there, we had a splendid view of the locals walking their dogs below, though, as usual, Mia was only interested in any crumbs that might fall from our mini-feast!

Continuing our ramble, we passed a picturesque lake where a large tepee made of tree branches stood on the bank, alongside a huge sheet of tarpaulin. Nearby, an area had been set aside for seating with a fire pit, which we assumed belonged to the Barlestone Scout group.

Other highlights of our trek included passing beneath a towering wind turbine, its blades slicing through the air with a relentless whoosh, magically transforming the wind into eco-friendly electricity. Further along, we had to hurry across a meadow, where a farmer on his tractor was methodically scything the grass into neat rows.

We found our final Geocache at the base of a post on the outskirts of Newbold Verdon, marking a satisfying end to our journey.

On our return, we spent some time chatting in the garden before leaving Sue and Mia to nap in the sun. Meanwhile, Sarah, Alice, and I drove the short distance, just a quarter of a mile, to inspect their new allotment.

Armed with my petrol strimmer, I set to work tackling the weeds that had aggressively reclaimed the plot from its previous owner. As Sarah and Alice walked back, I continued my task, and within an hour, I had transformed the overgrown patch into something resembling a battlefield, minus the mud of the Somme.

Returning to Sarah’s, I paused for a much-needed can of lemonade before Sue and I set off back to Harborough.